EDC gear that’s lightweight and useful
When it comes to Everyday Carry (EDC) items, I am a big fan of products that not only are lightweight but also serve multiple purposes. With that in mind, the Utility U4 Keychain Carabiner Knife from RovyVon is an ideal specimen for me to add to my EDC collection. The device features a carabiner with an attached knife and integrated ruler. These features make this tiny add-on a winner in my book. The Utility U4 Keychain Carabiner Knife is made of titanium alloy and uses replaceable blades. It’s only 3.8mm thick and weighs 15.6 grams. It’s moderately sized measuring 67.12mm in length and 32.04mm in width. The carabiner is rustproof and can withstand up to 110 pounds. The blade can be folded inside the carabiner when not in use and it can fold out to a 90º angle as well as a full 180º. It’s designed to help the user cut paper, boxes, rope, or even sharpen pencils.
One of the first things I noticed about this EDC item was how incredibly lightweight it is. Some carabiners of this size aren’t as light and they don’t include a knife. Aside from its weight, I was also taken by the super sharp knife that is included. I flipped it out and nearly sliced part of my finger off, well not really but you get the picture. The blade is a Scalpel #11 and is 100% replaceable. So, when it gets dull, you can just slip out the old one and then insert the new blade. To extend the blade from the carabiner, you use the notch in the side to get a grip and you pull it out into a locking position. It does lock into two positions – 90º and 180º. The 180º position is the more sturdy position and you can easily cut boxes open with it in this state. The 90º position can work for puncturing objects, but if you attempt to cut open a box or something in a slicing motion, the blade will snap open due to the pressure you exert on it.
After examining the blade, I flipped the carabiner over to check out the ruler. There is a very small ruler etched into the opposite side of the blade. It is drawn out in centimeters and only goes up to 4cm. Being that I’m located in the U.S., I sort of wish that the ruler was provided in inches, but I understand it following the metric system since much of the world uses it instead of the imperial system. Given that I am trying to provide a thorough review of the device, I decided to check and see if the measurements on the ruler were accurate. I pulled out a measuring tape and held the centimeter segment up to it. The two measuring devices were nearly identical to each other. The measuring tape was showing 4cm as slightly longer than the ruler, but it was such a minuscule amount, that I would still consider the ruler on the carabiner accurate.
Finally, we come to the carabiner feature of the device. There is one lever that opens two spaces on the carabiner. The bottom loop is ideal for connecting to a keychain while the top section is great for connecting to a belt loop. I love the design of the carabiner because it keeps the keychain completely separate from where you connect it to your pants, bag, or other object. The lever is tight to operate, but not too tight and it seems to hold objects really well. I didn’t have a problem with it pinching me, but my fiancé did. She opened it and when it closed it pinched the skin on her finger slightly. It wasn’t enough to leave a mark, but it caught her off guard.
CONCLUSION
The Utility U4 Keychain Carabiner Knife is a one-of-a-kind EDC item that makes sense to me. With normal carabiners, I have had issues with keeping my keys on and secure while also clipping the carabiner to my bags or pants. So the fact that this strong, lightweight utility carabiner is able to secure my keychain without any issues, made me a fan immediately. I am hooked on this tiny EDC and look forward to using it.
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