REASONS TO BUY
Large gate on the connector biner
Tough
REASONS TO AVOID
On the pricey end
Black Diamond Wiregate Review
You can't go wrong with this simple and lightweight nut tool
Credit: Black Diamond
RELATED: Best Nut Tools for Climbing
Our Verdict
The Black Diamond Wiregate nut tool is an effective, gimmick-free nut tool that has a few features that differentiate it from its competitors (Metolius). Foremost is the generous clip-in point, which is the largest and easiest to remove from your harness. The hooked end of this tool is also a bit longer than the other tools, making it great for hooking cams, or in a pinch, shoveling food into your mouth. To see how it stacks up versus the competition, check out our review of the best nut tools.
Compare to Similar Products
 This Product
Black Diamond Wiregate | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Awards |  Good Balance of Performance and Weight |  Best Overall Nut Tool | Lightest Nut Tool | ||
| Price | $19.99 at Public Lands Compare at 2 sellers | $17.95 at REI Compare at 3 sellers | $20.00 List $19.95 at REI | $19.95 at REI Compare at 2 sellers | $14.00 List |
Overall Score  |
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| Star Rating | |||||
| Bottom Line | Simple and effective for saving your stuck nuts and cams | If it ain't broke, don't fix it; but you could probably fix a few loose bolts with this classic design | Any lighter and we'd have some serious reservations about this tool's durability | The only tool that comes with its own keeper cord | This tool will do the job, but we prefer models with a built-in carabiner |
| Rating Categories | Black Diamond Wiregate | Metolius Torque | Metolius Feather | Wild Country Pro Key | CAMP USA Nut Tool |
| Nut Cleaning (35%) | |||||
| Cam Cleaning (25%) | |||||
| Ease of Use (20%) | |||||
| Durability (10%) | |||||
| Weight (10%) | |||||
| Specs | Black Diamond Wiregate | Metolius Torque | Metolius Feather | Wild Country Pro Key | CAMP USA Nut Tool |
| Weight | 1.62 oz | 2.30 oz | 0.74 oz | 3.84 oz | 2.64 oz |
| Length | 20.5 cm | 20.5 cm | 20.5 cm | 20.5 cm | 20.5 cm |
| Leash | No | No | No | Yes | No |
| Clip-in Biner | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | No |
| Rounded End | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | No |
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Our Analysis and Test Results
We consider the BD Wiregate nut tool a very close second to the Metolius Torque. The Torque's wrench feature sets it out in the front of the pack, but the BD Wiregate is still a great balance of weight and durability, complete with a rounded end for nut-bashing.
Performance Comparison
Among nut tools, this one is a bit of shorty.
Credit: Matt Bento
Nut Cleaning
This tool has all the features needed for slamming, smashing, and bashing the most welded, impossibly stuck nuts. A rounded end dampens the effects of this tool slamming into your dainty, battered palms, while a narrow hooked end can make its way into all but the most incipient cracks for freeing brassies.
Cam Cleaning
The BD Wiregate nut tool has the longest hook of any tool we tested, giving it a few advantages when it comes to cam extraction. The longer hook allows for a little extra leverage when prying at cam lobes. Sometimes the difference between a stuck cam and someone else's next piece of bootied gear is just a millimeter of movement.
Ease of Handling
The large clip-in point of the handle of this tool makes removing it from your harness and slapping it back on easier than the lightweight Metolius Feather. It doesn't have a keeper cord like the Wild Country Pro Key, but that means that there's less for the rest of your gear to get tangled in.
From cams to garbage, the BD tool has what it takes to fish things out of cracks.
Credit: Matt Bento
Durability
Steel construction ensures your big-wall weary mitts will give out way before this nut tool. In pinch, the hook is strong enough for hooking, provided you tie in some webbing closer to the hook so you won't lever out the tool.
Weight
At a respectable 1.62 ounces, the BD Wiregate is the second lightest tool in our review, only bested by the much lighter, but less durable Metolius Feather (0.74 ounces). The BD Wiregate is a good compromise for folks looking to lighten up but still want a strong steel nut tool.
The Metolius Feather is a little lighter than the BD tool, but the BD tool is stronger.
Credit: Matt Bento
Value
This isn't the least expensive tool in our review. BD offers a more affordable tool without a built-in carabiner or rounded end for smashing. Are these features worth the extra money? We think so.
Conclusion
The BD Wiregate nut tool is a fine choice for trad shenanigans.
—
Matt Bento
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