ClampTite Clamp Tool
"The tool that should be in every toolbox" is what the sign read as I walked by ClampTite's booth at the Pomona Off-Road Expo a couple of months back. We've all heard claims like this before, and I admit I was a little skeptical. As I watched Jeff and Julie Summers' demonstration, I became more intrigued. How could such a small tool create such high-pressure clamping power? I looked closer and saw that the secret was a simple combination of a wing nut and a piece of threaded rod.
How many times have you broken something on the trail, rigged it back together with zip-ties and hoped your repair lasted until you limped back to civilization? With the ClampTite, you can enjoy the rest of your ride. Whether it's a missing hose clamp, a broken muffler mount or a muddy ride making your handlebar grips spin, this little tool has the power to keep things firmly in their place. If you break a tie-rod in the middle of nowhere, the ClampTite can get you going again, provided you have something with which to brace the broken rod. Try that with plastic zip-ties!
I'm no Eagle Scout; in fact, my knot-tying skills are terrible. But the instructions that came with the ClampTite were clear and included numerous pictures to get the point across. It took some practice, but soon I had clamped two pens on my desk together so tightly that they cracked. Rigging two broken parts together on your ATV to stop an annoying rattle should be no problem.
Did I mention how small this tool is? It's the perfect size for a fanny pack, which is exactly where my ClampTite is going. The instruction pamphlet and the tool fit in a small plastic baggie, and it comes with 8 feet of 0.041 stainless steel wire. A 50-foot roll can be had for $10, which will wire approximately 12 sets of grips. The only downsides are that you still must carry a pair of wire cutters and the wing nut could have been wider to allow for more leverage when tightening. But an all-stainless steel version of the ClampTite is available with a larger handle (tools range from $40 to $70). The "automotive" version that we tested had an aluminum body, sells for $30, comes with an unconditional guarantee and makes the claim that it "mends everything but a broken heart."
| TOOLS | 91 |
| Function | 47/50 |
| Durability | 17/20 |
| Design | 18/20 |
| Price | 9/10 |
Bottom Line: A smaller, trail-ready alternative to safety-wire pliers.