Gear Retractor

[Joy Menze]

I like ready access to some of my small gear – like the Photon light. So I have been using a key retractor with a quiet-pulling, nylon cable (instead of nasty stutter-sounding chain) and short belt clip. They are also sold as net retractors in the fishing department and are very affordable, selling for less than $4. I never seriously considered using a small fishing zinger, which have a pin closure glued to the back. The glued on pin closure has a reputation of failing, and gear is lost.

But I have wanted the option to both fasten something to the retractor housing and to make the belt clip more secure. Also it was desirable to find a brand that had the right amount of force to fully retract the attached gear. I recently found something called the Gear Keeper that more than fulfilled my wish list.

The version of the Gear Keeper shown here is the high force Key Retractor with revolving belt clip. Typical, key retractors in a metal housing can weigh between 2.53 (32.5 g) and 4.27 oz (121 g). The Gear Keeper without the revolving belt clip weighed 1.15 oz (32.5 g). Attaching the belt clip added nearly an ounce (28.3 g), bring the weight to 1.99 oz (56.4 g). A simple webbing strap with a nylon clip bumped the weight up to 2.15 oz (60.8 g).

I personally liked the Key Retractor variation for the greater rigging options. The belt clip can be detached with a T6 torx driver if desired. And other devices/features can be added to the top of the device.

Click on picture to view it larger. Right clicking give the option of opening picture in a new window.

[David Lewis]

Wow… that’s an impressive collection of stuff. The retractor I use weighs 12 grams… but I only have 2 or 3 things on it (swiss classic, light, whistle… and it doesn’t have any features… just a simple metal clip on the housing… non-detatchable.

How does that bead thing work?

[Joy Menze]

The bead cord is an abacus. The military use of the pace counter is briefly described here. I first learned about counting your steps in the Be Expert with Map and Compass Orienteering Handbook written by Bjorn Hjellstrom. At home count your paces it takes to cover a known distance. The bead abacus helps you keep track of the unit of step you take to cover a known distance – be it kilometers or miles.

Another real world use is: Oh crap! I am lost and all those trees are obscuring landmarks (and the GPS or cell phone if there is one doesn’t work). Try to stay calm and head off in a compass straight line direction, a set number of steps. If you find nothing, return to starting point by retracing your steps and try another direction. Hjellstrom describes other pace counting techniques used in compass orienteering.

Ticking off marks on a piece of paper would do the same thing. An abacus built in to a piece of corded gear is something that attracted my attention.

I am glad to hear that I am not the only one who likes retractors. The light force mini Gear Retractor probably weights a bit less and would suit many people. I sort of threw in the kitchen sink in the picture to give an example. I am expecting a mini version in the next day or two.

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