In the EDC (Every Day Carry) world there are certain tools that you may want to carry with you. One of them is a little multipurpose small pry bar to put on your keychain.
These come in handy throughout the day for things that you wouldn’t want to risk breaking a pocket knife on, like paint can lids or anything else where your blade might break.
Today we’re going to compare two tools that are at the total opposite of the price spectrum.
- The Atwood Superbug (~$70 when available)
- The Leatherman Brewzer (~$10)
Note: Both of these tools were purchased at full price with no mention of a review
At the top of the spectrum, we have the Atwood Superbug. These are hand made by Peter Atwood and he offers these as well as other tools for sale in small batches on his website. The Superbug was purchased for $70. You can find his tools 2nd hand as well on auction sites like eBay, but beware – these have turned into collector pieces since they’re hard to get and the pricing can easily go up to $120-150!
On the other side of the spectrum we have the Leatherman Brewzer. The Brewzer was originally manufactured by a company called PocketToolX but now they are mass produced by the well known Leatherman company. These can be had on Amazon or other sites now for about $10. I should also note that i’ve read that the Leatherman version is a bit thinner than the original PocketToolX version.
Uses
Any EDC tool with more than one function wins in my book, however, the Superbug includes the addition of a captive bit holder as well as a 5/16″ open end wrench so it gets the edge.
Atwood Superbug
- 2x Mini pry bar – each side of tool different size pry tool
- Bottle opener (cap lifter)
- Screwdriver – Comes with philips bit and end of tool is flat head. You can replace bit with hex or whatever you want
- 5/16″ open end wrench
Leatherman Brewzer
- Mini pry bar
- Bottle opener (cap lifter)
- End can be used as a flathead screwdriver
Size
The two tools are pretty similar in size, but the Superbug is about 3/4″ longer than the Brewzer, as well as slightly wider and thicker. While I do wish it was an inch or so longer, it still feels very capable in your hand.
Atwood Superbug: 3 1/4″ long, 13/16″ wide, 3/16″ thick
Leatherman Brewzer: 2 1/2″ long, 5/8″ wide, 1/8″ thick
Material
While they’re both made of steel, I wasn’t able to figure out what grade steel the brewzer is made with. The Superbug is made of CPM154 steel which, according to a google search, is popular with high-quality tool manufacturers.
Atwood Superbug: CPM154 Steel
Leatherman Brewzer: ‘high-grade heat-treated Stainless steel’ (according to the Leatherman web site)
Price
Ok, if I gave you $70 you could purchase 7 Brewzers or 1 Superbug. The Brewzer obviously gets the edge in pricing.
Verdict
This comes down to a number of things. The Superbug really feels nice in your hand and does have a couple extra features.
Pricing is a factor though and should be taken into consideration. However, price often reflects quality.
My feeling, however, is that you’re getting a larger tool with the Superbug which will come in handy in more situations and be an actual ‘tool’. Plus, you’ll have a hand crafted, solid tool in your pocket instead of a mass produced tool stamped out by the thousands.
I carried the Brewzer with me for a week and had the opportunity to use it in a few different situations.
- Opening a beer: while the cut-out for the cap lifter was precise, the shortness of the tool makes it more difficult to use compared to a pocket knife opener.
- Prying up a clip on an electrical connector: I was able to get the tip of the tool in the spot I needed it, but the shortness of the tool made it more of an issue of keeping the tool from slipping out of my hand.
I’ll be putting the Superbug through some tasks this week and will update the article to let you know what I think. I’m already leaning towards the Superbug though!
Thanks for reading!
