Blackout: The Best All-Black EDC Keychain Essentials

Taking the entire notion of everyday carry to the nth degree, keychain EDC items have the distinct ability to offer much of the utility of their larger, full-sized counterparts in markedly smaller, more compact packages. And with the right keychain items selected, a keyring of kit can legitimately replace an entire everyday carry loadout. To demonstrate this point, we’ve rounded up some of the best pieces of gear for building out the ultimate keychain-specific everyday carry loadout — all of which sport a stealthy matching blacked-out finish. Below, we’ll be counting down our picks for the best blackout EDC keychain essentials, as well as also exploring how to go about building out a proper everyday carry keychain.

How To Build An EDC Keychain

Very seldom will two individuals have the exact same needs when it comes to building out the ultimate EDC keychain. Selecting the items that you want to carry on your keyring is largely based on the utility and functionality that your day-to-day life requires. If you happen to leave the house before the sun comes up (or return from work well-after dark), you’ll likely want to add a flashlight to your keychain. If your day-to-day life is largely dependent on using tech and gadgets, the addition of a compact mobile keychain battery pack will likely make sense.

Ultimately, building out a keychain comes down to evaluation your personal wants and needs, and then selecting items accordingly. While we wouldn’t suggest equipping your keyring with the more-than-dozen items comprising our entire list below, these products nonetheless serve as the perfect jumping off point for building out the keychain-specific EDC kit to meet your individual wants and needs. 

Brunton Tag-Along 9040 Compass

Best Compass: The Brunton Tag-Along 9040 Compass is a tiny yet highly-accurate weatherproof mini compass that’s small enough to conveniently carry on your keyring at just half-an-ounce in weight and 1.8” in diameter. What’s more, thanks to its ample durability, the thing is also just as conducive to outdoor adventures as it is everyday carry use. 

There are a few factors that make this compass special. For starters, it’s made in Wyoming and crafted from a heavy-duty polycarbonate that makes it extremely hardwearing yet incredibly lightweight. As far as performance goes, there isn’t much to report here, as the thing operates like any other compass. What does set it apart from other models on the market is its unbeatable value, as this sealed American-made compass can be picked up for around $10 — making it a must-have item for any adventurer or outdoorsman.

Orbitkey Ring V2

Best Key Ring: Crafted from 316L stainless steel — a premium construction more commonly reserved for high-end watch cases — the Orbitkey Ring V2 is a modern, elevated take on a traditional keyring that features room for up to ten house keys. 

While I really like the Ring V2’s high-end construction, my favorite part of this thoroughly modern yet minimalistic keyring is its unique, patented quick-release locking mechanism, which has a nib that can be slid forward to unlock the ring. This ultimately makes it a breeze to transfer keys onto it — or to hang it from a carabiner or another keyring. Sure, at almost $20, this individual keyring is fairly pricey, though with everything it has going for it, it’s not very difficult to justify the $17 investment.

Fenix E02R Keychain Flashlight

Best Flashlight: Small but mighty, the Fenix E02R Keychain Flashlight is an incredibly rugged, IP68-rated keychain torch that boasts an anodized aluminum housing that measures just 1.8” in length and contains a CREE XP-G2 LED emitter that affords a generous 200 max lumens. Backed by Fenix’s lifetime warranty, this diminutive light source also features a rechargeable onboard 120mAh Li-polymer battery. Offered in a trio of finishes — including the blacked-out variant seen here — the E02R also comes loaded with two light modes and a 50,000-hour lifespan. 

With just 200 lumens on tap, the E02R isn’t the brightest or most potent mini torch, but it has enough lumens and reach to be useful in low-light settings. Additionally, not only does it have an integrated keyring loop that allows the flashlight to be suspended directly from a keyring, but its twist-to-function also means that you can turn the thing on and cycle through its modes without having to remove it from a keychain. The onboard battery micro USB port also makes it super easy to keep it charged up.

Everyman Porter Key Multi-Tool 2.0 Knife

Best Knife: Crafted from 3CR13 stainless steel rated at between 52 and 55 HR for hardness on the Rockwell scale, the Everyman Porter Key Multi-Tool 2.0 Knife is a keychain-friendly cutting tool that’s designed to blend in with the rest of the keys on your ring. Weighing only 1oz, this item boasts a reinforced keyring, a groove grip edge pull, and a blade spanning 1.20” — making it thoroughly pocketable while still actually being usable. This house-key-style cutting tool also comes backed by a lifetime warranty. 

In typical Everyman fashion, the build quality and fit and finish on the second-gen Porter key is top-notch. On top of featuring a built-in bottle opener, when the knife on this key is fully opened, it snaps into position where a small nib provides a bit of resistance, preventing it from closing without fully locking — not too different from how a slipjoint functions in practice. When fully open, the part of the key opposite the blade actually provides a surprising amount of grip and leverage. Between this and its quasi-lock setup, the thing is able to deliver real utility and has no problem dicing open cardboard boxes or even slicing through rope — rather than just lending itself to opening letters or the like.

Honest StashLight

Best Lighter: Equipped with a keyring, the Honest StashLight is a compact waterproof stash and “Doob Tube” with a precision-machined aluminum construction. Able to house joints and prerolls of up to 3.0” in length, this item also contains a built-in lighter that utilizes a classic flint-spark wheel and runs off of liquid lighter fluid. What’s more, in addition to being sold in black or silver-anodized finishes, the StashLight is also offered in a larger XL-spec measuring 6.1″ x 0.6”. 

Though it was designed for housing rolled-up flower, I found the StashLight to work just as well as a paper money or pill stash — an area furthered by the fact its seal is watertight. Because it carries an onboard lighter in a weatherproof housing, it’s a great everyday carry item to add to your keychain, even if you aren’t a smoker. The lighter can also be removed and carried by itself. And while this makes for one of the smallest EDC lighter options, it is worth noting that the StashLight’s torch is only able to house a few drops of lighter fluid, meaning that it needs to be refilled quite frequently if used regularly. With that said, because it’s able to accept Zippo fluid and flints, keeping it in operation couldn’t be easier.

Glow Rhino Tritium Glow Fob

Best Key Fob: Measuring 1.45” in length and 0.33” in diameter, the Glow Rhino Tritium Glow Fob is an incredibly cool keychain fob consisting of a precision-machined stainless steel body housing a Tritium glow vial in a polycarbonate casing. Completely and totally waterproof, this Tritium keychain glows brightly in a neon green hue — making it super easy to locate your keychain in the dark. Glow Rhino also offers this key fob in a more premium titanium version, along with a blue-glowing Tritium option. 

The version of the Tritium Glow Fob that we got hands-on with comes fortified and decorated in a black nitride coating. The precision-machined body also has an integrated keychain hole so it can be carried directly on a keyring, plus the bottom of the body is capped off with a glass-breaker tip, affording it a bit more utility. I also love that, despite not having a battery or power source, the use of Tritium allows this machined fob to glow brightly for around a quarter-of-a-century.

Orbitkey Leather Holder for AirTag

Best AirTag Holder: Using the same cleverly-designed patented quick-release mechanism as the brand’s Ring V2, the Orbitkey Leather Holder for AirTag is a minimalistic yet unmistakably premium premium Apple AirTag holder that’s ridiculously easy to move from keyring to keyring — or onto a backpack, bag, or jacket. Backed by a multi-year warranty, Orbitkey’s Leather Holder for AirTag is pieced together from a combination of top-shelf 316L stainless steel, microfiber, and LWG-certified full-grain leather.

Helping to distinguish Orbitkey’s Leather Holder for AirTag from other cases for the tracker is its top-shelf material selection and premium construction technique, with this holder boasting a two-piece/two-face LWG-certified leather construction that’s mated together via black threading. What’s more, it not only features a pre-molded leather construction that allow it to perfectly fit an AirTag, but it also utilizes the same patented quick-release mechanism found on Orbitkey’s Ring V2 — another one of my favorite features on this AirTag case. I also really appreciate the fact that, unlike most items on this list, this particular product can serve as a keyring itself. 

Rolling Square TAU 2

Best Power Bank: As our mobile devices become increasingly integral parts of our lives, keeping them juiced up is arguably more important now than ever before. Realizing this, the team at Rolling Square has delivered the ultimate compact EDC battery pack in the form of its TAU 2. Weighing only 1.7oz, the Rolling Square TAU 2 not only features an onboard battery with a 200-mAh capacity, but it also comes outfitted with USB-C and Lightning ports, allowing it to charge up the vast majority of modern devices and mobile gadgets. 

As helpful and utilitarian as it is, it’s still crucial to note that this mini mobile power bank has a cell with a capacity of just 200-mAh. As a point of reference, the iPhone 15 Pro Max has a 4,441-mAh battery — meaning the TAU 2 can’t even deliver 1/20th of a full charge for the phone. This ultimately means that it’s really only ideal in emergencies or situations where you find yourself in a pinch and need to boot up a dead battery for just a brief period.

Fisher Space Pen Trekker Space Pen

Best Pen: The Fisher Space Pen Trekker Space Pen is a more rugged redesign of the brand’s world-famous Bullet Space Pen, maintaining its ability to write upside-down, underwater, and even in zero gravity. Designed from the ground up as the ultimate adventurer’s keychain pen, the Trekker Space Pen spans less than 4.0” in length — open or closed. This for sure makes it on the larger end of the spectrum for a keychain-friendly EDC pen, though it’s still compact and pocketable enough to justify carrying on a keyring — especially when you consider its durability and performance. The thing also ships with a Fisher PR4 black ink, medium point cartridge.

I also really like that this pen is offered directly through the manufacturer with optional custom engraving, as, for a small added fee, you can have the writing instrument personalized, making for an even cooler everyday carry pen — or a stellar gift. Ultimately, what really makes it special is its ample durability — and combination of adventure-ready and EDC-friendly nature — which is owed to its rugged and robust solid brass construction that’s been fortified via a protective black powder-coated finish. For being a keychain pen, I was also really surprised by how well-balanced it is. And, thanks to its PR4 medium point cartridge, it writes incredibly smoothly too.

WESN QR

Best Quick-Release Keychain: The WESN QR — short for “quick-release” — is a unique interpretation of a quick-release keychain. Pairing perfectly with WESN’s CB carabiner, the QR features a titanium construction that’s completely devoid of any moving parts. This design not only results in an ultra-secure quick-release keychain, but also one that will almost certainly offer a lifetime of use — as evidenced by the fact that the Detroit-based EDC brand offers a lifetime warranty on the QR. 

At first, the push-mechanism on the QR can be a bit stiff, but it loosens up over time. In typical WESN fashion, the execution and fit and finish on the QR is top-notch, unmistakably looking and feeling like a premium product through and through. What’s more, the QR is further elevated by small touches such as its matte black finish, and included mini keyrings — both of which share the quick-release keychain’s titanium construction and matte black finish. And, while you can use the QR to secure your keychain to your belt, I found it to be most useful for hanging your most commonly-needed keys from your keychain, as it makes them super easy to individually remove — making it perfect for suspending car keys and car fobs too.

The James Brand The Halifax

Best Multi-Tool: The James Brand’s The Halifax is a minimalistic keychain multi-tool that punches well above its weight from a functionality and utility standpoint. The Halifax spans less than 3.0” in total, yet manages to cram a surprisingly amount of functionality into its design. 

Though the TJB Halifax looks like your average bottle-opener keychain, it conceals a handful of noteworthy details that help to make for one of the very best additions to an everyday carry keychain. Designed to fit naturally in the user’s right or left hand, The Halifax is milled from a single piece of grade 5 titanium with a protective black Cerakote finish. The item sports a three-sided nose that can function as a box and package-opener, a scraper, or a mini pry tool, and a flathead and Phillips head driver. Further elevating it in my opinion is the fact that its integrated bottle opener is made from premium 416 stainless steel.

Distil Union KeyLoop Kit

Best Key Organizer: Using the brand’s MagLock nesting magnet system, the Distil Union KeyLoop Kit is an all-in-one everyday carry key organizer that not only puts an end to jingling keyring, but also makes organizing and deploying standard house-keys markedly easier. Comprising the KeyLoop Kit is one of Distil Union’s KeyLoop covers, 5 reusable and removable KeyMod Sticks, and a FobRing offered in brass or stainless steel constructions. 

Made from an amalgamation of nylon and full-grain leather with a suite of embedded neodymium magnets, this EDC key organizer features room for up to half-a-dozen standard keys, plus it can accommodate a car’s key fob. One of my favorite parts of this key organizer is that it can be outfitted with other integrated items such as a multi-tool, tracker, or USB stick, making for an even more utilitarian — and more desirable — piece of gear. It’s also compatible with the rest of Distil Union’s ecosystem of everyday carry kit. Its use of color-coded KeyLoop covers also make it super easy to identify and deploy any of your keys without ever confusing or mixing them up. And, because the opening side of the loop is mated together using magnets, swapping our keys, adding tools, or rearranging the order of these items really couldn’t be easier.

WESN CB

Best Carabiner: There are plenty of EDC-specific carabiners — or “everyday carabiners” if you will — on the market, but none are quite like the WESN CB. Short for “Carabiner,” the CB is precision-machined from a solid block of 0.175-inch-thick titanium and features a unique mono-construction design with small cutouts in its construction that allow the carabiner’s gate to flex open without requiring any moving parts — not unlike the principle behind a pocket knife’s frame-lock mechanism. 

On top of its stellar craftsmanship and billet titanium construction, what really makes the WESN CB so special is that it’s milled from a single piece of titanium and is totally devoid of any moving parts whatsoever. Collectively, these elements practically guarantee a lifetime or more of use. Having said that, should you somehow manage to damage this item, WESN stands behind the CB with a generous lifetime warranty. Thanks to its built-to-last design, WESN’s CB also makes for a pretty solid modern-day family heirloom that can be passed down from generation to generation.

Victorinox Signature Lite Onyx

Best Swiss Army Knife: Made in Switzerland, the Victorinox Signature Lite Onyx is an elevated take on a classic Swiss Army knife that sees the normal red Cellidor scales swapped out for a pair in gloss black. Spanning less than 2.50” when closed, this blacked-out SAK comes loaded with a keyring, a ballpoint pen, a 1.65” blade, a screwdriver, scissors, and a measuring blade. This item also comes backed by a lifetime warranty. 

In place of regular polished bare-alloy tools, the Signature Lite Onyx sports a suite of tools that all boast a black Onyx finish. The contrasting white Victorinox logo crest on the show-side of the handle secretly serves as the button to activate this SAK’s onboard LED flashlight. The flashlight also marks just one of several elements that make this something of the ultimate keychain EDC SAK, such as a spring-loaded set of folding scissors, a blade, and a ballpoint pen. As a bonafide EDC nerd, I also thoroughly appreciate the piece of black lanyard and Victorinox logo bead that ships with the Victorinox Signature Lite Onyx. 

Lights Out: Must-Have Blackout EDC Essentials

Want to check out an additional selection of murdered-out everyday carry kit that isn’t limited to just keychain items? Then be sure to head over to our guide to the best blackout EDC essentials for a wider range of everything from wallets to watches to carabiners to cutting tools.