Hunting belts, anybody wear them?

[Scout21]

I've been considering making something along these lines to carry some hunting gear. Just a little something to hold my Opinel or Green River knife, possibly an extra mag, water bottle, flashlight, and a .22 pistol. I like the traditional look as well as being able to wear it over a coat/shirt so that it doesn't weigh down my pants. I've also got an old ALICE belt that I may use for this purpose.

Does anyone else use belts to carry gear while hunting? What do you wear on them? Homemade or store bought? Any tips or advice?

 

[Double Naught Spy]

Thought about going with a belt rig and went with a chest/vest rig instead. It just allowed me to carry more without needing a pack.

If that is about all you are carrying, then that is great.

 

[Patocazador]

I carry a small 9mm in a belt holster when bowhunting. Otherwise no.

I used to carry a fanny pack with more stuff than I'd ever need but when I got over 70 I ditched it. Actually, I put it behind the truck seat and filled it with butchering tools.

 

[Chuck R.]

Don't use a "bat belt" myself, mostly because I have a tough time keeping my belt/pants up as it is..

I do use Perry Suspenders, and about the only things I have on my belt are my knife and a Fenix Flashlight. All else is either in my backpack or in my vest (while doing drives).

I don't do the sidearm thing.. weight and I found myself shooting other things; squirrels, grouse etc. rather than focusing on what I was there for in the first place.

 

[Ranger99]

Don't have any photos available
Some time ago when I regularly
dove hunted, and had lots of places
to go that weren't yet covered up
by subdivisions and office buildings,
I used to have a few of those places
that were vast agricultural fields and
I had to walk a good ways to get to
where I needed to be.
The usual thing is to have a "dove belt "
with a pouch on either side for ammo
and the necessary game pouch at
the rear. Early season in this area is
just way too hot at times for a vest.
After a while, I realized I
was going to have to change something
because the weight of the ammo and
water and a sandwich or something
and whatever else was kinda rough
belt carrying over a good ways of
plowed fields. I eventually took a
set of LBE suspenders and cut the
snap ends off, and pinned the ends
to the belt in the proper place, and
had the dry cleaners/alteration shop
sew it together with his heavy duty
sewing machine. Worked really well
for a few boxes of shells and a good
sized water container and such.
You can buy similar rigs nowadays
from the sporting places.
Another thing I've used is back
when I was repairing the fences at
my place after I'd bought it was the
wide heavy leather tool belt that the
home and building supply stores
sell, and the pouches you add as
needed. I had a steel hammer loop
and two different pouches for staples
and T-post clips. After everybody
started seeing big cats regularly, I
added a leather holster for a pew pew.
I eventually used the fence fixing
belt for a "hunting " belt a couple of
times when I didn't have something
else. Works pretty good. The wide
leather belt supports everything well,
and the hammer loop is sized about
right for a regular sized flashlight

 

[Wolfshead]

I’ve considered a hunting belt.
I could easily make one. I do a lot of leatherwork so that would be no problem, and I would be able to have it done my way.
I'm just not sure it fits my style.
I love the idea of a separate belt from the one holding up my pants, maybe outside my jacket, and to carry a sidearm on.
just not sure it’s for me….

 

[jmorris]

I carry everything I normally do hunting. Phone, pistol, pen, flashlight, leatherman and a folder. I used wilderness tactical belts for a long time but the Uncle mikes instructor belt is a little stiffer and I prefer them.

 

[Kingcreek]

I wear a sturdy wilderness instructor belt because about the only hunting I do anymore is whitetail bowhunting. I want a belt sturdy enough to support my weight as a backup if I had some kind of failure of my safety vest and lifeline system. I wear a sheath knife on it. Everything else in pockets or pouches, rangefinder, flashlight, etc

 

[mcb]

I leave the handgun behind when I am hunting with a rifle in most situations. The only thing on the belt is the phone and multi-tool. If I am carrying a handgun then holster and a reload or two go on the belt also. My hunting gear is in my chest rig for the quick access stuff and my backpack for the rest. Coat pockets catch miscellaneous stuff as needed.

 

[caribou]

I use a belt most every day, to hold my knife 'round my waist, also, in Summer, to hold my rain pants up.

In winter I use the same belt to hold my Parkee down as I ride my snowgo, and it also creates a huge "pocket' I put my Sat phone, camera, flashlight and lunch......LOL! and keep them from freezing.

 

[Anchorite]

Hill People Gear chest kit bag. Hunting extras go in, arms remain free. It’s the bees knees.

 

[Ugly Sauce]

I've always worn what I call a "pistol belt", I guess the same thing. No, one does not want to/should not hang stuff on one's pant's belt. The trick to a pistol/hunting (?) belt is to wear it a tiny bit below your pant's belt or belt line.

I used to carry quite a bit on the pistol belt, canteen, pistol, pistol ammo, knife, rifle ammo, etc. I've since trimmed it down to just rifle ammo, pistol and knife. Almost all my pistols have ammo "self contained" with/in the holster. If I do have a separate pouch for the pistol ammo, it's small and only carries 12 rounds. I carry my water in a over-shoulder canteen, boda-bag, or some in my pack. The wild country I wander has lots of water so I don't have to carry much. Close to home on the State Lands I wouldn't drink the water, so I have to carry quite a bit.

Suspenders with belt such as the GI/LBE system works well, I've used that quite a bit, and a pack can go right over it. A leather strap that goes across the chest and to the belt on the pistol side also gives some suspension and if adjusted right is comfortable and spreads out the load.

As I hunt/hike/trekk/explore and play map-and-compass in some very remote and wild country, I always go "full" gear. So a pistol belt and pack are important. Also, if I take off my pack for any reason, or was separated from it, (not sure how that would happen) I want to still have fire, sidearm, and big knife on me.