Given that I wear a similar belt every day, I was interested to see Hussar Tactical’s offering. Alex from Gen Kit Exchange has lent me one from his stock from the pop-up kit stalls they will soon have at some of the UK Garrisons. So watch out for that!
Firstly the buckle. AustriAlpin Cobra buckle, utterly bomb proof! I am a big fan of these buckles. All the benefit of a solid metal buckle that has a 4000 lbs breaking strain with the convenience of quick release. They are serious bits of kit and the buckle probably makes up most of the production costs on the belt. So although the belt is £36 ($50.00), Hussar Tactical won’t be making an enormous profit on it.
Secondly the belt itself. It is 45mm (1.88 inches) wide (think PLCE belt width. The PLCE (Personal Load Carrying Equipment) is the current tactical webbing system of the British Armed Forces.) so is comfortably sized for uniform beltloops and will fit jeans fine too. There may be some issues with “non-tactical” brands of trousers if you are planning to use this as a contractor. However, Hussar Tactical do make these belts in 38mm (1.5 inches) width too.
The stitching is excellent throughout. Neat, straight, well finished and well reinforced at all the relevant stress points. I also really like the way the tail of the belt has been finished off in a very neat rounded shape, it shows great attention to detail.
A significant point to be aware of with this belt is that it is single thickness. So, if you are looking for a belt to mount a holster straight to, it’s not the belt for you. This belt is best suited to go inside a MOLLE sleeve if you are looking at it to mount kit. Hussar do also make a really good looking Riggers belt called the Defender that would be well worth a look for mounting kit directly.
Another feature I liked was that instead of a really bulky metal loop, like you find on a rigger belt, it has a soft loop instead. This makes the belt much easier to take on and off. It also means there isn’t that really annoying little tab that holds the metal loop flat when it isn’t in use. All the benefits of a tie-in point without the faff and bulk.
The belt I received is coyote brown with a black buckle. The colour will be a great match for MTP, so should be Raz Man friendly. You can also buy this belt with a coyote coloured buckle if you want it to be uniform (did you see what I did there?) in colour.
I have already mentioned the Cobra buckle, but the rest of the belt is made from equally high quality materials. The belt comes in coyote brown (black or coyote buckle), black (black buckle), olive green (olive and black buckle) and grey (black buckle).
The belts are generously sized. I received a medium which is described as fitting a 33”-40” waist. I am a 34” waist and the tail of the belt comes to the 4 o’clock position on my waist. Unlike many similar belts there is plenty of loop velcro for the belt to attach to, so you won’t be forced to cut it down and have a long tail dangling about.
Overall this is a really well made bit of kit, constructed using high quality materials. It is also manufactured in the UK. Their range of belts is well worth looking at as they have something that caters for pretty much any need. If the don’t, they also have a custom belt service. I will certainly be talking to them about a double thickness belt with a plastic Cobra buckle to make life easier when I’m travelling through airports.
The next step up from the Sentinel is the Defender
To sum up this is a great belt, ideal for going inside a MOLLE sleeve if you want to mount kit. It is bomb-proof construction using high quality materials. I would say that if you are in the market for a top-notch belt Hussar Tactical are the people to go and talk to! You can get them here.
Cost: ($50.00) GET IT HERE Belt shown is Olive green and the same specifications as the one reviewed!
Value for Money: 4
Ease of use: 5
Construction: 4
Allyness: 4
The HUSSAR TACTICAL “SENTINEL” BELT is a semi-rigid, lightweight product designed and manufactured to the highest military standards with the best quality materials available. Suitable for use by military, police and security personnel but also for any outdoor enthusiast.
Product specification:
- AustriAlpin Cobra quick release buckle with standard size clips
- Mil Spec 38mm polyamide webbing that outperform and last longer than standard nylon webbing!
- Performance threads produced by AMANN Serafil & Ariadna
- Genuine Velcro® hook & loop *(optional)
AustriAlpin Cobra Buckles (patented) are, without equal, the world’s safest and strongest load bearing quick release buckles available with frame tested to 9kN. Each Cobra Buckle is machined from 7075 aluminium alloy with solid brass and stainless steel internal release mechanism.
They are also the only stab-lock style fastener in the safety products market that will not open while under load.
All Cobra products are tested and certified by highly respected independent /3rd party test houses and exceed Mil Spec guidelines for dust / sand / salt water as well as CE, CSA, ANSI, and NFPA standards.
Minimum breaking load: Loop configuration – 18kN; Direct load – 9kN
Made in the UK – Life Time Guarantee
This Kit Pest Review was written by Ben OToole. Hopefully you enjoyed it and if you have any thoughts or comments related to this article then leave a comment!
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