Tag Archives | Vigilant Gear

McGizmo Clips

The vast majority of the little lobster claw style keychain clasps out there are junk. They break easily and offer little to no retention. The one brand that I have found that is consistently good are McGizmo clips.

McGizmoComplete-500x500Those of you who know a bit about flashlights will recognize McGizmo as a nom de plume of famed flashlight innovator Don McLeish. These clips are a product of his. They come in several different sizes, are reasonably priced, and they are quite durable.

I find them to be great for attaching small items like flashlights or firestarters like the ExoTac nanoSTRIKER to keychains or other gear. I have also used them with para-cord to make simple QD dummy cords for things like compasses or flashlights. You will find a million more uses for them.

Check out McGizmo Clips at Vigilant Gear.

Review: Vigilant Gear Titanium Entry Card

Vigilant Gear has their now has their own version of the Titanium Entry Card. I was recently given the opportunity to review the ITS Tactical version, so I was glad to have the chance to check out the very different Vigilant Gear version.

Vigilant Gear Bogota Entry Card Package

Overview

The Vigilant Gear Titanium Entry Card is a complete suite of Bogota Rakes, pick, and tensioner all wrapped up in a titanium credit card form factor. Titanium is chosen for its low magnetic signature which makes it more discreet than a steel pick set can be. It also makes the set fairly lightweight and corrosion resistant.

The set includes 6 individual lock bypass tools: 5 picks or rakes and 1 tension wrench.  The picks/rakes include a classic short hook, Bogota Single, Bogota Double, Bogota Triple, and Bogota Sabana. The tension wrench is double ended and is designed to work well for top of keyway tension techniques. A Tyvek sleeve is also included.

Vigilant Gear Bogota Entry Card

Observations from Use

The Vigilant Gear Titanium Entry Card is one of the most complete credit card type pick sets that I have seen. The tool selection is wide and varied. An advanced user should be quite happy with their ability to choose the correct rake for the task at hand. Novice users will still find themselves at home with the Bogota Triple, short hook, and reasonably forgiving tension wrench.

The tension wrench is one of the better ones that I have seen in a set like this. It is cut into the card at an angle to maximize its length. I find that longer tension wrenches tend to be more forgiving. You don’t have to be as heavy handed with them and that is a big plus when you are feeling your way around inside a keyway. You wouldn’t choose this tension wrench for a kit of dedicated professional lock bypass tools but it is quite good considering the form factor.

It is to be expected that the tools in this kit are a bit rough. A standard set of Bogota Rakes exhibit a high level of polish that allows them to move quickly and easily in the keyway. The rakes in the Vigilant Gear Titanium Entry Card can’t be polished to the same extent because of the constraints of the form factor. They have a level of finish that is consistent with their purpose as a last ditch tool. You will find that they do smooth a bit with use so don’t be discouraged if they are somewhat difficult to move in the keyway at first.

Vigilant Gear Bogota Entry Card Sleeve

Wrap Up

It is inevitable that the Vigilant Gear Titanium Entry Card will be compared to the previously reviewed ITS Tactical Titanium Entry Card. Now that I have time with both of them, they are actually quite different. The Vigilant Gear version has a wider variety of more advanced tools while the ITS Tactical version is a bit simpler. The Vigilant Gear version is more a single use item while the ITS Tactical version doubles up on all the tools. Because the Vigilant Gear version is more a of a single use item, they were able to shoehorn in a better tension wrench.

The Vigilant Gear Titanium Entry Card is impressive in its variety and completeness. I like having all of these choices at my fingertips.

Check out the Vigilant Gear Titanium Entry Card at VigilantGear.com. Stay tuned to JTT for a chance to win one!

Vigilant Gear Bogota Entry Card Tools

NukoTools Now Available at Vigilant Gear

JTT has been talking about NukoTools’ discreet self-defense tools for years. They fit seamlessly into anyone’s EDC kit. Since Vigilant Gear carries some of the coolest EDC gear around, they and NukoTools are a match made in heaven.

This also makes getting NukoTools products easier than ever since NukoTools isn’t currently set up to sell online. Now, you can get your NukoTools fix directly from Vigilant Gear.

OscarDelta Deep Carry and Go Tubes

Small, water-resistant tubes have been used for years as containers for small survival/E&E kits. The tube form factor makes them easy to stow just about anywhere discreetly. They are often made from machined aluminum or titanium which makes them fairly expensive. OscarDelta developed a solution that capitalizes on the proven tube form factor but that is significantly less expensive. They call them Go Tubes and Deep Carry Tubes.

Both models feature tubular PVC plastic construction with rubber end caps. The Go Tube has a ringed end cap that offers additional carrying options while the Deep Carry Tube has two flush end caps that make it more easily stash-able. These are small enough to be discreet and large enough to carry things like lock bypass tools, compact fishing kits, fire starting materials, emergency cash, or just about anything else that will fit.

Get your own OscarDelta Go Tubes or Deep Carry Tubes from Vigilant Gear.

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