SwatClips

SwatClips hammer clips, knife sheaths and pouches put a builder’s tools on the hip instead of in a heavy belt or a pants pocket. They’re for the carpenter or framer who carries a hammer and a knife all day. Each holder is sized to one kind of tool, so it sits snug instead of flopping in a loop.

SwatClips makes tool-belt clip accessories built around a receiver it calls the Base, and the company says its gear is created, designed, tested and made in Montana. The stated aim is to reduce the swing, frustration and pain points of carrying tools. Every setup starts with a Base, and the clips add on from there.

Hammer holders sorted by neck width

SwatClips makes three hammer holders: one for large framing hammers, one for medium hammers and one for slag or narrow hammers. The holder grips the neck, the stretch of handle just below the head, so neck width is the measurement that decides the size. The mistake seen most is grabbing the wide holder because the hammer is a heavy framer. A heavy framer with a slim neck belongs in the narrow holder.

The worry with any hip clip is a hammer working loose on a ladder, and the fit is what prevents it: a hammer matched to its holder sits in a clip cut for that neck. Put a tape on the neck right where it meets the head, then match it to wide, medium or narrow.

Utility Sheath for the knife

The Utility Sheath is a holster for a utility knife, clipped on beside the hammer. A covered blade on the hip beats a knife rattling around in a pocket or the bottom of a pouch. Retract the blade and set the knife in the sheath to check that the body sits snug before it goes on the belt.

Drop pouch and magnetic bit box

The clip-on drop pouch goes on an existing belt, so a builder who already wears an Occidental Leather rig keeps it and adds the pouch for nails and screws. The magnetic bit box holds steel bits by magnet, so they stay put when the box gets bumped or tipped. Keep the bit box on the drill side of the belt, where the bits get changed.

Base Wall Mount between jobs

The Base Wall Mount holds tools on the wall between jobs. Hang the loaded setup in the shop or on the truck at the end of the day, and the whole kit comes off the wall in one grab the next morning. With two mounts in the set, one wall holds two complete setups.

The rest of the system

SwatClips also makes the Base Mini, sold as a lightweight tool belt; the Drill Clip, which takes any regular-grip drill/driver; a tape holder that keeps the tape on the hip instead of ripping a pants pocket, with holders for a pencil and a marker; and the Quick Draw Clip Mini.

SwatClips at a glance

Piece	What it’s for
Hammer holder, wide	Large framing hammers with a wide neck
Hammer holder, medium	Medium hammers, including framing hammers with a medium-width neck
Hammer holder, narrow	Slag hammers and hammers with a narrow neck
Utility Sheath	Utility knife holster
Clip-on drop pouch	Tool pouch that clips onto belts, including Occidental Leather
Magnetic bit box	Bit storage held by magnet
Base Wall Mount	Tool storage between jobs, sold as a set of two

Frequently Asked Questions

What do you need to get started with a SwatClips hammer holder?

Start with a Base, because every setup is built on one and the hammer holder clips onto it. Pick the holder by the hammer’s neck width, not its weight, and mount it on the same side as your swinging hand so the hammer comes out in one motion without reaching across your body.