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Airsoft
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That is, so long as your battle belt setup properly.
When it comes to setting up the perfect battle belt for your loadout, choice of equipment is a major consideration. Not all belts serve the same purpose, and not all pouches work equally well mounted to a belt. Some belts ask luxurious prices, while others can be cheaper than a quesadilla at your local taco place. With the overwhelming amount of choices on the market, one can understandably be apprehensive about choosing what gear would be perfect for them. Apprehend no further! For, in this article, we will dive deep into what makes a battle belt functional, comfortable, and properly equipped with all the gear it needs to help you deftly secure quick combat eliminations with ease.
What Should I Look For in an Airsoft Battle Belt Setup?
First and foremost, your belt setup should ultimately be tailored to the type of airsoft event you’ll be playing at. If you’re playing at a large scale milsim event with a revive/medic system, keeping a TQ pouch at the ready can be a necessity. On the other hand, if all you’re going for is a streamlined setup to help you quickly access spare magazines for 10-15 minute indoor game rounds, then the addition of those supplies might be mostly unnecessary. Keep in mind, this article isn’t here to aid you in building a real steel battle belt. Though many players still run a real steel oriented belt for training purposes, this article will keep a focus on what will work best for airsoft specifically.
Some of the main features you’ll be looking for in a belt are:
- Two Piece Format (ideally)
- Sturdy and Rigid Design
- Durable Material
- General Comfort
- Secure Sectioning of Accessories
We’ll get into my top battle belt recommendations, then take a look at some of my favorite belt accessories later in the article.
Top 3 Battle Belts
My first pick for anyone looking to get a battle-belt setup up and running is the wonderful Matrix Three Piece Belt. You might be wondering, “Three piece? How does that work?” Honestly, I don’t even know either! This belt comes with an inner belt, an extra layer of hook and loop backing, and the outer belt, though you really only need to use the inner and outer belt to utilize this belt as intended. Mysterious third piece aside, this belt more than excels at everything you’d expect a nice battle belt to accomplish while being less than half the price of most real-steel ones. Both the outer and inner belt can be adjusted to fit a wide range of waist sizes, though no additional sizes are offered. The outer belt features added material to better hold and retain your accessories right where you fit them, reducing play and increasing overall rigidity of the system. All in all, this belt is a beautiful example of bang-for-your buck perfection!
For those who really need to pinch some pennies where they can, the Tasmanian Tiger HYP Tactical Belt is a perfectly functional piece of equipment that takes advantage of a unique design. Rather than section out MOLLE webbing on the belts exterior, this belt has MOLLE spec laser-cuts etched straight into it. Though it lacks the quick-detach ease of a two piece belt, it retains the spacing of your accessories just as well. Ordinary belts can quickly cause any gear attached to them to shift along your waist, but thanks to the MOLLE spacing on the Tasmanian Tiger HYP, your gear can stay secured right where you want it while saving you some extra dimes for your fancy attachments.
While budget airsoft battle belts can still be quite sturdy and effective, you might find yourself wanting something that can serve as an effective real-steel option as well if the need arises. The Grey Ghost Gear UGF Battle Belt is an exceptional piece of equipment that will do you well no matter the situation. Depending on your preferences, accessories can be fitted on the external MOLLE or traditionally in between the outer and inner. If a rugged, sturdy, and indestructible design is on your checklist for a belt, look no further. The GGG UGF maintains its shape handily, and will hold up well even with a good amount of weight fitted onto it. Additionally, the inner belt is cushioned, making this one of the most comfortable options out there. The GGG UGF is that true multi-mission option that will never let you down no matter the task.
Recommended Belt Accessories
An effective belt is cool. An effective belt tricked out with the proper accessories to allow you to operate at the highest degree of efficiency is cooler. What you choose to set up your belt with will ultimately depend on your loadout and event, but I’ll go over some of my favorite pieces of equipment that are fantastic general considerations.
In 2018, I purchased a holster for my Tokyo Marui Hi-Capa 4.3. Now in 2023, I’ve never had to purchase another holster no matter what pistol I’ve ran, since this holster, true to its name, is widely universal. From AAP-01s, to Glocks, to M9s, and more, this adjustable holster retains your handgun with confidence. The paddle mount fits perfectly into any 0.4-0.5 sized outer belt, and holds sturdy enough to endure the most rigorous of play. No battle belt is complete without a holstered handgun, and this wonderful piece of equipment is up to the task no matter what pistol you run. (At least commonly sized ones. Sorry Desert Eagle users!)
When your pistols slide locks back, it’s time to reach for that spare mag. Some pouches have a top-flap that you’ll have to finagle off to grab your fresh mag, and some are so loose that your mag fell out while running into battle at the start of the game and is somewhere on the ground on the other side of the arena. Both situations are counterproductive to a quick reload, but if you equip yourself with the wonderful HSGI Tacos, you’ll likely never find yourself in that position. These pouches may ask a relatively steep price, but are absolutely worth the ease of operation they offer. Their retention system is adjustable, allowing you to tighten its hold perfectly to your preferred strength. With other pouches, reinserting magazines into pouches after a reload can often waste you valuable seconds on the battlefield. The HSGI Taco’s opening can handily accept quick reinsertion with use of its splayed insertion tabs. These pouches can make a huge difference in the smoothness of your operation, and I highly recommend them for any respectable battle belt setup.
Sometimes, you just need something to toss stuff into. The versatile dump pouch is exactly that! Usually outfitted to the back of a battle-belt setup, a dump pouch serves as a quick-to-access open pouch that you can toss any miscellaneous item into. If you’re in the heat of action and don’t have the time to re-insert a magazine into your pouch properly, toss it in the dump pouch! If you run 1 more magazine than the amount of pouches you have and your local field doesn’t allow magazines inside the gun before the game starts, toss it in the dump pouch! Find a cool shiny rock on the field you want to keep? Toss it in the dump pouch! The Phantom Gear Dump Pouch I’ve recommended in particular has plenty of hook-and-loop backing for any patches you want to decorate it with, but just about any dump pouch will serve its job the same. Add to your battle versatility by getting one of these for your battle belt!
As far as an airsoft battle belt setup goes, that’s pretty much the core of what you’ll need to have a perfectly functional setup. Real steel battle belts might also include a med-pouch and knife, but these items won’t serve you much of a purpose in a casual airsoft game. Feel free to look beyond my recommendations and check out the variety of accessory options on the Evike.com website and find the setup that’s perfect for you!