Gearwrench XL vs. ICON, Mountain...

[ecotec]

I have never had this style wrench before. I have regular length Gearwrench and 0 offset Snap-on

ICON is the easiest to buy, as I pass HF pretty regularly. Gearwrench or Mountain I would have to order online. The thing that I do not like about the ICON is that they are spline. The Gearwrench is 12pt, according to the website.

What do you think? What do you have, and what have you used?

 

[Oil leak]

I have the Icon double box end wrenches that are 0 offset on one end and they're ratcheting on the other. They are not spline, but 12 point. Icon does make and DBE that is ratcheting on both ends and it has splines.

 

[ecotec]

I guess I was wrong about the ICON being spline on the non-ratcheting end, but it looks like spline on the ratcheting end.

The websites description also uses the word spline. I do not think that I want them. They look so much prettier than the Gearwrench version...

 

[Mr_B]

link to the ICON set you referring to ...

 

[ecotec]

Extra Long Professional Metric Double Box Ratcheting Wrench, 10 Piece

Amazing deals on this 10 Pc Met Double Ratcheting Box-End Set at Harbor Freight. Quality tools & low prices.

www.harborfreight.com

 

[ecotec]

Neither end looks like spline, but they use the word in the description.

 

[Oil leak]

I have the SAE version and mine are 12 point on both ends.

 

[ecotec]

I am going to buy the ICON set.

 

[bscman]

Report back with your impressions.

I have the gearwrenh set in SAE and am considering these icons for Metric.
Thx!

 

[Ton ton]

Interested in the durability/ longevity review.

 

[Alpine4x4]

I have the Icons on the way, should get them Monday. I found them for around 30% off on Ebay new. With HF not doing much for Icon coupons anymore I went that route. I looked at them in store, they are definitely all 12pt. I got the metric set.

 

[bsaint]

I have the Gw ones. Not a very big fan.

 

[Zewnten]

I had the gearwrench ones, junk especially for the price. Use the Icon's everyday and they hold up well, still smooth even abusing them by breaking the nut or bolt free with the ratcheting end. The duratech brand I bought for home garage is about the same quality as the gearwrench in terms od the ratchet.

 

[Mr_B]

ICON's are Kabo Taiwan so they pretty decent, throw in easy current warranty and it a fair deal and with a ICON tool voucher be better ...

 

[Lucid Moments]

I have the Mountain wrenches and like them. The one thing they have that I didn't see on the others is the protrusion that can make a difference in getting on a hard to reach nut or bolt.

 

[2ndGearRubber]

I have the gearwrench XL and absolutely love them, they live in my cart. They're the non reversing zero offset style, 12 point no flex head.

The mountain flex head spline, with the little offset in the head, also live on my cart. Big fan of those as well, despite being spline drive.

IMO they're two different tools.

 

[Mr_B]

I have the Mountain wrenches and like them. The one thing they have that I didn't see on the others is the protrusion that can make a difference in getting on a hard to reach nut or bolt.

like these ?

Extra Long Professional Double Box Flex Ratcheting Wrench Set, 5-Piece

Amazing deals on this 5Pc Pro Flex Double Box Wrench Set at Harbor Freight. Quality tools & low prices.

www.harborfreight.com

(they also Kabo taiwan)

 

[Steve_P]

The extended ring is nice to have - sometimes it's almost necessary. For long metric I have sets both with and without the extended ring. I have Mountain, Ez-Red, and Tekton and they all seem the same quality less the end drive differences.

 

[M635_Guy]

Extra Long Professional Metric Double Box Ratcheting Wrench, 10 Piece

Amazing deals on this 10 Pc Met Double Ratcheting Box-End Set at Harbor Freight. Quality tools & low prices.

www.harborfreight.com

like these ?

Extra Long Professional Double Box Flex Ratcheting Wrench Set, 5-Piece

Amazing deals on this 5Pc Pro Flex Double Box Wrench Set at Harbor Freight. Quality tools & low prices.

www.harborfreight.com

(they also Kabo taiwan)

I have both of these, and they are very nice. I have used the flex set more (have had them longer), but I don't think there's much risk of a bad experience here...

 

[Lucid Moments]

like these ?

Extra Long Professional Double Box Flex Ratcheting Wrench Set, 5-Piece

Amazing deals on this 5Pc Pro Flex Double Box Wrench Set at Harbor Freight. Quality tools & low prices.

www.harborfreight.com

(they also Kabo taiwan)

Exactly like those. I hadn't seen/noticed that before. I bought mine not quite two years ago so I don't remember if the Icon were available at the time. The Icon are significantly more expensive, but have an actually useful warranty. I expect when I break mine I will just have to buy replacements.

 

[Mr_B]

^
ICON ones use to be a lot cheaper .

 

[ecotec]

I bought bought sets of Kabo Icon, about a week ago, based on recommendations from this thread.

 

[Mr_B]

^
Only downside is ICON pricing not as favourable as was 18 months back .
As long as warranty stays easy it the better buy as these sort ratchets & flexi joints on long wrenches likely get issues if used a fair bit .
The high-five reversible combo wrench in standard open end is another exceptionally nice buy, was about 120 bucks with coupon when I got set and early buyers had better deal than that .
Put em to work and hopefully you like/enjoy ability they bring to your tool set .

 

[M635_Guy]

Exactly like those. I hadn't seen/noticed that before. I bought mine not quite two years ago so I don't remember if the Icon were available at the time. The Icon are significantly more expensive, but have an actually useful warranty. I expect when I break mine I will just have to buy replacements.

You probably missed the window with Icon slightly.

ICON ones use to be a lot cheaper .

True. Initial prices were lower and they were still doing solid coupons on Icon at the time.

I bought bought sets of Kabo Icon, about a week ago, based on recommendations from this thread.

Me too - both sets pictured above. I've had the double-flex set longer, and been very happy with them. I'm sure the others will be fine too.

I might have bought the Mountain set if I hadn't found a deal on the Icon, but probably wouldn't have if I was using them to earn money because of how much more reliable the Icon warranty is.

 

[rick carpenter]

I have the gearwrench XL and absolutely love them, they live in my cart. They're the non reversing zero offset style, 12 point no flex head.

The mountain flex head spline, with the little offset in the head, also live on my cart. Big fan of those as well, despite being spline drive.

IMO they're two different tools.

So when/why do you use spline vs 12-point?

 

[Ton ton]

I use the spline drive on rusty cable clamps.