Tested: The Best Pocketable Pry Bars for Everyday Carry

When most people start getting into everyday carry, they first gravitate towards the main staples — like pocket knives, watches, keychains, wallets, and notebooks and pens — before eventually diving into more hardcore EDC items — like flashlights, bit drivers, lighters, and pry tools. With this latter group of items being less popular and less-talked-about, it can be harder to find solid concrete info on these segments. Well aware of this reality, we’ve sought out to fill-in the blanks and provide a robust resource on everything you need to know about everyday carry pry bar tools — the best of which we’ve gotten hands-on with for this curated buyer’s guide and review. 

Selection & Testing

When first setting out to uncover the best EDC pry tools on the market, we started to generating a list of qualities and criteria that we’d use to judge each potential candidate. Because these entires were being chosen for everyday carry, we also limited our picks to pry tools spanning no more than n 4.5” in length. And, while there are plenty of EDC multi-tools with pry bar features/functions, we mainly limited our picks to dedicated pry bars, or multi-tools where the pry element is at the center of and main focal point of the design. 

With these factors guiding our search and those limitations in place, we then scoured the market, reviewing all available options before ultimately generating a shortlist of candidates based on their overall design and spec sheet. In order to get a more comprehensive understanding of what it’s like to use and carry these pry tools, we managed to get our hands on each model comprising our shortlist in order to put them to the test. In an effort to establish a more objective testing process, we created a series of trials and tests that each pry tool was subjected to. 

A basic test was first performed opening cans of paint. From there, we then hammered 3¼ framing nails into a 2×4 so we could test the nail-pulling abilities of each pry tool. We also performed the same test by firing staples into another 2×4 using an industrial stapler before then pulling them. What’s more, we also hammered several 2x4s together and then used each pry tool to attempt to pry them apart — a test that judged grip, ergonomics, leverage, and torque. And, while their functionality as a pry bar was what was most important, we also tested the secondary utilities offered by each pry tool, as well as the main pry nib’s ability to double as another tool such as a scraper, scorer, or flathead driver. 

Alongside these performance tests, we also conducted a more unstructured review process where each pry tool was carried for around a month, providing insight into what it’s actually like to live with, own, and carry each model on a daily basis. Once armed with the firsthand findings from our structured and unstructured tests, we then proceeded to narrow our original shortlist down to a final list of what our testing proved to be the best EDC pry tools on the market. 

Kershaw Recap

Best Keychain Pick: Since its inception in 1974, the Kershaw brand has developed a reputation for crafting quality, dependable knives and tools that are offered at a fair price — with the KAI-owned outfit typically leaving its more top-shelf blades to its sister brand Zero Tolerance (though Kershaw does make some premium knives like its USA-made Livewire OTF family or Lucha balisong). The company harnesses the power of mass production and couples this with the use of hardwearing yet affordable materials in order to deliver utilitarian, value-laden blades and tools that have no problem with standing up to the rigors of daily use. And while it’s not a knife, Kershaw’s MO is perfectly represented by its Recap keychain pry tool. 

The Good

Perfectly sized to be carried on a keyring, the Kershaw Recap spans 2.37” in length and is 0.108” thick. The pry tool is crafted from a single piece of 3Cr13 — a chromium-rich martensitic stainless steel that’s exceptionally hard and equipped with excellent toughness and corrosion resistance. In addition to making it a popular construction for outdoor knife blades and axe heads, these properties also give the Recap’s 3Cr13 construction far more strength than you’d ever need for a pry tool of this size. The 3Cr13 steel construction’s stonewashed finish also does a terrific job of concealing the scrapes, scuffs, and scratches that come from daily use. 

The business end of this Kershaw product features a wedge-shaped pry nib with horizontal score lines — an item that can double as a flathead bit driver. Just behind it is a cutout that allows the tool to function as a bottle opener. Opposite the pry nib, there’s a circular cutout that affords the Recap the ability to be carried on a keyring. With it being so small, I love the fact the Recap features a bottle opener, as your average EDC user will likely use that component on a more regular basis than they will the pry nib. 

Supplementary Strengths

At nearly 2.50” in length, I was actually able to get a pretty decent three-finger (+ thumb) grip on the Recap’s handle. The skeletonized cutouts, keychain opening, and bottle opener all help to bolster grip, too. It doesn’t offer quite the same level of leverage as Glow Rhino’s pry tool (despite only being around half-an-inch-shorter), but it’s still pretty good for its size. With it only being around 2.40-inches-long and a-tenth-of-an-inch-thick, the Recap is sized very similarly to a standard house key — making it even more ideal for carrying on a keychain. 

Typically, when delivering a piece of everyday carry gear for under $10, manufacturers typically have to cut some major corners. Because the Recap is just a single-piece of stainless steel weighing less-than-half-an-ounce, Kershaw is able to sell it at a price that makes it accessible on quite literally any budget — all without having to make any major sacrifices or concessions. Considering that you can currently snag one of these for around $7, I’d also argue that the Recap offers what’s undoubtedly some of the best bang-for-your-buck of any mini/keychain-friendly EDC pry tool currently out there. 

The Not So Good

At the end of the day, I’d 100% recommend this pry tool for anyone looking for a decent EDC pry bar that’s keychain-friendly and/or super-affordably-priced. With that said, I did have a few minor gripes with the thing. First off, though it admittedly stood up to some pretty hard-use testing, the Recap was the only pry tool I tested that I legitimately thought might snap during our torture-testing. While it’s got no problem opening a paint can or cracking open a bearing, I don’t think I’d try using the Recap as a chisel (or attempting to hammer-pry with it) — granted that’s not what it was designed for. If the Recap was just a bit thicker, however, (such as 0.25”), it would have no problem taking on these ultra-hard-use tasks. Second, its sub-2.50-inch size does make it harder to fish out of your pocket — especially when loaded with other gear — but I found carrying the Recap on my keychain solved this issue without compromising its utility. 

Third, while it affords pretty impressive grip and overall utility for its size, it’s still lacking in functionality compared to larger pry tools like Griffin’s GPT XL or Big Idea Design’s Ti Pry Bar. Fourth and finally, because of its 3Cr13 steel construction, the Recap routinely clung to magnetic EDC items in my pocket — such as my Orbitkey Clip v2 quick-release keychain or the base of the Olight Baton4 or Baton Turbo flashlights I carry most days. Because I primarily carried the Recap on my keychain, my entire keychain was often dragged out of my pocket when trying to deploy other magnetic items. When I went to weigh every pry tool we tested, I spent close to 20 minutes looking for the Recap, only to discover it stuck to the magnetic coupling SlimLink element on my Peak Design Everyday Phone Case.

Verdict: Crafted from a rugged type of stainless steel more commonly used to construct axe heads, the Kershaw Recap is a small but mighty EDC pry tool that’s compact enough to be carried on a keychain while being just big enough to provide the level of grip required to deliver true utility. It also offers some pretty incredible bang-for-your-buck with its sub-$10 MSRP. 

CIVIVI Ti-Bar

Best Minimalist Pick: Assuming you aren’t opening pallets and cases on a military base or performing demolition on a job site, the vast majority of small, keychain-friendly pry tools will be sufficient for day-to-day EDC tasks. And while they lack some of the grip, torque, and overall utility of their larger counterparts, there are a few tiny pry tools that are worth adding to your everyday carry like the ultra-diminutive, 1.70-inch-long CIVIVI Ti-Bar. 

The Good

Measuring 1.70″ x 0.64” x 0.18”, the CIVIVI Ti-Bar sports the silhouette of an old-school skateboard — a design that’s brought to life in top-shelf Ti-6Al-4V titanium. This makes it quite a bit smaller than even a standard house key. I love that, due to its premium Ti-6Al-4V construction, the Ti-Bar isn’t magnetic — unlike the Kershaw Recap, which clung to every magnetic piece of gear I was carrying in the same pocket. 

Like the Kershaw Recap and Glow Rhino Tritium Pry Bar, CIVIVI’s Ti-Bar consists of a single-piece construction that’s been precision-machined from a solid block of alloy billet, with no moving parts whatsoever. Consequently, the thing is wildly rugged, despite being smaller than the last two joints of my pinky finger. And, while this applied to every other pry tool I tested — even the honorable mentions that didn’t make the main list — I found the Ti-Bar excelled as a scraping and scoring tool. Doubles as a great flathead driver, too. 

There’s a small cutout channel running along the bottom of the pry tool that, in addition to being responsible for a few extra style points, also helps to increase leverage and grip by providing an area to rest your thumb or trigger finger when using it. It may only offer a fraction of the utility as its larger counterparts, though it’s an even smaller fraction of some of its counterparts’ size, and as such offers a much better size-to-utility ratio. At less-than-a-quarter-of-an-ounce, the Ti-Bar’s weight is pretty negligible. 

After being treated to a titanium-gray anodized finish, the Ti-Bar has its rear-face machined down, resulting in a contrast between the two metal finishes — an  aesthetic that reminded me a lot of diamond-cut wheels on cars. CIVIVI also offers the Ti-Bar is purple or champagne anodized finishes that offer even more contrast between the anodized and machined surfaces. The anodized finish also did a remarkable job of shielding its underlying titanium construction from any scratches or scuffs — even on the areas where it comes into contact with the keyring I carried it on. 

Supplementary Strengths

The branding on this pry tool is fairly prominent, yet is still pretty tasteful, with just a CIVIVI logo adorning its front face (and the name of its designer in tiny script at the top of the lanyard hole opening). There’s also an oversized lanyard/keychain hole that’s positioned opposite the pry nib. Sporting an almost-triangular shape with rounded edges, this opening also provides a bit of extra leverage and grip when torquing or prying. Just above its keyring opening, this mini pry tool has been decorated in script reading “Ostap Hel Design” — a tiny, incredibly subtle detail, though one that any knife or EDC nerd (like myself) will no doubt appreciate, as the Polish designer is something of a design legend in the knife space. 

The Ti-Bar is also a more premium option that, thanks to its diminutive size, can be picked up for just a little over $20. It’s important to remember what the Ti-Bar was designed for, as CIVIVI didn’t intend it to take on super-hard-use tasks, and instead engineered it for light-use tasks such as cracking open the housings of electronics, opening paint cans, or removing small nails or staples. Because the Ti-Bar boasts a 0.64-inch width, it’s actually able to provide a surprising amount of leverage and grip even though it’s only 1.70” long. 

With its modern Ostap Hel design, grade 5 titanium construction, and top-notch build quality, I’m actually a bit puzzled as to why this pry tool is sold as a CIVIVI product and not under the banner of its more premium sister brand, as it’s objectively top-shelf enough to justify it wearing the WE Knife Co. logo. The Ti-Bar is also sold at a pretty accessible price, despite its fairly premium nature, with an MSRP of just over $25 — a price point made possible through its mass, overseas production — despite its grade 5 titanium construction. 

The Not So Good

While I’d say CIVIVI and Hel have delivered an exceptional EDC pry tool, it isn’t entirely devoid of problems. It’s tiny size definitely limits its overall functionality, as it can only pry small objects. Though it affords decent grip and torque for its size, there’s no getting around the fact that the Ti-Bar simply lacks the superior grip and overall utility offered by its larger counterparts like the Gerber Prybrid, Griffin GPT XL, and Big Idea Design Ti Pry Bar. Its tiny size also makes this item a lot more susceptible to being lost or misplaced — though simply carrying it on a carrying instantly remedies this issue. 

Also, above and beyond serving as a mini pry tool — and making for a great addition to pretty much any EDC keychain — the Ti-Bar doesn’t really offer any other functionality, as it makes for a pretty lousy box-opener, can’t be used to open a bottle, and only works as a bit driver when a large flathead bit is needed. These minor issues are overshadowed by everything else this EDC pry tool has going for it though — which is a lot. 

Verdict: Designed by industry legend Ostap Hel, the CIVIVI Ti-Bar is a tiny EDC pry tool that’s perfect for carrying on a keychain. Though it lacks some of the functionality of larger models, it more than makes up for this with its top-shelf  Ti-6Al-4V construction, sleek design, and ability to excel at light-use tasks. 

Gerber Prybrid

Best Multi-Tool Pick: Combining multiple items or functions into a single product design can be a risky endeavor — especially when dealing with tools — as far more often you end up with something that performs several functions poorly rather than an item with performance comparable to its standalone-functioning counterparts. From time to time, however, there are exceptions, with one of the more obvious examples being the mighty Gerber Prybrid — a utility-focused pry bar and multi-tool engineered from the ground up for EDC. 

The Good

Measuring 4.25” from tip-to-tip, the Prybrid is constructed around a full-tang steel pry bar that’s been sandwiched between a set of grippy, rugged, G-10 scales. Weighing under 3oz and sporting an overall thickness of 0.40”, the Prybrid features an onboard utility knife that accepts replaceable razors, as well as a nail-puller a strap-cutter, and a bottle opener. The handle also affords ample grip, plus I was pleasantly surprised to discover that, even under hard use, it creates very few hotspots. 

The trio of notches milled into the top of and bottom of the handle provide a more interesting overall aesthetic while more importantly bolstering grip — even when using the Prybrid while wearing gloves. I also love that Gerber opted to incorporate a cutout into the handle below where the blade exits, as it allows the onboard blade to function as a strap-cutter even when retracted — a particularly cool touch as it’s not often you can add a feature by removing material. 

Supplementary Strengths

Beneath the G-10 scales, the steel pry bar element runs the entire length (and width) of the multi-tool. This full-tang-style construction affords the Prybrid with a tremendous amount of strength — especially for a sub-4.5-inch pry tool. Using screws at all four corners on both sides of the multi-tool, the Prybrid can have its G-10 scales removed and can be disassembled, making it ridiculously easy to clean. While it’s only 0.40-inches-thick in total, the handle’s G-10 scales provide a much more comfortable and robust grip compared to handles on the Griffin GPT XL or Big Idea Design Ti Pry Bar. 

To deploy its utility blade, you just press down on the Prybrid’s thumb slider and push out the blade to one of its two lockable positions. Adding or removing a utility razor is as simple as pressing down on a tab and yanking on the blade. While this setup was occasionally a bit finicky and would sometimes stick, it generally worked well — and become smoother with more time and use. And, with its utility razor removed, the Prybrid becomes fully-TSA-compliant and can be carried in your checked bag. Because it accepts widely-available utility razors, sourcing a new blade once you touchdown at your destination is a breeze too — plus it retains the rest of its functionality, even without its boxcutter element. 

The Not So Good

While I’d argue this is easily one of the best EDC pry tools on the market, the Prybrid isn’t without a few areas where I feel it could potentially be improved. First off, I also Gerber opted to bestow the Prybrid with a pocket clip — or even an opening for a lanyard to make it easier to fish out of a pocket. Second, between the somewhat finicky blade replacement setup and the way the G-10 scales don’t perfectly align with the underlying tang, I wasn’t particularly impressed with this Gerber product’s build quality — though this is more just me picking apart this pry tool, as its somewhat sub-par craftsmanship didn’t compromise its performance in my experience. 

Third, though it’s legitimately tough-as-nails, the Prybrid does feature a few moving parts — unlike every other pry tool I tested (aside from the fidget sliders in Big Idea Design’s Ti Pry Bar) — which ultimately makes it more susceptible to being damaged or broken. With that said, even if its utility razor breaks or jams, it will still function as a bottle opener, nail-puller, and pry tool. Lastly, much of the Prybrid’s size comes from its handle width and thickness — and not length. So, while it’s a lot larger than every other pry tool I tested, it really doesn’t offer all that much more leverage or utility as a pry tool, with both Griffin’s GPT XL and Big Idea Design’s Ti Pry Bar having no problem keeping up in terms of performance. Having said that, it still performed at the top of the pack in terms of actual prying abilities — plus its myriad of other onboard tools afford it even more functionality (and push it more squarely into the EDC multi-tool category). 

Verdict: Boasting a steel pry bar with an ultra-sturdy full-tang construction, The Gerber Prybrid is a utilitarian multi-tool that’s been engineered to take on day-to-day tasks with functions like a bottle opener, pry bar, and utility blade. Though it takes up a decent amount of real estate in your pocket, this item’s sheer functionality makes it easy to justify carrying. 

Glow Rhino Tritium Pry Bar

Best Overall Pick: Rather than sticking to a single product space, Glow Rhino has produces a wide array of different type of EDC gear, from carabiners and soft goods to keychains and key fobs to in-house knife designs to aftermarket components for ultra-popular EDC knives. With a clear passion and understanding for the everyday carry space, it’s frankly unsurprising that Metro Detroit-based outfit has also managed to deliver one of the best pry tools on the market with the Glow Rhino Tritium Pry Bar. 

The Good

The pry bar boasts a simple design that’s still quite modern, with a geometric aesthetic with angular lines. Spanning just shy of 3.0”, clocking in at 0.65” wide, and coming in at 0.20” thick, this design is brought to life in top-shelf titanium. The four-sided main pry nib that’s angled on one side and positioned just ahead of a cutout that allows the item to double as a bottle opener. Just behind the bottle opener cutout is one of Glow Rhino’s signature tritium inlays, which glow a bright green (or blue) for a whopping quarter-of-a-century. The entire things tips the scales at less than three-quarters-of-an-ounce, too. 

There’s a second differently-shaped pry tool opposite this model’s business-end that’s great for small prying tasks like opening cans of paint, though it also makes for just as competent of a flathead bit driver. Thanks to an opening/cutout, this same pry nib can also function as a keyring opening, allowing you to carry the thing on a keychain — and while it’s on the larger side for what I prefer for keychains, it’s only a little larger than a standard house key and a bit smaller than a car key so it actually fits in on a keychain pretty well. 

The inclusion of a bottle opener is also a super welcome addition to this pry bar, as I ended up using it more frequently in my day-to-day life than I did its pry nibs. Thanks to its nib having a 45-degree corner with a wedge profile, the top corner of this pry tool also opens packages surprisingly well — all while remaining TSA-friendly. Made in America, this item can also function as a pretty decent scoring tool too. Additionally, despite its billet titanium construction, the craftsmanship this item displays is still top-shelf through and through, with no visible milling lines and logos and branding that are perfectly crisp. 

Supplementary Strengths

The front side of the tool features minimal branding, with just a Glow Rhino rhino head logo. The rear face of the tool sports script reading “Glow Rhino”, a radiation hazard symbol, and “21-26460-03E ³H 50 mCi” — the a latter of which. I believe is Glow Rhino’s radioactive materials possession license number from the Nuclear Regulatory Commission. As far as durability is concerned, the Tritium Pry Bar is a built-like-a-tank. Because it’s basically a single piece of nearly quarter-inch-thick titanium, it’s ridiculously rugged, and you’d really have to go out of your way to damage or destroy it. 

It boasts a nice middle-of-the-road size, slotting in between its larger counterparts like the Gerber Prybrid, Griffin GPT XL, or Big Idea Design Ti Pry Bar, and smaller pry tools like the Kershaw Recap and CIVIVI Ti-Bar. Its roughly 3.0-inch length and 0.20-inch thickness make the Tritium Pry Bar plenty compact and pocketable, though it’s still big enough to actually offer real utility — which may be my overall favorite aspect of this item. It seems like Glow Rhino experimented with how small it could make a pry bar’s handle while still providing enough leverage and grip to offer genuine utility. From its impressive size-to-utility ratio to its top-shelf titanium construction to its premium tritium inlay to its included bottle opener, there’s just a lot to like about this EDC pry tool. 

The Not So Good

Though I was overall really impressed with Glow Rhino’s Tritium Pry Bar — and would point directly to it as the perfect example of what a great EDC pry tool looks like — there were a few very minor areas that I wasn’t happy with. For starters, I wish the tritium’s glow was a bit more noticeable in low-light settings, as it really does need to be in near pitch darkness to fully glow. With that said, that’s just the nature of tritium and isn’t the result of anything that Glow Rhino did wrong so it’s hard to fault them for this. 

Next, I’m actually a pretty huge sucker for tritium, and consequently I’m a bit of a Glow Rhino fanboy, owning several of their knives, having their fobs on pretty much all of my keychains, and my backpack even uses some of its mini Spark glow fobs as its zipper pulls. Despite my immense proclivity for the brand, I still feel like the branding on the rear-side of the pry tool is still a bit much. What’s more, more spartan branding would better complement the pry tool’s minimalistic design language — though I also acknowledge this gripe is entirely subjective. 

Verdict: Small enough to be highly pocketable while just large enough to provide real functionality as a pry tool, the Glow Rhino Tritium Pry Bar is a 3.0” titanium EDC tool that boasts a tritium inlay, an onboard bottle opener, a flathead driver, and a TSA-friendly package-opener, giving it far more functionality than other keychain-sized pry bars. 

Griffin GPT XL

Best Mono-Construction Pick: Utilizing the slogan “Think Outside The Toolbox,” the Griffin Pocket Tool brand first appeared in 2015 when it launched its namesake flagship multi-tool. In the roughly decade that’s followed, the Georgia-based business has experienced massive success with its mono-construction multi-tool, prompting it to debut the Griffin Pocket Tool — or “GPT” for short — in an ever-growing number of model variants. Though it now makes something for pretty much everyone, if you’re simply after the most utility possible, the Griffin GPT XL is the one to get. 

The Good

Touted as a 16-in-1 multi-tool, the GPT XL comes loaded with a pry tool, a nail puller, a keyring, a pocket/suspension clip, a ruler in inches and millimeters, a package opener, a chisel, a scoring tool, a flathead driver, a bottle-opener, and half-a-dozen Hex wrench sizes — 1/4”, 5/16”, 3/8”, 7/16″, and 1/2″ openings (though it can also be purchased in a metric version with 8mm, 9mm, 10mm, 11mm, 12mm, and 13mm Hexes). With the whole thing measuring Length: 4.30” x 0.90” x 0.20”, the GPT XL is plenty pocketable, however, it’s also big enough to provide real utility. Its 16-in-1 design starts out as a solid piece of x 0.20-inch-thick titanium billet that’s precision-machined into shape. 

The machining on the GPT XL looks fantastic, and it’s abundantly clear that an enormous amount of time and attention went into this pry tool’s design — as evidenced by minor details such as the teeny-tiny nib on the bottle-opener that allows it to more easily grab onto bottle caps. Thanks to its top-shelf titanium construction, this XL-spec pry tool tips the scales at only 1.2oz — a full ounce less than the stainless steel version despite sharing an identical design and dimensions.The titanium construction also means this multi-tool is non-magnetic — so it doesn’t attract or cling to other magnetic items that happen to be sharing my pocket with the GPT XL Ti. 

While it does have a pocket clip built into its construction, it’s more of a loose pocket hook, providing little to no friction-based retention. Having said that, thanks to its integrated hook and the fact it’s positioned above a hex opening, the entire thing can serve as a suspension clip — with a keyring or other items being run through the Hex opening before the GPT XL is clipped or hung onto something via its pocket clip. 

Supplementary Strengths

Despite its XL monicker, the GPT XL is still fairly small and compact, though it nonetheless allowed me to actually get a full four-finger (+ thumb) grip on the thing, allowing me to gain ample leverage and torque. The jimping running up both sides of the tool has the perfect depth and spacing to massively improve traction and grip without being overly rough on your hands (or requiring you to wear gloves to comfortably use). 

And, while I really doubt the GPT XL was designed with this in mind, I couldn’t help but notice that, thanks to the fact it provides a full four-finger grip (which is further enhanced via the jimping running up the tool’s sides), nestles perfectly in the palm, and culminates in a pointy wedge-shaped tip, this pry tool also makes for a surprisingly effective, Kubaton-like striking weapon for self-defense and CQC scenarios. On top of allowing it to serve as a chisel (or effective self-defense striking weapon), the thickness of the main pry nib also affords the tool a ton of strength and hugely lessens the likelihood of it snapping under hard use. 

 I also love that Griffin offers its flagship pocket tool with Hex wrench openings in either metric or imperial (i.e. SAE) sizes, as this allows you to select a model based on your particular needs and intended use. What’s more, in addition to some special edition colorways and a Cerakote version, the company also makes smaller 10-tool GPT Original and 12-tool GPT Mini variants of the Griffin Pocket Tool that maintain the same general design, only are significantly scaled down (and shorter in length). There’s also a more affordable stainless steel construction version of the GPT XL. 

The Not So Good

As a decently-sized mono-construction multi-tool, there were always going to be some limitations to the GPT’s design, and the titanium XL-spec is no different. Though it allows the GPT XL to serve as a chisel and affords it stellar strength and structural integrity, the thickness of the main pry nib — even at its most narrow point — is still pretty beefy, which made it too big to slot into most of the flathead hardware I tried to tighten well testing this item. I also wished Griffin incorporated a nib with a X-shaped profile so this multi-tool could function as a Phillips head driver.

Because of where the bottle opener cutout and pocket clip are located, the GPT XL does occasionally generate some pretty significant hotspots when clutching the thing tightly under hard use. And, while it makes for a great suspension clip, the pocket clip doesn’t provide anywhere close to enough retention to make me feel comfortable carrying it loosely clipped to my pant pocket, as I feel like I’d lose it within my first day of carrying it like that — even if I’m not riding a motorcycle. Lastly, at nearly double the price of the stainless steel variant, the titanium construction GPT XL doesn’t offer the best bang-for-your-buck. 

Verdict: Afforded in a huge slew of sizes, materials, and finishes, the Griffin GPT XL Titanium is a mono-construction multi-tool with a milled-out design that arms it with over-a-dozen tools and functions for tackling the daily grind. And, while fairly pocketable and compact, it’s still long enough to provide a full four-finger grip, giving it the leverage and torque needed for taking on hard-use tasks. 

Big Idea Design Ti Pry Bar

Best Full-Size Pick: Founded in 2009, Big Idea Design has established a particular formula and approach that it uses to deliver its own takes on everyday carry staples, from knives to watches to pens to backpacks — an MO that includes sleek, modern minimalist designs usually being brought to life in grade 5 titanium. And such is the case with the company’s interpretation of an EDC pry tool, the plainly-named Big Idea Design Ti Pry Bar.

The Good

The pry tool is milled down into a 4.50-inch-long piece of 6Al-4V billet that’s 0.375-inches-thick. As its name suggests, the Ti Pry Bar employs the use of Big Idea Design’s signature grade 5 titanium construction. Like every product I’ve ever seen, held, or used from Big Idea Design, the brand’s Ti Pry Bar sports a sleek, modern, and minimalistic design. It features a simple rectangular shape that narrows into a wedge at its business end. Towards the front of the tool, around where you place your thumb, BID has bestowed the body with small cutouts that bolster ergonomics, comfort, and grip. 

The black DLC-coated grade 5 titanium body also features a cutout track that houses a trio of magnetic slider buttons — a feature that doesn’t serve any real utilitarian purpose, but is nonetheless incredibly satisfying and fidget-friendly. They’re clickly, and glide smoothly along their track. The sound they make is also a major part of the appeal. 

Though I found it to be almost-annoyingly-stiff — at least at first — there’s no denying that the pocket clip provides pretty remarkable levels of retention, to the point where I felt comfortable clipping it to my pocket while riding a motorcycle on the freeway. If you don’t want to run the pocket clip, this piece of hardware can be removed via a single Torx T8 screw. There’s also a lanyard hole which is another small and subtle but nonetheless appreciated touch — and one that I imagine will be welcomed by most EDC enthusiasts. 

The Ti Pry Bar also fits almost suspiciously-well into my palm, with my thumb resting perfectly on its base opposite its nib. When held like this — with the pry nib poking out — you achieve an extraordinary amount of grip which allows it to easily take on hard-use prying tasks. These same factors also allow it to double as a ridiculously effective striking weapon — even more so than Griffin’s GPT XL. It really is hard to overstate just how perfectly-dialed-in its ergonomics are. 

Supplementary Strengths

Like the knives made by Artisan Cutlery, WE, Kizer, and Bestech, Big Idea Design’s Ti Pry Bar is made in China, however, the factory that produces it does stellar work, and as a result the overall craftsmanship and build quality on display are top-notch. It’s blatant that ultra-tight tolerances and stringent quality control standards were employed for its creation. 

In typical Big Idea fashion, the Ti Pry Bar is pretty much entirely devoid of any branding, save for BID’s signature “Ti” logo on the removable deep-carry pocket clip. The entire pry tool comes cloaked in a matte black DLC finish — pocket clip, hardware, and all — that looks fantastic. This blacked-out color way covers the whole tool, save for its brass slider track and contrasting white “Ti” logo. 

While I’m admittedly a bit of an EDC nut, there’s still something that I think looks a little extra about having a myriad of clips poking out of each pant pocket. As a result, even though my pen, flashlight, and several other items I carry have pocket clips, I usually don’t clip them, and instead traditionally pocket-carry them — with the only item I clip being my knife, making it easier to find and deploy without looking. 

Because of this, I initially overlooked this pry tool’s pocket clip and didn’t use it for the first week or two that I carried it. One day, however, around half-way through testing, I for whatever reason opted to clip it to my pocket opposite the one I carry my knife in. I found the clip to keep the tool deep in my pocket where it’s super secure, and it was more than slim and low-profile enough to not get in the way of me trying to remove other gear from my pocket — which I can’t say for any of the EDC knives that I carry. 

The Not So Good

While I think Big Idea Design has unequivocally delivered one of the best EDC pry tools that money can currently buy, I do think there are some minor downsides to its design or user experience. I would have preferred if Big Idea Design’s team opted to ever-so-slightly-enlarge the lanyard hole and remove a small notch from its outer wall, as this would in-theory allow it to function as a bottle-opener — plus with the pocket clip already present, a lanyard (or lanyard hole) feels kinda superfluous. Next, while I appreciate that it provides a ton of retention, the pocket clip is overly stiff, and I hurt my fingernails on numerous occasions trying to get it to flex over the lip of my pant pocket. And, though I can’t really blame the Ti Pry Bar for this, I’d still say that another downside to this item is that the clicky sound that the slider buttons make probably won’t be appreciated by everyone within earshot (at least at the office or on public transit). 

Despite its body being made from non-magnetic 6Al-4V titanium, its ultra-fidget-friendly sliders are magnetic. As such, any magnetic items sharing my pocket with BID’s Ti Pry Bar almost always ended up clinging to this pry tool — meaning I was dragging out my keys, pocket knives, and other piece of gear along with the pry tool.  And, unlike the other pry tools that are similar to it in size, the Ti Pry Bar doesn’t really offer any functionality above and beyond serving as a pry bar and having a fidget slider setup. Sure, it can sometimes be used as a flathead driver or a scoring or scraping tool, but that can be said of pretty much every pry tool on the market.  Also in typical Bid Idea Design fashion, the Ti Pry Bar comes at a pretty steep price. WIth its top-shelf craftsmanship and material selection, you could definitely make an argument that you’re getting what you pay for here, but either way $80 (or more from some retailers) is still a pretty decent chunk to drop on an EDC pry tool — even a damn good one like this. 

Verdict: Characterized by its sleek, modern, minimalist design and premium grade 5 titanium construction, the Big Idea Design Ti Pry Bar is a top-shelf take on an EDC pry tool that features a super fidget-friendly trio of magnetic button sliders. Though it does come at a steeper price than every other model on this list, I’d argue you get what you pay for here. 

EDC Pry Bars Comparison Chart

Why Carry Or Use An EDC Pry Bar Tool?

It can be easy to look at pry bar tools and think they’re largely superfluous for the average user, however, the reality is that anyone that’s carried one of these for an extended period knows just how immensely handy and utilitarian they can be. From opening stubborn cans of paint to use as a chisel, pry bar tools actually lend themselves to a wide variety of daily tasks. These items also make for stellar additions to EDC load outs thanks to the fact that they are designed to perform tasks that aren’t recommended to be carried out by everyday carry knives — such as prying. What’s more, a great many of today’s most popular EDC pry tools also come loaded with a host of other genuinely useful functions such as bottle openers and bit drivers. 

What Areas Should I Consider When Buying An EDC Pry Bar Tool?

Compared to knives or bags or daily-wear watches, pry bars tend to be incredibly straightforward items that are typically comprised of just a single piece of machined alloy. What’s more, despite the fact that all pry bars are designed to serve the same basis function, the design and layout of these products can massively vary. While this does slightly complicate the shopping process, the reality is that there are just a few key areas that you should take into consideration when shopping — the most pivotal of which we’ve broken down directly below. 

Size: Everyday carry pry bars come in all manner of different shapes and sizes, both of which comes with their now inherent strengths and weaknesses. Larger pry bars offer more leverage and afford their user better grip, though they are less pocketable and EDC-friendly compared to more compact keychain-style pry tools. It’s also pivotal to review the thickness of any pry bar, as this one metric will play a major role in the item’s overall strength  — along with the material it’s been crafted from the the construction technique used to create it. 

Integrated Functions: An EDC pry bar’s main job is obviously prying, though that hasn’t stopped the makers of these items from often bestowing them with supplementary features and functions such as hex wrench openings, removable bit drivers, bottle openers, and other tools that are often integrated into a pry bar’s body construction. 

Ergonomics & Grip: Using a pry bar often requires an immense amount of force — leverage that’s much easier to gain when using a pry bar with solid ergonomics and grip. When looking at this area you’ll want to consider the size and shape of the handle-portion of the pry tool, along with whether or not its primary construction has been supplemented with any type of texturing, cut-outs, or handle scales to bolster grip. 

Materials: Just like with any piece of EDC gear, the materials used to craft a pry bar will play an enormous role in the item’s overall quality, durability, and performance. These constructions can range from budget-friendly tool steels to more premium alloys like titanium, brass, and even zirconium and Timascus. 

Construction Technique: Also of extreme importance is how a pry bar is made, as it’s overall strength and structural integrity are partially owed to the means in which it was crafted — i.e. its construction technique. As an example, alloy constructions that have been machined from solid blocks of billet will boast markedly more strength than pry bars that have been cast or forged. 

Carrying Options: Despite all being engineered for everyday use, EDC pry bar tools can come with a range of different carrying options, making this another important area to take into account when shopping. Most commonly, this takes the form of cutouts for keyrings or lanyard holes, or pocket knife-style pocket clip. There are also EDC pry tools with no mounting amenities that are instead simply carried in one’s pocket. While each of these options has its own strengths and weaknesses, this area largely boils down to personal preference — and to some extent, intended use. 

Style & Finish: Not only can the overall design and appearance of EDC pry tools massively vary from model to model, but it’s also fairly common to see the same pry tool offered in a variety of different materials and/or finishes — making style and finish another area that’s well worth reviewing. 

Honorable Mentions

The MecArmy RL3 is another particularly interesting take on a pry tool, as it borrows it design from modern gravity knives — like the Reate EXO Mini — only it replaces the blade with a pry nib with an integrated bottle opener and the ability to serve as a flathead driver or scraper tool. This fidget-friendly pry tool does make for a stellar option for everyday carry, however, unless money is no object, it’s difficult to justify the roughly $200 MSRP of this item — a fact that lead us to feature it only as an honorable mention. 

Made in the USA from solid titanium, the TEC Accessories Ti-Pry Keychain Edition titanium tool is kind of like an ultra-compact skeleton key — in that it can open just about anything you need it to with minimal effort on your part. Of course, while it’s pry bar-focused, that’s not all it has going for it. For instance, on the tail end, it also boasts a carbide glass-breaker tip that’s suitable for emergency usage. It also has a handy pocket clip, an ergonomic grip, and more. This particular version of the Ti-Pry is small enough to carry on a keychain, too. Though we were impressed with the performance and user experience of this mini pry tool, it ultimately lost out to some of our other keychain-friendly picks like the Kershaw Recap and CIVIVI Ti-Bar.

Whether you’re looking for a great EDC multi-tool or a compact pry bar, the Toor Knives Titanium Keychain Multi-Tool should definitely get some consideration. Made in America, the thing is milled from titanium and features a pry bar, a bottle opener, four different wrench opening sizes, and a detachable Phillips head bit — all while weighing in at only 1.5oz. At 4.10”, this item is also plenty pocketable, while still being large enough to provide real leverage, torque, and grip. TSA-friendly, it also offers pretty decent value all-things-considered. With all that said, I’d argue that, despite having a pry tool, this is more of a multi-tool than it is a pry bar — a fact that lead us to relegate this item to a particularly honorable mention. 

While MecArmy’s RL3 can best be described as a gravity knife that’s had its blade swapped out for a pry nib, the Olight Otacle T1 is essentially a balisong that’s seen its blade jettisoned in favor of a pry nib. This unique butterfly pry-tool sports a 6-in-1 design that includes a nail puller, an oxygen cylinder wrench, a bottle opener, a glass breaker, and numerous hex wrenches. Flipping surprinsgly well thanks to a balanced design complete with ceramic ball bearing pivots, its handles are made from grade 5 titanium and feature embedded magnets that keeps them held together. Not only does this pivoting design mitigate this pry tool’s overall structural integrity, but I also imagine that not everyone out there is into butterfly knives, and as such may not appreciate this design — relegating it to an honorable mention. 

Machined from grade 5 titanium in small batches in Colorado, the Rexford RUT V5 is a top-shelf EDC multi-tool with a highly-functional onboard pry tool, as well as a host of other tools and functions including a bottle opener and a removable utility blade. Because this now-fifth-generation item is so highly-sought-after and produced in such small numbers, it can be extremely difficult to get your hands on one, which is ultimately what lead us to including this item only as an honorable mention — that and the fact it’s objectively more of a multi-tool with a pry function than it is a dedicated EDC pry bar tool. 

Tested: The Best Multi-Tools For Everyday Carry

Looking to add even more utility to your everyday carry? Then be sure to head over to our guide to the best multi-tools for EDC for a curated list of bonafide pocketable powerhouses.