Nut tools, also called nut keys, come in various shapes and sizes, but are typically long, skinny and flat with a hook at one end and a handle on the other. Most are made of stainless or chromoly steel, but some include titanium components. Though used primarily to extract both nuts and camming units from cracks in the rock, nut tools can also be used as a hook while aid climbing when a bolt is just out of reach and as a utensil while aid climbing to minimize weight when climbing big walls--or even to open up beer bottles after a good day out.
What to Look for
When choosing a nut tool, consider the type of climbing you will be doing. If you're spending a lot of time in the mountains, you will want to go with the lighter, thinner models. If you typically go out for a day of cragging, you don't necessarily need the lightest model. People who often take beginners out might want a beefier model. The beginner will typically be following the pitch and cleaning the gear out of the crack. To facilitate ease of gear extraction, a more durable, less flexible model with a bigger handle on the end works best.
Some nut tools have multiple purposes. Great Trango Holdings makes a nut tool with a knife, and Omega Pacific makes one with a built-in carabiner so that it can be hooked directly onto a harness. Most climbers add a bit of light webbing or thin cord to their nut tools so that they can still keep the nut tool clipped in while they attempt to extract the gear.
Common Pitfalls
Some nut tools are much heavier than others, and the ones with small or nonexistent handles are very unwieldy. It's nice to have a big handle both for manipulating the tool and also for having enough surface area to strike in order to pound a piece of gear out of a crack.
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