The 10 Best Open Top Tool Bags
This wiki has been updated 22 times since it was first published in September of 2020. Providing easier access to your tools and equipment, an open-top tool bag features a large internal compartment and multiple pockets on the outside. They are suitable for most construction trades as well as home tool kits, or can be used to store things like gardening equipment. We selected bags in a range of sizes, styles, and materials for this ranking, with the focus being on their durability. When users buy our independently chosen editorial selections, we may earn commissions to help fund the Wiki.
1. ToughBuilt Modular Tote
2. Klein Tools Tradesman Pro
3. Veto Pro Pac OT-XL
Editor's Notes
October 01, 2020:
One of the most essential pieces of equipment a tradesman can have is an adequate place to store and carry their tools. Just like a toolbox, a tool bag keeps your tools organized and safely stored whilst traveling, and makes it easy to move them around when working. Selecting the best option for you will depend on several factors, such as the type of trade you work in, how many tools you need to carry, and the environment in which you work.
Although they all essentially accomplish the same thing, the tool bags we selected for this ranking vary in overall size, pocket amount and size, durability, and weather resistance. Electricians, for example, often carry a number of screwdrivers and smaller hand tools, and therefore, a bag with many vertical pockets such as the Carhartt Legacy or the Veto Pro Pac Techot-MC would be a good choice. Stonemasons or bricklayers, on the other hand, will likely use fewer but larger tools, and as such, a generous internal compartment may be the main priority. In this case, the Bucket Boss Original or the Woodman's Pal Heavy Duty will probably be more suitable.
When it comes to durability and weatherproofing, the design and material used are the dominating factors. A solid, molded base, as found in the Veto Pro Pac Techot-MC, the Workpro Multi-use Tote, the Veto Pro Pac OT-XL, and the Klein Tools Tradesman Pro will keep your tools protected and dry even if the bag is placed in standing water. The Bucket Boss Original only has a reinforced bottom, but prevents moisture with a fully PVC lined interior. The Carhartt Legacy and the Veto Pro Pac OT-XL are both made from heavy-duty, synthetic materials with a water-repellent coating, while the Woodman's Pal Heavy Duty is fashioned from premium-grade buffalo leather, making it extremely durable and hardwearing. The ToughBuilt Modular Tote has a hard exterior and is notable for its removable partitions that divide the interior into separate compartments, and its removable yellow box, equipped with its own handle and zippered lid.
Special Honors
PB Swiss Tools With a focus on quality and innovation, this family company, now in its fourth generation, develops and produces the PB Swiss hand tools range, which numbers over 3000 products. If you are looking for the right tools to add to your new bag, take a look at their selection. pbswisstools.com
4. Carhartt Legacy
5. Pink Power 16 Inch
6. Workpro Multi-Use Tote
7. Custom Leathercraft 1579
8. Woodman's Pal Heavy Duty
9. Veto Pro Pac Techot-MC
10. Bucket Boss Original
Starting his career in the building industry, Chris built and managed a plumbing and heating company in northern England. After 13 years, seeking a more fulfilling lifestyle, he moved to southeast Asia, eventually settling in Vietnam, where he teaches writing and comprehension at a number of international universities. Drawing on his previous experience, and his passion for kitesurfing and windsurfing, Chris is knowledgeable in all things water related both recreationally and within the construction industry.