Need advice buying keychain

After almost losing my keys (including ARC AAA and Photon II) I finally decided to get a keychain. I checked FROOGLE and there was much fancy-schmancy stuff that I didn't find appealing. Here's what I'm looking for:

Something simple, functional and strong but as small as possible(I guess that means a very thin chain)and just long enough to reach from my belt (or wherever you attach keychains) to a keyhole. I have a lot of cr*p in my pockets so I hope this can be light and unobtrusive.

All advice appreciated.

thanks,
Brightnorm

I would go to the Berkeley Point site and assembly my own out of their high quality clips, snaps, leashes etc.

http://www.berkeleypoint.com/products/catalog/

How about a OPTECH RETRIEVE-IT


or Hammer Head Gear Keeper


From TAD-Gear? /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/icon3.gif

You beat me to it, Bart! Those are EXACTLY what I was going to dig out. TAD has some nice gear (I got my first Arc there).

cool.

http://www.tadgear.com/x-treme%20gear/hammer_head_gear_keepers.htm

(I think that's short enough for Saaby /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/wink.gif ? ..because I like self-descriptive links..)

.. what's the "backing pin" and what's that knob-looking thingy on the last one in the pic?

The knob has a small diameter, pointed stainless steel screw in it. You pierce fabric or webbing with the knob and then screw it into the gear keeper to attach it. This is for a semi permanant application. This is a popular part for fire/ rescue folks on their turn outs. It also works well for lapel mikes for thesame group as well as LEO's.

- Don

That's helpful. Thanks all

BN

Woo...they are huge..

I used to use a "Key Bak" retractible keychain. I don't know where to get these things though (my dad gave it to me with the keys for vending machines).

They had two models: one with a closed loop that fits on a belt, and another with the loop open at one end so you could just clip it over your pants wasteband or belt.
Key-Baks were round and approximately 2" in diameter by 1/2" thick I'd guess, and they had a spring-loaded retractible chain that extended 2 feet or so if you extended it. I don't know how much weight they hold, but I'd imagine they'd hold your house & car keys plus an Arc-AAA or two just fine.

O o, there goes the doorbell, gotta go...

(Edit, sometime later...)
I guess Key Bak *does* have a website.
Try Key Bak
and this is the kind I use to have...
Don't ask why they misspell "Back" on purpose, they just do. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/icon15.gif

I saw a "Key-Bak" at Ace Hardware next to the key cutting machine ...

For some reason they always reminded me of a tape measure. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif

They looked rugged.

Just don't try this with your car keys, eh?