10 Unusual Tools Worth a Spot in Your Kit or Everyday Carry

Introduction

Some tools earn their place in a kit by being better at the basics. Others earn it by doing something nobody asked them to do, and doing it well. This roundup collects the second kind: a locking titanium carabiner with a built-in screwdriver, a ratchet screwdriver built by a tech media company, a flashlight the size of a matchbox, and more. Each one brings something a little unusual, and each has a clear idea of who it is for.

Ant Design GH Carabiner

The GH carabiner looks like it came from the future. It is a lightweight titanium carabiner-style clip with a surprising number of tools built in: a push-button lock, a lanyard or keyring hole, a bottle opener, a spring-loaded scalpel-style utility knife (non-locking), a 4 mm locking bit driver with flathead and Phillips bits stored magnetically behind the knife blade, a replaceable spirit level with a spare included in the box, a diamond file that works well on fingernails, and ruler markings in centimetres and inches.

This version is made from grade 5 titanium, so you get high strength at just 56 g (2 oz). The premium material comes at a cost: $109. There is also an aluminium version that is even lighter at 42 g (1.5 oz) and much cheaper at $59, though it loses the bottle opener due to the softer metal, has printed rather than engraved ruler markings, and gets a nice anodized orange detail on the locking button. Both designs can accept tritium glow-in-the-dark tubes. If you want a giant keyring or gear clip with a few extras built in, one of these might do the trick.

LTT Ratchet Screwdriver

Linus Tech Tips set out to build the ultimate ratchet screwdriver, and the result looks good. The matte nylon and ABS polymer handle feels premium while still offering plenty of grip, the shaft is a single piece of stainless steel, and the orange accents on this color option are a nice touch.

Compared side by side with the long-serving Wera equivalent, a few things stand out immediately. The LTT driver has noticeably less play in the lock position, a smoother ratcheting action, and more precise direction selection. The knurled stainless shaft is easier to turn loose screws with your fingers than the Wera’s hexagonal profile. The handle is about an inch longer yet fits twice as many bits: twelve 20 mm shorty bits instead of six, including a useful magnetic bit for drop screws. Longer bits still work but limit storage to six. The Wera’s push-button bit compartment is a bit clunkier than the LTT’s pull-open design, which is smoother and more satisfying.

So does the Wera win anywhere? Only on price. The LTT costs $70 in the US, more in the UK with shipping and tax, while the Wera costs around $45 in the US or £44 in the UK. This is a first impression rather than a long-term verdict, but nothing seen so far raises quality concerns. Not cheap, but convincing.

Wera Ratchet Screwdriver

The Wera ratchet screwdriver has served as a go-to driver for many years, and it remains a genuinely good tool and good value. Its hexagonal shaft offers more friction than a knurled round profile, the ratchet has a bit more play, and the bit holder fits six standard bits.

For around $45 in the US or £44 in the UK, it costs notably less than the newer LTT alternative, and that is the one clear area where it wins. If you want a proven, well-priced ratchet screwdriver from a brand with a long track record, this remains an easy recommendation.

Wuben G5 Flashlight

The G5 from Wuben is a tiny, all-metal, feature-packed flashlight with a unique form factor, and it costs just $20. It is made from aluminium with a hard anodized finish, weighs 53 g (under 2 oz), and measures roughly 2.5 by 1.5 by 0.5 inches.

The double light source rotates through 180 degrees so you can angle it as needed. A recessed rotating dial on the side doubles as a push switch, and a sliding switch below it locks the light against accidental activation while covering the USB-C charging socket. The pocket clip can sit at the front, the back, or tucked out of the way on the side, and there is a lanyard point plus a magnetic flat base, so it can self-stand, clip to a pack, or stick to metal surfaces.

The white light remembers its last setting, offers stepless brightness via the dial, and has direct one-button access to a 400 lumen turbo. Runtime ranges from 15 minutes to 65 hours depending on level. A separate RGB source lets you pick colors for warning, night vision, or mood lighting, and a double press activates beacon mode, useful as an emergency bike light, extending colored-light runtime from 9 to 45 hours. The 450 mAh battery charges in 90 minutes via USB-C, an IP68 rating handles full submersion, and it comes in black or a matte-textured green. At $20, this is a remarkable package.

Metmo Multidrive

The Metmo Multidrive is a craft multi-tool from a British engineering company known for quality and innovation. It is a knife, a pencil, a scribe, a file, and a 4 mm bit driver in one, designed to feel familiar in the hand like a pencil. The aluminium shaft has a rotating base on a bearing so it spins easily in the palm, and the working end uses a stainless steel collet system: rotate the front a quarter turn using the knurled grip points and the selected tool is held tightly and centrally, like a tiny drill chuck.

The basic tool includes a scalpel utility blade holder with blades, a 4 mm hex bit holder with a couple of bits (so it works with the vast range of readily available 4 mm bits), a scribe head, six graphite pencil leads, a grease lead like a China marker, and a flat file, with more accessories available separately. Metmo says it is made for designers, engineers, thinkers, and anyone who wants to get creative, and it looks perfect for model makers and small-scale work. At $94, around $100, it is not cheap, but it is engineered to last like tools from a bygone era.

TI Spanner 3.0 Adjustable Wrench

The original TI Spanner 2.0 was a keyring-sized titanium adjustable wrench with extras like a measuring caliper, glass breaker tip, nail puller, bottle opener, and nail file. Great for portability, but the small size sacrificed capability. The new TI Spanner 3.0, recently funded on Kickstarter, keeps the same design but is significantly larger, with a wider 2-inch jaw opening that can tackle much bigger jobs.

It is still titanium at a reasonable 48 g (1.7 oz), with a polished finish, and the extra features remain and work better at this size. A new addition is a double-ended magnetically held bit (T6 Torx and a very small Phillips) clamped in the jaws for use as a driver, though honestly this feels like an afterthought and the single bit may get lost. Otherwise the quality is very good. The price is a barrier though: an expected $170 retail once Kickstarter discounts end. At this size there are more affordable options, just perhaps not as cool.

LTT Precision Screwdriver

For more intricate jobs, the LTT precision screwdriver has a lot to like. It is compact, fits nicely in the hand, and takes standard 4 mm bits held by a super strong neodymium magnet. The anodized aluminium handle has a steel shaft and knurled grip, and the end cap spins on ceramic bearings, which makes it as much a fidget spinner as a driver. The magnetically held handle stores your three favorite bits.

The bit case is tough ABS plastic, closed with strong neodymium magnets, and its detachable lid doubles as a parts tray lined with weaker ferrite magnets all over so your steel screws and parts do not get lost, a genuinely nice feature. The 60 nickel-plated steel bits sit in EVA foam and include a 1/4-inch-to-4 mm adapter so the bits can be used with a larger screwdriver. You can buy the screwdriver and case separately at $30 each, or both together as a set for $50, and they ship worldwide.

Galvanox Leatherman Bit Accessories

Galvanox sent along a few items designed for use with a Leatherman flat bit driver. First, the double-sided bit kit contains 20 double-ended bits, meaning 40 different bit options, plus the double-ended micro driver, so 42 bits in total, at $25. That is close to the price of the original Leatherman version, but Galvanox claims a hardness of 59 HRC versus Leatherman’s 57, the laser etching on each bit is clearer, and the bits come in a single double-sided holder rather than two single-sided ones. If you prefer to carry your top 20 bits in a single-sided holder that fits a Surge pouch better, the Leatherman option favors you; if you carry everything, Galvanox is the more compact solution. At the time of writing it is US-only, with UK and other markets to come.

Next is a 1/4-inch ratchet driver for 1/4-inch bits, sockets, or bit extenders, at £15 in the UK or $20 in the US. It competes directly with the similarly priced 711L version. Side by side, the 711L is slightly longer but has a smaller head and is significantly thinner and half the weight, which may suggest the Galvanox is tougher. Personally, the smaller 711L is preferable, but the Galvanox is a solid alternative.

Galvanox Universal Socket Tool

Finally, the Galvanox universal socket tool is designed to replace a box full of different-size sockets. Push it onto a nut or bolt head and the spring-loaded pins compress around it, with the rest of the socket gripping the fastener. This style has been around for a while as a 1/4-inch socket, but it is worth questioning whether a Leatherman bit driver can handle the force needed for a large stubborn bolt without risk of breaking. At this size it makes more sense as a toolkit item, where you are likely to have a stronger 1/4-inch driver available. If that does not put you off, the price is reasonable at £16 or $19.

Buying Advice

If budget leads your decision, the Wuben G5 at $20 is the standout value here, with the Galvanox bit kit and universal socket close behind. If you want the most polished everyday carry piece, the Ant Design GH carabiner delivers premium materials in two price tiers. For workshop drivers, the LTT ratchet screwdriver is the performance pick while the Wera remains the value pick. The Metmo Multidrive and TI Spanner 3.0 are the enthusiast items: genuinely well-engineered, but you pay for it. Match the tool to the job you actually do, and any of these can earn its place.

Conclusion

What unites these ten tools is that each one solves a familiar problem with an unfamiliar twist, whether that is a carabiner that hides a screwdriver, a flashlight with a rotating RGB head, or a wrench the size of a keyring. Some are impulse-buy bargains, others are considered investments, but all of them would look right at home in a modern toolkit or everyday carry setup.