About a year ago I was in a big-box store and happened upon a display of Gear Ties—brightly colored twist-tie wraps that consist of wire with a grippy ribbed rubber coating. They looked interesting, so I bought a few, took them back to the shop, and used them to secure some air hoses and electrical cords. They worked great, so I ordered more online—medium (12- and 18-inch) ones for the shop and small (3- and 6-inch) ones for the office and travel. Nite Ize also makes larger (24-, 32-, and 64-inch) ties, and it's just a matter of time before I find an excuse to try them out, too.
Gear Ties can be coiled around the item to be secured or twisted like a twist tie—either way will work. In the shop, I use them on hoses and power cords. In the office, I use them to organize cords for electronics: chargers, USB cords, ear buds, and the like. But these things are not just for cords, they can be used to tie or hold just about anything you can fit them around. The same ties can be used over and over again. I suppose the wire core might eventually succumb to metal fatigue, but that has yet to happen to any of mine.
As for their handiness, Gear Ties are second only to duct tape. I use them all the time and yet it didn't occur to me to write about them until I was reviewing a video shot at JLC LIVE. The video showed the interior of Brian Way's Cool Shop on Wheels, and there on the wall (at about the 1:50 mark) were a bunch of hoses secured with Gear Ties. Brian and I have never discussed Gear Ties, but I figure that if we both like them, then they're probably worth talking about.
The items shown here are simple ties, but Nite Ize incorporates the same twist-tie material into a variety of products that can be clipped to or mounted on different types of surfaces.
This review first appeared on JLC's sister website, toolsofthetrade.net.
