Gearwrench VS craftsman box end ratcheting wrench

[Nolan Kettle]

I would like to hear Your thoughts on gearwrench ratcheting wrenches VS the craftsman double box end ratcheting wrenches.

My first set of ratcheting wrenches were the craftsman double box end ones. my set goes from 1/4 inch to 1-1/6 standard and 6 to 12 metric. Got them a few years ago and at the time i loved them, But found they had a few drawbacks. they only ratchet one way which is no problem because they are zero offset, and are clearly marked which way is which. The major drawback to me is the size of the actual ratcheting mechanism. They have a much larger footprint than the gearwrenches do, which prevents them from being used in some tight spaces. The other thing i dont particularly care for is that both end are ratcheting, and both ends are a different size, Which has a benefit of covering multiple sizes with less wrenches.
Which brings me to the gearwrenches, As many of you know, they ratchet on one end a are open on the other, which i prefer because it eliminates the need to have a separate open end wrench if needed. In the short time i have had the gearwrenches i find my self using them more than my regular combo wrenches and a whole lot more than the craftsman ratcheting.

I bought the 20 piece metric/sae set that are zero offset and only ratchet on way, which is fine for me, no lever to get caught up. And I like them so much i would like to get the flex head set next.

So tell me your thoughts on both type of wrenches and which you prefer. Just curious to see what people have to say.

Topic

[Kevin Gallich]

Gearwrench is probably one of the greatest tools of my time. I grab mine all the time and leave my open end/box wrenches sit and collect dust.

[gaseousmercury]

I may be wrong, but the double box end craftsman wrenches you are referring to are the thick brick like ones that have a riveted frame. Craftsman now makes ratcheting combination wrenches that are comparable in design to that of Gearwrench. That said, I own both Craftsman ratcheting wrenches and Gearwrench ratcheting wrenches. I can say that the ratcheting mechanisms are comparable with the Craftsman being ever so slightly smoother; however, the open end wrench on the Craftsman is horrible and might as well just be a handle. The Gearwrench also has a slightly thinner profile which I like. I have each, a flex set and a traditional set; both have their niche uses and get me out of jams. The Gearwrench are slightly cheaper than the Craftsman and I feel the quality is there. Both have lifetime warranties as well. My advice to anyone making the investment: go to the store and look at both for yourself.

As an aside, I also have a set of Craftsman open ended ratcheting wrenches. They are often on sale and they have saved me a lot of time in places where a socket or box end just won’t do.

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