Packing the Lever Gear Toolcard for the Road

Athena and I have been doing California road trips for the last year. We’ve explored almost all of the national parks in California and discovered hidden gems. Admittedly, there have been times I wish I was more handy like when setting up a tent, making a fire, changing a flat tire, or even opening up a bottle of water. And there have been plenty of times that I wished I had tools with me. I searched the Internet for gear and products that would make road trips easier and I found a way to bring a tool set in my pocket. The Lever Gear Toolcard packs 40 tools into a one ounce, credit card-sized multitool. It’s Made in America, TSA compliant, and fits in my purse. I asked the makers of Lever Gear for a toolcard for review and I’ve been using it nonstop ever since. During the last week, I’ve used it to open bottles, fix a broken bed frame, and get the spare tire out of the jeep. At home and on the road, it’s the most handy tool set on the market and it fits in my pocket.

Our recent trip was to Shasta Cascade region in northern California. It’s beautiful and packed with amazing experiences like hiking to waterfalls, caves, and sulfur pots, kayaking, swimming, and camping but it’s very remote. It was rare that my phone had service.

On the first night, long after Athena had gone to sleep, I wanted to relax and have a drink while listening to the nearby river. I bought twist top Smirnoff coolers, but they were impossible to open. That was the first time I used the toolcard but I was grateful I had it on hand. It was quick and easy to get the top off with the card and I had my drink by the river while relaxing.

The next day, we stayed at a beautiful resort on Lake Shasta. Our private cabin was quiet and rustic. It was one of the most beautiful properties that we visited during the trip, but every time I moved on the bed, something made a clanging noise. At first, it made me feel fat then it just made me annoyed. I looked under the bed and a metal bar was loose. The screw had loosened and it was clanging every time I moved. Again, I thought of the toolcard. I grabbed it from my purse and fiddled with it until I found the right part to tighten the frame. Godsend! I wouldn’t have slept all night. Neither of these experiences, the bottles or the bed, would have ruined my trip but it was still handy to have the Lever Gear toolcard with me. The next day, it was a game-changer though.

Athena and I were driving through Lassen Volcanic National Park. It was so isolated that I didn’t have phone service and it was so early that there were very few drivers around. Then, we got a flat tire on the side of the mountain. I wasn’t sure if I was even capable of changing the tire on my own. I hadn’t had to change a tire in my entire driving history. I tried to remember what my grandfather showed me when I was sixteen. Loosen the bolts, jack up the vehicle, take the tire off, put the new one on, tighten the bolts, and bring the vehicle back down. Ok! I could do it. I opened the back of the jeep and found the tire but the cap was on so tight, I couldn’t even get it off to get the tire or the jack out. I started to cry and then remembered the toolcard. I put it on the cap holding the tire in and it fit. My initial thought was why the hell would they put the emergency tire and jack kit under a cap that was almost impossible to get off in the first place but I didn’t have time to be annoyed. I used the card for leverage and got the cap off. With a little help from the jeep manual, I was able to change the tire and get back on the road.
The Lever Gear toolcard has already proved its worth and I’ve only had it for a week. It’s so small that I can put it in my purse and forget about it until I need it. There’s no reason I would ever leave home without it. From bolts to bottles, the Lever Gear toolcard is a handy little helper.