Over the past few months we have had a chance to test out the new HSGI War Belt, and found a lot to like. The war belt idea goes back as far as our own military, though its more often been referred to as a cartridge belt until the later half of the last century. Guys who've been in for 15 or so years no doubt remember wearing LBEs before the LBV, IBA, and later gear came into fashion. I've heard the comment many times that there are no new ideas, and the resurgence of the war belt certainly gives credibility to that statement. Personally speaking, I don't care how new or old an idea is, all I care about is that it works for me. Depending on what unit you are in, you've probably already seen guys wearing dedicated plate carriers with some form of padded belt for their first line gear.
The guys from High Speed Gear Inc (HSGI) followed on the war belt concept by doing something a little different. Sure its setup to allow for suspenders, of course its padded, obviously its got molle wrapping it like a Christmas present, but HSGI went a step farther, and that is what makes it stand out from all the rest.
Click the below image to find out what it is, why you want it, and of course to see loads more pictures.
The part of the HSGI belt that makes all the difference is hidden from the outside, but when you flip the belt to see the inner portion, it is immediately evident. In the below pictures you can see the textured neoprene gel like cushion. The cushion is very comfortable for extended wear, and the texture keeps the belt in place without shifting. The texture might not be as big of a deal for guys who wear suspenders, but for someone like me who wears a gunbelt without suspenders for 11 or 12 hours a day, every day, this becomes a big deal.
In the series of shots below you can see that the HSGI belt goes over an inner belt, or to be more detailed, the inner belt rides inside. You can tell thought has gone into this, as there is a wide polymer stiffener that runs the length to keep the belt from sagging or creating pinch points in your back. This feature becomes a God send for guys who have damaged their lower back. Even if you are injury free, this helps keep you that way.
The three strips of Molle webbing give ample room to attach most realistic equipment, and the suspender attachments are spaced in a manner that works well for me, though I typically don't wear them. However, its nice to know that if I choose to later, these aren't going to get in the way of where I wear my gear. The 3/4" thickness is deceptive as to some people that may seem excessive, while to others it might not seem enough. Numbers aside, the belt is comfortable, and that is what is counts to me.
There are lots of war belts available, and almost every manufacturer is making one. The extra thought that goes into the HSGI model translates into a product that works very well. In fact it works well enough that I'll be switching my gear over to one.
[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1kEY5RXl11k&feature=player_embedded[/youtube]
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