VIM ToolsHBR5 Ratchet

great tools. I carry one on the dirtbike bike tool kit, snowboarding, in my tool box etc. really handy for hard to reach spots. Stronger than expected. I have two of similar make that are 10-15 years old and holding up. Really helps when trying to check a carburator on the trail and you need to pull the main or pilot jets.

I LOVE this thing! See pics below to demonstrate its versatility. Don't get too caught up in the practicality of the connections in the photos. I was just having a little fun. But the bottom line is, you can pick up an impact or driver bit set and the options with this are nearly limitless. It is a tool Pro mechanics recommend and carry in their boxes because of its ability to access tight spaces and turn any 1/4 or 5/16 hex bit, standard or impact, into a stubby. Just get one already, pros and DIYers.And as other reviewers have mentioned, this is the old Husky that was discontinued by Home Depot. It was and still is made by VIM, a fantastic American manufacturer who makes products for most of the tool truck brands. Some products, like this and the steel bits, are made in Taiwan b/c they do a fantastic job on those tools. Many VIM products are made at their US factory. VIM also has customer service as good as any and better than most. You'll feel like a Snap-On customer (sometimes better!) in dealing with them.I do have an alternative, an adapter set that turns my ratcheting wrench into a driver like this (the 5/16 end on this tool has a removable 1/4 square Drive. As I've shown in the photos, you can put any impact square Drive adapter with a 1/4 hex connection in this as well). The difference is, this is reversible with a selector switch on both ends. You don't need a reversible ratcheting wrench. And it has an offset. And it's an ideal length for clearance issues. And it's $15. And it's 72T super smooth ratcheting. And it's extremely low profile! And it's VIM! It's just super cool!

I purchased this after seeing it on YouTube recommended by several mechanics. The small size is great and the ratchet adaptor is perfect for tight spots. I put this in with my 1/4" drive socket set with a small set of hex bits and this takes care of a lot of tough ratcheting situations. I like that I can put my thumb against the back side of the bit end to really keep the bit engaged with the fastener while still having a lot of torque with the ratchet handle. I feel that they have been less likely to strip out.This is a tool that you will use and it won't just lay in your toolbox. Recommended.

I repair restaurant equipment of all types for a living. I often need to remove hex head sheet metal screws in difficult to reach areas. This tool is a life saver. It can do both 1/4 and 5/16 hex heads in either direction in places where even a stubby nut driver will not work. It has the added benefit of being able to hold any hex driver bit without it passing through. This is invaluable when need the extra torque to loosen tight, small fasteners. Home Depot used to sell these under the Husky brand but I could not find any. This tool is so important that I bought 3 of them so I can always have one in case I abandon it in a customer's piece of equipment.

As a building maintenance and HVAC tech I use this tool constantly. I've probably purchased 10 of these over the years (so that I have one wherever I need it).

The Good: It's good. It seems like a fairly solidly built tool. I only bought it for the hex diver side, and I've tightened some grade 8 bolts down with some real force - the same force that broke some of the cheaper one's I've had. I did have the Husky equivalent, and it was ok before it finally died. I didn't have very much confidence in it, so I was more surprised at how long it held up than when if finally died. This one seems stronger, but since I haven't used it as much, it's hard to say how long it'll hold up or if it is really better.The Bad: The square drive on the ratchet side faces up when you're using the hex side, and just gets in the way of my grip. The tool is small, so if you want to get your hand around it, you'll have to grip the end you're not using. If you're using the ratchet side, no big deal. But if you're using the hex driver side, the ratchet side will be sticking up and dig into your palm.I can see how someone who isn't me would use their fingers to lightly tighten or loosen some small hardware without any problem. For that person, I would say this tool gets 5 stars. Definitely. It'll be ergonomically satisfactory, and that person certainly won't wear it out to the point of failure, so it's worth the money.But if you're dealing with hardware that needs some torque, and you're using this because of a clearance issue or something similar, it might not be very fun if you're doing it more than once - or all day. I'm considering disassembling the ratchet side since I have a different, better tool for that. Then I'd give it a 5 if it holds up, but on second thought, back to a 4 for having to spend time modifying it.So 4 stars for what you may or may not agree is a design flaw.