I specified Irwin because, in my experience, they are the best and will not break/bend/snap/strip like the cheapo HF/Wal-Mart/etc. imitators will do.  

What's your view on these for kits/survival?  

In the wilderness I honestly can't think of many uses for them.  However, around the house, the vehicle, yard, etc...PLENTY of uses!  Lowe's has them for under $10 each.  I bought two recently just because they are so cheap.  Did the same with the Mora 511 but that's another subject.  

My thinking is that these will grip and allow me to turn, release, or just get some sort of leverage on just about anything that could need it.  So I think having one in the vehicle as well as in the tool box is a good plan.  Not sure about a BOB/GHB due to the weight, but again, what do you think?

Thanks

-Emt1581

YES!!!   Needle nose, Square jaws and Clamp??? style.

No, I just have the regular/original kind.  I've been told by others that the needle nose are near useless and that they don't really lock on to anything the way the originals do.  No real experience with the clamp.

-Emt1581

That's plain silly, don't believe everything you hear...

Most every tool has a unique suitability for some purpose.

I used the so-called 'needle nose' Irwin V-G's for a unique task just the other day.

A couple years ago Irwin started producing V-G's in Asia. There was a heads up post here to get the US made ones while you could. Guess what I did?


I have a SHTF Tacticool Technical BOB Toolkit in a County Comm pouch that is really...

...uh, tacticool.  

I've been meaning to post pix of it...

The smallest needle-nosed VG is an integral part of it.


Also, IMHO, avoid the V-G's with the plastic covered handles, unless there is a good reason not to.


Sitting in the [ant infested    ]  container right now, and looked in the small tool cabinet to the left of the computer 'desk' and there is a large V-G [7WR, with the plastic on the handles ---ugh] and a pair of the smaller [6lc] with a sort of combo needle-nose and 'large' open round area... like this...





Vice grips are generally a crude tool when you have an array of the proper sockets and wrenches, etc, available. [I do]  But if you can't carry that array, V-G's can be a life saver.

A critical component of some survival kits.


Vise Grip mfgr's several V-G's with cheesy additional tools on the handles like multi-tools have.

 

I keep vise grips, Channel Locks, regular and needle nose pliers, crescent wrench and 4 in 1 screwdriver in my jeep.

Not a bad idea at all. Between a good VG and a multi-tip screwdriver you've got a fairly useful tool kit without taking up much space or weight. It's not an ideal kit, but it will get most rough jobs done. Quick basic car repairs (tighten down a hose clamp before adding water for coolant, for example), turning on the water somewhere... Heck, maybe add an adjustable wrench in there, some teflon tape and a little bottle of threadlock. Mind you, if we're talking bug out BAG I'm probably skipping all this in favor of a little multi-tool, but if leaving via vehicle? Pretty handy.