Based on my rather limited experience and observations, I’m a fan of battle belts that Velcro or otherwise attach to something underneath them to hold them in place. I have a US Grunt Gear Infidel belt as well as an outer Cobra Belt and both attach to a pants belt via Velcro. They absolutely do not move. I found it interesting being in a class watching other students run or go prone and then having their belts rotate around or ride up out of position. Having said all that, I am a huge fan of HSGI and every pouch on both of my belts is from them. I’m just curious how well their belt stays in place while on the move. On the flip side, I suspect that their Suregrip Padded Belt is a little lower profile than my Infidel.
Sure grip moves very little…almost not at all and one nice thing about it going over your pants and belt is that with layers on top, you can put it over a lot of those layers preventing shirts from getting in the way of your gear.
Mine doesn’t move during range drills, including running up to 200m across terrain and going prone. HSGI has been totally trouble-free for me. I’m not saying other brands are no good, but HSGI is a solid choice.
Ordered the HSGI with the cobra belt! Thanks for everyone’s input for real I would have still been staring at pages of belts if not for y’all
Highly reccomend the tacos for that belt!!!
Ordered tacos along with it! 2 of each, singles
Somehow I’m not really surprised, being it’s HSGI. Good to know. If I’m ever in the market for a replacement I’ll keep them in mind.
Good call. TACOs are stupid expensive, but absolutely worth it, especially if you ever think you’ll run something besides the normal AR mag.
I have a slight unicorn of a HSGI battle belt (soft loop riggers Cobra in the HSGI scuba padded, with provisions for climbing harness), and it’s a seriously phenomenal system. Any belt that can be considered comparable or better is in the running for best battle belt around.
I really like the versatility of the Tacos, but personally I actually run BFG HW 10-Speed stuff since it’s nearly as flexible, and I don’t plan on using the webbing on the outside for belt stuff anyway - net result is a really hilariously lightweight belt that I can actually use for other stuff (zip ties through MOLLE webbing do great for holding tools, dump pouches are universal, and being able to use Safariland’s MLS to ditch the pistol meant I can use it to more safely do work on roofs and up in trees around the house - I’m sure there are tons more uses for a setup like mine, I just haven’t had occasion to need them.
I’m with H2H on Crye doing some seriously impressive things - the Airframe is a seriously impressive helmet, and all their other work that I don’t own a copy of is equally impressive from everything I can tell. Considering that it’s top flight R&D on early adopter hardware Crye stuff is a bargain (compare to Apple, which is delivering worse stuff at higher margins - and their fanboys are ravenous). I just haven’t had a need to try one of those belts, as my HSGI does everything I could want it to.
Get the HSGI Suregrip. It is very comfortable and worth every penny. After cheaping out the first two times, I finally got one.
Im a fan of only running a holster and pistol mags and a ifak on my belt, if you want to run a slick carrier, use a chest rig over it for rifle mags when you are carrying your rifle.
N Franklin - why do you feel this way? I thought a lot of the point of a belt was to shift the weight to the hips (which can better handle it for sustained periods) with the added bonus of a lower profile when prone.
<— Does not have a belt, but considering it.
The slick carrier adds options and possibilities either way - considering that there are quite a few really good QASM mounted chest rig options (Mayflower, Hayley D3, DownrangeGear, others) as well as tons of great chest rigs, slick carriers really are the ideal answer if you’re not going to be running ONE type of magazine and one general loadout type for the armor carrier. Same modular approach kinda applies with the idea that grabbing the pistol belt should mean grabbing the pistol, holster, belt, magazines and any other support equipment for that.
I do run a pair of rifle mag pouches on my belt, but I don’t store them with magazines loaded (I just keep pairs of magazines with each of my carbines, or in an Eagle Patrol Bandoleer with a multitool, flashlight, and medkit in the other rifle mag pouch). If I’m going to take the time to jock up (PC, helmet, belt) and grab a carbine, I’ll be able to backfill the belt rifle pouches from another ammo source if I care enough about load carriage to redistribute. If I’m short one time, I want to be able to put on a belt really quick, if I have time to grab a plate carrier and rifle I can probably just loop a bandoleer around the other shoulder, and call that good.
In courses, the weight distribution benefits of having rifle mags on the belt is impressive - although for those a good pair of TruSpec 24/7’s is probably all the carriage you need for an entire carbine course. Again the slick plate carrier wins for that stuff, and using a chest rig as supplemental standalone load carriage is preferable - which for anybody using that setup means the belt really has two or three primary jobs - carrying a sidearm, carrying sidearm support equipment (can include dump pouch, BOK, knife), and optionally helping carry long gun support equipment.
To me the belt is first line gear, I try to keep it as minimal as possible. Beyond the pistol, mags, light, and IFAK, I don’t want anything else. My armor is setup to be used in conjunction with my rifle; if I need the rifle I wear the armor. 3 mags on the front, the rest goes in the patrol pack.
Agreed…just been thinking of adding an hsgi Mag Dump pouch…
I run a BFG HW folding one - it adds about half a tennis ball worth of bulk/weight stowed, but still holds a ton. They’re stupid expensive for just a dump pouch (and I’ve still considered replacing it with an SDS or the EAG dumper since those are easier to use for range/classes), but it is small/light enough it doesn’t interfere with that belt being a lithe first-line option.
I have an HSGI Mag-Net on my belt. I’ve only run it in one class so far but I really like it.
Me, too. Served well.
Excellent point about the layers, definately one of the benefits of a battle belt. The HSGI Suregrip has been very solid for me both at the range and in class. RCS holster, HGSI IFAK, one singe pistol taco, one single rifle taco, one double rifle/pistol taco. I’ve got everything on the sides so I have easy access to when prone.
Yup…i tried to keep front clear so that sitting and moving is comfortable. 2 Pistol Tacos and one rifle taco on the left and just my Holster on the right.
Gonna add a magnet Dump Pouch on the left toward the back and add a small IFAK on the right towards the back far enough away from my pistol to not get in the way.
The rest will be going on chest rig/PC…as that’s next on my gear list.