Hi everyone –
Long-time lurker, first-time poster here. I’ve learned so much from you guys and enjoy the site so much I’m going to try to contribute more. So I thought I would start here:

(Original left, new right)

I’ve tried several danglers now but settled on the Cogent Industries HangKey. I’ve been using the first iteration for at least a year. When I got an email notice from Magnus that he was launching a new and improved version on Kickstarter, needless to say, I backed him. Here is a short summary of some of the differences I see between the two versions. I won’t attempt to review the various features in detail because Magnus does a great job of describing the functionality, size, etc. of both on his website. But here are some initial impressions:

First, I’ll point out that I love the original HangKey for its simple, understated yet elegant design. I find it subtle yet highly functional for my need, which is mostly inside-front pocket carry. I was looking for something discreet I could use with everything from jeans to a suit. I often carry a pen in my pocket and the Hangkey draws no more attention than the clip of a pen.

In my opinion, the first Hangkey is better looking. I appreciate the ‎gentle bend and tighter grooves. It rides subtlety in my pocket and on my key chain. Aesthetically, it is exactly what I wanted.

In contrast, I find the new HangKey less attractive, but of course, that is a matter of opinion. There is no question Magnus listened to feedback and improved the new HangKey accordingly. It is very well thought through and Magnus explains the details well on his website.

I’ve only carried the new version for one day, but there is a noticeable improvement in functionality. Today, I had occasion to try it with both jeans and then dress pants this evening. The first HangKey was a bit too tight on thicker pockets, and sometimes required focused insertion/extraction. In other words, it wasn’t the easiest to get in and out of certain pockets. That said, I was willing to trade function for form, to a degree. The new HangKey addresses this issue well while maintaining a simple clip.

The second major improvement is the ‎larger loop at the end. In fact, I own two of the original and the loop on the second I bought was slightly too small to fit on my primary key ring! The new version clearly addresses that.

Also, I’ll note that while I prefer the first version’s finger grooves aesthetically, I find the new Hangkey’s grooves slightly grippier.

So, overall I appreciate all the improvements above in my first day of carry. That said, there is no question I prefer the fit and finish of the original. The titanium appears a shade deeper grey and more smoothly finished. The new Hangkey appears more tumbled.

Personally, I don’t like the rounded edges as much. I know Magnus spent a lot of time making the new HangKey’s edges nice and smooth, but to be honest I prefer ‎the sharper, cleaner, more defined edges on the original. To me the rounded, smooth edges appear more…feminine, if that’s possible?

Finally, I prefer the length and more discreet size of the first HangKey. On my key chain the new version stands out more and that’s not what I’m going for. No one who has seen my key ring has asked me about the first Hangkey and that’s exactly what I was going for. I guess we’ll see if that holds true for the new version, but this one definitely stands out more. I have a feeling people will ask about it, inducing an explanation of the importance of a dangler and how they’re missing out. Depending on the audience, that will be received with intrigue and appreciation, and perhaps a spark of interest, or, as I know everyone here understands, pitiful eye rolling!

While less-than-objective and highly opinionated, I hope some people find this summary of the two HangKeys useful!

(Edited for spelling/repost pic)