It’s about time I revamped my keychain and I am looking for items to add to it. After searching keychain on the forum, and with my own input as well, I’d like to include:

- keys (of course)
- LED light (looks like it will be my new Fenix EO1 I just got – in fashionable purple no less which means now I’ll have to buy the matching purple man-bag )
- Peanut Lighter, split pea lighter, or a firesteel i.e. my BSA hot spark (I’m currently EDC-ing a mini-bic but either of these look like a viable and reliable back-up if needed)
- Pill fob to carry some tinder quick and maybe some other items
- Whistle

Some maybe items are:
- Mini-sized scraper or pry bar
- Small knife (thinking of either a small single blade like a spyderco ladybug, or a small victorinox SAK)
- P-38
- Compass
- Writing utensil
- Roll of Duct tape (as seen here: http://www.itstactical.com/intellicom/diy/solutions-for-the-every-day-carry-of-duct-tape/ ) although a flat roll of duct and electrical tape around a credit card and placed in my billfold might make more sense

I don’t want my keychain to turn into this:

http://img8.imageshack.us/img8/3258/dsc00693tz.jpg

but on the other hand I’d like to have some minimal useful gear on it. Any suggestions for brands on these items and/or other items I have overlooked are welcomed.

Left out an obvious item: nail clippers

I've taken a different approach with my keychain. On mine I carry the following:

• Keys
• Leatherman Squirt PS4
• 4Sevens 120db Ti whistle
• 4Sevens ReVO in a leather sheath

I do carry a small amount of duct tape, a split pea lighter, and a compass as part of my minimalist commuter kit in my laptop bag. I carry a pen separately as well as having a few in my bag.

The PS4 is incredibly useful, well as filling the bottle opener, can opener, nail clipper, and backup knife role in addition to the obvious. I use it frequently. The ReVO is the best 1xAAA flashlight I've found, and it makes a great backup to my primary EDC flashlight.

The chances of me needing firemaking while commuting are slim to none but the split pea lighter is so easy to carry I threw it in the bag. If I felt like I needed firemaking on my person the split pea is smaller and easier to use than a firesteel plus tinder.

My keychain carry is customized to my needs, so please don't take this as criticism.

Mark.. I'm probably a lot older at 64, and a heart attack is more of a reality, so my pill fob really carries pills...couple of aspirin and immodium... I broke the plastic Fox whistle, and now carry a nickle plated brass referee whistle, P38,and Fenix E01(be sure to power it with lithium)on the key ring...water pouch/ClO2 pills and some tape/bandages in wallet,... small Leatherman Juice in a belt pouch with section of saw blade/needle/safety pins....I decided I needed light more than fire, so exchanged space occupied by a Bic for a Streamlight flashlight...1/8" firesteel and petroleum/cotton in a section of a plastic straw...

I'd hate to do so, but if I really, really needed a pry bar.... I carry a pretty good folder, either a Benchmade Aries or Reeve Sebenza

after reading Chaos'... I would recommend the PS4, but don't abuse it like I did mine... need to send it back, snapped off the jaws trying to twist with it

Mine is very simple and light: fauxton light, metal tube whistle, pill fob with Ibuprofen, keys, clip.

If you want to carry a writing utensil, the Inka Pen looks like a good option though I have not tried it.

http://www.writeanywhere.com/inkapen.html

Jeanette Isabelle

I actually carry my keychain in my left front pants pocket, so it needs to remain minimum. Currently I have on it are keys, SOG crossgrip, 47 revo stainless, and a countycomm pry bar. Had a BSA hotspark but took it off.

With the amount of stuff in your list, it could turn into the behemoth you are trying to avoid pretty fast.

My EDC keychain for urban carry is pretty minimalist. I carry my keys, a small LED light (aka "Fauxton" type), and a Spyderco Ladybug in ZDP-189.

SAK midnight manager - blade, scissors, phillips and regular screwdrivers, nailfile and bottle opener, plus a red LED light (sure I've seen a white LED version but can't find it now) and a pen all in one.

None of these would be my first choice tool, but it is a lot of backup/redundancy in one tiny package.

http://www.mindyourfingers.co.uk/P1791.html

Another vote here for the PS4, which has replaced the SAK Classic I carried for years and years. Along with it, I have a peanut lighter, a Fexix LD01, a Countycomm prybar, and a container for cash - oh, yes, also house and car keys.....

I liked my Inka, but I ended up replacing it with a Fisher Bullet that I carry separately from my keychain.

Thanks everyone. Chaos, I NEVER take anything anyone says here as criticism. We are all here to help each other and learn from each other. I welcome all comments good and bad, it's the only way to learn and grow. This is why this forum is the first (and only) place I come to to ask these kinds of questions. Lots of great and useful info already. Also, I'd like to add some additional info and add to my questions just a bit.

First off, I am emptying my pockets of the things I am currently 100% in the habit now of ALWAYS carrying with me: SAK with attached Swiss-Tech mini pliers, mini-Bic, Fenix EO1 with whistle attached, office keys with attached cheap-o LED pinch light that has lasted a SURPRISINGLY long time (esp through the week but also on the weekends or anytime I know we will be in the general area of the office), big red bandana, and billfold. I plan to add a garbage bag or possibly an emergency blanket of some sort to wrap the bandana around, some additional EDC essentials to my billfold (that will be for another thread) such as a CC with duct tape and black tape wrapped around it and some minimal first aid items. In addition, during the work week, I always carry a lunchbox (to carry my lunch, drinks and snacks in) and a bag (think the reusable shopping bag type here, not a man bag) with my insulin and any other necessary materials I might need on any given day (such as handouts or outlines for the scout roundtable meetings). The bag and lunchbox ride with me to and from work everyday, and stay by my desk during the day, but I am not usually in the habit of carrying them on weekends, with the exception of carrying the bag if we are gone for a while and I know I will need my insulin before returning home. Now that you know what I currently EDC and what I plan to add, let's move on.

Second, I am not really sure how I should consider my keychain in the overall scheme of EDC. Should it supplement what I always normally carry? Should it duplicate what I usually carry (as a just in case kind of thing)? Or both? I am all for some redundancy but I don't want to get carried away with it (always a problem of mine, in addition to frequently adding too much, which is the main reason I STILL can't seem to EDC an altoids tin sized mini-kit, not enough room for what I want to carry).

Third, my keyring itself is one of those snap carabiners, with a heavy duty strap that is attached to the carabiner on one end and a split ring at the other. The only keys I carry right now are a key to my truck, a key to DW's van, a house key, and 2 padlock keys. So I have the option of either clipping my keys to a belt loop via the carabiner, or putting them in my pocket for more discreet carry (the Carabiner keyring may not be for everyone but it has been a godsend for me, I am forgetful and easily distracted and would often lose my keys by setting them down absent-mindedly and forgetting where I left them).

The more I think about it, the more I am leaning towards the idea that the keyring should supplement my current EDC with maybe one or two duplications, like an extra light and maybe a peanut lighter (I really need a good excuse to buy one of these ). I also know it seems like I am CONSTANTLY on the search for something to write with and something to write on, so eventually I'd like to add a small notebook to my EDC and add the ink pen suggested to my keychain. I'd still like some more input. Thanks to everyone who has contributed so far and to those who might add additional info.

Les, you do have me beat by a few years, but still, a pill fob with some basic OTC meds in it makes good sense for ANYONE to carry (keeping in mind you may not be the one to use it).

Teacher, I like the simplicity of your keyring. Part of me wants to add more and part of me keeps saying "if you need more, add it SOMEWHERE ELSE! (the emphasis here is to remind myself of this concept lol)

Jeanette, thanks for the link, that has moved way up to a definite maybe for my keychain, I seem to ALWAYS be searching for something to write with.

jzmtl, I very much like the simple approach to the keyring, and that behemoth keyring is EXACTLY what I am trying to avoid. The list is mostly just maybe items as I am still trying to decide what to include and what to leave out (or what will probably happen, pack in a kit and put in another pocket). I am debating exactly that on the hot spark.

phaedrus, is that ladybug the ONLY knife you carry? I am just wondering as I am debating leaving a knife off the keychain since my SAK is ALWAYS in my right front pocket. If i lose that, chances are I'll have lost my keys as well.

Bigred, that is a nice looking option as well.

Hikermor, same question as to phaedrus: is that the only knife or a backup? I see a lot of recommendations for the PS4, I need to check that one out. Is that countycomm prybar really useful? Or more of a just in case item? The more I think about it the farther down on my list a mini pry bar falls. And your cash idea sure seems prudent as well, I'll likely slip a bill or two in my pill fob as well.

I find the PS4 extraordinarily useful. The pliers and scissors are the most used items, and the knife is fine for normal usage, although I don't prefer the chisel grind - this may get "customized" in the future. It doesn't have the tweezers of the Classic, but the pliers work even better than the tweezers ever did. I usually carry a multitool on my belt which will definitely handle tasks too big for the PS4, but I don't have to field dress elephants all that often.

I have een carrying the CC pry bar for about eight months. I don't use it every day, but when I do, it handles tasks that I would consider abusive for my knives. If I had to drop something from my keyring, this would probably be the item

A key element in the key ring is the ring itself, some of which are very satisfactory, but rather bulky. The A&P keyring from county comm is a fine solution - a nice cable with a good fastener that is easy to use and that does not unhook on its own. This makes it simple to adjust my carry depending upon circumstances.

I like a lot of the stuff I have purchased from CC, but I nothing more than a satisfied customer.

You might want to consider paracord. For a long time I've used a fob that I made by weaving two 1-yard lengths with a square knot (an online search will show how). The result is about 4 inches long and makes a convenient handle for the keys. In an emergency I can separate out the inner threads to get around 16 1-yard lengths, for not a lot of weight.

In practice I've ended up adding a second (smaller) hank of paracord, for convenience when it's not an emergency (to save the unweaving and weaving). You can never have too much cordage.

Paper clips and safety pins are cheap, small and light and can be useful as probes or fastenings. Safety pins are more versatile, but there is a risk they'll come open and spike you. In practice I've found that risk to be small, but not zero. Paper clips are safer. If you also carry a PS4 you can use the pliers to bend them and the wire-cutters to cut them, so you have more options for improvisation.

My keyring also has an Inka pen, a whistle, a Photo Freedom for light, and some tweezers ("Uncle Bill's").