Gear for the job

Spanners and hand tools hanging on a workshop pegboard — Photo: cottonbro studio / Pexels

Gear guides here are written for people who wear the gear for ten-hour days, not for a photo shoot. We look at fabric, fit, what wears out first and whether the price makes sense for how hard you work it.

A note on how we make money: we link to retailers through affiliate programs where they exist. Several big Australian tool retailers don't run public affiliate programs, so we sometimes recommend places that pay us nothing. That's fine. Recommendations come first.

Guides in this section

Clothing and safety

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Best workwear brands

Hard Yakka, KingGee, Bisley, FXD, Helly Hansen and the boot brands compared for Australian tradies, plus fabrics, hi-vis rules, boot standards and tax.

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Best work boots compared

Work boots for Australian tradies compared: AS/NZS 2210.3 safety ratings decoded, Steel Blue, Blundstone and Redback, zip sides vs lace ups, fit and tax.

Guide

Hi-vis classes explained

Hi-vis shirts for Australian tradies: Class D, N and D/N explained, the new levels in AS 4602.1:2024, tape, sun protection, care and tax deductions.

Power tools

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Best cordless drill brands

Milwaukee, Makita, DeWalt and Ryobi compared for Australian tradies: battery platforms, warranty terms checked October 2026 and which suits your trade.

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Tool battery platforms

Milwaukee M18, Makita LXT, DeWalt XR and FLEXVOLT, and Ryobi ONE+ compared for Australian tradies: compatibility, amp hours, safety and cost.

Guide

Impact driver vs drill

Impact driver vs drill driver for Australian tradies: how each works, the hex chuck and clutch, impact-rated bits, when to use which and buying a kit.