How to Keep Your Duty Belt from Sagging
It's critical to keep your duty belt from sagging for many reasons. From long-term back pain to the ability to effectively serve, weight distribution and stability are of the utmost importance when fitting your belt. Duty belts can become very heavy. With all the gadgets and other equipment that police officers need to carry every day, it is crucial to know how to get your duty belt set up.
You can prevent your duty belt from sagging with many techniques. New products and developments are coming out all the time to solve these issues that security/police officers face.
My Duty Belt Sags. So What?
Some people don't notice immediate pain or see what's wrong with a duty belt that might sag a bit, but the consequences that can come from it are harsher than you might think. A fully loaded duty belt can weigh up to 30 pounds. If that weight is not seated on your hips correctly, it can cause a lot of pain in your hips and lower back. If you are already experiencing back or hip pain from how you have worn your duty belt in the past, or maybe the way you currently wear it, this article can teach you some ways to relieve that pain.
If your duty belt sags a bit and you don't experience any pain, you might wonder what the big deal is. If you don't experience immediate discomfort, you should still be concerned about what issues the instability may cause down the road. Your pain and well-being are not the only reasons your duty belt should fit properly and have the support it needs. If your duty belt is sagging or doesn't hold tight above your hips, that can cause issues in your ability to serve the community adequately. To perform the tasks of many who wear duty belts, the ability to run, jump and move effectively and comfortably is critical!
How To Keep Your Duty Belt Up
Many smaller people require a duty belt setup for a skinnier waist. These days there are many techniques and particular products you can use to keep your duty belt up. Some are better than others, but they all have their place. The first part you should learn about is how to wear a duty belt correctly. Next, you should know about equipment placement. You can disperse the weight using proper pouches/holders and securing your equipment in the right spots around your waist.
One typical solution to belt stability and comfortability is belt keepers. A belt keeper is a little nylon or leather loop with a button to hold it in a closed loop. They are used to loop around the duty belt and the inner belt holding them together for stability. As you might imagine, these little belt keepers work, but they are very obnoxious. Another solution to prevent sagging on a duty belt set up for a smaller waist is suspenders. For good reasons, suspenders are not as prevalent and have particular problems too. Like the cross strap on the classic Sam Browne belt, suspenders create many opportunities to get caught or grabbed. A combination of inner and outer belts is the best duty belt setup. The two lock together with velcro. The under belt has velcro around the outside that sticks to the duty belt's velcro around the inside. This option provides the most solidity and comfort. Whether spending hours in your patrol car or needing to sprint after a suspect, the velcro inner and outer belt will lend to the most comfort and support.
X Belts Under Belt
The X Belt's velcro inner belt with built-in stretch is the best inner belt to pair with your duty belt. This under belt has a buckle to clasp closed and the perfect amount of stretch for comfort without compromising stability. The patent-pending X Belt Stretch holds the entire weight of law enforcement equipment but allows the belt to flex with the body's movements. If you want to upgrade your duty belt setup or need a solution for ergonomics and performance, get an X-belt-designed velcro inner belt today!
