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Derived from climbing equipment, these everyday carry accessories are an outstanding addition to any loadout. Air Freshener Paper Car

The concept of everyday carry hinges on a few factors: usefulness, versatility and expedience. But the latter factor can actually impact your loadout's value, as the speediness with which you can access your tools can deeply impact their value. A smart EDC enthusiast knows that you can't (and shouldn't) ever compromise security in the name of quickness. However, with a carabiner keychain, you can have your proverbial cake and eat it too.

If you're looking for a way to make accessing your keys, keychain tools, and other accessories a good deal more convenient while still keeping them all safe and secure, swapping out your old keychain for a rock climbing-inspired carabiner could be in your best interests. But not any run-of-the-mill option will do, which is why we've wrangled together a roundup of well-designed, high-quality carabiner keychains that are actually worth your hard-earned cash.

Though they vary in size, shape, design, and more, there are a few consistencies between carabiners that will help you pick one out of a lineup every time. For starters, they're almost always comprised of two parts: a hook/loop-shaped body and a gate (an opening, usually attached by a hinge on one side and often spring-loaded). Traditionally, these devices are used for climbing and the gate opens to accept a climbing rope while the body serves to attach that rope to either a climber, a piece of equipment, or even a rock wall.

In everyday carry usage, however, these are typically used to attach your keys and keychain accessories to your person or a pack or bag. They can help keep your keys and keychain accessories organized and secure, even if you don't have a pocket in which to stash them, and they can actually free up room in your pockets for other gear (like a folding knife).

The history of carabiners is kind of strange. Most people know these devices as essential pieces of climbing equipment, but this specific application dates back to the early 1900s when a famous climber by the name of Otto "Rambo" Herzog saw a fire brigade wearing clips to secure their gear. This fellow then had the bright idea to repurpose these clips for their most common purpose, to be used as a rock climbing aid. Interestingly, the overall concept dates back even further, to the 1600s, at which time French soldiers (known as carabineers) used similar clips to secure their guns. Yes, that means that carabiners were actually used for purposes more closely related to EDC (everyday carry) than their seemingly traditional use in the outdoor world.

Up through today, this is still the most common usage for carabiners. However, over the last few decades, a number of intrepid designers have repurposed them yet again to somewhat return them to their original usage: as clips to secure gear to one's person. Nowadays, these devices are typical fare in the world of everyday carry and they differ slightly from gun clips — although there is some cross-pollination between the two (that is to say: gun clips are sometimes used as an alternative to EDC carabiner keychains, as can be seen in Defy's application).

There are several important factors to consider when choosing the right keychain carabiner for you. And we were careful to pay attention to each one while integrating these into our own everyday carry, including weight, size, ease of use, security, durability of the gate, and even (of course) style. Our testers spent weeks using these carabiners out in the real world to determine the viability of each based on the aforementioned factors.

As far as carabiners go, The Mehlville magnificently exemplifies all the things that The James Brand does right. It's gorgeous, convenient, secure and even has some multi-functionality in the form of an integrated bottle opener. And while it's a tad pricey, you'll see those returns for years to come.

Not only is the price of the Nite Ize S-Biner incredibly affordable, but you actually get two carabiners per purchase. This makes the value proposition even greater. Combine that with a dual-gate, key-capturing design and a relatively sturdy stainless steel construction and you get the perfect starter keychain carabiner for EDC. Of course, you can also upgrade to one of four other larger options if you so desire.

Leatherman is the king of multi-tools, so it should come as no surprise that the brand's take on an EDC keychain carabiner comes with some integrated multi-functionality in the form of a hex driver and bottle opener. It's also crafted from sturdy stainless steel, so it can handle whatever daily wear and tear you might throw at it (and then some).

Versatility and discretion are the name of the game when it comes to the CRKT Compano. Equal parts keychain carabiner and everyday carry folding knife, the integrated 5Cr15MoV steel slipjoint blade is a handy addition for daily cutting tasks and hides away nicely. However, since the blade doesn't "lock" in the closed position, we'd suggest caution when choosing to add this to your EDC.

One way to ensure a piece of gear requires no maintenance is to eliminate anything that might break (say, moving parts). Or at least that seems to be the philosophy behind WESN's ultra-minimalist, single-piece CB. Although pared-down, this keychain carabiner is still made from super-durable, lightweight titanium.

Bypassing perhaps the most frustrating part of most EDC keychain carabiners, the OrbitKey Maglock Key Clip has a handy magnetic quick-release that allows you to separate its clip from its keyring. It's also beautiful with its minimalist design and duo of colorway options, making for a great design-forward addition to any loadout.

READ OUR REVIEW OF THE ORBITKEY CLIP V2

There's certainly something to be said for packing as many functions as possible into a single tool — namely that it makes for simple fixes on the go. And if you're a fan of DIY work, you'll likely be drawn to CIVIVI's titanium Polymorph with its retractable utility blade, hex wrench, multi-driver, etc. It more than makes up for its bulk (and price) with its array of integrated functions.

If you can look past its relatively exorbitant price, Handgrey's H4 carabiner has one of the best designs of any keychain carabiner on the market by pulling from the realms of both Bauhaus and brutalism. Beyond that, it also boasts a rock-solid and lightweight titanium construction and a silhouette that was inspired by vintage motorcycles

Nobody wants to carry around an unwieldy charging cable, but the ubiquitousness of technology sometimes necessitates it. Well, you can split the difference with the Nomad Carabiner, which has a hideaway cable — USB-A to Lightning — built into it. Sadly, only Apple users with Lightning devices can use this particular EDC wonder.

Slotting somewhere between traditional and industrial design, Dango is beloved in the everyday carry industry, especially among those who like military-inspired gear. The brand's take on a carabiner slots perfectly right into that space, as well. It's CNC machined from aerospace-grade aluminum and stainless steel, has dual spring-loaded gates (perfect for keeping your keys secure), and was made in the USA.

Simple, sleek and straightforward, the Trayvax Carabiner looks fairly basic but has a couple of hidden bonuses — like a separate slot to attach your key ring to, which will keep it from ever falling off your carabiner by accident. The basic version only comes in gold — which is great if you like that colorway but not so great if you don't — but you can swap it for a titanium edition in silver for an upcharge. It doesn't break the mold, but it does get the job done right.

Fashion Medal Though some of these keychain carabiners offer a bit of extra functionality, DIY and EDC enthusiasts can double down on the usefulness by incorporating one of the best multi-tools into their loadout.