The 20 Best Carabiners For Your Keys

Pictured above: WESN CB Carabiner

Isn’t it always the case that on days when you’re running late, you can’t for the life of you remember where you left your keys?  Okay, if we’re being honest, this happens even on days when we have plenty of time to search high and low, only to discover them already in a jacket or pants pocket, or for some inexplicable reason, chilling in the fridge.  How the heck did they get in there?  You certainly didn’t put your keys there.

The point is, it’s time to become more aware of where you leave your keys when you walk in the door, or better yet, keep them attached to something you won’t lose, like your bag or backpack, a belt loop on your jeans, or the zipper on a jacket pocket.  This is where a carabiner keychain really comes in handy.

With the right lightweight and resilient carabiner, you can keep your keys attached to your person at all times, or at least always know where they are.  You’ll want a carabiner that’s not too bulky, and if it happens to have some extra bells and whistles (a bottle opener, perhaps?), so much the better.  Where can you find this magical key management system?  We’re going to tell you. Here are the 18 best EDC carabiners built specifically for your keys.

WESN CB Carabiner

This carabiner by WESN is forged to be “the axis of your EDC”, the one thing that holds it all together in style. Forged from a single piece of titanium and made versatile via cuts in exactly the right places, it’s tough enough to survive anything the great outdoors, job site, or DIY home renovations can throw at it. Just over two inches long, it weighs half an ounce, so light you’ll forget it’s clipped to your belt or pocket. But the milled titanium is insanely strong, scratch-resistant, rust-resistant, and able to withstand daily exposure to water. All in all, it’s one of the toughest minimalist carabiner keychains on the market, hands down.

• Price: $50
• Material: Milled titanium

The James Brand Mehlville Carabiner

This carabiner eschews the typical, ovoid appearance of a traditional, climbing carabiner in favor of a more masculine, squared-off look (albeit it with rounded edges for comfort).  Made in high-strength aluminum, this product features dual compartments so you can keep your keys on a separate loop from whatever you decide to attach the carabiner to, alleviating issues like keys slipping off when you pluck your carabiner from your backpack or belt loop to unlock the door.  A divot on the side also serves as a handy bottle opener for cracking open a bottle of Newcastle after a long day at the office.

• Price: $79
• Material: Anodized 6063 Aluminum with 304 Stainless Steel

County Comm Titanium Skeleton Carabiner

Looking for the toughest carabiner around? Give this one a try, and you’ll find it’s durability is unparalleled. The County Comm Skeleton Carabiner is made from Grade 4 Springy Titanium, the same material that’s used in the construction of fighter planes, with a double-walled design that’s incredibly resilient to compression, tension, and torsion.

It’s capable of bearing five pounds of weight without strain, and the metal is fully corrosion-resistant so you can use it anywhere, for anything. Thanks to the spring-loaded enclosure, you can easily add or remove items from the carabiner in a matter of seconds and trust it’ll stay put forever.

• Price: $16
• Material: Titanium

Trayvax Black Talon Carabiner Multi-Tool

If you’re all about keeping your loadout as stripped-down as possible while still packing for maximum efficiency, you’ll love the Trayvax Black Talon Carabiner Multi-Tool. The design is ergonomic, comfortable to carry even fully loaded, and compact enough to fit into any backpack, messenger bag, or pouch.

The dual gate design lets you customize the way you organize your items. It’s designed to make it incredibly easy to add in key rings and fobs but nothing will ever accidentally slide off. In addition to the carabiner, it also features a flat-head screwdriver, a design suited for scraping and prying, a machined Philips head driver, and a bottle opener. Talk about versatile.

• Price: $50
• Material: 420 Stainless Steel

CRKT Campano Carabiner Knife

With the CRKT Campano Carabiner Knife, you get two tools for the price of one. The carabiner is made from ultra-durable stainless steel, and is easily clipped onto your belt, backpack, or keychain for convenient carry. At just over three inches long, it’s small enough to fit in any pocket or pouch. However, when you need a bit of cutting power—to open boxes, letters, or packages—flip open the one-and-a-half-inch drop point blade and you’re good to go. The design makes it easy for one-handed deployment, ready at a moment’s notice.

• Price: $36
• Material: Stainless steel

The James Brand Hardin Carabiner

Carabiners offer a pretty basic proposition: pop the spring clip to snap in pretty much anything on a loop, from your keys, to your water bottle, to your kid’s favorite stuffed animal (hook it to a backpack by the tag).  This attractive carabiner in matte black, orange, silver, or steel blue takes it to the next level with a dual compartment that doubly secures anything you hook in.  Drop-forged in high-grade aluminum for superior strength.

• Price: $49
• Material: 6063 aluminum

Dango Carabiner & Key Shackle

The Dango Carabiner and Shackle is the last thing your EDC loadout has been missing, guaranteed to keep it all together no matter how much you have to carry. The carabiner makes it easy to clip onto your belt or backpack, while the shackle serves as a solid storage for your keys. Use them together for maximum versatility or separate them as desired—however you use this pair, you’ll be glad you have them handy whenever you leave the house. 

• Price: $49
• Material: 6061 aerospace aluminum and stainless steel

MecArmy EH3 Titanium Carabiner

This eye-catching carabiner comes in titanium, copper, or Damascus steel, but there’s a lot more to it than just a pretty face.  Sure, it can carry your keys, but it also offers multifunctional appeal with a tapered end that serves as a pry bar, screwdriver, or wrench, imbuing it with EDC appeal.  Even better, the spring clip has an added protrusion to serve as a handy bottle opener, so you can pop a cold one following a hike or home repairs.

• Price: $30
• Material: Titanium and brass

Black Diamond RockLock Twistlock Carabiner

Some carabiners feature angled edges and fancy tools.  This Black Diamond beauty offers simplicity and smooth edges to avoid snags when you’re running rope through your carabiner while repelling or belaying.  At roughly 4.3×2.75 inches, this is Black Diamond’s largest Twistlock carabiner, featuring locking function, an auto-lock gate, and curved spine to maximize gate opening.  The square hinge end ensures safety by holding a belay loop securely when the carabiner is open, delivering peace of mind.

• Price: $23
• Material: Hot-forged steel

Outdoor Element Firebiner

The strange curvature of this carabiner will likely leave you scratching your head, but every part has a purpose.  At 3×5.75 inches, it’s not small, but that’s all to your benefit, whether you’re attaching scads of keys or utilizing the built-in screwdriver, utility blade (inset for safety), bottle opener, or Spark Wheel (patent pending) that gives this unique carabiner its name.  No simple key-carrier, this cool carabiner will go from city to outdoor adventure, popping bottle caps on the fly and helping you light your grill or campfire whenever you forget the matches.

• Price: $15
• Material: Stainless steel

Dark Energy Carabiner Pro

Survivalists and preppers, add this carabiner to your loadout to be ready for anything. It’s more than just a carabiner—it’s an all-in-one tool that includes both flathead and Philips head screwdrivers, a window breaker, bottle opener, and a folding knife (made with 3CR13 stainless steel) that locks in place for efficient cutting and slicing.

At less than five inches long and weighing just over three ounces, it’s lightweight and compact but tough as nails. You’ll love the carabiner’s shape, built to fit in your hand so you can hold it comfortably when using the knife but also highly efficient to use for carrying groceries or heavy bags.

• Price: $30
• Material: 3CR13 Stainless Steel

Thorn Carabiner Multi-Tool

The Thorn Carabiner Multi-Tool is built for campers, anglers, and outdoorsmen who need a few extra tools when heading into the great unknown or setting up camp. The screw-secured grip guarantees everything is locked tightly in place once slung onto your carabiner, and the micro-knurled head is grippy even if your hands are wet, muddy, or covered in fish guts.

Also built into the carabiner are a pry bar and seat belt cutter (just in case of an emergency), as well as a bottle opener to crack open a cold one while you’re casting your line or relaxing in front of the fire. The stainless steel is incredibly tough, resistant to scratches, and won’t rust or corrode. Pack this tool on your next camping trips, and you’ll be glad you have it.

• Price: $25
• Material: Stainless Steel

Nitecore NSH10 Titanium Multi-Tool Snap Hook Carabiner

Need something to make carrying your knives and flashlight a bit easier? The Nitecore NSH10 Titanium Multi-Tool Snap Hook Carabiner is the perfect companion—a hands-free solution for your flashlight, and a replacement for your multi-tool. Though it weighs just over a quarter of an ounce, it’s tough enough to bear the weight of Nitecore’s largest, heaviest-duty flashlights so you can clip it easily to your belt when not on patrol.

The tool comes with a bottle opener and flathead screwdriver, and the dual-compartment design makes it easy to sling a backup blade or knife onto the carabiner. It’s lightweight, tough as nails, and truly stylish.

• Price: $15
• Material: Titanium Alloy

HEROCLIP Mini Carabiner

This mini carabiner won’t help you climb a sheer cliff face, but at 2.25×1.9 inches, it adds unobtrusive utility to your average belt loop or pack pull.  It also has a hidden feature you’re sure to love, thanks to an added hook that nestles around the back edge of the carabiner.  It folds at two joints and rotates 360 degrees to turn your carabiner into a handy hook you can use to hang a helmet from your backpack or hang your backpack on a branch.

• Price: $18
• Material: Aircraft-grade aluminum

Tec Accessories Python Clip

Not all carabiners are cut out for climbing.  Some are just meant to make your EDC items easier to carry.  That’s the case with the Python Clip, which keeps all sorts of items, like keys, pens, or Swiss Army Knives, secure, but detachable.  Small, lightweight, and ergonomically designed, this sturdy clip features a gate guard for added security and a taper for easy opening.  At dimensions of 1.10×0.39 inches, it’s fairly diminutive, but perfect for lightweight carry.

• Price: $10
• Material: Stainless steel

MecArmy FL10 Titanium EDC Carabiner

It’s a carabiner.  It’s a flashlight.  It’s a prybar.  There’s no denying the multi-functional appeal that serves you just as well in an urban setting as a rural one.  It definitely holds keys (but not people, so don’t try repelling with it).  It also has a CREE LED flashlight that delivers 360 lumens when you need to get in your front door in the dark or find the porta potties at your campsite, There is also a Micro USB charging port to keep your light bright, along with a pry bar, box opener, bottle opener, self-defense tool, and paracord attachment.

• Price: $130
• Material: Corrosion and scratch-resistant titanium

Nite Ize S-Biner Carabiner

As the name implies, this durable carabiner in stainless steel features an “S” design with two spring clips on opposing sides.  Individual weight ratings vary by size (with five sizes available), ranging from 5-100 pounds, so if you’re only using this carabiner for keys, the smallest size should work fine.  If you want to tote a bit more weight or use it for tough jobs like lashing camping gear to your roof rack or hanging a gallon of paint to your ladder, a larger size is apropos.

• Price: $5
• Material: Stainless steel

Leatherman Carabiner Accessory

Leatherman is a brand that delivers what men want, and its Carabiner Accessory makes sure you have the one tool you’re always going to need anywhere you go: a bottle opener. The hex driver integrated into the upper right corner makes it easy to tighten bolts or nuts on the go. Its steel body is ultra-tough—perfect for rough-and-rugged guys who tend to drop or throw their keys around. Though it’s not intended to be a load-bearing carabiner for climbing, it’s more than able to handle the weight of a full water bottle or a trunk-full of groceries (because who wants to do two trips into the house?).

• Price: $8
• Material: Stainless steel

Trayvax Titanium Carabiner

Ditch the “fluff” and keep it simple—that’s exactly what makes the Trayvax Carabiner such a great choice. There are no built-in frills or fancy features, but it delivers maximum durability, reliable design, and performance to last a lifetime. The wire gate is incredibly rugged and will never break, no matter how tough you are with it. You’ll always know your keys are totally safe as long as you’ve got this bad boy clipped to your hip.

• Price: $38
• Material: Brass or titanium

Tibitdeer Titanium Carabiner

It’s tough, it’s titanium, it’s Tibitdeer. This carabiner keychain is tough enough to withstand rain, snow, sleet, and hail, making it the perfect solution for protecting your keys and other EDC items all year long, anywhere you go. It’s even sturdy enough you can use it when hiking, camping, and trekking (possibly even climbing, in a pinch), and it will withstand years of use without breaking or bending. Thanks to the built-in beer bottle opener, you’ll always be ready to crack open a cold one at the end of a long day.

• Price: $14
• Material: Titanium

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