Last month I received a $50 Amazon gift card from my new mobile phone company, Visible. It was completely unexpected (and most welcome, I might add), likely due to a few network glitches we experienced shortly after launching their service.

When I receive a gift card out of the blue like this, I like to use it to buy something I’ve always wanted, but never could bring myself to pull the trigger to buy: items just a little too indulgent for me to justify snapping up with my hard-earned cash. Gourmet coffee, high-end earphones, travel bags/pouches, or radio accessories come to mind…you know, a proper splurge.

At home, I have a great set of precision screwdrivers, but they’re not really portable––at least, nothing I’d want to carry with me every day. So when I received this Amazon card, I knew exactly how I’d use it, because I’ve been searching for a quality set of precision screwdrivers that I could tuck away in my EDC pack.

Screwdrivers are an important part of my EDC (“everyday carry”) kit. In fact, I think I use screwdrivers almost as much as I do my pocket knife, nearly as much as a pen.  Since I was a kid, the screwdriver was my light-saber––the means by which I could effectively crack into toys and pull out the insides. Harbinger of things to come?

Yep. If I had a disclaimer as a kid, it should have been this one…

Today, I reach for precision screwdrivers, among other things, to work on small electronics, open radio cases, as well as to snug up the screws in the hinges of my glasses.

And I freely admit it:  on occasion, I still void warranties.

Over the years I’ve tried a number of pocket screwdrivers, but I’ve never found a quality set I could recommend. Almost all of them have multiple bits that fit inside the body and magnetically lock into head/handle of the screwdriver. The lock is never that strong, and quite often, I pull up the screwdriver only to find the bit still stuck in the screw: not useful.  In addition, very few of these screwdrivers have a handle with the requisite grippiness––you know, for those times when you need a little extra controlled force.

Last year, I started searching for a higher-end solution, and discovered the Commando Precision Pocket Screwdriver Set. This set comes in a familiar pen-shaped form factor: tips attach to the head and are stored in the body. The price of this set floats around $33 US or so ($31.95 at time of posting).

Overall, reviews are very positive, with most owners stating that the screwdriver set “was worth the investment.”

The set comes with the following heat-treated alloy steel tips:

• .040, .055, .080, .100 and .125 flat
• #00, #0 & #1 phillips
• Scribe/Awl & Punch

Better yet, the whole set is made in the US, the anodized aluminum body handle has a lifetime warranty, and each of the tips have a one year warranty.

The Amazon gift card gave me an excuse to pull the trigger and buy the set, so I did…Now, I only wish I had purchased it long ago.

I’m very pleased with the Commando.  It’s very lightweight, yet durable. The finger grip texture on the body is superb. The best part, though, is that the tips/tools don’t rely on a magnetic lock to stay in position; rather, this mini set uses a chuck nut and grip much like a full-sized drill or screw driver––excellent design.

Once locked in properly, there’s no way a bit can slip or fall out in use. Just what I had in mind.

And, best of all?  It easily fits in my Maxpedition Fatty EDC pouch which then tucks neatly away in my Tom Bihn Stowaway pack.

This kit goes with me everywhere, and even though I’ve only had the screwdriver set a month, I’ve used the little Commando multiple times, and feel I now have a pocket set that matches (or exceeds) the quality of my full-sized set. One that should last a lifetime.

I know this review is a little off-topic, but if you, too, like having precision screwdrivers handy to support your radios and other gear, I highly recommend this particular set.

Retailers:

• Amazon.com ($31.95 shipped) affiliate link helps support the SWLing Post
• Walmart ($38.76 shipped)