Whether it’s to lock up or start the car, you never leave home without your keys. A necessity in our daily lives, the keychain offers ample real estate for a few choice additional items that can help cover your everyday carry needs. Keys are great for locks, but the added accessories are sure to be small and most likely dedicated to a specific task. This list is not to imply that you overload your keychain, but there are items that will shine in situations when the keys do not.
Charging
Unless your dial tone comes from an old flip phone, chances are your battery life is always in jeopardy. The Nomad Key is small and adaptable to your ever-changing lifestyle. It doesn’t hold a charge, but it does offer you the ability to link up wherever you find yourself within reach of a USB outlet. And when there is no USB port in sight, the Mophie Powerstation Keychain is standing by to give you the boost you need. It’s impossible to forget to charge the Powerstation because it doubles as a charging cable, charging your important handheld device before the Powerstation re-energizes itself. Both the Nomad Key and the Powerstation’s sleek design make them a perfect accompaniment to your keychain and the fear of your phone dying is lost forever.
Tools
Every now and again you’ll find yourself in need of a tool far superior to the kinks on your keys. The Griffin Pocket Tool Mini is the perfect supplement to any problems you may run into. Its mini design is packed with a bottle opener, pocket clip, flat head screwdriver, bit driver, and 3 different wrench sizes. Though if you’re looking for something a little sharper, the Gerber Gear GDC Zip Blade is smaller than any razor edge from Shawshank. You may not be cutting down a tree with this knife, but hanging with your keys, it’s the perfect blade to open that pesky clamshell packaging, cut an intruding zip tie, and in times of dire need, open that Prime box sitting on your stoop.
Bottle Opener
It seems you can’t go anywhere these days without hearing a desperate cry for a bottle opener. Yes, a lighter will get the job done and some of you may have even figured out how to pop the top with your wedding ring, but when neither is available you’ve got a keychain somewhere in your EDC. The Handgrey Bauhaus MO.25 is built of titanium and at just over an inch long, it will outlast lawn party after lawn party and remain hidden on your chain due to its small stature. Even smaller than the Bauhaus, say hello to the Pry.Me Bottle Opener. The Pry.Me is ¾ of an inch long, a few pennies in height, and can hold 164,000 times its own weight. And if you find yourself in a situation where this is tested, please let us know. Either the Bauhaus or Pry.Me is a great option for a pocket-sized bottle opener, especially when they both hide quietly in the mix of your keys.
Lights
Just about every phone has a flashlight on it these days, but sometimes you need a light to find your phone. The MecArmy Illumine XS2 is one of the smallest lights on the market and has a run time of up to 6 hours, with a rechargeable battery. In the darkest of places and scariest of times, this tiny light will guide you to where you need to be. And where a flashlight on your keychain is great, when you lose your keys you need a flickering flame to guide you home. The Tec Accessories Glow Fob activates when the sun goes down and keeps your keys visible when they’re out of reach. It only takes a few moments out in the sunlight to recharge the fob and even in a dark car, it gives off a luminescent effect that even Dominic Toretto would be envious of. Both lights are great in times of need, especially when you’re looking for loose change or hoping your keys had simply fallen under the couch.
Your keychain is yours to outfit with any accessory you like and the above are mere suggestions. While you don’t need to load your keychain like an old medieval jail guard where you need a glossary just to find the key you’re looking for, a few small and effective additions won’t hurt and could very well save the day.
