Davis Key Buoy will save your keys from drowning

Here at Engadget, we love to bring you news about one of our favorite low-tech gadgets -- the key. No, not key as in keyboard, but rather as in, "Dude, where's my (bump) keys?" or more accurately, "Holy crap, I just dropped my keys into the ocean." Fear not, because for the low price of $7 you can now buy a new keychain fob that promises to save your keychain from maritime disaster. When your keys hit the water, the Davis Key Buoy will open up and inflate a 14-inch long bright orange cylinder for easy spotting within 30 seconds and will hold them there for up to 40 minutes. Of course, if you carry a warden-sized set of keys with you then this won't work, as it only supports up to 4.2 oz (120 g) of weight. Now if some company could team up with Davis to make an inexpensive waterproof 2GB flash drive that would inflate to the surface in the event of a water landing, then they'd have a product we'd surely buy.

[Via OhGizmo]

[HeatVision @ Sep 19th 2006 3:46AM]

Completely awesome.

[Deluxe @ Sep 19th 2006 3:57AM]

Heh heh heh... 'fob'

[Clover @ Sep 19th 2006 4:01AM]

They should make it looks more geeky.

[mark @ Sep 19th 2006 4:25AM]

what happens when it rains and inflates in your pocket? going to garner some odd looks, and possibly some unwanted attention from the five-oh :)

[Clover @ Sep 19th 2006 5:36AM]

Let's make it water-proof then :p

[Gadget Extremest @ Sep 19th 2006 4:33AM]

Devices similar to this have been used in the recreational boating industry for many decades. The concept of a life jacket for your keys is nothing new.

http://froogle.google.com/froogle?q=key+float&btnG=Search

http://www.absorbentprinting.com/automotive_products/key_chains/floating_key_chains/buoy_key_float/?source=froogle

As a bonus the old style of key floats/buoys will float for almost indefinitly and are reusable so they dont need to be replaced every time they hit water or go through the washing machine like the Davis version does.

[snesgirl @ Sep 19th 2006 4:52AM]

GENIUS :)

[Richie @ Sep 19th 2006 5:00AM]

That's great! Good to know that if you fall into the ocean and drown, at least you beloved keys will be alright!

[strider_mt2k @ Sep 19th 2006 6:45AM]

What's really interesting is that the former Soviet Union used to bring their keys down on land.

To make this more realistic there is an optional RC Helicopter that will pick up your keys from the water and deposit them on the deck of any nearby aircraft carrier for a brief phone call from a prominent world leader.

[PerfectVirus @ Sep 19th 2006 7:21AM]

Now if they could fit it in my wedding ring so trips to the beach would be less hazardous.

[Will @ Sep 19th 2006 8:12AM]

How does it inflate? does it have a little pocket of air in the case already?

[az1324 @ Sep 19th 2006 8:18AM]

Ok the only people who are going to carry this on their keychains are people who work around deep bodies of water all the time and they probably already have the orange foam things. Geek factor: A ... but completely unnecessary.

[iptydafu @ Sep 19th 2006 8:15AM]

more like an alka-seltzer and a rolled-up paper straw

[Moogle @ Sep 19th 2006 8:28AM]

About the orange foam key-chains - just as a ratio of foam thing volume to 14 inch orange tube of air volume, this thing will carry significantly more weight. It'd be a sad panda who watched his keys drown, orange foam thing attached.

[Baldwin @ Sep 19th 2006 9:00AM]

Umm, this is kina an old technology. In my boating days we had what we called "floaties" for your keys which were simply a pice of tuff foam the length of a finger covered in vinal.

Saved my keys loads of times...

-Baldwin

[J. R. @ Sep 19th 2006 9:17AM]

As for the 2GB waterproof flash drives... I've put my SanDisk 1GB throught the washing machine twice... Still works like a charm...

[LS @ Sep 19th 2006 9:35AM]

is it reusable?

[Calleja @ Sep 19th 2006 10:06AM]

It's smaller than those floaties foam things, those things are huge in your pocket. Plus this is like a Bond gadget almost.

I live miles from any ocean, but this would help save the keys from drowining in the toilet.

[heather @ Sep 20th 2006 8:05AM]

My son suggested this gadget as a useful gift for me since I lost my keys last week in a portapottie...I stopped laughing when I found that a new car key costs $100 and a new remote for my car another $60!

[Kendall @ Sep 19th 2006 10:14AM]

I have a 256MB waterproof flash drive. It is a no-name type, one of those specials at NewEgg. At any rate, I popped it apart and put a bead of silicone make-a-gasket around the inside edge. I then sealed and small screw holes with the silicone. It launders very well ;-)

[K @ Sep 19th 2006 1:48PM]

Is this re-usable?

[Cyrus Farivar @ Sep 19th 2006 1:49PM]

Nope. Single use only.

[Justin Winchester @ Sep 19th 2006 1:58PM]

To bad when your drunk ass "remembers" that you lost your keys, it will be way past the 30 minute float time...

[Dave Pevsner @ Oct 10th 2006 9:48AM]

I'm replacing my cruzer titanium with an ultra hydra and getting this. Uber underwater geekiness.

[James @ May 10th 2007 4:54AM]

Absolute RUBBISH!!!! . . i take it no of you have tried one . . pointless . . i was in the UK recently and saw this www.water-buoy.com . . seems to be what i have been waiting for, Lifts 1Kg (GPS units, fishing tackle ect. . ) Floats for 24 Hours !! and its visible at night . . makes this thing look a bit rubbish