While we were down in Virginia having a ball, I noticed Terry Naughton wearing this belt. It looked a little unusual, and kind of kewl, so I looked it up in the Blackhawk showroom. In the package it looked like nothing special, just hanging there on an endcap rack without even a sign saying what it was. I bought one.....
After I got home, I ordered another one in a different color. Soon, I will order another just to make SURE I have one, should a meteor strike Norfolk or something. This is hands down the best belt I have ever owned. 100% strength, and a velcro/buckle setup that can literally save your life.
I carry CCW every time I legally can, and I need a supportive belt. At work (school), I wear a utility tool on my belt, and a flashlight shoved under the other side. I make my belt work, even more than my fat gut and chubby butt does. I've also worn the CQB belt as my holster belt for steel shooting competition, and found it to be a serious foundation for my shooting gear.
Some times it's the little things that make your day go better. Things like... a belt that actually holds your pants up, and keeps your pistol vertical.
19 comments:
I like the IDEA of the belt, but the only guys I've seen wearing it are military/police folks and mall ninjas. And it has a quality like a shoot-me-first vest.
I do play a game. When I see one in the wild, I look for the dudes CCW pistol print. Same with guys like me with a Turse, or guys with fanny packs.
I think I'll stick with my Wilderness Tactical Frequent Fliers. I'll avoid airports as much as possible but I never ever want to deal with taking off my belt for a metal detector again.
I bought two of these "tactical"belts from "The Wilderness" (http://store.thewilderness.com/index.php?cPath=43&osCsid=k1c4svpuqvc7ec6v44mtiknd31). One in 1.25" and the other in 1.5". They are also available in double stitch for added stiffness. They make excellent pistol belts and are very economical.
The last time I bought a leather pistol-belt, I had to wait 8 weeks for delivery. When I ordered from The Wilderness, they shipped the same day.
Just a suggestion...
I have two of the Frequent Flier belts but they are no longer available on the website.
Hope it's just temporary.
I've had what they now sell as Wilderness Tacticals for about 7 years, they were originally developed by the Spec Ops guys as instructor belts for hanging off "obstacles" of various types while 'instructing' students. They do make a good carry belt, and I've worn mine through airports quite a bit with no trouble.
Looks like the Wilderness belts have a pretty good following..I have a couple myself, including one made before they became "Wilderness manufacturing". I recently got the titanium buckle one so it wouldn't rust when I'm out at sea..:-)
Oh, and Wilderness will replace the velcro for free when it wears out (and it will wear out).
A question on sizing. What is your pant waist size vs. the size belt you bought? How much extra length do have with that set-up?
Brass
I wish I could remember the site. On of the tactical sites just released a new version of the riggers belt that replaces the metal triangle with a nylon loop. Supposed to be as strong or stronger with a slightly lower profile.
Not positive but it may be this belt
http://www.itstactical.com/2009/08/21/215-gear-ultimate-riggers-belt/
Wilderness Products Instructors Belts.
When it absolutely, positively HAS to stand up to whatever you hang off of it! Gut included...
OK, it's a great belt, but can you explain how it differs from other belts? BLACKHAWK'S description of it is a bit sparse, and it looks like 50 other web belts.
Antibubbaphoaphat
Well, no... I can't explain why it's better than anyone else's belt. I don't have anyone elses belt to compare it to.
Up till now, I have bought my belts at the farm supply store or the leather maker, and they have been leather belts for the last fifty years or so. These would be the first 'tactical' non-leather belts I have owned. When I bought the first one... frankly... I needed a belt.
I'd love to look at others, especially the Wilderness belts getting rave reviews here. I suppose that will wait till I grow unhappy with the CQB belt, or wear out the ones I already own. I don't buy stuff just to review.... I review what I buy for myself.
This site is not a money making business, it's just a hobby for little 'ol me. It's never brought in one penny, and isn't intended to.
No offense intended with my opinion up there Carteach0. Glad the BLACKHAWK! gear is working for you and I hope you keep the posts coming. I love reading about people's gear.
"I don't buy stuff just to review.... I review what I buy for myself."
No, I get that, and the reviews are appreciated. I'm just curious about how this belt is better. You said, "Things like... a belt that actually holds your pants up, and keeps your pistol vertical." Is it because the webbing is much stiffer and resistant to "Belt Loop Indentation Syndrome"? Is there a Sooper Seekrit patented doohickey that keeps it belting away?
I'm not being sarcastic-I really want to know, as someone who is buying LEO belts at uniform shops in the hope of avoiding BLIS. If I'm ever going to be able to add CC to the platform I'm going to need to be damn certain the belt will do its job.
Antibubba
Anon...
Good questions all.
I guess what I am noticing might be common to *all* 'tactical' belts, but these are the first I have ever tried.
The CQB belt uses a velcro closure, after running the belt through a rather tough roller buckle. The amount of velcro that engages is.... significant. I have tried to tear it apart lengthwise by hand with no luck at all, and I am blessed with fair upper body strength. Even ripping it apart by peeling it up... you best get it right or you will be a while getting it apart.
Because I can adjust the belt as tight or loose as I wish, and am not restricted to holes punched through a leather belt, I can snug it up just exactly the way I like.
Being a webbed belt, it has some small spring and stretch to it lengthwise, although surprisingly little edgewise. I can't explain how the made it like that. Because of that, I can snug it enough to hold my pants up (all gut, no butt) while still moving very comfortably indeed.
As for carrying a weapon (or all the other junk I lug most days) it does about 75% better than any leather belt I have owned. Perhaps simply because it's wider, or I can adjust belt tension to suit me.... I can't say exactly why.
I do know... after a month of wearing this belt every single day, my leather belts will probably quietly erode away in a drawer someplace.
There are a number of things I like of a "tactical" belt over the traditional leather one.
1. The Tac belt won't shrink or stretch when wet.
2. If it does get wet, it seems to dry out quicker than leather.
3. It less likely to scuff and cut than leather.
4. It cheaper. Forex: The Wilderness Belt run around $40 maybe a little less. An equivalent thickness leather belt may be twice that.
5. The Wilderness Store ships their belt the same day as ordered. If you order a leather belt from a professional beltmaker, you may wait 8 weeks or more.
6. And finally, it's cheaper.
So there it is. BTW, did I say the web belts were cheaper?
About that Velcro - it does more than hold the tail down, if the tail is not restricted, the buckle will slowly work loose (never a good thing :-).
And, like I said above, the velcro WILL wear out in time - if you wear it every day, every year and a half to two years you will want new pieces stitched on. Something to keep in mind - of course, if you know a shoe repair shop, they can do it easily.
The Wilderness belts come in three different "stiffness" levels now - the 3-stitch, 5-stitch (original) and "CSM", which has a piece of poly laminated into it.
No, I don't own any interest in the Wilderness, though I've known the owners for many years and watched some of their products developed and tested..:-)
Thanks, that helps.
Antibubba
The Blackhawk belt is cool, but don't forget that the rigging triangle on the front is just black cast iron. It's not coated and it will rust. If you wear it with nicer shirts and slacks when it has rusted, you will eventually rub them against it somehow and leave rust marks.
(The less fat you are, the less this matters . . . so it's a big deal for me.)
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