One day, while off-duty, an officer walked into a store to buy a cup of coffee. As he stood in line waiting to place his order, another individual walked up to the counter and pulled a gun.

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The criminal demanded money from the register. The officer, seeing the danger, instinctively reached to his right side, feeling for his gun. The officer always carried off-duty. Patting near his waist, the officer was shocked: His gun was not there.  The suspect ordered the clerk to clean out the register. His pockets full, the criminal turned and pointed the gun toward the customers, telling them not to move. As a cold sweat broke out, the officer kept thinking about his missing gun. Had it fallen to the floor?  Had he forgotten it? Thankfully, the suspect left without further incident. When the officer returned to his car, relief washed over him. Apparently, his gun belt, a flimsy superstore-bought piece of gear, had failed: In the driver’s seat of his car sat his gun.

Whether you’re on duty, in plainclothes or off-duty, the belt you wear may mean the difference between life and death. If the belt is flimsy, thin or worn out, your gear could drop; or, while rolling around, the belt could break when it’s needed most.

BlackHawk

BlackHawk offers a range of duty, covert and tactical belts that cover the spectrum in terms of style and function. Perfect for plainclothes or off-duty wear, the CQC Pistol Belt is both stable and discreet. Rendered in carbon fiber and is available in several finishes, the CQC looks like any other 1.25-inch dress belt, yet the belt’s reinforced spine gives it the strength to handle a full complement of gun and gear. CQC belts feature five belt holes and come in a variety of colors.

BlackHawk’s 2-inch Web Duty Belt is made from two layers of nylon webbing reinforced with a polymer spine for durability and strength. The nylon binding provides a smoother edge, more comfort and a more professional appearance. The all-purpose Web Duty Belt has the strength necessary to handle all-day duty wear.

For tactical work, the CQB/Rigger’s Belt is mil-standard certified and built with parachute-grade buckles and adapters for unparalleled strength and support. Rigger’s belts are 1.75 inches wide and, depending on the model, have tensile strengths ranging form 5,000 to 7,000 pounds.

For more information, call 800-694-5263 or visit blackhawk.com.

BullHide Belts

Ohio’s Bullhide Belts makes leather belts “with the best, most expensive, top-grade U.S.A. belt leather available.” Not found in stores, each Bullhide belt is custom-made to the exact specifications of the customer. Among the available materials are leather and nylon, as well as such exotic hides as python, cobra and sharkskin. Choices of belt buckle include stainless, brass or Paul Revere style. Belt widths range from 1.25 to 1.75 inches, and customers have the option of having five or seven belt holes. Every Bullhide belt comes with a three-year warranty.

The bottom line is, whatever the style and material, a Bullhide belt can handle, for years and years, a full array of gear and keep each item exactly where it belongs—right at your side.

For more information, visit bullhidebelts.com or call 330-433-9182.

Galco Gunleather 

Arizona’s Galco Gunleather designs duty belts capable of supporting the weight of a handgun for plainclothes carry. Galco claims to use “only top-quality leather: premium-grade, full-grain, vegetable-tanned steerhide, grown and tanned in the U.S.A.” Every Galco belt, whether dress or casual, is individually handmade and contoured for stability.

Galco’s CB2 Firm Contour Belt is a 1.25-inch-wide, fiber-reinforced dress/duty belt fully lined with premium saddle leather. Galco’s 1.5-inch-wide CB3 Concealable Contour Belt, as its name implies, is a concealable holster belt that tapers near the buckle to 1 inch wide and, like the CB2, is made from and fully lined with premium saddle leather.

The CSB7 Cop belt is a 1.25-inch-wide holster belt constructed from full-grain cowhide and lined with premium, center-cut steerhide. Included with the CSB7 is a nickel-plated, solid-brass buckle.

For more information, visit galcogunleather.com or call 800-874-2526.

Safariland

Safariland’s belt offerings span from covert to casual to duty to tactical. Designed for plainclothes or off-duty wear, the Models 851 and L830 are 1.5-inch-wide belts lined along the interior with a strip of vegetable-tanned cowhide for added stability. The 851 belt is curved to fit the contours of the body and features two hidden cuff keys, one on the back of the waistband and one behind the buckle for easy accessibility.

The Model 4832 is a lightweight duty belt featuring a buckle-less design. Measuring 2.25 inches wide, it’s made with a durable, leather-looking material that’s 30 percent lighter than standard duty belt materials.

The 2.25-inch-wide Model 832 duty belt is designed to be used with Safariland’s Quick Attachment System (QAS), which includes Equipment Locking System (ELS) and the Quick Locking System (QLS) forks and plates. It features four rows of pre-cut holes running the full length of the belt, through which ELS 35 or QLS 22 receiver plates can be affixed at various angles, allowing for customization of the rig as the mission demands.

For more information, visit safariland.com or call 800-347-1200.