This flexible phone accessory makes cases pointless for me

How many times have you lost your phone or left your keys behind somewhere? I prefer prevention over cure, which is why I tether important stuff to myself when traveling or hiking. The tether I’ve used for many years is from a US company called KeyBak. The model I favor is the Ratch-It.

It uses a 36-inch Kevlar cord wound onto a retractor powered by a stainless steel spring designed for loads up to 15 oz/425 g, while the cord itself can handle loads exceeding 80 pounds and is highly abrasion-resistant. For context, my iPhone 17 Pro Max weighs 8.22 oz/233 grams naked, far below the retractor’s limit.

The retractor sits in an impact-resistant polycarbonate housing and ends in a strong spring clip for attaching to clothing, belts, or rucksacks. It will manage bulkier ruggedized phones, though the retractor sometimes needs a little help to pull heavier loads. I’ve had Blackview and Doogee smartphones weighing over a pound hang from this KeyBak without issue.

United States

keybak, ratch-it, phone tether, kevlar cord, retractor, spring clip, iphone, rugged phones, abrasion-resistant, polycarbonate housing