Your AirTag isn’t truly travel-ready unless it has this accessory – here’s why I vouch for it

Elevation’s TagVault keychain

ZDNET’s key takeaways

• Elevation’s TagVault keychain and security cable are available now for $20 and $25 respectively.
• They’re robust, made of hard composite fiber and quality fasteners, and fit AirTags perfectly, with no rattling.
• Enclosing your AirTags will inevitably reduce the volume of their chirping.

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I make no secret of the fact that I’m a huge Apple AirTag fan.  These little disks have revolutionized my life, saving me hours of hair-tearing frustration when I hadn’t put something back where it belonged.

They’ve been a game-changer, the only downside is that it’s not easy to attach a smooth, UFO-like disk to most things, necessitating some sort of holder. Apple got the ball rolling with tags for items such as keyrings, but it’s the third-party market that has really stepped up and delivered on all sorts of creative and useful AirTag holders.

Also: If you own an AirTag, you need these accessories to maximize its potential

One company that has some of the best AirTag accessories is Elevation Labs. I first heard of this company when they introduced the TimeCapsule 10-year battery case. But they have a whole line of utterly creative and highly functional tags.

Two tag holders that I’ve been testing recently are the TagVault Keychain Case and TagVault Security Cable tags. The TagVault is the AirTag holder you need if you want to completely seal a tag from the environment. 

The tag is made from a durable fiber reinforced composite body and the two parts are held together with four stainless steel fasteners that go into metal threaded inserts in the case. 

The fasteners even have a dab of threadlocking compound in them to prevent them undoing by themselves.

Water and dirt and other muck is kept out using a silicone gasket, creating a little armored tank for your AirTag, that is still discreet and doesn’t scream, “This is valuable, that’s why I’ve attached an AirTag to it!”

Assembly is easy, just pop the tag inside the holder, snug up the four screws (no need to go crazy on them) and you’re done. The tag holder has been designed to allow as much of the device’s chirp out as possible — the makers say the sound is cut by about a third, and my testing suggests that’s about right.

Also: Can you make an AirTag last 10 years? It took me a seconds to do it

But what about those times when you want to make it hard for a bad guy to take your tag off your stuff? This is where the TagVault Security Cable tag comes in.

This tag holder is made of the same fiber-reinforced composite as the TagVault Keychain Case, but it features an open-face design to maximize the loudness of the AirTag’s chirp. However, it is still IP68 rated for keeping the AirTag protected because it features a silicone gasket on the back that seals the battery compartment — a neat feature.

However, this tag also features some neat anti-tamper measures. The cable used to attach it to items is a tough, polymer-coated, braided stainless steel wire, and the tag is held together using a T10 Torx (screwdriver provided). Again, this Torx has thread locking compound pre-applied, which is a nice touch.

Not many people are going to be walking around with a T10 Torx screwdriver, but if you want to make things more difficult for a potential bad guy (and yourself when it comes to time to remove the tag or change the battery in the AirTag) then you can fill the Torx hole with nail polish, superglue, or even epoxy.

This tag is sturdy and capable of resisting pulling and twisting, offering a great way to attach a tag to something and ensure it won’t fall off — either accidentally or deliberately. I’ve had one on my giant Peli Air 1615 case loaded up to with over 55 pounds, and I could lift and drag the case about using the tag — it’s that tough. 

ZDNET’s buying advice

The tags can be bought as singles, a two-pack, and four pack, with the TagVault Keychain Case costing $12.99, $19.99, and $37.99, and the TagVault Security Cable costing $13.99, $19.99, and $24.99, respectively.