Awesome Tools

SOG’s stainless steel multitool fits easily in your pocket or your hand and packs 18 useful functions. It includes straight and serrated blades, a can opener, needle-nose pliers, a wire cutter, an awl, a file, a bevel gauge, a magnetic bit holder, scissors, Philips and jewelry screwdrivers, a bottle opener, and more.

The Recon Minima LEP Flashlight proves that big things come in tiny packages. This ultra-compact powerhouse shoots a highly-focused, laser-excited phosphor beam that’s visible up to half a mile. Its aluminum case is IPX8-rated waterproof, and features a glowing rear ring for quick orientation in the dark. 16340 battery and charger sold separately.

Peeling stickers off of surfaces can be a pain. Dreamfarm’s Cleana is a plastic scraping tool that won’t scratch your stuff and gets underneath stubborn stickers without using your fingernails. It has a flat front blade and a flip-out hook scraper for cleaning crevices. A built-in sharpener in the handle refreshes its main blade 1000+ times. Sold in a 2-pack.

The Nitecore LR70 combines a bright flashlight, a camping lantern, and a power bank. Its flashlight cranks out a maximum of 3000 lumens, while the lantern mode produces a smooth white light of up to 400 lumens in every direction. Its other modes include beacon, SOS, and red light, and its 10,000 mAh battery recharges gadgets quickly via a USB-C port.

This handy EDC tool combines a utility knife, bottle opener, and a hex wrench. It has a satisfying rotate-to-open mechanism and its blade incorporates a saw edge and ferro-rod striker. The BladeX comes in two models: a Classic Edition with a 440C steel blade, and a limited-run Photon Carbon Edition with a carbon fiber handle and a Sandvik 16C28N blade.

This tabletop workstation is designed to hold circuit boards or other small parts while soldering or performing repairs. It has a sturdy metal base and includes a variety of flexible arms, mounting posts, and clamps for holding items. One of its Doc Ock-like appendages houses a 3X-magnifying lens surrounded by an LED ring light to illuminate your work.

This ring-shaped tool easily attaches to any keychain and integrates four handy bits. The hardened steel screwdriver has #1 and #2 Phillips bits and 3mm and 6.5mm flat blade bits. In addition to the everyday version, K20 makes a special model for photographers with Allen wrenches. We also dig their Short Stubby Screwdriver.

This “pro” version of the popular Wallet Ninja tool card crams 26 functions into a wallet-friendly EDC. Tools include a bottle opener, nail puller, metric square, protractor, ruler, hex head wrenches, and hex bolt and drill bit guides. Though it is missing a couple of features from the Wallet Ninja 2.0.

We’ve seen quite a few knives being made over the years, but they usually have fixed blades. Metalsmith Koss shows off by machining a more complicated knife with an out-the-front deployment mechanism for its M390 steel blade. Its titanium handle design reminds us of those folding plier multitools, but you can’t exactly use one of those for self-defense.

This pocket tool combines a 2.625″ Tanto blade with spring-loaded scissors. The scissors are more useful than those on other pocket tools thanks to their larger size, along with their micro-serrated edge. The knife features a fine-edge sandblasted blade, a liner lock, and deploys with one hand from its anodized aluminum handle.

The Seeker 4 Pro flashlight from Olight punches through the night with up to 4600 lumens. Its beam can project up 260 meters, or 853 feet, thanks to four high-performance LEDs. Its aluminum shell is IPX8 rated waterproof, and has an integrated non-slip grip. Stepless dimming, a versatile holster, and dual charging options round out this powerhouse.

This premium tool organizer from UK outfit Silver Fox Tool is handmade from thick leather, and can hold from 4 to 6 pocket tools, depending on their sizes. The width of its dividers is adjustable thanks to movable rivets and a perforated grid, while sturdy snaps hold the case closed when not in use. Choose from brown or black leather.

CRKT’s compact emergency tool clips onto your vehicle’s seatbelt, providing quick access to a belt cutter and a glass breaker to help you escape quickly if you’re ever in a collision. Its glass-reinforced handle is textured and has indentations to provide optimal grip, and it’s inexpensive enough that you can leave one attached to every seatbelt.

This portable work light is one of the most versatile we’ve seen. It has a triple-headed lighting unit with independent angle adjustments. It can be used standalone, hanging, or attached to its included aluminum tripod. It has 700-, 1200-, and 2200-lumen brightness modes in warm and cool color temps and runs for up to 17 hours in low mode.

Most keychain or pocket bit drivers struggle to produce sufficient torque. Vessel’s ball-shaped handle is small enough to carry on a keychain or belt loop, and its design offers a superior grip for its size. It accepts the same long 1/4″ hex bits you might use with a drill. They also make Ball Grip drivers in larger sizes.

This folding saw from Gerber belongs in every hiking pack. Its serrated carbon steel blade makes quick work of branches for clearing paths, building shelters, and cutting firewood. A two-position locking mechanism helps improve leverage in varying conditions. Includes a MOLLE-compatible nylon sheath.