Adrian Kingsley-Hughes/ZDNET
In November of 2022, I decided I needed to organize my pocket EDC (everyday carry) gear. As part of that reorganization, I picked up a KeySmart Air key organizer as a way to both keep my keys sorted and also attach an AirTag to them.
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So, here we are, almost three years on, and I’m still using the KeySmart Air, and while it’s looking a little battered, it’s still going strong.
The KeySmart Air comes in three versions — faux leather, leather, and a polymer variant called Flex (I’m sure only the leather and faux leather were available when I bought mine — and I went for the faux SmartShield leather version because KeySmart said it had a “rugged leather feel” yet lasted “10x longer than traditional leather.” That sounded good to me.
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The idea behind the KeySmart Air is simple — it’s a loop of material where the keys fit onto a screw fastener, and the AirTag fits into a molded loop. Fitting your keys into the holder is quite easy: All you need is a flat-headed screwdriver (or a thin coin).
Simple, but it’s super effective.
What I like about the KeySmart line is that they make a ton of cool accessory tools that fit into the Air or their other key organizers, such as a mini knife (not TSA friendly, so be aware of that), a tiny 5-in-1 multitool, a magnetic breakaway connector, and a range of other small but useful multitools. I have quite a few of these accessories; they’re all good quality and worth the money.
So, how has the KeySmart Air held up to almost three years of use?
Not bad for close to three years of use.
Adrian Kingsley-Hughes/ZDNET
Very well. Sure, it looks rougher than when I got it out of the box, but it’s still perfectly functional and serviceable. The material is still perfectly intact, and the screw fastener that holds the keys is like new. And for $30, I can’t complain.
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One modification that I did to my KeySmart Air was to replace the supplied metal split ring with a KeyUnity titanium D-ring shackle because that was both more convenient and a more robust choice for my setup. It was an easy upgrade to personalize an already valuable tool for my lifestyle.
The KeyUnity titanium D-ring shackle is a good upgrade on the supplied split ring.
Adrian Kingsley-Hughes/ZDNET
Why I recommend this product
Things that are part of my EDC get quite a hard life, and when I picked up the KeySmart Air I was curious to see how well it would hold up. And now several years on, I’m happy to report that it’s been fantastic. It’s securely held my keys, tools, and AirTag, and has lasted through daily use without a hitch.
It’s one of the nicest AirTag holders I’ve used, far nicer and more compact than the pendant-style holders. I’m not a fan of the silicone AirTag holders because I’ve had some where the tag has fallen out. There’s no chance of that with the KeySmart Air.
The faux leather has held up surprisingly well, but I am curious how well the genuine leather and polymer would hold up. I might get some to test!
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