It can be observed that over the last dozen or so years the concept of a tactical and shooting belt has naturally evolved. The change in the nature of combat operations, the development of dynamic sport shooting disciplines and the interweaving of shooting techniques influenced the development of functionality of equipment. Not only the plate carriers have been minimized, limiting the protection to the most important vital functions, thus giving the user the maximum range of movement. Inevitably, the tactical belt has also been minimized. From a simple belt for equipment, starting with the ALICE system, through extensive, massive belts with a series of rows of the MOLLE/PALS loops, a narrow belt has become dominant again. For a long time, as I considered the tacticool fashion as another trend, which is now passing, I continued to used my more massive 5.11 Tactical - Combat Belt (formerly knows as the VTAC Brokos Belt). It is profiled and it spread the weight comfortably on the hips. I did not see any sense in changing it, but I slowly began to observe what the market offers. The 5.11 Tactical company did not offer anything else for a long time (apart from the model dedicated for the American police). Until recently. In March this year, at the IWA in Nuremberg, Germany, the new Maverick tactical shooting belt was presented in two versions: Battle Belt and Assaulters Belt. I got the Battle Belt version.
The design of the belt is quite typical. The Maverick Battle Belt consists of two belts: internal and external. The inner belt is nothing more than a nylon tape sewn together with a Velcro tape, the so-called loop on the outside and a 12 cm long section of a low-profile hooked Gripper sewn on from the inside as a belt fastener. The belt around it is also trimmed with a thinner nylon tape, holding its profile and making it smoothly pass through the belt loops in the pants. The interweaving is also facilitated by cutting of the lower corner of the belt, which is characteristic for belts of this manufacturer (this also applies to the outer belt). At the end, a "loop" of soft Velcro tape with the 5.11 Tactical logo has been added. The addition is both functional and aesthetic. For full joy of use, however, it is good to cut off the tags, the location of which prevents the belt from being fully fastened.
The base of the main belt is a double 1.75” (44.45 mm) wide nylon webbing sewn together with the Gripper low-profile Velcro fastener sewn on the inside, which is responsible for the connection with the inner belt. Such Velcro is also more durable and at the same time it will have less impact on the clothes if the belt is worn without the inner belt (e.g. on a jacket). The mounting function of the belt is in accordance with MOLLE/PALS system made of a combination of a double-stitched nylon webbing with a width of 8 mm and a laser cut, TAC-LAM Nylon Cordura laminate, proprietary to 5.11 Tactical. Unlike some laser cutouts on the market, the gap between the laminate and the tapes is 5 mm, which makes interlacing the mounting strips much more convenient. The mounting tapes, when the belt is spread horizontally, also have some play, which also facilitates attaching gear. They were sewn with a reserve for the bend of the belt. In conjunction with the recently reviewed Flex-HT equipment elements mounting system the configuration and reconfiguration of this belt is very comfortable. With a well-equipped belt, I was surprised, however, that the bottom corner of the carrying system tape was not fully sewn at its ends. This appears to be intentional. The belt is fastened with the AustriAlpin Cobra Pro buckle, the durability of which does not need to be described... and therefore it has become a standard in tactical belts.
The Maverick Battle Belt is adjustable and comes in five sizes (S, M, L, XL, 2xXL). It is worth choosing the right size, because the MOLLE/PALS slots practically reach as far as the fastening buckle, thanks to which the surface of the belt can be used in its entirety.
On the surface, the Maveric Belt looks similar to other shooting belts that have been available on the market for a long time. It is quite a classic design, but its "magic" or, if you prefer, what distinguishes it, is revealed in its anatomical profiling. Everyone has certainly noticed that the stripes "bend" over time to mimic the shape of the owner. Maverick belts are anatomically profiled. As a result, the comfort and stability of both the belt and the equipment carried on it has been increased from the get go. While belts made by the competition are sewn straight and loaded with pouches, it is sometimes difficult to put the main belt evenly on the inner belt, in the case of this belt offered by 5.11 Tactical it is enough to "catch" the first touch point at the back of the inside belt and the outer belt with all the gear settles in place by itself until it is fastened. Putting the belt on and off is do every smoothly. It is worth noting that the inner belt is also profiled. Its a small thing, but it changes the comfort of use.
This article was possible thanks to the support of 5.11 Tactical - WMASG Tactical Partner. The text presents the author's personal opinions, therefore we encourage you to leave you thoughts in the comments.
