Supreme x KEY-BAK Original Retractable Keychain
The original behind the Supreme x KEY-BAK Original Retractable Keychain is the KEY-BAK KEY-BAK The Original Retractable Keychain (#0005) — $18.49 retail vs Supreme's $28.
Supreme vs. Original
Supreme version
About the original
KEY-BAK was founded in 1919 in West Covina, California by Charles Carmichael, who patented the original retractable key reel for the U.S. Postal Service after watching letter carriers fumble with their key rings, and the company has been manufacturing the same product line in California for more than a century. The Original Retractable Keychain (model #0005) pairs a chrome-plated steel case with a 24-inch stainless steel chain, a swivel hook belt clip, and a split ring rated to 8 ounces of pull-back force. KEY-BAK reels are standard issue for janitorial, security, and maintenance staff across U.S. hospitals and schools. The FW20 Supreme version uses the same #0005 body engraved with a co-branded logo and a fabric split-ring tab.
About KEY-BAK
KEY-BAK is an American retractable key reel manufacturer founded in 1948 by W.R. Lummis in Pasadena, California, under the West Coast Chain Manufacturing Co. Lummis, a Pacific Electric Railway switchman, invented the self-retracting key reel after seeing coworkers injured by dangling keychains caught on rail equipment. The Original KEY-BAK uses a steel-cased spring-loaded reel with a 24-inch chain and remains in production largely unchanged. The company moved to Ontario, California in 1985 and is now employee-owned, supplying key reels to locksmiths, custodians, and law enforcement across more than 20 professions. Supreme collaborated with KEY-BAK on the Original Retractable Keychain.
Price comparison
| Supreme retail | $28 |
|---|---|
| KEY-BAK retail | $18.49 |
| Hype tax | +51% |
Questions
What is the original behind the Supreme x KEY-BAK Original Retractable Keychain?
The Supreme x KEY-BAK Original Retractable Keychain, released in Fall/Winter 2020, is based on the KEY-BAK The Original Retractable Keychain (#0005). Supreme collabs sometimes change the colorway or materials; the description on this page covers the original's specs and any notable differences in the Supreme version. If you want the product without the box logo, the KEY-BAK The Original Retractable Keychain (#0005) is the one to buy.
How much cheaper is the KEY-BAK The Original Retractable Keychain (#0005) than the Supreme version?
Supreme charged $28 for the Supreme x KEY-BAK Original Retractable Keychain; the KEY-BAK The Original Retractable Keychain (#0005) retails for $18.49. That's a 51% markup — buying the original saves you $9.51, or 34% off the Supreme price. Buy the original at retail and you skip the hype tax entirely.
Where can I buy the KEY-BAK The Original Retractable Keychain (#0005)?
You can buy the KEY-BAK The Original Retractable Keychain (#0005) from Amazon, direct from KEY-BAK, or direct from KEY-BAK. Retail price is $18.49. The buy links on this page go straight to the product listing at each retailer.
