As keys fade from existence at a painfully slow rate, stopgap solutions to replace the humble, horrible keyring get better incrementally. With a rechargeable Tile integration, KeySmart just opened some new doors.
The KeySmart Pro has you attach keys and optionally, its ecosystem of everyday carry tools at both of its ends, making it easier to keep the system compact compared to Keyport and Orbitkey. Keyport does sell an optional location tracking module, but that system works out to be more expensive and obviously far less widely adopted than Tile.
I was expecting to hate the white colorway the KeySmart Pro comes in, and I was also expecting it to cost way more than the $50 price point it’s already previously hit on Amazon, so two pleasant surprises there. Orbitkey is still the best looking of the bunch, but the Keysmart Pro holds a strong second place. It’s also lighter than we thought it would be, and has a flashlight on board.
As with the Keyport Pivot, assembling the system means planning which tools and keys go where, figuring out how many spacers you’ll need, and then adjusting things so that the keys are held tightly enough to be able to open a door, but loosely enough so they don’t require a ton of force and broken nails to swing out. It’s a pain in the ass, but hopefully you’re not someone who changes keys often, so when it’s done it’s done.
Having now tried four of these takes on keychain disruption, and found that none of them are perfect, permanent Tile integration makes the KeySmart Pro the turnkey recommendation here.