Skip to main content
  1. Home
  2. Fashion & Style
  3. Features

The Best Keychain Accessories are Tiny Tools that Can Save the Day

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 Buy at Walmart 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 Buy at Mophie 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.

Recommended Videos

Tools

Every now and again you’ll find yourself in need of a tool far superior to the kinks on your keys. The Buy at Griffin Pocket Tool 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 Buy at Amazon  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 Buy at Handgrey 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 Buy at Amazon 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 Buy at Amazon 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 Buy at Amazon  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.

Ben Hitch
Former Digital Trends Contributor
Ben Hitch, well, he's the first of his name and one hell of a character. You can find him exploring the streets of San Diego…
Breitling Salutes America’s 250th With Two Star-Spangled Avengers
The Swiss watchmaker says it's the only luxury brand with an official America250 collection — and the drop is US-only.
Wristwatch, Arm, Body Part

Breitling has unveiled the Avenger America250 — two US-exclusive limited editions marking the country's 250th birthday this July 4 — and the run sizes are as rare as the date is big.

The Avenger Automatic 42 is capped at 250 pieces, one for each year of independence. The Avenger B01 Chronograph 42 Night Mission is the unicorn: just 50, one per state.

Read more
Weiss Teamed Up With a Nashville Denim Brand on a New Watch
imogene + willie tapped fellow Nashville maker Weiss Watch Co. for a hand-built, made-in-USA automatic.
Wristwatch, Watch, Strap

Nashville watchmaker Weiss Watch Company has teamed up with fellow Music City residents imogene + willie on a limited-edition release. It's snazzy, it's automatic, and it is officially up for sale.

The i+w x Weiss 38mm automatic 002 is a clean, classic-looking field watch with a single complication — a date window down at the 6 o'clock position — and is the second collab between the two brands.

Read more
Why you should be wearing the biggest underwear brand you’ve never heard of
Pair of Thieves is the third biggest underwear brand and they think your balls will love their fabric
Person, Body Part, Finger

I talk a lot about the importance of style. Fit, function, and fashion come together to make your personal appearance a reflection of who you are and who you intend to be. The value of quality over brand names. The importance of good tailoring over fast fashion. Wearing a suit the right way. The best shoes for your look. The way you can send a message without ever opening your mouth. But you know what I don't ever talk about? Skivvies. That's right, I don't talk about underwear. You know why? Because it is something that I (and I reckon you too) just don't think about. But, in ten minutes with David Ehrenberg, CEO of Pair of Thieves, that all changed. I started thinking about underwear. And he convinced me to try his brand, because he was certain that my balls would love it. He was right. But what is it about Pair of Thieves, and underwear in general, that made them skyrocket to the top of an industry most men don't think about?

Our goal isn't to make underwear some aspirational luxury item– it's to make it the best part of getting dressed. That's reflected in our fabric, our fit, and how closely we listen to real customer feedback. We see underwear as part of personal care, and upgrading it should feel easy, accessible, and genuinely worth it. - David Ehrenberg CEO Pair of Thieves

Read more