When we check the WeighMyRack database for the most wanted and owned nut tools by WeighMyRack users we find the top 3 models in each category are…
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 wanted list is, you guessed it, 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.
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
Wild Country Pro Key – #2 Most Wanted Nut Tool
When it comes to creature comforts, the Pro Key from Wild Country has stood out as a top contender since it first hit the market over a decade ago. A wire gate clip comes standard along with one of the largest palm protectors out there, making it one of the most comfortable tools for un-wedging stuck pro.
But the standout feature that makes the Pro Key so sought after is undoubtedly the option for a removable coil leash. While its possible to tie your own leash made of whatever cordage you happen to have lying around, Wild Country decided to actually spend some real time and effort figuring out a solid yet stretchy solution with its very own clipper to keep you from dropping it. They even went as far as to put a 5kg rating on the clipper, which so far we’ve been a bit reluctant to test. (Of course this is to say that it isn’t made for weight bearing.)
These features do add up to the heaviest nut tool by far at 109g with the leash, and it is unfortunately no longer sold without it, though they have thankfully attached it with a split ring, which makes removal easy enough. At just under $18 it isn’t the cheapest tool on the market, but is quite competitive considering the feature list.
Buying Options for the Wild Country Pro Key
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 rubber handle/cover for the Nutbuster also comes in 4 colors, 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
Though it missed the top of the most wanted list likely due to its weight, the Pro Key is still the most owned nut tool by WeighMyRack users by a pretty 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 (available today)
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 it isn’t a necessarily novel idea, it is something that the Torque popularized because of its popularity as the Torque has been one of the most available nut tools on the market in North America for a good long while.
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.
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
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, though a friend of WeighMyRack has reported it performing quite well as a bottle opener. For all intents and purposes the Nut Tool from BD is a highly available, inexpensive, and simple device, and if we know anything about climbers, there are more than a handful looking for all of those benefits in a piece of gear.
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.
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