Have you read our guide on how to select the right keychain? If you haven’t, I’ll urge to do so before continuing. If you did, maybe the decision is close at hand but you’re looking for inspiration to expand your research. Thus, without further ado, allow me to introduce you to 10 of the most popular key ring brands.
All brands on this list offer at least one key ring with the following characteristics:
- Made of metals (e.g., steel, titanium), or in rare cases plastic (e.g., Ultem).
- Traditional key ring style, usually without adornment.
- Usually includes a clip (carabiner, lanyard) or another way to secure the keychain to another object (e.g., backpack).
Simply put, a key ring would be the easiest way to secure and organize your daily use keys. No muss, no fuss.
We won’t cover organizer or pouch keychain formats in this post (check out these blog entries instead: key organizer brands, key pouch brands).
| Brand | Metal | Plastic |
|---|---|---|
| CountyComm | ✔ | ✔ |
| Craighill | ✔ | |
| Handgrey | ✔ | |
| Kobashi Studio | ✔ | |
| Nite Ize | ✔ | |
| Prometheus Lights | ✔ | ✔ |
| Tec Accessories | ✔ | |
| The James Brand | ✔ | |
| Urban Carvers | ✔ | ✔ |
| Wingback | ✔ |
CountyComm
- Origin: United States
- Materials: Titanium, stainless steel, copper, brass, carbon fiber, Ultem
- Standard options: Hook, carabiner, quick release
- Prices: $2 – $40 (USD)
- Website: countycomm.com
Based in Sunnyvale, CA, CountyComm was established in 1992. They primarily manufacture and sell tactical gear to U.S. government agencies, but retail any excess inventories to the general public. Within those products, CountyComm distinguishes itself by offering standard key rings besides quick release, hook, and carabiner options. Their products are made from metals like titanium and copper, as well as a couple models made of plastic.
Craighill
- Origin: United States
- Materials: Brass, titanium, stainless steel
- Standard options: Hook, carabiner
- Prices: $15 – $44 (USD)
- Website: craighill.co
Founded in 2015 in Brooklyn, NY, Craighill aims to design products that are functional and timeless, while also being beautiful and intriguing. They sell key rings with very simple designs, in addition to one hook and one carabiner models. Craighill manufactures its products using only metals, including titanium, brass, and stainless steel (certain models in this metal also come with a PVD finish).
Handgrey
- Origin: United States
- Materials: Titanium
- Standard options: Hook, carabiner
- Prices: $19 – $87 (USD)
- Website: handgrey.com
American brand Handgrey was established in 2014, by a Thai designer raised in North Hollywood, CA. Their philosophy (and name) refer to handmade, personal creations, using middle grey as they consider it to be the most permanent among colors and contrasts. Handgrey manufactures key rings, heavily influenced by Bauhaus design, exclusively made of titanium. Their models usually come in hook or carabiner format, with a single, simple ring option.
Kobashi Studio
- Origin: Japan
- Materials: Brass
- Standard options: Hook, carabiner, chain
- Prices: €7 – €70 (EUR)
- Website: kobashistudio.com
Kobashi Studio was founded in Tokyo in 2015. They specialize in handmade solid brass products and accessories made by Japanese craftsmen. Kobashi Studio produces single key rings in addition to hook, carabiner, or chain attachments for easily securing their key rings to another object. However, they only sell their products through several stockists and online retailers located across multiple European countries.
Nite Ize
- Origin: United States
- Materials: Aluminum, stainless steel, polycarbonate
- Standard options: Carabiner
- Prices: $4 – $15 (USD)
- Website: niteize.com
Nite Ize was established in 1989 in Boulder, CO. They aim to manufacture invention-driven products aimed to help with organization and protection of gear. Nite Ize produces extremely affordable key rings and carabiners made of aluminum or stainless steel, the latter complemented with polycarbonate micro-locks in certain models. Their key ring models come in either simple ring or carabiner format.
Prometheus Lights
- Origin: United States
- Materials: Titanium, aluminum, brass, copper, nickel, Delrin, Lexan
- Standard options: Hook, quick release
- Prices: $29 – $99 (USD)
- Website: darksucks.com
Prometheus Lights is based out of Mountain View, CA, and it was started in 2017. Their mission is to create products based on simplicity and usability without compromising quality. Prometheus Lights offers standard ring, dual ring with quick release, and hook formats. Their key rings are made of metals such as titanium, aluminum, copper, brass, and even nickel. Prometheus Lights also offers a few models made of polymer (Delrin) or polycarbonate (Lexan).
Tec Accessories
- Origin: United States
- Materials: Titanium, stainless steel
- Standard options: Clip, quick release
- Prices: $12 – $37 (USD)
- Website: tecaccessories.com
Styled as ‘TEC Accessories’, it was established in 2004 in Queen Creek, AZ. They design products that are not only practical but also offer pride of ownership, in what they’ve come to term ‘practical obsessions’. TEC offers key rings in typical format as well as clip and quick release options. Their products are made of either titanium or stainless steel (bead blasted).
The James Brand
- Origin: United States
- Materials: Aluminum, titanium, stainless steel, brass
- Standard options: Hook, carabiner
- Prices: $12 – $119 (USD)
- Website: thejamesbrand.com
The James Brand was founded in 2012 in Portland, OR. They pride themselves in designing gear and tools aimed for people who like to live adventurously and pull up their sleeves. The James Brand produces key rings that include hook and carabiner additaments. Their products are made of metals, mostly titanium and aluminum with a couple options machined from stainless steel or brass.
Urban Carvers
- Origin: United States
- Materials: Brass, copper, titanium, aluminum, zirconium, Delrin, Ultem
- Standard options: Quick release
- Prices: $21 – $120 (USD)
- Website: urbancarvers.com
Urban Carvers was established in 2018 in Choctaw, OK. They started thanks to a DIY enthusiast with a knack for transforming raw materials into masterpieces. Urban Carvers manufactures exclusively a quick release dual key rings model, made of different material options, including metals (e.g., titanium, aluminum, zirconium) and plastic (e.g., Delrin and Ultem).
Wingback
- Origin: United Kingdom
- Materials: Brass, titanium, stainless steel
- Standard options: Loop, FOB
- Prices: £15 – £60 (GBP)
- Website: wingback.co.uk
British brand Wingback started in 2014 and is based out of London. They design products that pursue to be straightaway a pleasure to use, to improve with age and become a cherished item passed down through generations. Wingback offers unorthodox FOB or loop options, with only one model that includes a standard key ring attached to a bills cache. They are made of metals such as brass, titanium, and stainless steel.
Key takeaways
In conclusion, here are some pros and cons of choosing a product from any of these popular key ring brands.
Pros of a key ring:
- More storage capacity
- More resistant and durable
- Usually less expensive (depending on material)
- Very easy to clean
Cons of a key ring:
- More noisy – keys will jingle in pocket or backpack
- Some metal options might be heavier
- Not as fashionable as other keychain types