<%@LANGUAGE="VBSCRIPT"%> ROCKCRAWLER.com - ComboGrip
ROCKCRAWLER.com
ComboGrip install

By Mike Cohn "TXJEEPER"
ComboGrip
Here is our original fire extinguisher setup. A too-small extinguisher, being held in place by a hose clamp with some rubber hose cut to fit under the clamp to keep the sport bar fabric from tearing.

I admit it. My original fire extinguisher was not only too small, but it was not mounted very nicely or safely. The truth is, nobody offered a reasonable and readily-available alternative for mounting in a Jeep in a convenient place...until now.

Enter ComboGrip from Direct Effect Enterprises. Direct Effect contacted me and said that they had a new product designed to not only hold a fire extinguisher in place in any vehicle with a sport or roll bar, but that would also provide convenient handles for passengers to hold on to. Always the skeptic, I told them that I just wasn't sure if I would trust Velcro holding a projectile above my head in my Jeep in the event of disaster, but that they could feel free to send one out for me to check out.

The box arrived and, frankly, I was stunned at the quality of the ComboGrip. I had only seen pre-production photos of it, previously. The ComboGrip is incredibly well made and uses very high quality fabrics, webbing, and Velcro. It should hold up a good long time, even in a topless environment.

I took the ComboGrip out to put it on and, as per the instructions, laid it out flat on the ground to sort of get the lay of the land. There are a lot of straps on this thing and Ihad a bit of trouble understanding what each one was supposed to do, at first.

ComboGrip
ComboGrip closed.
ComboGrip
ComboGrip opened. Look at all those straps!

Once you decypher where everything goes, installing the ComboGrip is a pretty straight-forward affair. If you have a Jeep with a soundbar, you will need a poking implement (read, long, flat screwdriver) to get the straps down between the soundbar and the sport bar. It's a little tricky, but patience will get you through without tearing anything. Figuring out which strap does what is confusing at first, but once you figure it out, you'll understand.

ComboGrip
Once the straps are in between the sport bar and soundbar, you fasten the straps in front.
ComboGrip
Fasten all straps a bit at a time, other then the ones that hold the fire extinguisher in place.

Fasten all of the straps a bit at a time, going from one to the next and repeating until you have sinched up all but the ones that hold the fire extinguisher in place. You should now have two grab handles properly placed and some straps in the middle hanging down.

Here is where the ComboGrip design gets really smart. What I worried the most about, was safely hanging my fire extinguisher above my head. The ComboGrip actually has three ways of holding the extinguisher in place. First, the fire extinguisher is held by two hoop straps. These are really just safety hoops in case the second, main, set of Velcro straps fails. Lastly, there is a third safety strap that loops through the handle of the fire extinguisher. So, you see, if the Velcro straps comes loose, the hoops should keep it in place. If those fail, then the third strap should keep it from falling loose. The caveat here, though, is if it is just held by the last hoops, it will swing around like a bat if you are rolling, so make sure everything is nice and tight. The chances of the second straps failing, though, are slim to none. The straps are increibly strong and have a very large Velcro contact area, which provides a lot of strength.

ComboGrip
If the main Velcro straps fail, the secondary hoops keep the extinguisher from falling loose.
ComboGrip
In the event of a total failure, the handle safety strap will catch the extinguisher.

I had some extra strap length with our extinguisher and double-wrapped it around the handle for extra extra safety. This should give my setup that extra little bit of insurance against flying loose.

ComboGrip

Here is the final setup of our ComboGrip. The installation is clean looking and everything is held in place solidly. The handles, for me, are not really all that useful, as i do not have a back seat in our Jeep. However, they do add a nice touch and are good for grabbing if you're climbing around in the Jeep to get something out, etc..

The 2" Velcro straps are very strong and the design seems sound. I don't know that anything holding something above your head can ever have a 100% guarantee against failure, but the ComboGrip sure seems strong to me. So, the bottom line, is that this skeptic really likes the ComboGrip and has no intention of sending it back.

RESOURCE

Direct Effect Enterprises
Web:
www.combogrip.com
Email:
combogrip@cs.com
Phone:
(800) 792-9897
Address:
1972 Overland St
Colton, CA 92324

 

Help spread the ROCKCRAWLER world!           Share on Facebook



©1997-2022 ROCKCRAWLER 4x4 and Off-Road Magazine. All Rights Reserved.

RockCrawler.com   -   IH8MUD.com