Losing Tools Sucks. Astro Tools Thinks UV is the Answer.
To be completely honest, I’m not entirely sure when the Astro Pneumatic line of sockets came out, but honestly it doesn’t really matter. If you have not heard of these UV or ultraviolet labeled sockets, you could be missing out on one of the best new (ish) ideas in hand tools and sockets specifically.
In this post, I plan on introducing you to the “Astro 410” mixed set of short and deep 1/4” and 3/8” 10 mm sockets as well as a complete set of “glow in the dark” metric sockets that are intended to make that missing ten millimeter socket just a little bit easier to find.
What’s the Point of Astro Pneumatic Glowing Sockets?
If you are a professional mechanic, it’s likely you have had the experience of losing a socket. Some of those times the socket you lose is either expensive, important or the only one we own. In particular, it seems that the elusive 10mm socket is the most often dropped and lost socket in the auto repair shop. It’s so often a mechanic loses his or her 10 mm that there are hundreds of articles, videos and TikTok’s specifically relating to the topic.
Astro Tools has a potential answer for losing your 10 mm socket with the Astro 410 set of 1/4” and 3/8” drive 10 mm ultraviolet glowing sockets. Are these “glow in the dark” high-viz 10mm sockets just a gimmick though? Is Astro Tools hoping people will buy these just because of the unique ultraviolet aspect of the sockets, or should these sockets from Astro be taken seriously as a professional option?
Astro Tools 4143 1/4” and 3/8” Hi-Viz
If you were to own this set of Astro Pneumatic 4143 High Visibility UV sockets, it’s very likely you would have an easier time finding one lost in the depths of an engine bay. Paired up with a UV flashlight, which you can buy for next to nothing on Amazon or other websites and auto parts stores, suddenly the search for your missing socket potentially isn’t as frustrating. Just think about the last time you lost a 10mm socket and spent precious time looking for it.
If you had a black light pen, which most shops have for finding AC leaks and even smoke testing for EVAP, you could likely pinpoint the sockets location based on the general area the tool fell. There’s absolutely no doubt that this is a benefit of owning the Astro 4143 or 410 socket set.
Are Astro High-Viz Sockets Any Good Though?
The main selling point for the Astro 4143 and the Astro 410 (10mm version) sockets is the ability to find them easier say you drop one in the engine bay or another dark place. Another important question to ask though is, are the Astro 4143 and Astro 410 actually good sockets? Because if they are just another junk socket then who cares if we lose one, right?
How well do the High-Viz Astro sockets work?
In order to try to get a gauge of the quality and effectiveness of these glowing sockets, all I could do was look to users on the internet because I have not had the experience of using them. Contrary to products like the Icon sockets I compared to Snap-On recently which I have tested thoroughly, sockets made by Astro are brand new to me.
It was tough to find substantial ratings and reviews as these high visibility sockets don’t seem to have caught a ton of traction. Maybe that’s saying something?
I stumbled across a couple YouTube videos reviewing the Astro glowing sockets, but actual written reviews from mechanics that have used them were scarce in my experience. There was a thread regarding the Astro high-viz sockets, but it didn’t seem that many of the mechanics had actually ever used them in a repair shop or DIY setting.
Amazons product listing for the Astro 4143 and 410 high visibility or “glowing” socket sets had a 4.8 out of 5 star rating, but the total of verified buyers was just 30. Very low in comparison to some of the other tools we have looked at recently, like the Tekton screwdriver set that is similar to Snap-On’s exclusive hard handle set.
The verified purchasers I was able to find for the Astro 410 and 4143 glowing sockets had good things to say, such as “great quality sockets” and “nice tool for the price”, but with a lack of public interest and opinion it’s hard to gauge how good the Astro high visibility sockets would be for professional mechanics. Maybe these would be better off in a DIY setting? If that’s the case though, it’s disappointing since the user that could most benefit is the professional tech using his or her tools every day.
Astro 410 is Worth Buying, Period.
If there is one thing about these high-viz sockets that I will say is the Astro 410 set of 1/4” and 3/8” drive short and deep 10 mm sockets is absolutely worth buying.
Why are they worth buying? It’s simple really. One can never have enough 10 mm sockets and for less than $20 to own a set that glows with the help of a black light is a no-brainer.
Astro Tools even pokes a little fun at techs and the infamous elusive 10 mm socket with its packaging that reads “Keep package sealed until use, products will flee”. Obviously implying that the 10 mm socket has been known to run away and never return.
Clearly Astro has a sense of humor and at a price generally less than $20, the 410 high-viz 10 mm sockets should be considered.
Author- John Green
If you purchase through my website, I may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you. All posts are well researched and meant to find you better tools at a cheaper price.
