Grippers

There are many types of grippers and we will indentify them here and you can click on the links to go to pages on the individual kinds for more in-depth information on them as required.


 * Torsion Spring Grippers (aka TSG's)


 * Vulcan Gripper (created by David Horne)


 * Ivanko Super Gripper


 * add others

Torsion Spring Grippers

Let's look at TSG's first. These are what most people in the street would recognize as a gripper. Now there are many variations, especially the typical store brought kind. With plastic handles, tension adjustment and so on. But for our purposes we're looking at what Joe Public might consider quite hardcore. Typically consisting of a triangular set up made from a heavy looking spring (occasionally bright steel or chromed) and two aliminium handles with knurling. The standard, certainly among the most popular and well-known of brands, are Ironmind's Captain's of Crush (tm) grippers. Others include Beefbuilder grippers, Robert Baraban Grippers , Heavy Grip grippers Bone Crusher Grippers, Animal Hunter by Manus and more. If you have some more brands you're aware of feel free to add them (please also link to the main manufacturing and distribution site it at all possible rather than a reseller).

David Horne's Vulcan Gripper

Already of interest when it was first created it came even more to the fore during 2010 and 2011's Britain and World's Strongest Hands series. The basic form takes it's cues from TSG's but the off setting of the loading area gives it its name - the loading area being pointed in a way that vaguely resembles Spock et al's Vulcan ears. As well as replacing the need for multiple grippers with one decent spring which can be moved up and down to decreas or increase the tension you can also micro-load by adding or removing rubber bands. This has the action of allowing what might be called 'baby step' increments between spring levels.

Ivanko Super Grippers

Ivanko is a well-known US based barbell, weights and gym equipment company. One of their items, which may have been among the first they made, is the Ivanko Super Gripper Much like the Vulcan it's main feature was it's adjustability and how it replaced with one spring the need for multiple TSG style grippers. However, while more than a few grip affecionados own one it has proven less of a favourite than one might imagine.