Just when I thought I had seen every possible way to show your loyalty to a truck brand, Ford has found another one. Meet the Truckle, a belt buckle that holds your Ford key fob. Yes, you read that correctly. Your truck keys can become part of your wardrobe. Somewhere, a fellow who already owns three Ford hats, two jackets and a garage full of blue oval signs is wondering why nobody thought of this sooner.
According to Ford From the Road, the original Truckle attracted enough attention to generate waiting lists and repeated sellouts. Now comes a limited release Raptor Edition. Ford Raptor Brand Manager Zen Wohlers admits he initially found the concept amusing, but came to appreciate how owners embraced it as a way to connect with fellow enthusiasts.
The new version incorporates the Raptor’s distinctive grille and three amber marker-light details. Ford worked again with Andy Andrews of A Cut Above Buckles, the craftsman behind the original. The Raptor Truckle was introduced at Raptor Rally and also appeared during Formula 1’s Austin weekend. It went on sale Nov. 10 through A Cut Above Buckles for $350.
The man making these things has a background considerably more interesting than your average merchandise supplier. In Ford’s earlier profile of Andrews, writer Lou Dubois described a former rodeo cowboy who grew up in New Mexico and bought his first Ford truck in 1969. Andrews became interested in silversmithing after watching fellow rodeo competitors practice the craft, then taught himself during the 1970s and 1980s.
His business took shape after a friend offered him a contract in 1999 to make championship buckles for the International Rodeo Association. That friend, Ronnie Williams, even supplied the company name: A Cut Above Buckles. Ford describes a family operation in Dammeron Valley, Utah, where the work involves shaping metal, engraving and careful finishing. This is a product with an actual buckle maker behind it, which seems fitting for something intended to appeal to people who appreciate Western craftsmanship.
Ford’s original Truckle profile listed a $200 retail price and described compatibility with Ford key fobs for 2018 and newer models. Those details applied to the original product; buyers considering the Raptor Edition should confirm its price and their particular fob’s fit before ordering. A Cut Above Buckles says production of the Raptor Edition is limited to 500 pieces.
Now, is a key-fob-holding belt buckle something the world desperately needed? I suspect we could have muddled through without it. But that is hardly the standard by which truck accessories are judged. If every automotive purchase required a written explanation of necessity, some of us would have a very uncomfortable conversation with our accountant.
What makes this fun is the combination of usefulness, craftsmanship and a healthy willingness to laugh at ourselves. Truck people understand having a favorite brand, a favorite model and perhaps a few accessories that make absolutely perfect sense to them, even if their spouse remains unconvinced. The Truckle simply moves that enthusiasm from the driveway to the beltline.
I can certainly see the appeal as a gift for the Ford enthusiast who seems to have everything. Another coffee mug might disappear into the cabinet. A buckle that carries the truck’s key fob is considerably harder to overlook. And if somebody asks what you are wearing, you get to explain that it is a Truckle. That alone ought to be worth a few minutes of conversation.