No one likes saggy pants, certainly not Bigfoot Gunbelts. Sometimes, you need a belt to hold your pants up because they don’t fit right. Other times, you need a belt to hold your pants up, because you’ve got a firearm at your side. Either way, Bigfoot Gunbelts has you covered. Although they may be best known for their steel-core leather belts, it’s their Tactical EDC that I was most interested in.
Description
Unlike the typical double layer belt, the standout feature here is the spring steel core. You read that right. While dual layers of nylon may be enough for other companies, they don’t stop there. It’s actually a sandwich of nylon and steel. I don’t think you’ll find anything stronger than this belt. At 1.5 inches tall, it looks like a standard, low-profile belt. But it’s much stronger than either nylon or leather. You could probably drive over this belt, and it won’t curl over. Or use it as a two strap, in a pinch (Maybe don’t do that. It probably could, but I’m not really suggesting it).
Complementing this tough belt is a genuine COBRA® quick-detach buckle. Although that won’t fit through most belt loops, there is an easy solution. The left-hand side of the belt has a tail that threads through the buckle, and then a huge strip of hook and loop fastener (like Velcro®) material allows for a range of adjustment. The end result is a belt that fits a wide range of sizes. That bit of smart design means that they only have to manufacture them in six different sizes, rather than a dozen or more. It also makes inventory and ordering easier too.
Sizing, buckles, and color options
They offer a comprehensive guide to measuring for a belt, with a few different options. Once you know the length you need, it’s just a matter of choosing from their sizing. The six sizes run from small (29″-32″) up to 3XL (49″-52″). Included in the sizing guide is advice for allowing extra room, such as for IWB carry. Buckle options include the COBRA® quick-detach or COBRA® black slim. Color options are kept simple at black, Coyote Tan, or Wolf Grey.
Despite the inconvenience of not being able to run a COBRA® buckle through my belt loops, I am a big fan of the design. Strong, positive latching, and one-hand disengaging makes them a great choice. It doesn’t hurt that they’re one of the better looking buckles out there too.
Initial adjustments
Due to the size of the buckle (2″), it’s necessary to unthread the belt from the buckle to get it through most belt loops. From there, the 1.5″ belt needs to be threaded through the belt loops, and back through the buckle. Finally, pull it snug and attach the hook and loop fastener section. It may take a few tries to get the perfect length. For IWB carry, don’t forget to leave a little extra room. In my case, I use this belt with a drop leg while shooting outdoors, so no extra room required.
This “no holes” design is both good and bad, depending on the individual. A typical belt with 1″ spacing between the holes isn’t always ideal. Many times, we’re forced to choose between a little too snug, or a little too loose. The step-less design of the Tactical EDC means never having to compromise. If you can set your belt to an exact length, and never need to adjust it, it’s great. Or course, the downside is that when it does need adjusting, it’s not as simple as going one hole in either direction.
Not quite an EDC belt for me
Working from home since March of last year has meant a wardrobe change. Sort of. Most days I wore shorts, and went barefoot too. “EDC” takes on a different meaning when you rarely leave the house. But weekends were spent shooting outdoors. And that required boots and jeans. So I used the Tactical EDC with a drop leg holster. It easily supported a full size, all steel CZ pistol.
In the interest of proper testing, I also adjusted it for use with a Shield, carried IWB. Again, it took a little while to get it set up to my liking. The belt is a solid performer, but at the same time it’s not ideal as an EDC belt for me. When I do go back to the office, I am not allowed to carry in our building. So I can either set it up for the 8 hours of non-carry, or leave it too loose. In the end, I will use this belt on weekends, or when I can carry all day. If you’re fortunate enough to be able to carry all day, it’s great.
My final thoughts
Without question, the Tactical EDC is a great belt. Easily the most durable belt I have seen. Its COBRA® buckle looks awesome and performs flawlessly. Should hold a substantial load-out with ease. The MSRP of $63.88 is quite reasonable too. If you’re able to “set it and forget it”, this is an easy choice. If you are swapping between different pairs of pants all the time, or switching from IWB to OWB, it isn’t as convenient as I would like. But those are small details, and it’s up to the end user to decide what is most important.
I’d like to thank the folks at Bigfoot Gunbelts for sending this over their Tactical EDC belt for review. It’s a quality belt, and while it’s not perfect for my needs, I wouldn’t hesitate to recommend it to friends. If you want more info, or want to buy one, you can find them on the Bigfoot Gunbelts website.