When it comes to ID badge holders, badge reels, and badge buddies, many realize that there’s a range of options for them to choose from. But did you know that lanyards can also come with a variety of choices?
On the surface, purchasing lanyards may seem like a pretty easy job. I mean, you just need a hanging cord to wear around your neck or waist area to hold something, right?
Well, it’s actually not as simple as that.
Getting the right or wrong lanyard can be the difference between having an accessory that’s helpful and makes your job easier or safer, or a piece of gear that’s inconvenient and could even be possibly dangerous for your whole team.
To help you find the right lanyard for your needs, organization, or event, we put together a brief buying guide to help make your purchasing decision easier.
Breakaway Lanyards
The breakaway feature allows lanyards to snap apart if tugged, snared, or caught. This means that there’s a lower risk of injury to people who wear this lanyard. And in the event the lanyard does come apart, it’s really easy to just snap back together and continue wearing again.
Breakaway lanyards are made for people who work in dangerous or highly active professions, where the lanyard could possibly tangle around the wearer’s neck, and injure them. This includes those in:
- Construction
- Athletics
- Lab science
- Outdoors and wildlife conservation
- Parks and recreation
There are also two types of breakaway lanyards: flat breakaway lanyards, and round breakaway lanyards.
Flat breakaway lanyards are designed to help prevent ID cards or attachments from spinning around. They’re ideal for sports referees, trainers, and students.
The round breakaway lanyards are made out of tightly woven fabric that won’t tear or wear down and corrode due to rain and sweat. These lanyards are ideal for gym teachers, outdoor guides, and parks and rec employees.
Non-Breakaway Lanyards
Non-breakaway lanyards are slimmer and much more simplistic. They are tight knit, lightweight, and take up less space as they rest along your shoulders. Non-breakaway lanyards can also be worn around the waist area to display IDs and keys.
These lanyards are ideal for people who work in administrative roles and in offices, as well as for nurses and event security.
Non-breakaway lanyards also have two kinds of end-fittings: swivel hooks and bulldog clips.
Swivel hooks give you more liberty on attachment options. They allow you to attach a variety of items, like slot-hole punched ID cards, ID badge holders, USB drives, and a set of keys.
Bulldog clips are made to hook on to the slot on your ID card to keep them facing straight forward. However, you can also attach ID badge holders, key rings, and more.
At Specialist ID, we also offer a double clip exhibition lanyard featuring a bulldog clip on each end. This allows you to clip it onto your ID badge holder in two places (usually using the outer round holes) to ensure that your ID will not flip around.
Additionally, this double bulldog clip lanyard is ideal for clipping onto face masks.
Attaching a clip to each ear hang hole allows for an easy way to keep your face mask handy, while making the process of putting on and taking off your mask seamless.
Adjustable Length Lanyards
If you need to purchase lanyards for multiple people (like employees, team members, or event attendees) and are unsure whether the length of them will suit every individual, adjustable lanyards allow wearers to tailor their lanyards to a length and fit that’s right for them. This also allows them to take control over the position of their ID badges, ID cards, keys, and other attached items.
Adjustable lanyards can be altered between 24 to 44 inches in length.
Heavy Duty Lanyards
If you’re a person that tends to work under harsh outdoor conditions (like a park ranger, weather news anchor, law enforcement, or a member of the military), a heavy duty option can help ensure that your lanyard remains durable under rough environments and will give you years of use.
The combination of rain, sun, snow, and high winds can dry out, fray, and damage many other conventional lanyards. But heavy duty lanyards are sewn for durability and made to be tough.
Lanyard and Badge Reel Combos
Lanyard and badge reel combos provide the convenience of a lanyard and the functionality of a badge reel, all in one product. This combo is great for carrying slot-punched ID cards, keys, and small tools.
If you’re looking for an easy way to display your photo ID card so that it remains visible at all times, yet need to easily swipe your ID multiple times a day to open doors, access terminals, or punch in and out of your job, then you may want to opt for a lanyard and badge reel combo.
Whether your focus is on safety, comfort, flexibility, durability, or ease-of-use, with a wide selection of lanyards available, you can be sure to find the right one to fit your specific needs or profession.
At Specialist ID, we offer all the different types of lanyards we’ve mentioned here, plus more. We can even customize your lanyard with your company’s name and/or logo.
If you need further assistance with your lanyard purchase, or are interested in learning more about our custom printed lanyards, feel free to contact us anytime!