Keyport Slide 3.0 and Pivot key organizers review

Ever since I reviewed the Keyport Slide 2.0 over 3 years ago, I’ve been looking forward to the Slide 3.0.  Keyport’s products are like smartphones. They get sleeker and have more functionality with each version. I’m happy to report that the Keyport Slide 3.0 is here along with the new Pivot key organizer and I finally get to check them out.

What are the Keyport Pivot and Keyport Slide 3.0?

The Keyport Pivot and Keyport Slide 3.0 are customizable and modular EDC key organizers that help you streamline your gear into a package that is small enough to fit in your pocket. The Pivot has been designed to work with your existing keys, while the Slide 3.0 works with Keyport’s key blades and their other blade tools.

Keyport Pivot

The Pivot is a brand new product for Keyport. It’s a minimalist key organizer made of anodized machined aircraft grade aluminum in either red, black or silver. As you can see, I was sent the red version.

Included with the Pivot are separator washers, an extension pin, and a screw removal tool (not pictured).

The Keyport Pivot has been designed to hold 4-9 keys and can be expanded to hold as many as 15 keys with an optional expansion kit (purchase separately) that adds an extra link to widen the hinge.

The end of the Pivot has a link style hinge that folds and unfolds to create a narrow or wider frame for keys.

It’s very easy to set up the Pivot. You just remove the screw from the end to open up the frame.

If you plan to add a lot of keys, you can screw in the extension pin.

The Pivot will work with almost any standard key as long as it has a hole at the top. It will also work with some of Keyport’s blade tools like the pen and USB flash drives shown above, as well as other blade tools including a Griffin Pocket Tool which has a pry bar and hex wrenches.

If you happen to have a Keyport Slide 2.0 with some blades, they may or may not work with the Pivot depending on the blade and when you purchased it. From the Keyboard FAQ:

The USB and Pen Inserts are compatible with the Pivot, if you received them after February 2016. The Mini Light and Bottle Opener Inserts are not compatible.

To add keys you just open the Pivot, add the spring washer first so it will be under your stack of keys. The keys and blades go next. You will need at least one key minimum above the female pin. If you don’t have enough to fill the space, you can use the included spacer washers. I had to use two spacers.

The Pivot’s anti-rotation mechanism ensures that the keys never come loose. If you do it this recommended way, the male pin will actually start clicking as you tighten it down with a coin to your desired tension, and will never come loose. If the Spacers or keys are flush or below the female pin, it does not work as intended. Keyport created a video guide which explains it very well.

With the keys loaded, you just fold the frame back in place and tighten the screw.

The keys and blades fold out like the blades and tools of a swiss army knife. The whole design is slick and simple just the way I like my EDC gear. But wait, there’s more! 😉 See those square holes on each side? They aren’t just there for decoration, they are attachment points for Keyport modules.

But wait, there’s more! 😉 See those square holes on each side of the Pivot? They aren’t just there for decoration, they are attachment points for Keyport modules.

One of the Keyport modules is a knife. This is a Keyport tool that I’ve been wishing for since the Slide 2.0! Made by Klecker knives, it’s a great little 2.2 inch drop point blade slip lock pocket knife.

When you turn it over, you can see the modular clip design. The clips slide into the slots in the Pivot frame and lock in place.

Once attached, the module stays attached until you press the center lock and slide it out of the holes.

Also notice that the knife module has holes too, so you can attach another module to it like the LED flashlight, Bluetooth locator with LED flashlight or just the flat side rail. Just be careful though, once you attach a module to the knife, it can be difficult to remove it.

The Keyport Pivot is definitely a worthy addition to Keyport’s line of key organizers. It’s expandable if you need to use more than 4-9 keys, is easy to use and is configure. For EDC minimalists, it ticks all the right boxes.

Price: $19.99 for basic Pivot.  Blades, and modules are an extra purchase.

Keyport Slide 3.0

The new Keyport Slide 3.0 is a little longer but much sleeker than the Slide 2.0 and it’s made of aluminum instead of plastic. Like the Pivot, the new Slide 3.0 is available in black, red and silver. Keyport sent me the black version.

The Slide 3.0 comes with four nodes which are the little spring loaded buttons that you use to extend and retract the blades and keys.

Unlike the previous version of the Slide 2.0 which was only available in a six slot version, the Slide 3.0 is available with four slots or six slots to hold keys and blades.

The top of the Slide has to be removed to load the keys and blades.

Like the Pivot, modules can be attached to the Slide 3.0 by removing the side rails.

Keyport sent me:

• LED flashlight module – 12 lumens and is powered by 2 CR1220 batteries ($9.99)
• BLE locator with LED flashlight module which uses the Trackr app to keep track of your Keyport from up to 75ft away. The flashlight is 6 lumens and is powered by 2 CR1220 batteries ($29.99)
• Chip module which supports a variety of auto and motorcycle transponder chips ($7.99)
• Klecker knife module ($19.99)
• Pen blade with black ink ($8.99)
• USB flash blade which is available in 4, 8 and 32GB capacity ($14.99, $19.99 and $49.99)

Unlike the Pivot, you can’t just add your existing keys to the Slide 3.0. You have to use special key blades. To get them, you have to send images of your keys to Keyport so they can send you the correct key blanks which you then take to a locksmith to grind your keys.

I had two keys blades from the Slide 2.0 that worked fine in the Slide 3.0, but additional key blades run $4.99 each.

The blades slide into one of the Slide’s slots.

And then the node snaps into the hole at the end of the blade.

The blade can extend and retract by sliding the node up and down the channel.

The blades feel a little stiff sliding back and forth along the channel when you first start using the Slide, but they loosen up after some use. After a short break in period, the action works pretty smoothly. The nodes lock into the ends so that the blades don’t extend or retract when you don’t want them to. To extend or retract a blade you just press the node to unlock it from the end of the slot and then slide it in either direction.

Here’s the Slide 3.0 with the knife module attached to one side.

And the flashlight module is attached on the other side.

Even with two modules, two keys and two blades, the Slide 3.0 is still compact. The Keyport Slide 3.0 weighs a bit more than the Slide 2.0 since it’s made of metal instead of plastic, but it feels a lot more solid and rugged. I don’t mind that it weighs more because it feels like a quality tool in my hand.

When you purchase the Pivot or the Slide 3.0, it also comes with a 2-year subscription to KeyportID which is an online lost and found service that connects Keyport owners and finders directly and anonymously without needing a middle man.

Final thoughts

Keyport has done it again with their new Pivot and Slide 3.0 key organizers. They are both well made and well priced. I have no problem saying that they will become very popular with the EDC crowd.

Source: The sample for this review was provided by Keyport. Please visit their site for more info.