Top 3 Most Owned and Most Wanted Nut Tools

Below we dive into why these are the most wanted and owned nut tools from WeighMyRack users.

Metolius Feather – #1 Most Wanted

Users of WeighMyRack care about a lot of teeny details when it comes to gear. But when it comes to the most sought after reason for the most sought after piece of kit, the number one predictor for why something will end up on a WeighMyRack Most Wanted list is weight.

At 21g, the Metolius Feather nut tool is the lightest on the market (beating out the Kong Trick by a gram) but it also one of the longest running models out there. Notably, it’s also the #4 Most Owned nut tool.

Sporting a built-in wire gate for clipping directly to your harness and a minimal (but still there) flat zone on the end to protect your palm when you need to strike a nut your leader spiked in a bit too overzealously, the Feather actually carries a handful of features. Swinging in under $20 US with a fairly long reach, we totally understand why so many folks want to add this little feather to their proverbial cap.

Buying options for the Metolius Feather

DMM Nutbuster – #3 Most Wanted Nut Tool

We’re on record as being big fans of DMM manufacturing and design, and it’s little surprise to us that WeighMyRack users would feel the same. So it makes sense that the #3 most wanted nut tool among our users is the DMM Nutbuster. Laser cut from Sheffield stainless steel, the tip is then taper ground to make it as thin as possible for jamming into narrow cracks.

DMM also built the Nutbuster with a particularly wide handle which includes a cushy slide-over cover for easier grip and a bit of padding. Under the grip is a 17mm wrench (or spanner for the anglophiles out there) for tightening loose hardware, something that has become quite common in the world of nut tools. One of the things that isn’t common, is that the 4 colors of rubber handle, making it the only nut tool we know that you can accessorize with your kit, if that’s your thing.

With one of the widest and most padded handles, a fairly prominent horn on the tip for extricating stuck cam heads and nuts alike, and of course stamped with that DMM trademark, it is no wonder that the Nutbuster would make the top 3 most wanted list for our users. Competitively priced under $15 US and a very fun name of course doesn’t hurt either.

Buying Options for the DMM Nutbuster

Wild Country Pro Key – #1 Most Owned Nut Tool

The Pro Key is the Most Owned nut tool by WeighMyRack users by a fairly big margin. It should go without saying that a nut tool with a built-in leash is also probably the least likely to get lost or dropped, meaning that once a climber owns it, it will probably be sticking around a good while.

Even without a fancy rubber grip or built-in wrench, users of the Wild Country Pro Key like its performance and features enough to set it at the top of this list for quite some time.

Metolius Torque – #2 Most Owned Nut Tool

Sitting at #2 on the most owned list is a timeless classic nut tool from Metolius, the Torque. Named for its multiple integrated wrenches the Torque covers 5 different wrench sizes which cover the common metric 13mm and 17mm as well as imperial 7/16″, 1/2″, and 9/16″.  While this isn’t a new idea, it is something that the Torque popularized. The Torque has been one of the most available nut tools on the market in North America for decades.

Also featuring a built-in wire clipper and a small but still-there palm protector, the Torque is quite competitive in price and weight, sitting around the $15 mark and just right of the mean weight among nut tools at 64g. For many folks the first nut tool they buy is the one that is available and cheap enough, and unless they place a lot more nuts than other pro in their trad lives, that easy, inexpensive tool sticks around. And here, the strong feature set means minimal reason to switch to something newer.

The Metolius Torque is that capable little tool that kinda does a little bit of everything and is something that you can easily find at most gear shops and online retailers in the US, which explains why it is the 2nd most owned nut tool out there.

Buying Options for the Metolius Torque Nut Tool

Black Diamond Nut Tool – #3 Most Owned Nut Tool

This tool is not made anymore, but in 2024 it’s still found in-store and online, often at a discount. 

One of the cheapest and most straight forward designs out there, the simply named Nut Tool from Black Diamond rounds out the Most Owned list at the #3 slot. Because they make other versions of nut tools with added features and length, BD has likely decided to make their basic Nut Tool to meet a weight and price point of a mid-light 44g and under $14 US.

You’ll need to add a carabiner or cord if you want to attach it to anything as neither are built in. It also isn’t particularly long or have any fancy things like wrenches, or any sort of palm protector. One of the biggest features we’ve heard friends of WeighMyRack tout is its use as a bottle opener. For all intents and purposes the Nut Tool from BD is a highly available, inexpensive, and simple device.

Buying Options for the Black Diamond Nut Tool

Bottom Line

If you’ve ever used a nut tool, you’ve likely had a few experiences that are better than others, while the majority of them have been pretty uneventful. The basic function of a nut tool doesn’t necessarily require a lot of fancy design. Stiff, durable, thin enough to fit in a crack, with a little hook shape to pull on things from time to time; pretty easy to tick those boxes no matter what you go with. Luckily there are a lot of options out there that are cheap and effective for the majority of us.

The things that seem to drive better experiences for those who have needed them have to do with extra features that are handy, such as wrenches (if you climb where there is a lot of loose or mobile rock) length (for those deep, thin cracks) or rubberized grips (if you find yourself in wet and icy conditions.) Larger palm protectors are also a nice thing to have, and of course an integrated leash to make sure your nut tool stays with you, where you need it.