Choosing the Right Utility Belt

A utility belt, such as a duty or tactical belt, can be an indispensable component of your repertoire, whether it’s a part of a uniform or not.

But whatever your uses are for it, here are some things to consider to help ensure you’re happy with your purchase.

Purpose: What Will You Use This Utility Belt for?

The most important thing you need to consider before you buy a utility belt is what you will be using it for.

Are you going to be wearing it while playing in MilSim events, such as airsoft or paintball matches?

Are you looking for a belt for official duty as a law enforcement officer or a first responder? Are you planning to wear it hiking or camping?

Are you intending to wear this belt primarily to support your pants or are you going to wear it over your outer layers so you have easy access to spare magazines, lights, tools, and other gear?

Your intended use for the utility belt will determine what features it needs to have - which in turn will determine its suitability. 

Sizing Considerations

We don’t need to waste too much space on this one - obviously, you need a belt that fits you well.

However, this is also true: whatever your normal belt size, add a few extra inches. This will help ensure your belt will still fit if you wear it over your outer layers so you can still have easy access to your gear.

Also, keep in mind that while a belt can be too small, it really can’t be too large. You can just cinch it down tighter.

Materials and Construction

A duty or utility belt is going to be a completely different in material and construction from one you’d buy to hold up your jeans.

Most civilian belts are made from leather or some synthetic that offers a reasonable balance of durability and aesthetics.

By contrast, most duty belts are made from high-performance synthetic materials like woven polyester or nylon. Some are also made from extremely durable cotton canvas.

What they lack in aesthetics, they make up for in durability. Most of these materials are water-resistant and highly weather resistant as well.

They are also abrasion and wear-resistant and exceptionally strong, making them perfect for use in the worst of the most unforgiving conditions.

Depending on what you will be using it for, you might want to get a lighter utility belt made from a single strip of synthetic weave that will save weight and space. Either way, don’t compromise on durability.

                     

Fastening

How the belt fastens should also be of significant interest to you. Civilian belts that fasten via a traditional belt buckle may look nice, but they aren’t much use for tactical applications because they are difficult both to fasten and adjust.

Instead, most utility belts are made to fasten via D-rings or buckle clips.

D-ring belts are easy to adjust, often with one hand. While they cannot be easily fastened with one hand, they are not limited by the number of holes of typical belts and so can effectively be adjusted to fit any waist size.

As for belts that fasten with buckle clips (sometimes called “fastex” buckles), it can be a little tough to fasten them with one hand but removing them with one hand is a cinch.

These types of buckle clips also have the advantage that you don’t need to adjust the belt around your waist every time you fasten it. Simply set the size adjustment, clip it, and you’re good to go.

Match the Color or Camo Pattern

One other consideration you’ll want to make has to do with color and camouflage pattern. If you are going to be using the utility belt for official duty, training, MilSim, or even hunting, you will want to match both the color and camouflage pattern if applicable.

If all of your other gear is black, FDE, tan, OD green, or gray, then it doesn’t do to wear a utility belt that stands out like a flash of blaze orange. Match the color to your other gear.

Similarly, if you need a utility belt for hunting, paintball, or some other sporting pursuit wherein concealment is critical, take care to match (or nearly match) the camo pattern of your belt to the rest of your gear.

Also keep in mind that some belts are reversible and feature two colors or patterns, one on each side.

Extras: What Other Features Does the Utility Belt Offer?

Last but not least - in fact, this latter part is quite important - is that you should consider the additional features of the utility belt. Some of them are covered here.

• Some utility belts come with a wide range of pockets that can be useful for carrying spare magazines, lights, knives or multi-tools, or other EDC gear. Some of these belts feature a modular design that enables you to add or remove pockets/packs as necessary.

• Some belts feature a padded, breathable mesh design that will keep you more comfortable in the heat, or when carrying a lot of weight distributed on the belt.

• Consider attachment points. Some belts feature velcro patches, D-ring attachment points, MOLLE loops, and slots for holsters or drop-leg platforms.

                        

• Some belts feature an airport-friendly design that doesn’t require you to remove them when moving through metal detectors.

Loading a Utility Belt

What you carry on your utility belt will be determined by your uses for it. Paintballers might carry spare gas and paintballs, whereas a hunter might carry a case of shells and a pair of binoculars.

However, regardless of what you carry, remember the golden rule of weight distribution: even it all out.

Don’t pack all your heavy gear on one side of your belt, as that will pull the belt down on one side and substantially compound your fatigue as you carry it all.

Try your best to pack thoughtfully and distribute your gear, with respect to weight, around the entire belt so that it’s evenly distributed.

Fatigue’s Army Navy: Your Source for Utility Belts and Other Tactical Gear

Looking for a new utility belt for your next foray? Check out our collection and don’t miss our huge inventory of other tactical gear including but not limited to jungle boots, army jackets, ALICE packs (the perfect compliment to a duty belt) and more.