Battle Belt Recommendations?

[frontsight]

Hello!

I'm looking for some advice on setting up a battle belt for a pistol only loadout. For those of you who run belts mainly, what brands would you recommend? Is there anything I should avoid?

I'm thinking of going for something outside the waistband, with a velcro inner belt or just inner padding. Planning on keeping it minimal; 5~6 KYWI mag pouches and a holster, maybe a dump pouch.

Let me know your personal favorites! I'm trying to find something sturdy enough but also a bit low profile and not as massive looking like a weightlifting belt..

https://www.tactical-kit.co.uk/raptor-tactical-odin-belt-mark-iii-30084-p.asp <-something like this, but not sure what brands are good in terms of quality/fit/sturdiness etc.

Any advice would be greatly appreciated. Thanks in advance!

 

[Crazy_Crystal]

There are quite a lot of different belt manufacturers out there at the moment but it sounds like you are after a shooters belt and most of the real steel brands are probably pretty good... Just please whatever you do avoid FRV tailoring at the moment. from what i can see they've gone into administration. (Although if you do find one second hand it is a decent belt.)

As far as my top brands (This is gucci kit with a price to match.) have a look at the C2rfast shootersbelt, ferro concepts bison belt or possibly the axl belt (milspec tailor kit is also in this bracket)

Alternative really solid belts that you can get for a good price are things like blackhawk(Old-school but comfortable and proven kit that comes up on ebay often enough.) TacbeltsUK, british tactical (Their lightweight horizon laminate stuff especially is made by a really clever guy on IG Called Flimmurr which is top kit made in the UK at bargain prices.)

Obviously there are loads of other brands out there and there are also other styles such as the HSGI and warrior padded belts that will be solid too, but this was just a way to throw some more brands out there for my 2pence worth. (I dont know much about the GP or Odin belts from tactical kit so I can't comment on them unfortunately.) The main thing to remember is that for gas mags you need a fairly stiff belt and a good holster to stop everything flapping around or digging in etc.

 

[Skara]

I run a FRV Tailoring belt, but heard their customer service has gone to shit and they're not getting their orders shipped.

Shame, as the belt I have is fucking nuke proof!

C2R, TacBelts UK and Deadly Customs all make great quality shooter belts too, and they're UK based!

Failing that, if you want a more "standard" looking battle belt, I may recommend the HSGI Suregrip, in my opinion it's the closest thing to a shooter belt without actually being a shooter belt.

The rest is, imo, either too old technology or vastly overpriced due to import fees.

 

[Lozart]

Hello!

I'm looking for some advice on setting up a battle belt for a pistol only loadout. For those of you who run belts mainly, what brands would you recommend? Is there anything I should avoid?

I'm thinking of going for something outside the waistband, with a velcro inner belt or just inner padding. Planning on keeping it minimal; 5~6 KYWI mag pouches and a holster, maybe a dump pouch.

Let me know your personal favorites! I'm trying to find something sturdy enough but also a bit low profile and not as massive looking like a weightlifting belt..

https://www.tactical-kit.co.uk/raptor-tactical-odin-belt-mark-iii-30084-p.asp <-something like this, but not sure what brands are good in terms of quality/fit/sturdiness etc.

Any advice would be greatly appreciated. Thanks in advance!

Do you want something "airsoft" or something legit?

Either way they are quite spendy for what they are, plenty of Chinese clones about that will adequately do the job for airsoft, personally I have the OPS/UR-Tactical laser cut belt which works well (except it's an older design with the hooky bit on the inner belt). The Deadly Customs ones are decent and come in two different sizes (2" and 1.75") and they will provide the kydex pouches too if that is your desire.

As for legit stuff - pick your price and pay the money. All of them will be WAY more than you need for airsoft and are priced accordingly.

 

[RostokMcSpoons]

From the "bargain bin" end of the spectrum...

Action Hobbies have a battle belt with harness in multicam for just £15
I bought one, didn't get on with it as my 'non-svelte sizing' (i.e. fat bastard-ness) meant all the kit hung a bit too far around the sides, towards the back.  But if you're not a porker then it's going to be fine

https://www.actionhobbies.co.uk/products/viper-technical-harness-set/

Alternatively there's the skeleton version which I think can be had cheaper elsewhere, but that fitted me very well, and I'd have probably stuck with it if I'd bought the multicam one instead of the black.
https://www.actionhobbies.co.uk/products/viper-skeleton-harness/

(So after trying both these options I actually ended up buying and using a Bulldog Mk3 battle belt with a separate harness, which is deffo 'weightlifter belt' sized.  It works very well for me)
 

 

[Nixon]

I run a warrior plb belt, in conjunction with a velcro inner duty belt on my trousers,it's got hook velcro lining the outside which marries up to the loop velcro panel on the lumber part of the warrior belt. Solid and doesn't budge at all. 

 

[Skullchewer]

Deadly Customs.
My belt, and all the Kydex on it, is DC, and I bloody love it.

 

[frontsight]

Thanks for all the advice guys.

Damn, that's a lot of options I can choose from! Will have to take some time this weekend to look into all the different models you guys suggested and make the call.

Shame that FRV Tailoring is a no-go, as by first glance their belt seems exactly what I am looking for...

 

[TheFull9]

Having tried a fair few, I picked up one of the Flimmuur/Brit Tac options recently and I think it's possibly the best one on the planet yet it's in the lower end of the pricey options.  The Tegris/Tegris-type options are the way of the future and it's a real unicorn that such a product is actually made and easily obtainable in the UK, with more regular stock than Tactical-Kit can bring in r.e. American products.  

 

[Wavey_Gravey]

Having tried a fair few, I picked up one of the Flimmuur/Brit Tac options recently and I think it's possibly the best one on the planet yet it's in the lower end of the pricey options.  The Tegris/Tegris-type options are the way of the future and it's a real unicorn that such a product is actually made and easily obtainable in the UK, with more regular stock than Tactical-Kit can bring in r.e. American products.  

And sold. Was looking for a belt as I never run a pistol but now fancy that and a extra MWS mag on the hips. I couldn’t decide between AXL / FERRO and they’re rarely in stock for my size.

 

[Davegolf]

The Brit Tac belts are definitely nice kit, and winning availability/cost wise.

Personally I prefer the plain belts without PALS / Molle slots as they are less bulky and you can put anything anywhere along the belt.

A good very cheap black only option is the Protec police inner/outer belt.

I myself love the Eagle Industries operator belt with Alpin clasp.

Whatever belt you go for make sure to use a mid ride holster with thigh strap, it’s the only way!!

View attachment 91538

 

[TheFull9]

Personally I prefer the plain belts without PALS / Molle slots as they are less bulky and you can put anything anywhere along the belt.

Compared to older belts that use webbing for the PALS yes true, but anything that uses webbing is thicker than Tegris/Paua/Curv; not that the classic style isn't good, it is.  You can always put any belt-mounted pouch anywhere on all the styles though, that's pouch type dependant rather than belt type.

Whatever belt you go for make sure to use a mid ride holster with thigh strap, it’s the only way!!

I wouldn't go quite that far tbh, it's good and works but I think it's been a bit overblown by famous YouTubers doing it when plenty of military and basically all the best competition shooters use straight hip/belt mount.  If you need to clear stuff on a chest rig or PC, have really long arms or just prefer it then sure go a bit lower, but hip mount simply requires less energy to move/restricts the leg less.  Not knocking either way but there's no 1 method to rule them all.

 

[Davegolf]

The operator type non pals belts are low profile and stiff.

Im not saying mid ride because ‘tacticool’ or whatever, it just works.

Comp shooters use very open/insecure holsters, which exit forwards easier.

Tactical holsters need much more of a vertical draw, and unless you have Trex arms drawing off you waist is high, nothing wrong with that, but as you said it interferes if wearing a rig etc, but the biggest deal breaker for me is running, climbing, sitting with a mid ride is SO much more stable and un-interfering.

 

[TheFull9]

As I said, do whatever you fancy, that's my default stance.  I've used hip mounted in airsoft since getting over the bad old days of blackhawk SERPA drop-legs and used slight-drop (S loop) on deployments because that's all I could do with the issued radar holster and what was available to me; wasn't great when running for cover by comparison and personally I didn't like it when working in/on/around planes/helis and sat in cars.  My personal experience doesn't invalidate anyone else's, there just isn't only one way.  Personally I just keep the area above the holster clear for the bbwrz, obviously some people don't want to run their rig that way and it's all good fine in fake combat.

 

[Davegolf]

Drop legs and Radars are a ridiculous idea flapping about.

I suppose the army liked them because it was easy to draw whilst sitting in a vehicle.

Of course everyone to their own, just making it clear that the bulk of a pistol is most secure/non flappy when mid ride with thigh/crotch strap.

 

[Tackle]

Lol, I remember the first time I saw a serpa drop leg, safe zone at Ft Amherst, thought "WOW, that's a good way to carry your pistol, such a quick draw" ?

A month later I had one, 5 minutes in to the game I thought "ffs, every time I run its like I've got a small child hanging on my leg & trying to pull me the other way" lol?

 

[Crazy_Crystal]

I have to say that I am in the minority of people that a drop leg actually works for (cyclist quads plus the arms of an orangutan on a fairly tall bloke) but even then mine only gets used to place the holster below webbing which won't really work for 99% of people  anyway, but is occasionally used. It's a very specific use case I know, but I find that the safariland leg straps plus the plate the holster mounts to do keep it pretty stable for me.

But then for my normal beltline that I run with my plate carrier, the same safariland holster goes on a mid ride, and that will always be my preference as the draw is so much nicer.

 

[Davegolf]

 

[Shamal]

I always wear mine with a belt holster or cross draw but the amount of women that say is that a gun in your pocket?...?

Regards 

 

[Diemaco]

Not got one yet, but I've been looking at the TMC Shuto belt. Might be an option for you? 

https://www.shootercbgear.com/new/index.php?route=product/product&product_id=11728