FreeKey 2825 System

Having been a long-time user of the Lucky Line Flex-O-Lock cable rings, I decided to switch up my everyday-carry routine and try this Free Key thingy. Not that the Flex-O-Lock ever failed me — they are great key rings and I’ll probably go back to them at some point when I want to switch it up again. My main reason though for purchasing this item was the security I get knowing that losing a key is a virtual impossibility, and never having that “what if” feeling that I had with the other key ring is a relief. Also, taking keys off is pretty easy and hassle-free, though not quite as instant as the Lucky Line product where you press inwards on the ball-and-socket part, and boom, there’s your key. Still, the few extra seconds needed to retrieve a key with this product is worth the added security. Lastly, the Free Key is robustly built, looks nice, and the smaller split rings fit all of key ring items, which was initially a concern. Good product.

It's weird to write a gushing review about what is essentially a key ring. But it's great and it took away a pain I only vaguely knew I had. I'm not an EDC maniac. I have a little multitool and flashlight. And a prybar, ok. Well, at times, when you're boarding a plane or going for a run, you need to take this bundle apart. Doing it with ordinary key rings would be nightmare filled with punctured flesh under my nails. This little metal ring makes taking keys off and adding new ones simple. It's 0 hassle. I'm writing this review after almost two years of using this. Not because something broke, but because I'm ordering a set of spare loops for more keys. It's this damn good.

So much better than the usual round keychain that’s almost impossible to open. This one is easy to open.

The skinny version: This is a good key ring and system. Not a great idea if you do a lot of hard manual labor, sit and stand a lot, or otherwise have this product exposed to where it will get caught frequently. A solid 4/5. My transaction: Seller - FFB Direct Condition - New Price - $7.85 Shipping - Free (economy) Purchase date - February 26, 2015 Details: I did get the genuine Freekey system. To go with the main ring I also bought supplemental small Freekey system rings. I hooked the main ring through my steel carabineer and then hung smaller rings off of it for each structure or unit that I have keys for. Then I hung additional rings off of those ones if I had multiple keys for that same place or thing. The product description says that the product is made of high grade stainless steel. I'm not sure if I really believe that in my experience. I used this system for over three years before ultimately replacing it with some (definitely real) regular stainless steel keyrings. I had to replace them because my Freekey rings (all of them) started to get bent and I even lost one key. I nearly lost a few keys a couple of different times but I noticed that they fell off before I did. I ran into this problem as a mail carrier as I am getting in and out of my mail truck several times a day and I will sit on my keys or they will get pinned at an angle because I hang my carabineer off of my side. Before my job as a mail carrier this system was fine. Kinda cool actually, but once the main ring gets bent at all any other items that hang from it are liable to fall off if they slide at the right angle. This is because of the design of the main ring which has a portion of the inside layer of the ring purposely bent to make it easier to open up and adjust the other rings/items. I did like how it was easier to tweak the keyrings and attach keys to them but realistically I only did this a couple of times and after that I didn't adjust them again. That would be a better feature of I were someone who added or removed keys from my keyring more frequently. Personally I won't be buying this again. I'm happier with the rings I have now. Still though, this isn't a bad product for less strenuous use.

BACKGROUND: I've been using this keychain daily since February of 2016, so as of now I have a half year of use on it. I have three primary sets of keys that see regular use: car, home, and work. I also have a bottle opener attached. USE: I have a single car key that I keep on one ring, a set of three home keys on another, four work keys on a third ring, and a bottle opener on the final ring. I am a pretty active cyclist, and I regularly take a specific set off the FreeKey depending on where I going: if I'm leaving from the house I will take only the house key set off and put that in my seat bag on the bike; if I take the bike somewhere on my car I'll take the car key off, put that in the seat bag, and lock the rest in the trunk. The same is true when I ride from the office. (I do this to save space in the seat bag.) The point of explaining this is because I routinely take keys on and off of the FreeKey, and it isn't always the same ring that is being replaced. It doesn't matter what order the keys are added to the FreeKey--they can be taken off or added back without having to load or unload other rings sequentially. You only release the one you want, and can put it back on without worrying about where it sits compared to the other rings. For someone who routinely swaps different keys on and off this is extremely helpful. REVIEW: The FreeKey works extremely well. The simple depression on the keyhole icon to open the ring and allow the taking or replacement of rings works flawlessly. (You functionally just give the icon a gentle pinch to open the FreeKey.) To date, I have never had it accidentally open or drop a key/ring from pressure or jostling in my pocket, handling, or any other use. It keeps the rings until you want to remove them, and then is very easy to do so. It's also very light, which is nice. It stands to reason that most people who attach multiple keys to something--which have a cumulative weight of on their own--don't want a keychain that feels like a lump of pewter by itself. The FreeKey is very good in this regard. It also has shown no signs of deterioration of the last six months. It still opens and closes as effectively as the day it arrived. I would give this 4.5 stars instead of five if allowed for one reason only: it's just a plain-looking ring. There are other key systems that look so much better, or that have personality. For me that doesn't really matter, and I am completely satisfied with this in every way. In fact, if this one ever is lost or does stop working I hope to replace it with the exact same thing. However, if you are shopping for a system and looks matter to you it is a point to note.