By South Summit Team. Updated September 12, 2026. Every pick was in stock at the listed price when this was updated.
Lock picking as a hobby (locksport) starts with a small set of hooks and rakes, a tension wrench and a practice lock you own. Six sets are in stock, from a $7 wallet set to a professional leather roll. This ranks them by orders and says what a first kit needs. The hobby itself is covered in getting started in lockpicking. Browse the lock pick collection.
Quick comparison
| # | Pick | Price | Mechanism / material | Blade / weight | Overall | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Streetwise Apprentice Lock Pick Kit - Black Faux Leather | $8.99 | a first purchase or a spare | |||
| 2 | Shadow Card Covert Lock Pick Set - Black Wallet | $6.99 | a first purchase or a spare | |||
| 3 | Shadow Knurl Covert Lock Pick Set - Black Alloy | $9.99 | a first purchase or a spare | |||
| 4 | Roadside Resolve Universal Lockout Tool Kit - Red Accents | $16.99 | a first purchase or a spare | |||
| 5 | Roadside Resolve Slim Jim Lockout Tool - Stainless Steel | $3.99 | a first purchase or a spare | |||
| 6 | Shadowline Precision Professional Lock Pick Set - Top-Grain Leather | $141.99 |
How we ranked these
Every product on southsummit.com carries a 30-day order score recalculated daily from real orders across our store network. The picks below are the in-stock items with the highest score on the day of the last update, in that order, and each one is checked against its listed specifications. This is not a hands-on torture test and nothing here is sponsored; it is what buyers chose with their own money, explained.
The best lock pick sets
1. Streetwise Apprentice Lock Pick Kit - Black Faux Leather
The best-selling set: an apprentice kit in a black faux-leather case, about $10. The right first kit.
| Price | about $8.99 |
|---|
Best for: a first purchase or a spare.
2. Shadow Card Covert Lock Pick Set - Black Wallet
A credit-card-sized set for a wallet, about $7. Fewer picks, but always with you.
| Price | about $6.99 |
|---|
Best for: a first purchase or a spare.
3. Shadow Knurl Covert Lock Pick Set - Black Alloy
A covert set with knurled alloy handles, about $10.
| Price | about $9.99 |
|---|
Best for: a first purchase or a spare.
4. Roadside Resolve Universal Lockout Tool Kit - Red Accents
A universal vehicle lockout tool kit, about $18. Not for pin locks: for getting into your own car.
| Price | about $16.99 |
|---|
Best for: a first purchase or a spare.
5. Roadside Resolve Slim Jim Lockout Tool - Stainless Steel
A stainless slim jim, about $4.
| Price | about $3.99 |
|---|
Best for: a first purchase or a spare.
6. Shadowline Precision Professional Lock Pick Set - Top-Grain Leather
The professional roll in top-grain leather, about $142. Everything in one case; overkill for a first kit.
| Price | about $141.99 |
|---|
What a first kit needs
A short hook, a medium hook, a snake or Bogota rake, and two tension wrenches (top-of-keyway and bottom-of-keyway). That is it. The Apprentice kit has those; the wallet set has a subset. Add a clear practice lock or a cheap padlock you own, and learn single-pin picking before raking; raking opens cheap locks fast and teaches nothing.
Lockout tools are a different thing
The Roadside Resolve kit and slim jim are for vehicle lockouts, not pin-tumbler locks. They work on older vehicles and are useless on most modern doors with shielded linkages; buy them for a specific vehicle you own, and expect a locksmith to be faster.
The rules
Locksport's rule is simple: pick only locks you own or have explicit permission to pick, and never a lock in use. Possession of picks is regulated in some states and cities; check yours. This page is not legal advice.
Frequently asked questions
What is the best lock pick set for beginners?
The Streetwise Apprentice kit at about $10: hooks, rakes and tension wrenches in a case.
Do I need an expensive lock pick set?
No. A $10 kit and a practice lock teach everything a beginner needs; the professional roll is for people who already know which picks they use.
Are lock pick sets legal?
Rules vary by state and city and hinge on intent in most places; check your own rules and pick only your own locks.
Prices are South Summit prices at the time of writing and change with stock. Rules for carrying and owning these items differ by state and city; check your local rules before ordering.