Orbitkey Key Organizer Pro Review

Collecting keys over the years can make you look back and wonder how you got so many of them in the first place. Some may find it a sign of progress, having so many doors open to them. Meanwhile, others may see it as nothing more than a trivial burden, having to remember which one unlocks what door. Mind you, they’re not mutually exclusive views, but if you find yourself identifying with the latter more than the former, then a key organizer may be a worthwhile consideration.

Orbitkey is a pro at key organizers, and their Key Organiser is one of the most reliable mainstays in the Pack Hacker toolkit. It’s simple and easy to use, but, like most designs, there’s always room for improvement. Luckily, the Key Organizer Prointroduces subtle upgrades to keep up for those who now have graver key-organizing needs.

The Rundown

Appearances can be deceiving, as the Key Organizer Pro doesn’t look all that different from the regular Key Organiser we’re used to traveling with. It’s still a leather loop with a metal hinge holding both ends together. Really, if not for the out-of-the-box pristine condition of this sample, you might be hard-pressed to identify this as the Pro version. That being said, we don’t mind the lack of visual upgrades, as the Nappa leather’s tasteful premium look is already satisfactory.

At the leather’s apex is a D-ring, and we’re happy to report it is now fixed in place at that location. There’s a lot to like about the regular Key Organiser, but one thing we don’t is how its D-ring can gradually shimmy along the leather. This could result in a tangled mess if, for example, you’re hanging it off a key leash. Fortunately, that’s no longer the case with the Key Organizer Pro, and we’re genuinely glad with this change.

On the other end of the Key Organizer Pro is a vastly reworked hinge. You still unscrew the top to open the entire thing, but this time, it’s tool-less. Instead of a central groove where you would use a coin or flathead screwdriver, the edge has grooves that allow you to unscrew simply with your finger. Half the hinge can then be taken off so you can add your keys.

It’s important to note that Orbitkey quotes three to nine keys as the Key Organizer Pro’s capacity. That may not be immediately obvious since the hinge’s base (the part left when you unscrewed the other half) isn’t tall enough to accommodate that maximum limit. You have to align all nine keys (if you’re putting that many) and then screw back the top from before.

Another key feature of the hinge is its spring mechanism. It squeezes your keys tight so they don’t just freely spin around the hinge and allows stepped adjustments. See, once you’ve screwed the top half down enough, you’ll start to feel continuous clicks, kind of like you’re working a ratchet. In turn, this lets you adjust how tightly your keys are pressed against the hinge, making them easier or harder to deploy, depending on your preference.

Our sample included the Quick Flip tool, which you can attach to one of your keys. This gives your key a small stub on its head, which you can then flick with your thumb to deploy. It’s a welcome feature since everyone has that one key they always use (usually a house key), and this bypasses all that fiddling where you’d otherwise have to flip all the keys and sift through them until you find the right one. Can you imagine having to do that in the dark after getting home from vacation? Ugh.

It’s worth noting that the Quick Flip tool may not be part of the final retail product. At the time of writing, it is included with one of the Kickstarter options, which is why we have one. Also worth noting is that this feature is not entirely unique to the Key Organizer Pro. For example, the Bellroy Key Case also has a similar feature, though it’s arguably required for that style of a key organizer.

Packability

No matter how you look at it, the Key Organizer Pro is more beefy than the regular Key Organiser. The Pro version is technically longer—if only minimally—allowing you to fit longer keys. This, plus the out-of-the-box stiffness, emphasizes the Key Organizer’s large size and, in turn, makes it feel hefty to carry in the pocket, especially if you’re already pocketing other large accessories like a car keyfob, for example.

Of course, this is all to be expected. If we need a key organizer with “Pro” in the name, an increase in size is acceptable. Carrying nine keys loosely packed in the pocket sounds like a terrible alternative. But in cases where the Key Organizer Pro proves too bulky for us to pocket, we typically carry it in a sling, preferably one with a key leash whose clip is dainty enough to fit the D-ring.

Quick Comparison

The direct comparator to the Key Organizer Pro is the regular version. For context, it fits two to seven standard keys versus the Pro’s three to nine. Those who already have the Key Organiser and want to carry more keys may not need to upgrade, as there is the extension post add-on that increases the capacity. It’s a separate purchase, but it’s a more budget-friendly option if you don’t want to shell out for an entirely new key organizer.

That said, other aspects of the regular Key Organiser could push you to the Pro version. In our case, we’ve had instances where the hinge came off loose, in addition to the D-ring’s tendency to shimmy its way down. Overall, the Key Organizer Pro is a more refined version, but it comes at the cost of a bulkier size and, well, cost.