Need an opinion on socket sets

[twarren]

On a scale of ten with SO at ten and Harbor Freight below five, where would one rank Gear Wrench and Mac sockets. 3/8 drive BTW.
twarren........

 

[fiftyv8]

I don't mind Gear wrench stuff probably a 6+.
Most tools will do the job if you treat them right and know their limitations.
Wrong tool for the wrong job ain't ever going to end well...

Mac sockets I have opinion, never owned any.
I do hate those 6 point sockets of any brand, they can be a really issue at times...

 

[MP&C]

Milwaukee is coming out with socket sets.. sockets that don't roll so no losing the 10mm..

 

[JonBoehman]

I love my Armstrong sets. I had a gearwrench set given to me for Christmas last year and split three of them in just a years time.

 

[twarren]

Humph!
A question on Garage Journal and three days later, only 'one' opinion. Almost unbelievable.

twarren..........

 

[jhn9840]

I guess it depends on your use. I still got my Craftsman sets from the 70’s. Anything new is mostly GW for chrome and GP for impact. I just work on my own stuff so they work well for me.

jhn9840
John

 

[PartsGuy]

HF being near a five is generous, but honest to goodness MAC (not their "new" econo-line) is probably a solid 9. Have a bunch of random MAC along with my SO, and they hold up pretty close. I'd throw GW around a 7, if I were judging....

 

[SkinnyG]

I'd put GW at a 7-ish, and a solid value at their price. They're actually my go-to brand for new sockets now that I'm no longer using my tools professionally (former auto mech).

 

[sreeb]

My gearwrench set came with one 12 pt socket in a set that was supposed to be all 6 pt.

This annoys me every time I look at it but not enough that I have taken the time to do anything about.

I don't think the gearwrench sockets are individually any better than the HF Pittsburg Pro ones . They do come in a wider range of sizes and configurations.

 

[matt_i]

Its hard to say how to quantitatively decide a ranking. If it turns the nut or bolt and lets you apply the desired torque without failing, then what's the rest? eye catching design and polished chrome that doesn't flake? 99.9% of my sockets of many brands have passed that first functional test....

 

[twarren]

Thanks guys. I have a better idea now.
Twarren...........

 

[csp]

Have seen lots of Gearwrench info on the actual forum meant for tool opinions: https://www.garagejournal.com/forum/forumdisplay.php?f=4

 

[2ndGearRubber]

The thing to remember about tools (and most things) is that the performance curve is not linear. The difference between a 4 and a 5, is different than the difference between a 9 and a 10. It's like the earthquake richter scale for earthquakes, where each level is 10X the amount of shaking. At the lowest levels of tools, $20 can make a big difference in quality. When you're paying $250+ for a socket set, the differences are smaller, and you pay more for the diminishing returns. Where does cost outweigh gains? That's up to the consumer.


If generally serviceable Pittsburgh pro sockets, are deemed to be a 5, call gearwrench 6.5-ish. Mac/proto would be 9s then. FWIW I purchased a set of pittsburgh pro deep sockets (the multi-colored ones) and am waiting on their replacement after 5-ish years of rust belt service. They're used daily to make my living, 12/13/14 are getting rather worn. I got my $12.99 worth. Williams USA will be replacing them, williams is another 9 contender, IMO.