Looking for suggestions for a good flash drive holder.

February 9, 2009 5:32 PM

Help me find a good way to carry my flash (thumb) drive on my key chain.

I am using the Sandisk Cruzer, and I would like to attach it to my key chain, using something that is both secure and as small as possible. The Cruzers come with a keychain loop already attached, but in my experience, it is flimsy and will stretch out and break over time.

If you have a solution that is working for you, I'd love to hear it. Thanks.

posted by 4ster to computers & internet (9 comments total)

Use a paperclip
posted by Cat Pie Hurts at 5:43 PM on February 9

Probably not what you're looking for but a while back I signed up for Dropbox and have since stopped carrying around thumb drives except when I need to transport huge files. It lets me sync files I need across my home, work, and mobile computers and the files are also online via the Dropbox website. I never have to worry about losing the thumb drive and its contents. And Dropbox saves multiple revisions of files so I'm covered in case I accidentally overwrite anything I shouldn't have.
posted by junesix at 6:00 PM on February 9 [1 favorite]

I've seen something at Staples that's a sort of stretchy fabric pocket you can put a thumb drive in, and attach to your keychain. I don't remember what it was called, but it looked relatively sturdy and caught my attention because I've had problems with the flimsy keychain loops on thumb drives in the past.

I carry a Swiss army knife with a built-in thumb drive now, so I didn't buy one of the pockets, but it might be worth checking out if you happen to be in a Staples anyway.
posted by Stacey at 6:22 PM on February 9

Replace the flimsy loop with a split ring. Available at craft shops in the beading/jewelry section or in sporting goods stores in the tackle (fishing) aisle. A package of a few dozen costs under $2.
posted by jamaro at 7:24 PM on February 9

The Cruzer is kinda large. You'd preferably want something solid to put the thing inside. If you know anyone who works with sheet metal, that's the way I'd go - make a sleeve (with a cap) that you can stick the thing in. Are there pez containers with a keyring (or is the cruzer too big for those)? If you're even the slightest bit handy and have a pair of tinsnips, it isn't hard to make a stick-tight-ish canister out of a pop can with a lanyard loop and some kind of exit restraint.

Otherwise, I've been using intellistick (you can do a gis and your own 'where to buy' search) since 2002. I stick it in my wallet in my driver's license insert. It's about 1.5mm thick, and the area of a longish thumbnail. Yes, I sit on it all day in my back pocket. I had one die on me in 2004, then replaced it with a higher capacity one. It' still working great (<knock wood>).
posted by porpoise at 7:57 PM on February 9

I have one of these on my keychain, except it doesn't have the knives. Keep waiting for airport security to take it away, but so far so good.
posted by gottabefunky at 9:17 PM on February 9

It's not really small, but I carry my USB thumb drives on a wrist lanyard that originally belonged to my DS but never used it for that. It's long though, about 5" or so. Still a lot more secure than the cheap connection that they came with.
posted by barc0001 at 1:22 AM on February 10

I use a Case Logic USB drive case (not this exact "model", but a similar one) and have had no problems.
posted by gene_machine at 5:42 AM on February 10

We advise our clients not to keep their usbs on their keychains, as if they lose the keys or their keys are stolen, there is often/usually data on the key that will lead to the door the key fits in. In their case their CV. Presumably y'all are running encrypted thumbs though, so it's not relevant.
posted by Iteki at 6:32 AM on February 10