Built to handle small but problematic DIY jobs that make you want to call it quits, the new TwinGrip XS from German specialist Knipex is a go-anywhere pocket plier made for tearing through to-do lists. The adjustable pliers feature three sides of hard-toothed jaw-clamping power meant to loosen stripped bolts, hold hardware securely in place, work in cramped spaces, and otherwise take care of the grabbing, gripping and torquing challenges that might disrupt your daily handiwork. Weighing just 2 oz and measuring under 4 inches long, the new pliers also fit in some of the smallest pockets you own for carry anywhere and everywhere.
What Leatherman is to plier-based multitools, Knipex is to pliers themselves. In fact, that should probably be reversed since Wuppertal-based Knipex predates Leatherman by a full century. The brand is arguably the world's most renowned, trusted name in pliers and continues to innovate. It also continues to build most of its tools in Germany ... and emboss or label them as such.
Due to hit the market this month, the TwinGrip XS (Model 82 00 100) debuts as the smallest in Knipex's TwinGrip series, which dates back to 2021. Knipex went with "XS" but could have just as easily called it the 4-in TwinGrip since other models in the series include 6-, 8- and 10-in TwinGrips. Along with their 4-in (10-cm) length and 2-oz (59-g) weight, the XS pliers measure just 2.2 in (5.8 cm) wide across the handles and less than 3/4 in (1.8 cm) thick. They're designed to be easily pocketed or stowed for everyday carry (EDC), bicycling, motorcycling and other activities that put space at a premium.
One feature that sets the entire TwinGrip series apart from other adjustable pliers with which you might be familiar is the 270-degree jaw design that places an indented set of teeth on the front tips, complementing the main set of teeth running from left to right across the jaws. These front teeth are specially designed to grab hold of a screw or bolt head so you can twist it free, perfect for situations in which the fastener has been stripped and can no longer be removed via a screwdriver or wrench.
Even if the hardware isn't stripped, the front teeth allow you to easily rotate it in tight spaces without constantly having to reposition the way you'd have to when using the sides of the jaws. The XS' overall slim, small design further complements this capability when working in tight spaces.
Taking the fuss and frustration out of stripped screws would be enough to earn the TwinGrip XS a permanent place in our EDC collection on its own, but Knipex also adds some other desirable features. The XS pliers feature a dual-mode box joint for adjusting the jaw spacing range. They can ultimately grip round diameters up to 12 mm and hex bolts up to 10 mm from the side and diameters between 2 and 12 mm from the front.
The TwinGrip XS holds flat items with a secure three-point grip, and the specially hardened teeth stay sharp for use after use. The specially textured handles help you maintain your own hand grip, while a pinch guard prevents those painful accidental pinches you might have experienced with other pliers (we sure have).
All in all, the TwinGrip XS looks like a very handy pocket plier from a trusted name in gripping tools. We're thinking hard about testing a pair for review but might go for one of the slightly larger ones as our hopelessly stuck, stripped bolt problems tend to lean on the larger side.
Knipex did not announce pricing in previewing the TwinGrip XS a few days ago, but the pliers are due to drop any day now so it shouldn't be long. A quick look at Amazon shows other TwinGrip models ranging between US$32 and $58, depending on size and style.
Source: Knipex via Bikepacking
