The back drag is very close on them - if I had to pick the lower of the two it would be the Thorsen. But they are both very low drag.
Also, the reversing pawl on the Thorsen is very triangular, and only protrudes past the body on the active side - the other side is inside the ratchet. Not so on the Wright. In either position both ends of the pawl stick out past the head. But - in the Wright's favor - the pawl is angled and thinner, so - even though it sticks out - there's little chance of reversing accidentally. And the drive gear being wider has got to help with torque and wear concerns.
The finish on both is immaculate. Depending on whether you prefer knurled or ergonomic handles might sway you to one or the other. To me both were comfortable to hold, though -in the spirit of full disclosure - I prefer round, knurled handles. The slight differences in length and weight IMHO don't really matter much. Though hefting all day long the Wrights extra 4 ounces might.
The Wright has the advantages of a longer, ergonomic body, narrower head, and yet a wider gear. The Thorsen is shorter, lighter, has a lower back drag, and a round knurled handle. Plus the pawl only sticking out on one side lets you "feel" for it and not have to guess which direction to switch it.
However, swapping out a rebuild kit in the Wright is much easier. Remove an allen screw in the gear drive and it all comes out. The Thorsen requires driving out a hidden pin - but with no rebuild kits available for it that is kind of a moot point.
All in all I think the Wright takes it....but only by a little!
