diff --git a/opm/input/eclipse/EclipseState/Grid/EclipseGrid.hpp b/opm/input/eclipse/EclipseState/Grid/EclipseGrid.hpp
index 07b3d8188..09fd12425 100644
--- a/opm/input/eclipse/EclipseState/Grid/EclipseGrid.hpp
+++ b/opm/input/eclipse/EclipseState/Grid/EclipseGrid.hpp
@@ -108,12 +108,12 @@ namespace Opm {
           the theta keywords entered sum up to exactly 360 degrees!
         */
 
-        bool circle( ) const;
-        bool isPinchActive( ) const;
-        double getPinchThresholdThickness( ) const;
-        PinchMode::ModeEnum getPinchOption( ) const;
-        PinchMode::ModeEnum getMultzOption( ) const;
-        PinchMode::ModeEnum getPinchGapMode( ) const;
+        bool circle() const;
+        bool isPinchActive() const;
+        double getPinchThresholdThickness() const;
+        PinchMode getPinchOption() const;
+        PinchMode getMultzOption() const;
+        PinchMode getPinchGapMode() const;
 
         MinpvMode getMinpvMode() const;
         const std::vector<double>& getMinpvVector( ) const;
@@ -224,9 +224,9 @@ namespace Opm {
         std::vector<double> m_minpvVector;
         MinpvMode m_minpvMode;
         std::optional<double> m_pinch;
-        PinchMode::ModeEnum m_pinchoutMode;
-        PinchMode::ModeEnum m_multzMode;
-        PinchMode::ModeEnum m_pinchGapMode;
+        PinchMode m_pinchoutMode;
+        PinchMode m_multzMode;
+        PinchMode m_pinchGapMode;
 
         mutable std::optional<std::vector<double>> active_volume;
 
diff --git a/opm/input/eclipse/EclipseState/Grid/PinchMode.hpp b/opm/input/eclipse/EclipseState/Grid/PinchMode.hpp
index 06ba68c0a..faa85253d 100644
--- a/opm/input/eclipse/EclipseState/Grid/PinchMode.hpp
+++ b/opm/input/eclipse/EclipseState/Grid/PinchMode.hpp
@@ -20,22 +20,24 @@
 #ifndef OPM_PINCHMODE_HPP
 #define OPM_PINCHMODE_HPP
 
+#include <iosfwd>
 #include <string>
 
 namespace Opm {
     
-    namespace PinchMode {
-        enum ModeEnum {
-            ALL = 1,
-            TOPBOT = 2,
-            TOP = 3,
-            GAP = 4,
-            NOGAP = 5,
-        };
+enum class PinchMode {
+    ALL = 1,
+    TOPBOT = 2,
+    TOP = 3,
+    GAP = 4,
+    NOGAP = 5,
+};
+
+std::string PinchMode2String(const PinchMode enumValue);
+PinchMode PinchModeFromString(const std::string& stringValue);
+
+std::ostream& operator<<(std::ostream&, const PinchMode);
 
-        const std::string PinchMode2String(const ModeEnum enumValue);
-        ModeEnum PinchModeFromString(const std::string& stringValue);
-    }
 }
 
 
diff --git a/src/opm/input/eclipse/EclipseState/Grid/EclipseGrid.cpp b/src/opm/input/eclipse/EclipseState/Grid/EclipseGrid.cpp
index 8015c2b80..ac2444acb 100644
--- a/src/opm/input/eclipse/EclipseState/Grid/EclipseGrid.cpp
+++ b/src/opm/input/eclipse/EclipseState/Grid/EclipseGrid.cpp
@@ -97,9 +97,9 @@ EclipseGrid::EclipseGrid(const std::array<int, 3>& dims ,
                          const int * actnum)
     : GridDims(dims),
       m_minpvMode(MinpvMode::Inactive),
-      m_pinchoutMode(PinchMode::ModeEnum::TOPBOT),
-      m_multzMode(PinchMode::ModeEnum::TOP),
-      m_pinchGapMode(PinchMode::ModeEnum::GAP)
+      m_pinchoutMode(PinchMode::TOPBOT),
+      m_multzMode(PinchMode::TOP),
+      m_pinchGapMode(PinchMode::GAP)
 {
     initCornerPointGrid( coord , zcorn , actnum );
 }
@@ -113,9 +113,9 @@ EclipseGrid::EclipseGrid(const std::array<int, 3>& dims ,
 EclipseGrid::EclipseGrid(const std::string& fileName )
     : GridDims(),
       m_minpvMode(MinpvMode::Inactive),
-      m_pinchoutMode(PinchMode::ModeEnum::TOPBOT),
-      m_multzMode(PinchMode::ModeEnum::TOP),
-      m_pinchGapMode(PinchMode::ModeEnum::GAP)
+      m_pinchoutMode(PinchMode::TOPBOT),
+      m_multzMode(PinchMode::TOP),
+      m_pinchGapMode(PinchMode::GAP)
 {
 
     Opm::EclIO::EclFile egridfile(fileName);
@@ -127,9 +127,9 @@ EclipseGrid::EclipseGrid(const std::string& fileName )
 EclipseGrid::EclipseGrid(const GridDims& gd)
     : GridDims(gd),
       m_minpvMode(MinpvMode::Inactive),
-      m_pinchoutMode(PinchMode::ModeEnum::TOPBOT),
-      m_multzMode(PinchMode::ModeEnum::TOP),
-      m_pinchGapMode(PinchMode::ModeEnum::GAP)
+      m_pinchoutMode(PinchMode::TOPBOT),
+      m_multzMode(PinchMode::TOP),
+      m_pinchGapMode(PinchMode::GAP)
 {
     this->m_nactive = this->getCartesianSize();
     this->active_volume = std::nullopt;
@@ -147,9 +147,9 @@ EclipseGrid::EclipseGrid(size_t nx, size_t ny , size_t nz,
                          double dx, double dy, double dz)
     : GridDims(nx, ny, nz),
       m_minpvMode(MinpvMode::Inactive),
-      m_pinchoutMode(PinchMode::ModeEnum::TOPBOT),
-      m_multzMode(PinchMode::ModeEnum::TOP),
-      m_pinchGapMode(PinchMode::ModeEnum::GAP)
+      m_pinchoutMode(PinchMode::TOPBOT),
+      m_multzMode(PinchMode::TOP),
+      m_pinchGapMode(PinchMode::GAP)
 {
 
     m_coord.reserve((nx+1)*(ny+1)*6);
@@ -255,9 +255,9 @@ EclipseGrid::EclipseGrid(const EclipseGrid& src, const std::vector<int>& actnum)
 EclipseGrid::EclipseGrid(const Deck& deck, const int * actnum)
     : GridDims(deck),
       m_minpvMode(MinpvMode::Inactive),
-      m_pinchoutMode(PinchMode::ModeEnum::TOPBOT),
-      m_multzMode(PinchMode::ModeEnum::TOP),
-      m_pinchGapMode(PinchMode::ModeEnum::GAP)
+      m_pinchoutMode(PinchMode::TOPBOT),
+      m_multzMode(PinchMode::TOP),
+      m_pinchGapMode(PinchMode::GAP)
 {
     if (deck.hasKeyword("GDFILE")){
 
@@ -343,12 +343,12 @@ EclipseGrid::EclipseGrid(const Deck& deck, const int * actnum)
             m_pinch = item.getSIDouble(0);
 
             auto pinchoutString = record.getItem<ParserKeywords::PINCH::PINCHOUT_OPTION>().get< std::string >(0);
-            m_pinchoutMode = PinchMode::PinchModeFromString(pinchoutString);
+            m_pinchoutMode = PinchModeFromString(pinchoutString);
 
             auto multzString = record.getItem<ParserKeywords::PINCH::MULTZ_OPTION>().get< std::string >(0);
-            m_multzMode = PinchMode::PinchModeFromString(multzString);
+            m_multzMode = PinchModeFromString(multzString);
             auto pinchGapString = record.getItem<ParserKeywords::PINCH::CONTROL_OPTION>().get< std::string >(0);
-            m_pinchGapMode = PinchMode::PinchModeFromString(pinchGapString);
+            m_pinchGapMode = PinchModeFromString(pinchGapString);
         }
 
         if (deck.hasKeyword<ParserKeywords::MINPV>() && deck.hasKeyword<ParserKeywords::MINPVFIL>()) {
@@ -528,11 +528,11 @@ EclipseGrid::EclipseGrid(const Deck& deck, const int * actnum)
         return m_pinch.value();
     }
 
-    PinchMode::ModeEnum EclipseGrid::getPinchOption( ) const {
+    PinchMode EclipseGrid::getPinchOption( ) const {
         return m_pinchoutMode;
     }
 
-    PinchMode::ModeEnum EclipseGrid::getMultzOption( ) const {
+    PinchMode EclipseGrid::getMultzOption( ) const {
         return m_multzMode;
     }
 
@@ -540,7 +540,7 @@ EclipseGrid::EclipseGrid(const Deck& deck, const int * actnum)
         return m_minpvMode;
     }
 
-    PinchMode::ModeEnum EclipseGrid::getPinchGapMode() const {
+    PinchMode EclipseGrid::getPinchGapMode() const {
         return m_pinchGapMode;
     }
 
diff --git a/src/opm/input/eclipse/EclipseState/Grid/PinchMode.cpp b/src/opm/input/eclipse/EclipseState/Grid/PinchMode.cpp
index 2bf7c7027..bc86112d4 100644
--- a/src/opm/input/eclipse/EclipseState/Grid/PinchMode.cpp
+++ b/src/opm/input/eclipse/EclipseState/Grid/PinchMode.cpp
@@ -20,53 +20,59 @@
 #include <opm/input/eclipse/EclipseState/Grid/PinchMode.hpp>
 #include <opm/common/utility/String.hpp>
 
+#include <ostream>
 #include <stdexcept>
 
 namespace Opm {
 
-    namespace PinchMode {
+std::string PinchMode2String(const PinchMode enumValue)
+{
+    std::string stringValue;
+    switch (enumValue) {
+    case PinchMode::ALL:
+        stringValue = "ALL";
+        break;
 
-        const std::string PinchMode2String(const ModeEnum enumValue) {
-            std::string stringValue;
-            switch (enumValue) {
-            case ModeEnum::ALL:
-                stringValue = "ALL";
-                break;
+    case PinchMode::TOPBOT:
+        stringValue = "TOPBOT";
+        break;
 
-            case ModeEnum::TOPBOT:
-                stringValue = "TOPBOT";
-                break;
+    case PinchMode::TOP:
+        stringValue = "TOP";
+        break;
 
-            case ModeEnum::TOP:
-                stringValue = "TOP";
-                break;
-
-            case ModeEnum::GAP:
-                stringValue = "GAP";
-                break;
-            case ModeEnum::NOGAP:
-                stringValue = "NOGAP";
-                break;
-            }
-
-            return stringValue;
-        }
-
-        ModeEnum PinchModeFromString(const std::string& stringValue) {
-            std::string s = trim_copy(stringValue);
-
-            ModeEnum mode;
-            if      (s == "ALL")    { mode = ModeEnum::ALL;    }
-            else if (s == "TOPBOT") { mode = ModeEnum::TOPBOT; }
-            else if (s == "TOP")    { mode = ModeEnum::TOP;    }
-            else if (s == "GAP")    { mode = ModeEnum::GAP;    }
-            else if (s == "NOGAP")  { mode = ModeEnum::NOGAP;    }
-            else {
-                std::string msg = "Unsupported pinchout mode " + s;
-                throw std::invalid_argument(msg);
-            }
-
-            return mode;
-        }
+    case PinchMode::GAP:
+        stringValue = "GAP";
+        break;
+    case PinchMode::NOGAP:
+        stringValue = "NOGAP";
+        break;
     }
+
+    return stringValue;
+}
+
+PinchMode PinchModeFromString(const std::string& stringValue)
+{
+    std::string s = trim_copy(stringValue);
+
+    PinchMode mode;
+    if      (s == "ALL")    { mode = PinchMode::ALL;    }
+    else if (s == "TOPBOT") { mode = PinchMode::TOPBOT; }
+    else if (s == "TOP")    { mode = PinchMode::TOP;    }
+    else if (s == "GAP")    { mode = PinchMode::GAP;    }
+    else if (s == "NOGAP")  { mode = PinchMode::NOGAP;    }
+    else {
+        std::string msg = "Unsupported pinchout mode " + s;
+        throw std::invalid_argument(msg);
+    }
+
+    return mode;
+}
+
+std::ostream& operator<<(std::ostream& os, const PinchMode pm)
+{
+    return (os << PinchMode2String(pm));
+}
+
 }
diff --git a/tests/parser/EclipseGridTests.cpp b/tests/parser/EclipseGridTests.cpp
index a59f98fc6..b275d7a42 100644
--- a/tests/parser/EclipseGridTests.cpp
+++ b/tests/parser/EclipseGridTests.cpp
@@ -836,8 +836,8 @@ BOOST_AUTO_TEST_CASE(ConstructorNORUNSPEC_PINCH) {
     BOOST_CHECK_THROW(grid1.getPinchThresholdThickness(), std::bad_optional_access);
     BOOST_CHECK(grid2.isPinchActive());
     BOOST_CHECK_EQUAL(grid2.getPinchThresholdThickness(), 0.2);
-    BOOST_CHECK_EQUAL(grid2.getPinchGapMode(), Opm::PinchMode::ModeEnum::GAP);
-    BOOST_CHECK_EQUAL(grid3.getPinchGapMode(), Opm::PinchMode::ModeEnum::NOGAP);
+    BOOST_CHECK_EQUAL(grid2.getPinchGapMode(), Opm::PinchMode::GAP);
+    BOOST_CHECK_EQUAL(grid3.getPinchGapMode(), Opm::PinchMode::NOGAP);
 }
 
 BOOST_AUTO_TEST_CASE(ConstructorMINPV) {