ABN Orange Aluminum SAE Standard 1/2in Drive Socket Holder – Tool and Socket Organizer Rail with Clips

Over the years Ive had just about every type of socket organization system ever made. Prior to these I spent quite a bit on Ernst Manufacturings stuff. For the most part I hated them. The problem is their clips just dont work. I tried the regular, the HD and the twist on clips. To be fair the twist clips DO work, but in my opinion theyre a PITA. For bigger sockets, theyre ok, but for the smaller ones and when your hands are oily and sweaty or you maybe only have one hand free - forget it, too much work. So Ive long been looking for something better. The requirements. Got to have at least 3 colors to differentiate between metric, sae and other. The bars themselves must be at least 16 long and be able to be cut to custom lengths. Of course the clips must be available in 1/2, 3/8 and 1/4 drive sizes. Finally and MOST importantly the damn clips have to hold the sockets securely enough that when I grab a handful of sockets and lift, the whole holder and all the sockets come out of the drawer together in one piece - at the same time they cant hold so tight that getting individual sockets on and off their clips requires TOO much effort. These holders pass all the requirements. Crimp one factory end of the bar with a pair of diagonal pliers, just enough to keep the last clip from sliding off that end. Cut the other end to length with a hacksaw and slide on whatever combination of 1/2, 3/8 and 1/4 clips you need, crimp that end, then slide the vinyl cap back on to hide the cut. Viola, youre done. I leave the vinyl cap off the uncut end and I crimp both ends to ensure the clips cant slide off the bars. Even holding a bar upside down, Ive never had a socket fall off a clip from its own weight (line up the hole in the your impact sockets with the ball bearing on the clip). Now the truth is, I dont work my tools as hard as I used to so maybe Im not the one to testify to the durability of these clips. I will say that by the time I bought enough bars to hold all my stuff I have quite a collection of extra clips so unless they all break at once I should be covered, well, for the rest of my forever anyway. Now theres a bunch of these out there sold by ABN and others (my purchase decision was based on a combination of price and availability). They all look the same to me and Id be surprised if theyre not all coming from the same factory. True or not, the variety and interchangeability of these parts (as testified to in other peoples reviews) gives me a warm fuzzy that these will be around for awhile. Ok, theyre a tad pricey but they WORK! Get whichever ones you prefer and enjoy, I thoroughly recommend them.

Used these on a job where I usually guess the size and bring 2-3 sockets to job, brought them all on this stick & I LIKE IT.

Its holding 16 impact sockets with no issues.

These rails are nice. Holds the socket well and has a rigid rails.

Exactly what I needed for my harbor freight impact socket set. So many of those crappy, thin, sharp socket rails don’t hold bigger sockets, especially impact sockets; but these socket rails truly surprised me. They’re thick, sturdy, and can be stood upright. The ball bearings hold the socket in place, yet allows for you to remove it without much force. I included a photo of me literally holding the rail upside down... not one impact socket fell off, even after shaking the rail up and down! Bear in mind that these impact sockets weigh a few pounds! I am thoroughly impressed with these rails and it has far surpassed my expectations. Aside from being everything I needed for practicality, the rails have a beautiful finish and are very nice looking. Too bad they’ll be ruined from work eventually! As I read from another reviewer, I did put zip ties on the ends of the rails to keep the sockets from falling off (the rubber end caps are really just for looks and do nothing to stop a sliding clip). That’s my only “complaint,” if you can even call it that. I like the fact that each rail comes with so many clips. After fitting my entire set on the rail, I had 3 clips remaining. All the rails and clips are the same size so you can interchange them and have more than one drive socket on the same rail. Some reviewers commented on a high price... When compared to garbage, sure they cost a few more bucks, but it’s well worth it. I didn’t think twice about these, and neither should you. “You get what you pay for” really holds true here.

Liked most everything except that with 1/4 or 3/8 drive sockets you can fit way more than 12 sockets on the 18 rail. 1/2 drive sockets are generally larger in diameter and so 12 clips is about enough for 18 rail. For 1/4 rail there should be 18 clips and for the 1/4 drive there should be at least 24 clips.... You can not buy just the clips so you have to buy two rails in order to get enough clips i the samller sizes. Even for the 1/2 drive sockets I could have put a few more clips to good use. Unless you cut the rails or buy a second complete set you willl waste space in your tool box.

Needed a rail for 15 3/8 impact sockets. First, purchased the 15 clip Tekton rail - too short to fit all 15 sockets (maybe for regular sockets, but not for impacts). Also, did not like the all-plastic clips with the twist to lock action or the ratchet action to move the clips along the plastic rail. Purchased this rail - four inches longer and was able to fit all 15 sockets with room to spare. The clips are hard plastic with metal nub to hold sockets securely - no twist action needed. The clips also slide easily along the metal rail. For about the same price, this rail is a much better buy than the Tekton.

This item worked perfectly for the 1/2 socket set I had. Instead of stuff rattling around in my toolbox, all the sockets have a nice, secure home. Well done