Concealed Carry: The Best Tactical Belts For EDC

Most gear heads bring a whole new definition to the table concerning everyday carry. Typically, these individuals are known to carry more heavyweight and tactical gear with them as opposed to lightweight and minimalist. Heavy-duty flashlights, multitools outfitted to last a lifetime and get the job done swiftly, and maybe even a bit of firearm protection to boot. These are the guys who don’t mess around with the small stuff and certainly don’t sweat it either. So, in accordance with carrying reliable gear, you can bet these guys favor reliable belts to keep everything intact. And in this regard, there really is no better choice than a quality gear or duty belt — the latest and greatest of which we’ll be shining a light on today in this guide to the best tactical belts.

What Exactly Is A Tactical Belt?

Tactical belts are a type of purpose-built belts that are engineered specifically for police and military personnel to carry weapons and other tactical gear and accessories. As such, tactical belts can be traced back to as far as the Roman Legion, which used an ancient version of tactical belts to carry it Gladius swords and and other pieces of kit. Sometimes made from leather but most commonly cut from nylon webbing, modern tactical belts — also known as police belts, duty belts, duty rigs, kit belts, or gun belts — typically feature low-profile designs that sport a myriad of connections and attachment points for mounting and carrying gear such as firearms, flashlights, magazines, knives, radios, and other pieces of kit. 

Another defining characteristic of tactical belts is their buckles, which are almost always extremely robust and, more often than not, feature quick-release mechanisms that allow the belt to easily be removed using just one hand. What’s more, not only do these belts need to be able to support ample weight from all the gear that they carry, but they also need to be able to stand up to the abuses and rigors that stem from close quarter combat and other tactical uses and applications. As a result, tactical belts almost always boast immense durability, in terms of both their material selection, buckle and hardware, and the construction technique(s) used to piece them together.  

What Factors Should I Consider When Shopping For A Tactical Belt?

While there’s no shortage of areas one can factor into their decision when shopping for a tactical belt, there does exist a small handful of elements that undoubtedly trump the rest in terms of importance — the most crucial of which we’ll be breaking down directly below. 

Primary Construction: This area is of pretty monumental importance, as it comprises the majority of the tactical belt itself. The actual belt portion of these items is most commonly composed of a high-denier piece of nylon or CORDURA webbing, though you do occasionally see models cut from poly blends, leather, or other rugged constructions. Additionally, you’ll also want to explore if a tactical belt’s primary construction has been coated with any special fortifying treatment or laminating. 

Construction Technique: A tactical belt is only as strong as its weakest point. As a result, the manner in which these belts are pieced together plays a significant role in their overall durability — making this another pivotal factor to consider when shopping. 

Buckle: After the material used to make the belt, the next most important factor to explore is no doubt a tac belt’s buckle. Engineered to withstand immense amounts of weight without failing, tactical belt buckles are almost always crafted from an alloy construction and more often than not are of the quick-release variety — though magnetic-coupling buckles have also started to become more and more popular as of late. The most commonly-used type of buckles in this space include cinching metal items and AustriAlpin COBRA buckles. 

Attachment Points: As belts that are primarily designed for carrying gear, the number of connection and attachment points on a tactical belt is another absolutely pivotal area to review when shopping. These can include everything from anchored D-rings and carabiners to laser-cut swaths of MOLLE webbing to simple loop systems.

Add-Ons & Accessories: Some tactical belts sport modular designs with attachment points that have been engineered to be paired with a variety of optional add-ons such as holsters, mag pouches, or radio holders. Because these items are all designed to work together, they have the ability to massively simplify the shopping experience. 

Size: While you’re obviously going to want to opt for a tactical belt that’s long enough to go around your waist, you’re also going to want to consider the width of the belt, as this will determine if it will fit through a pair of tactical pants’ belt loops. It’s also worth noting that some tactical belts are simply worn at the hip rather than being run through the pants’ belt loops. 

Style & Color: Pretty much all tactical belts feature a decidedly tactical, military-inspired appearance — an area furthered by the fact these belts are almost always sold in traditional military colors like OD green, coyote, and various camo patterns. There are also tac belts that come in more neutral colors for those interested in a less military-inspired aesthetic. 

Condor Tactical Belt

Best Value Belt: For those who want a bit more convenience along with them on a daily basis or while on the range, Condor offers this durable and defense-ready 2” wide tactical belt that’s been engineered specifically for load-bearing. Cut from nylon webbing, this duty belt features a plastic buckle and a pair of included removable magazine pouches, plus is compatible with Condor’s Gen II Battle Belt. Outfitted as a modern-day gun belt, this piece will secure a holster and additional ammo without breaking a sweat, plus does so at a pretty unbeatable price. In fact, Condor’s Tactical Belt almost certainly offers some of the best bang for your buck of any tac or duty belt currently on the market. Lastly, in addition to being sold in OD green. Coyote, or black color options, Condor also produces this tactical belt in a variety of camouflage variants. 

Tacticon Armament Tactical Battle Belt

Best Quick-Release Belt: Based in Southern California, Tacticon Armament is a combat veteran owned and operated outfit that produces a wide range of gear and accessories that are engineered for use on the battlefield and though enough for soldiers to trust with their lives. Case in point, the Tacticon Armament Tactical Battle Belt. Sold in eight different solid and camo color options, the company’s Tactical Battle Belt is cut from a super rugged 1,000-denier PVC nylon before being outfitted with an external dual-row laser-cut MOLLE webbing array and a quick-release COBRA-style buckle. While it can be difficult to tell simply from looking at photos, this Tactical al belt boasts a level of quality, craftsmanship, and durability that make it ideal for even the most hardcore uses and applications. And, though it’s incredibly rugged, this belt weighs in at as little as 1oz.

Trayvax Cinch Belt

Best USA-Made Belt: Every Trayvax Cinch Belt is outfitted to handle whatever use and abuse are thrown its way. This is especially true when you consider it’s built from heavy-duty MIL-SPEC nylon webbing and features a tempered and anodized aerospace-grade aluminum buckle that together offer 2,000lbs of tensile strength. Sporting a slightly bent shape to better conform to the contours of the wearer’s body, this belt’s interchangeable, low-profile buckle — which is also offered in a titanium version — uses a simple yet clever design that offers instant tensioning and hassle-free locking. Comprised of USA-sourced materials that are manufactured and assembled here in America, this belt also comes backed by a 65-year heirloom warranty. Trayvax also sells individual replacement buckles and webbing for this 1.5” tactical belt. 

GRIP6 Tactical Belt

Best Minimalist Belt: One of the few minimalist tactical belts around, the Grip6 is both made here in the USA and is lightweight and comfortable for extended wear. It comes without any holes or flap, but with a fully adjustable strap to help you easily maintain a comfortable fit over longer periods of time. Each buckle starts out as a solid piece of aerospace-grade T 6061 aluminum before undergoing a 12-step CNC-machining process that culminates in every unit being laser-cut into its final shape — before finally receiving a satin-dip anodization process and a brushed finish. This buckle comes mated to a 1.5” section of high-tensile military-grade nylon fiber weave webbing belt webbing with a breaking strength of 2,000 pounds. Should you somehow manage to damage this tactical belt’s buckle or webbing, GRIP6 stands behind the product with a generous unlimited lifetime warranty.

5.11 Tactical Alta Belt

Best Overall Belt: Truly working to set the bar high, 511 Tactical’s heavy-duty Alta belt isn’t messing around thanks to its 1.75” thick bonded nylon webbing construction. More than stiff enough to support a holster and bevy of mag pouches, this duty belt boasts a parachute-grade metal buckle with a sliding tension bar, as well as a secondary triangular D-ring. In addition to offering precise adjustability, this hardware setup also enables this tactical item to easily be converted into a tie-down or carry strap as well. In typical 5.11 fashion, this belt is offered in a trio of traditional military colors (black, OD green, and coyote), all of which come paired with blacked-out hardware. For those more partial to quick-release mechanisms, 5.11 also produces an extremely similar version of this tactical belt that comes outfitted with an AustriAlpin COBRA buckle — a model known as the 5.11 Maverick Assaulters Belt. 

SlideBelts Survival Belt 2.0

Best Multi-Tool Belt: More than just a belt, the SlideBelts Survival Belt 2.0 serves as an all-in-one survival kit that you can conveniently carry around your waist. Complete with a width of 1.5” and fitting up to a 48” waist, this nifty belt boasts a handful of useful functionality should you find yourself in the backcountry for any amount of time. Features include an aluminum LED flashlight, a Ferro rod fire starter, and a titanium-nitride-coated AUS-8 stainless steel drop point blade with an integrated bottle opener. Capped off with a sleek metal alloy buckle face, the belt also boasts up to 1,500 PSI of tensile strength for pulling or carrying large and unwieldily items and is heat resistant up to 214 degrees F. While it may not make for a very practical gun belt, SlideBelts’ second-generation Survival Belt is no doubt worth considering when shopping in this space — especially if you spend a decent amount of time outdoors and/or off-grid. 

The Best Tactical EDC Gear For Mission-Ready Carry

Looking to build out your tactical gear loadout? Then be sure to head over to our guide to the best tactical EDC essentials for a curated list of daily carry items with a decided tactical edge.