A BUDGET BATTLE BELT FOR $71.01
MISSION DRIVES THE GEAR, DO YOU NEED THE BEST OR GOOD ENOUGH?
First, I think the term “Battle Belt” needs to be defined as there are so many ideas of what one is as demonstrated by the random photo gallery below grabbed from a Google search of “Battle Belt”.
The term seems to be applied everything from strictly “flat range setups” to quasi LBE setups that require suspenders to hold up because the belt is so overloaded with gear.
I’ve been down both paths and found it all too easy to keep adding stuff to the belt to the point that suspenders were required to wear it.
DEFINING THE MISSION
Your mission may differ, but for me the battle belt fills the role of supporting a battle pistol which is my primary weapon in the “early SHTF” days. Something that is a level above my EDC setup that I can wear comfortably wherever I am, vehicle, kitchen chair, tractor seat, etc. as THIS IS MY SHTF EDC.
My battle belt is for a primary weapon, not a secondary. The primary being my Glock G17 with optic. Its purpose is to feed that beast, not replace a Line 2 setup with full IFAIK, fixed blade, water, primary reloads, etc. supporting a carbine.
I don’t wear a belt on patrol or have a secondary weapon on my hips for a reason, unless running plates which is reserved for vehicle REACT work (crap on the back doesn’t work so great with driving!) or CQB when transitions are a matter of life or death.
The likelihood of needing to transition on patrol is “zero-point shit below rock level” as my ITS instructor liked to say and having stuff on your hips without a harness to allow them (your hips) to move under (aka, LBE style) is going to make for rubbing and poor load sharing.
When I did try it in my AO (heavy underbrush) it was a snag hazard and felt like the juice was not worth the squeeze and quickly gave up on the idea. Maybe it’s because I never had one as a Grunt that I don’t fall in with the current trend, but either way, I find it’s not for me.
MY BATTLE BELT USE SCENARIO
My use of a belt is to have an overt pistol setup and one spare mag to feed a carbine that maybe nearby if things are starting to look dicey but not yet in a state of full SHTF where I’m sporting a carbine 24/7 with 3+1 mags in a plate carrier around the homestead.
For the most part life will be going on as normal in Rural America but if trouble comes to your door during the in-between times, you want to have the means to finish a fight immediately or fight back to your carbine if it’s nearby.
Enter the “Battle Belt” and its primary role for me which is a “plused-up EDC”.
MY BATTLE BELT REQUIREMENTS
Platform for full size 9mm pistol (Glock G17 w/optic).
Three spare mags for pistol at minimum.
I carry (3) 22 round mags and (2) 25 round mags plus a 17 in the gun for 133 rounds total.
One rifle mag.
(30) round P-Mag
Multi-tool.
Constantly needed when doing chores.
Tourniquet.
IFAIKs are nearby, this should get you to one if you are not killed outright.
GP pouch.
For misc. use around the homestead, and pistol mag retention. 100rnd Saw pouches work great for this purpose.
Since I’m not loading it up with an IFAIK, several AR Mags, water canteens, fixed blade, etc. I’ve got an LBE setup for that. I’ve gone from a padded belt to an inner/outer Velcro belt setup, but the particular belt I chose also allows for a pad to be used in place of the Velcro inner belt.
This setup is also my IPSC/USPSA shooting belt and the main reason I’ve gone to such a setup is that it does not move, meaning the pistol is ALWAYS in the same spot and my draw stroke is consistent, which means fast and less prone to a fumble.
SPEED IS OF THE ESSENCE
Considering that you will be needing to have the ability to go from “condition Yellow” to “Red” as fast as possible if someone draws down on you, that 1sec draw to hit at 7 yards just got a lot more important IMO.
If you allow anyone to approach you, and you will before it’s full-on anarchy, you will be behind the curve as “action beats reaction” every time given all the other factors are equal.
Don’t be equal, be better! Better means training, there is no substitute. You don’t have to spend money on ammo, dryfire will get you there, use the ammo to confirm or better yet compete in IDPA/IPSC to prove yourself.
Don’t be equal, develop a <1.5 sec draw to hit @ 7 yards and you will be ahead of more than 90% of the shooters you might come up against, that’s probably a conservative guess too.
But this post is about setting up a “Battle Belt” as I’ve described the term and sharing my budget setup, not training or being prepared to survive a gunfight.
POUCHES
I’ve always liked the Kydex insert ESSTAC pouches and their solid retention with an easy draw, but was not willing to pay the price for them.
If this was a true “in the field Battle Belt” that was a primary piece of kit and going to get beat up, closed top mag pouches would be required, and I would also spend the $150-$250 dollars for a top-quality setup.
Since I’m not wearing it through underbrush and in severe conditions, I see no issue with going with “good enough” instead of the best money can buy in this case.
CHEAP ALTERNATIVE
So, I started looking for a cheap alternative and found them on AliExpress and Amazon so cheap I could not resist.
I was pleasantly surprised at what I got for less than $100.00 total ($71.02) and will be shocked if they do not hold up to the average guys use. I will post back if I run into any issues using the rig for competition and wearing around the homestead.
WWW.ALIEXPRESS.COM ITEMS ($26.02) vs. (ESSTAC $76.00)
Single Pistol Mag Pouch ($4.68ea) x2 (ESSTAC $18.00ea)
Double Pistol Mag / Single AR Mag ($10.91) (ESSTAC $40.00)
Simple and modular is the way to go, I like it!
I like your thinking on this whole project...
Great post 👍