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What do you need in a tactical belt?

So you're on the hunt for a tactical belt. 

You have gear to carry, and you need a belt that's going to hold up to the task. How do you pick the right belt for the job? Well there are a few things that are going to play into your choice in belts, and those are your gear, comfort level, and aesthetics.

Gear:

First start out by figuring out exactly what you want to carry on your tactical belt, and how much it weighs. If you're just carrying a single firearm, an extra mag and a knife, you need something sturdy, but it doesn't have to be uncomfortable with this amount of gear. If you are carrying 15-20 lbs of gear like a police officer, you are going to need a very sturdy belt to hold all that weight up, and it may cost you in terms of comfort, which brings us to our next point.

Comfort Level:

Think about what you do every day. How much comfort do you need when you are carrying your gear. A tactical belt shouldn't compromise comfort just because you want to carry a firearm. At some level there is a trade-off however. If you need your belt to carry a lot of gear, you may have to sacrifice some comfort for that. This is why it's important to have multiple options of belts that cover these different usage scenarios. 

A single layer web belt can vary greatly in the amount of stiffness, and carrying capacity they have. Company A and Company B may both have very similar looking belts, but you can't really tell what type of webbing they are using by pictures alone. Some companies have very tactical looking webbing, that can't even hold up an OWB holster! Be very cautious when looking at unknown webbing belts. See if you can find what the exact type of webbing they use is to get an idea of how stiff it will be. 

This is why we here at Magna Tactics have made an effort to have the Magna Belt use only the highest quality webbing. We have painstakingly tracked down a supplier than can get us a USA Made, Berry compliant webbing that with even just a single layer, is capable of carrying a respectable amount of gear. This is ideal for a tactical belt that is meant to not only carry your gear, but be extremely comfortable at the same time. 

Now if you are into competition shooting or, need a true duty belt capable of carrying a police officers level of gear, you're going to be looking at something a little more sturdy. This means you will be sacrificing some comfort to get this level of carrying capacity, which comes up to the Gear section above. Do you need to carry this much, and are you willing to sacrifice some comfort for it? 

Typically at this level you are going to be looking at things labeled as gun belts and duty belts. Most of these belts are two layers of webbing (which just like above, can vary greatly in their stiffness), and sometimes, especially in the case of leather belts, also use an insert sewn in to stiffen up the belt. Inserts can be made of varying materials, but typically anything with an insert is going to sacrifice more comfort than a belt without. 

Here at Magna Tactics we are working on a double layer version of our belt right now to fulfill this category of tactical belt users. With our high quality webbing, and unique sewing method, we have come up with a double layer belt that will never let you or your pants down. Prototypes are currently out to a number of people that will test them to capacity. Using their feedback we plan to develop the ultimate tactical belt that will exceed your expectations of quality and comfort for a double layer belt. 

Aesthetics:

Everyone has to look good right? Your choice of tactical belt can come a lot down to aesthetics as well because let's face it, we all have our own look that we like, and not everyone has the same wants and needs in this department. 

Tactical belts typically have a history of looking very military-esque, which is fantastic for the users that want that look. However with web belts, the buckles tend to be large and bulky, and most will not fit through your belt loops in normal pants. These belts aren't necessarily something you want to wear with your casual clothes or dress clothes. Typically you are going to be looking for a leather tactical belt if you need something for this application. 

Here at Magna Tactics, we believe our variety of options available means that we have something to suit all of your needs in this department. Our buckle has a military style construction, but if chosen with a muted all black color scheme, can blend in well with any outfit. We have also designed our buckle to be small without sacrificing strength. This allows us to be one of the only tactical belts available that will fit through your belt loops, without having to adjust your belt size. And don't forget that the Magna Belt comes in a large variety of colors, with extra buckles available to customize your color scheme with. This allows you to have both a subtle and flashy belt in your lineup without having to buy a second belt. 

So what to get?

Well if you've made it this far, you know that choosing a tactical belt is not an easy task. There is a lot to consider, and a lot of variables between different brands that aren't clear just from looking at product pictures and descriptions. While we here at Magna Tactics believe we have developed a superior tactical belt, we encourage you to form your own opinion by researching videos and reviews by 3rd parties to help you figure out what belt will suit your needs. Take into account everything here when making your choice, and you're going to come out on top.