Tools

Outdoor gear store REI is currently testing an online store for slightly used items that were returned by its customers. REI Used Gear offers significant discounts on a wide variety of outdoor items, including tents, bags, jackets and shoes.

This thick and stubby flashlight packs a super bright Cree XM-L2 U2 light source that cranks out up to 1020 lumens, making it visible from more than three football fields away. It runs on four standard AA batteries, and includes a holster and diffuser filter.

Adventure Tape is a unique polyurethane strip. It’s waterproof, stretchable and reusable. It doesn’t contain any adhesive, so it won’t stick to other items. But it does stick to itself, so you can use it like other tapes. Each pack contains three different tape sizes.

The latest update to MRF’s credit card-sized multitool now packs 60 survival functions in one, including knife blades, an axe head, firestarter, sundial, wrenches, and more. Made from 440c high carbon hardened stainless steel for durability.

Jolly Roger Knives‘ tiny steel blade is a great backup survival tool, providing a sharp cutting edge that can be used for cutting twine or as an improvised spear tip. Measures 1.75″ x 1″ and comes with a paracord lanyard and a Kydex sheath. Available in damascus for $50.

A portable and affordable CNC machine. The Goliath has omnidirectional wheels that allows it to move directly on top of the material that it’s cutting. Its wheels are designed to ensure that dust and debris and won’t affect the machine’s accuracy.

There are tons of flashlights which simply light your way, but if you want objects you’re illuminating to show in their true color (which can be critical for wiring and other tasks), you need one with a good Color Rendering Index (CRI). Everyday Carry shares their top picks.

GrimWorkshop makes lots of nifty stainless steel tools that you can fit in your wallet. Among the mix is this spear you can assemble onto the tip of a piece of bamboo or other wood using string or wire. They also make a set of 12 arrowheads which work similarly.

Mother nature can knock out our power and leave you without access to your electronics. Keep this high capacity 50000mAh battery pack charged up and at the ready, and you can recharge your phone up to 16 times, or run other small items on its 110V AC or 12V DC car sockets.

StatGear’s original BitzBlade packed a lot of functionality in a very portable form. But the Bitzblade 2.0 is 8oz lighter while adding a flashlight as well as interchangeable tool heads. Its driver bits are now magnetized, making them easier to switch.

Sick of digging around your overcrowded kitchen drawer for that one thing you need? Check out this handy kitchen tool with 12 folding culinary utensils, including zester, can opener, multiple knives, and more. Separates down the middle so you can use a tool in each hand too.

A bargain-priced, durable plier-style multitool, packed with a dozen useful components, including spring-loaded needle-nose pliers, a wire stripper/cutter, straight and serrated blades, philips and flat screwdrivers, scissors, can opener, saw, awl, and a bottle opener.

This handy pocket tool is made from lightweight and durable 0.125″ thick carbon fiber, and not only pops open bottles with ease, but has 1/4″, 5/16″, 3/8″ and 7/16″ wrench cutouts, and a 1/4″ hex bit holder, making it more versatile than your average bottle opener.

SparkFun’s titanium Semi-Horned Oblong Versatile Eating Ladle combines a spoon, fork, serrated knife, bottle opener, and paracord wrap in one. Best of all the S.H.O.V.E.L’s plans are open-source, so you can make your own, and even extend or modify the design.

If you need to perform tasks in a dark place, this pocket-size flood light is the perfect accessory for your EDC kit. It’s got both a magnetic base and a pocket clip, and casts a bright, but diffuse 175 lumen LED for up to 7 hours on a set of 3-AAA batteries. In yellow or camouflage designs.

The Z-Arm is a desktop robot arm that is incredibly versatile, yet relatively affordable and easy to use. It can move on four axes, has a variety of interchangeable tool heads (including 3D printing, laser engraving, and gripping), and can be controlled via PC or mobile devices.

This versatile stainless steel tool will not only make you feel like Batman, it’s a great way to get items up to a higher point. Its center prong detaches and works as a rope tie, and its claw can even open bottles. Not intended for climbing. Full review here.

With so many keychain tools on the market, it’s rare that we see one we haven’t encountered before. But the Spike + Bar is unique – offering a super-sharp titanium keychain tool that can be used to pry, poke, open, and gouge with its precision machined tip.

Named after both its inventor and the term associated with makeshift work, this handy strap can be wrapped around roof rails, roll cages, bumpers, closet rods, bike frames, and more, providing a secure and scratch-free tie-down point that can hold up to 3,000 lbs.

A truly unique writing instrument, featuring an open-twirled design down its CNC-milled titanium body. It includes a refillable pen, a whistle, a tiny multifunction tool, and a sharp tungsten steel point for self-defense and emergency glass breaking.

A bargain-priced pocket tool packed with 15 useful stainless steel blades, including a bottle opener, knife, saw, fish scaler, hook remover, scissors, bottle opener, nail file, phillips screwdriver, wine opener, can opener, and more. Comes with a nylon carrying pouch.

Power Practical’s handy two-in-one tool combines a flashlight and an electric plasma lighter, which sparks cleanly and starts fires even in the wind or rain. The bright 400 lumen LED light offers three intensity levels and includes a diffuser.

We love the size and design of Manker’s petite frame-lock knife. Each one is hand-assembled from TC4 titanium with a razor-sharp 1.5″ SV35N stainless steel blade. It’s small enough to carry on a pendant or a keychain. Cutlery Lover has a great review video here.

This durable and versatile pocket tool combines a bright 120 lumen LED flashlight with a ballpoint pen, and a tungsten steel emergency glass breaker/self defense tool. It’s made from strong 304 stainless steel, and is rechargeable via a microUSB connection.

Our pals at Everyday Carry gathered up the best gear they spotted last month, from useful and beautifully-designed knives, to tools that stow in an iPhone case, to compact and easy to carry wallets. But what we want most is that stunning bronze Helberg CH6 wristwatch.