I hate keyrings. Sure, they collect your keys and keychain accessories in one seemingly convenient location, but this more often than not results in a cumbersome lump of jingly-jangly bits that are difficult to pocket. When you do pocket them, they typically create an unsightly lump in your pants — one that can even wear down the fabric of said pockets in the process.
And yes, I know there are key organizers. But even the best of them are still difficult to manage alongside other necessary bits of everyday carry — like your wallet, phone, pocket knife, pen, etc.
Bottom line: I don’t want my keys in my pocket if I can help it. For this reason, I’ve turned to keychain carabiners for the better part of a decade — perhaps even a decade and a half. I've used them so long, I can't quite remember.
It wasn’t until recently, however, that I finally found the one that suits me best. After testing literal dozens, I had the great fortune of getting my hands on Orbitkey’s Clip V2 and now I have no intention of ever turning back. Put plainly, it’s the best keychain carabiner I’ve ever used.
For starters, the design is brilliant — likely a product of the fact that it was made in collaboration with Carryology, the EDC-focused editorial sister brand to Bellroy. It’s unique and interesting without being awkward or extraneous, minimalist without sacrificing on functionality and its two colorways (black on silver, or black on black) go with pretty much everything — which is useful, since you’ll likely wear it externally. It’s a piece of everyday carry you can be proud to display, full stop.
But there’s a lot more going on than just that wonderful first glance. The carabiner clip itself — which is made from stainless steel and has a spring-loaded gate — is reliable and sturdy yet very easy to open and close (when done with intention). In fact, in the year or more since I’ve been using it, I’ve not noticed it start to wear down at all. Similarly, the spacious D-ring is also rock-solid when you need it to be, yet very easy to pop out of its housing when you want to add on more keys and/or keychain accessories.
Finally, the biggest, brightest highlight of this EDC marvel is the magnetic Fidlock quick-release that connects the carabiner and the D-ring. When connected, it’s damn near impossible to pull the carabiner and D-ring apart unintentionally. I’ve even yanked on them quite a bit (in testing the security, of course) — and, at 230 pounds, I’m a fairly big, strong dude.
Connect the carabiner to your belt loop and give an intentional downward tug to the quick release tab, however, and the D-ring comes detached so easily, you might find yourself wondering what dark sorcery was used to craft such an ingenious device. That makes it perfect for snagging your keys in a hurry, be that to unlock your front door, hop in your car, hand your keys off to someone else or whatever else. And reattaching them is just as simple and quick.
Furthermore, this quick-release also makes it easy to pare down your keychain when you aren't wearing something with belt loops. Unlike other carabiners — many of which require a more permanent attachment to your keyring — this one can be separated and left behind when you have to pocket your keys. This is especially handy when wearing workout gear, as gym shorts tend not to have belt loops, or when you're just trying to keep your EDC to a minimum.
If, like me, you really despise the necessity of carrying around a keyring and other keychains and carabiners just haven’t quite done the trick, I cannot recommend the Orbitkey Clip V2 highly enough. It’s one of my all-time favorite pieces of everyday carry gear and I need more people to know that so that they can also make their own lives better.
