suspenders and belts

Tactical Gear Tactical Gear
1

Update: I just ordered the HSGI suspenders. I hope they work well. My back was trashed after wearing my duty belt for 5hrs last night.

Im not sure if this is the right spot but Im looking for thoughts on from those with experience with suspenders for
duty belts. I had a back x-ray recently and found my right hip dips lower than my left hip and the doc said he thought it could be the duty belt. I agree and think a set of suspenders are in my future. Can anyone give me real world experience and point me toward a nice set? Thanks in advance.

2

I have worn the uncle mikes…junk. They are to narrow and uncomfortable.

I have a set of the Blackhawk! They are OK as far as comfort, but do not hold up very well. Additionally, they only have 2 points of contact with the duty belt.

Currently, I am wearing a HSGI padded duty belt with HSGI suspenders. I love this set up. My back and hip pain has all but disappeared. The hard part was finding MOLLE pouches for my LE gear.

3

I have been wearing suspenders since November of 2011 on duty. Longer than that on my personal molle training belt.

I had a on duty injury which caused pain to my lower back. I have a prescription from my Dr. to wear them on duty to reduce back pain. This helped my agency approve them for general duty wear. Only complaint I have heard is from officers (who don’t leave the office very often I might add) saying that they will be grabbed onto by suspects. Of course what difference does that make if your hips and back are FUBAR and you have to retire early like local officer did due to hip injuries.

LE is much more prone to FUBAR back and hips because of the way to heavy and uncomfortable duty belts.

Right now I’m using the Tactical Tailor LE suspenders and love them. Only way to make them better is some shock cord in some way like the Blue Force Gear suspenders have.

Get suspenders on your belt now, you’ll not regret it.

4

Thanks for the info guys. I will have to check these options out.

5

I’ve been on the job now for 16 years and my lower back is trashed.

I wear a pair. I believe they are “Orca” brand.
They are break away as well.

6

I wore the Blackhawk rig for several years without issue.

Then I had hernia surgery. A year post-surgery, I ditched the belt/suspenders rig and went with a MOLLE vest for all my gear.

The pistol (and OC spray) is still mounted on a drop-rig, but mags, radio, cuffs, ASP, Taser, rifle mags are on the vest. The vest accommodates my Kevlar panels and also takes my Level IV plates.

7

unfortunately the load bearing vest is not an option at my agency. Even with a DR’s recommendation it would be difficult with the admin due to it looking too aggressive.

8

Take a look at Orca’s Suspenders. I’ve been using them on duty for 8+ years.

9

Out of curiosity, is there a 'breakaway" feature, for the duty suspenders currently on the market.

It would seem we’ve come full circle. Initially police officers carried a Sam Browne belt, with shoulder strap, to off-set the weight of a heavy revolver. They were phased out over the years, as they became a safety issue, whether being something that can be grabbed, in a fight, or catch on something. Now we are adding the shoulder straps back, to keep the weight off the back.

10

+1 for HSGI suspenders

I have been wearing them with my duty belt for 6-7 years and have nothing but good to say about them

I should add that I have a herniated lumbar disc and can’t cinch a duty belt very tight without causing all kinds of muscle drama

The suspenders allow me to run the belt just snug enough to not flop around but keeps it at a constant height

Michael

11

Thanks for the input guys. I have been looking around and think Im gonna go with the HSGI’s. Looking forward to some relief.

12

Orca is breakaway.

13

HSGI do not have a breakaway feature, though I guess you could have QR buckles added

I am a civilian non LE and don’t see the lack of breakaway as a problem

I would probably be much more concerned about that feature if I had a high probability of getting into a grappling match with a bad guy

Michael

14

http://www.backdefensesystems.com/SearchResults.asp?Cat=36

A few officers with the Dpt. I intern with have and swear by these. Wouldn’t need to worry about breakaway under the shirt/ outside vest.

15

Exactly.

Here’s an article on the history of the Sam Browne duty belt.

Police: The Law Enforcement Magazine
“Sam Browne And Beyond: A Look at Duty Belts”

by Rebecca Stone – Managing Editor

Strapping Concerns

As handy as it may have been in the past, law enforcement has all but abandoned the (shoulder) strap for safety reasons.

Field Evidence Technician Steve Willard, of the San Diego Police Department, is also director of the San Diego Police Historical Association. He told POLICE, “We took it off of our regular uniform in 1943 after an officer jumped out of his car to chase someone, only to have the strap hook in the door. He was dragged along side the car as his partner wasn’t aware he wasn’t completely out.”

Deputy Jonathan Anderson, of the Onondaga Co. (N.Y.) Sheriff’s Department, described another type of incident that occurred in 1960, in which an officer, trying to control a strike situation, was grabbed by his strap and pulled into the angry crowd.

LAPD got made the shoulder strap optional, for the class of 1958, because “people were able to grab it.”

Bill Rogers, a former police officer and FBI agent, has been involved in product research, development and testing for Safariland since 1985. He said in the late '60s the Sam Browne was very popular in many departments, but when grappling became common, the strap became a safety factor. “That really killed the Sam Browne for many people,” said Rogers.