It's easy to want to put too much stuff on it, be careful that you don't.
Holster, TQ, one rifle/pistol mag pouch and a fighting knife is all that's on mine.
It's easy to want to put too much stuff on it, be careful that you don't.
Holster, TQ, one rifle/pistol mag pouch and a fighting knife is all that's on mine.
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Your Blue Alpha belt..... are you using the inner velcro belt just throwing it on? How stable is the belt without the inner belt?
I need a belt and I'm really torn on one like the Blue Alpha that uses an inner belt or something that I can throw over whatever I'm wearing.
If I’m just looking to carry two rifle magazines, two pistol magazines, and a pistol on a belt...
I’d just just run an Ares Aegis belt (1.5” wide trouser belt), a Raven Perun or Safariland ALS, a Raven Copia PR2, and a (standard pistol) Raven Copia... assuming you’re running something that has magazines that fit in them.
Obviously this is not a put-it-on-and-go setup - not ideal if you want something to strap on over your skivvies in the middle of the night (but also not especially difficult to setup that way, either, if you’re so inclined). And it won’t be a setup where you can readily run your belt over a coat or other outer layer.
But in terms of “EDC layering”, I think it’s hard to beat, as the whole setup is relatively easily concealed (especially if you go for the Perun instead of the Safariland) under a polo, a flannel, a jacket, whatever. Add armor and/or a chest rig, or scale it down to just a pistol and a spare mag. Swap the Perun for something IWB. Or the belt for something like a Mastermind or Wilderness EDC and put the pistol in an AIWB. And then scale it back up for a carbine or 5.56 (or similar) PDW by putting the Copia PR2 back in. If you’re going to rock a carbine and rely less on the pistol, you can just put the pistol on with the Copia PR2.
&c. &c. &c.
" Nil desperandum - Never Despair. That is a motto for you and me. All are not dead; and where there is a spark of patriotic fire, we will rekindle it. "
- Samuel Adams -
In the past my go-to belt was either an ATS padded "War Belt" with whatever inexpensive fastex nylon belt they sold. It got the job done but would ride up on my waist since it didn't have a grippy under-surface. Enter the HSGI Suregrip padded belt and I no longer fought with my battle belt riding up during drills or fast movements between cover. At the time it was kitted out with two rifle tacos and two pistol tacos, along with a Safariland 6378 and a simple tourniquet pouch. I've never been a fan of having my IFAK on the backside of my belt and prefer to keep it mounted on a chest rig or plate carrier.
Since starting over on my gear in the last two years I took a different approach. Minimalism and simplicity were the two biggest factors in choosing a new belt, with durability and security equally important but subservient to the former.
The newer style of slim belts that mate with a velcro inner belt seemed to be a good starting point and RDR, Eagle, and Blue Alpha Gear were the top contenders. At the end of the day the Blue Alpha Gear 1.75" MOLLE belt won based on the shortest lead time, features, and cost. It connects to a 1.5" inner belt via velcro and after nearly a year of running drills every weekend and several classes in the dust and mud is still very secure.
My current setup is an Esstac 2 pistol - 1 rifle mag gap pouch with a single Esstac rifle mag pouch just behind it. I modified the Esstac pouches with shok-cord and cord locks to retain the rifle mags after having them fall out a couple times. The pistol mag pouches haven't had the same issue. On my strong side is an elastic tourniquet holder of which I don't remember the manufacturer, and just behind it is a Safariland 6378. It's simple and robust enough that it can be tossed in the trunk of my car and retrieved quickly should the need arise. The only true downside to this style of belt that I've noticed is that it is anchored to the belt loops on your pants, and if they're not already properly fitting the belt does tend to sag them a bit.
The only additional item that may be added at some point is a very small pouch to hold a packet of Combat Gauze. The full IFAK on the belt isn't sensible for the way I employ my gear, but having an extra bleed-stopper for trips to the range without a chest rig (and complete IFAK) seems like a wise idea.
In heavenly love abiding, no change my heart shall fear;
and safe is such confiding, for nothing changes here:
the storm may roar without me, my heart may low be laid;
but God is round about me, and can I be dismayed?
Thanks!
Here are two variations on my kits. The first is the minimalist one that I've used for just over a year as general range gear. I like it a lot for being lightweight and sticking close to me. The main downside is that because it goes through belt loops on my pants, any jacket I'm wearing tends to cover it up (ok for concealment purposes, I guess).
The second is my long-standing kit that I've used for nine-ish years for competition, training, etc. It's comfortable and stays put.
It's easy to fall down the rabbit hole of Blue Alpha vs Ares vs Klik vs whoever, but they all do a good job. The velcro inner/outer style belt is convenient, even though I don't have one myself. The heavier padded outer belt is nice because I can put it on top of anything I'm wearing and always have access. It's really up to you. Just don't try to carry everything on the belt or you'll end up needing suspenders. At that point, you might as well step up to a LBE-style harness.
Last edited by BrigandTwoFour; 12-14-20 at 15:54.
Thanks for all the info, this has been great for helping me narrow down some gear.
I ordered a Blue Alpha gear 1.75" inner/outer belt, double pistol Esstac Kywi and single rifle Kywi. Unfortunately I requested the 1.75" belt loops and can't seem to make them work on the Blue Alpha belt...maybe Im just an idiot but I can't seem to figure out how to weave it into the Kywi while getting it onto the belt, and it can't be slid onto the belt after being weaved into the Kywi because of the large buckles...so I ordered some WTFix straps for mounting.
I was holding off on the holster because Ive been torn about whether or not to add a WML to my pistol...I CCW an M&P 2.0 Compact and that's also the pistol I plan to keep mounted on this belt. I really don't want to have a WML on my CCW but kind of do want to add a light to the pistol on this belt...so I was holding off. Ultimately I ordered a Safariland UBL + Ragnarok from T-Rex Arms for my M&P without the light. I figured worst case if I decide to add a light in the future I'll pick up another holster.
It's coming together, I'll post some pictures once I get the Kywis and Ragnarok mounted up. Then I want to find a very small, simple med kit and that will do it for now.
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