Wera has started publicizing a number of new products as part of their Autumn-Winter 2019 campaign. Their new 58 page catalog covers their pretty extensive range of screwdrivers, wrenches, L-keys, and socket sets.
What’s very welcome is an expanded socket range, which will now include impact ready, deep, and VDE sockets.
Wera Impaktor Impact-Ready sockets
First up, there will be a new range of Wera Impaktor impact sockets, designed for 1/2″ electric or pneumatic impact wrenches. They will be available in 9 metric sizes (13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21mm). As expected, the new Impaktor sockets feature Wera’s “Take it easy” color coding system, which makes it easier and faster to find the right socket.
Wera’s Impaktor sockets have a 6pt hex profile, which allows for higher force transmission and less strain on fasteners compared to 12pt sockets.
The Impaktor sockets also feature an internal groove and pin holes, allowing them to be used with impact wrench hog ring and pin detent retention mechanisms.
Wera Deep Sockets
The new deep socket range includes 40+ new sockets for 1/4″, 3/8″, and 1/2″ drive ratchets. The new socket sizes closely match Wera’s existing range of stand height sockets:
- 1/4″ drive: 4, 5, 5.5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15mm
- 3/8″ drive: 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22mm
- 1/2″ drive: 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 24mm
These also feature color coding and use the same hexagonal profile to reduce the stress on fasteners.
Wera VDE (Insulated) Bit Sockets
VDE stands for Verband der Elektrotechnik and is a certification for tools designed to work with electrically-energized systems up 1,000 VAC or 1,500 VDC. Wera already has a comprehensive range of insulated screwdrivers, and they are expanding the range with new screwdriver bit sockets:
- Torx: 20, 25, 27, 30, 40, 45
- Hex: 8, 10, 12mm
- Sockets: 4, 5, 6, 8mm
To complete the system there’s also a new Zyklop VDE ratchet to go with these sockets.
Discussion
I own a complete set of Wera’s 1/4″ and 1/2″ sockets in metric and imperial sizing, and have found them to be very well designed. I am quite fond of the color coding and the ratchet is comfortable to use. The lack of deep sockets has been limiting at times, and so I am pretty excited about this new expansion. I will probably buy the sockets individually, rather than spending the money on a complete set with another ratchet.
The new sockets will also be available in small “sockets on a rail” sets.
I did find a link to these products on the Wera US website but no mention of imperial measurements. We reached out to Wera US, which confirmed that imperial versions will be available in due course. They have also confirmed the metric versions will start shipping next month (October 2019).
Looking through their catalog, I didn’t see any expansion of the Joker wrench range, which is a shame. I also don’t see an imperial multi-color L-key set, which I would like to pair up with the metric set I picked up on Amazon Prime Day.
What did catch my eye is a range of Bicycle tool kits, which include a couple of different torque wrenches. These would be a useful addition to my workshop socket kit. If I didn’t already have a bunch of Park Tools in my bike maintenance tool kit I would be tempted by some of these sets.
You can read more about the full range in the catalog on their German website, an English version is available. You can also see the full range on Wera’s US website.
