My thoughts and views on the Pocketwrench II.
Here’s a little, fun, no-nonsense tool. Weighing in at less than 2 oz., the Pocketwrench II is thin, relatively light, and easy to carry in a pocket, bag, purse, or glovebox.
The functions are few, but useful. Included are a pry bar with a tip that doubles as a slotted screwdriver, a 1/4″ hex key driver, variable-size wrench that can accommodate several standard or metric nuts and bolts, and a short and simple inch and millimeter ruler. Made of solid steel, the strength and reliability of the tool are both quite high. After many, many prying tasks, my Pocketwrench has never bent, chipped, cracked or otherwise failed. While the tool reviewed here is made from chrome vanadium steel and isn’t exactly stainless, it has held up well and exhibits little corrosion or rust, despite a complete lack of special care and “proper” storage; I toss the Pocketwrench around without a second thought and it’s held up well.
The overall usefulness and utility (and therefore, value) of the tool is going to depend on your individual needs. If your work or home tasks find you constantly, or even occasionally, prying, you might give this little guy a look. Being the main reason for my own purchase, I find the pry bar function to work quite well, and the thinness and relatively small size of the Pocketwrench make it easy to store or tuck away until needed, without getting in the way or becoming lost. The wrench end works as advertised, but the short length of the tool means that tougher nuts and bolts aren’t likely to budge, unless you’ve got some sort of striking tool within reach to break them free. The slotted screwdriver has come in handy more than once, but its width and thickness at the edge will prevent it from becoming more than an occasionally lucky fit for most screws and fixtures. Finally, the hex driver may be of use to folks who often reach for the same few bits again and again from day to day; toss a couple extra bits in your glove box or pack along with the Pocketwrench II and feel like a champ when you find yourself in a bind one day without your full-size tools.
I only wish the Pocketwrench II cost today what it did a few years ago; the online prices for the newest version have doubled or even tripled (currently around $12-$20), but if the functions seem to suit your needs, it can still be quite a value. It’s hard to go wrong with something so strong and basic, and as long as you don’t lose it, you’ll likely own it for a lifetime. The size and shape make it easy to store and carry, and just about anyone’s backpack, EDC bag, or hiking kit will have room to slip one safely away — heck, it even fits in most billfolds.
For me, the pry tip alone is worth the price of admission and the additional features are a nice bonus. The multitool in your pocket or on your belt may provide more functionality, but I believe the Pocketwrench II still deserves a spot in most folks’ tool lineup. Overall, I recommend it as long as you’re comfortable with the price.
Specs on the tool discussed herein:
Material: chrome vanadium (latest version is 400 series stainless steel)
Length: 4″
Width: 1″
Thickness: 1/8″
Weight: 1.7oz.
Included functions: pry bar, slotted (flathead) screwdriver, 1/4″ hex key/driver, variable-size standard/metric wrench, inch/cm/mm measure
Made in USA
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