In my quest to carry as much useful survival equipment as possible on my body at any given time, the Survival Belt 2.0 is an invaluable piece of gear. It not only offers the convenience of saving space in my pocket and makes sure I don’t leave an item behind, but it also offers comfort wrapped up in a discrete package. So what exactly is it? The Survival Belt from SlideBelts is a rugged belt that hides four different tools within the buckle and enhances your EDC loadout.
While the belt itself often gets overlooked compared to the tools, it is worth noting that the one size fits all belt is pretty special. Its webbed core is incredibly strong (almost 1500 PSI of tensile strength) and is covered by a UV protected, waterproof, abrasion-resistant coating that is even resistant to extremely cold weather and high temperatures up to 214-degrees. It flexes easily and won’t crack, fade, or melt under extreme natural conditions. It is 1.5-inches wide, fits up to a 48” waist, and can be trimmed for the right fit.
The belt strap utilizes a track of continuous notches that span the length of the belt for easy adjustments and the most comfortable fit possible. When carrying a weapon or without, the Survival Belt makes sitting down and making small adjustments to the fit incredibly easy – it only requires the lifting of the buckle’s dual lever release. The buckle is constructed of a very clean looking metal alloy face and a glass-filled nylon base. It provides a secure lock on the belt track and is very comfortable with no sharp edges. In my experience carrying compact and subcompact polymer framed pistols, this belt has been sturdy enough to function as a gun belt — although experiences may vary.
The list of tools includes a ferrocerium fire starter, bottle opener, LED flashlight, and locking knife.
The fire starter is found on the opposite end of the LED flashlight, which provides an excellent grip to utilize the 1-inch ferro rod. By using the sharpening choil portion of the knife, you can achieve the sparks you need to get a flame.
The LED flashlight is powered by four small LR621 batteries and provides a more-than-adequate number of lumens to aid is seeing in low-light conditions. Though the light is small, the knurled grip is easy to hold onto when twisting to activate the light.
The knife features a bottle opener on the spine and features a liner lock. This blade is incredibly sharp. It is made of AUS-8 Stainless Steel and comes with an excellent factory edge. It is coated in a Titanium Nitride finish and has held up to daily wear that I’ve put it through. I must add that it is actually comfortable to wield, so it isn’t just for looks. It works.
Cost for the Survival Belt 2.0 is $150 and can be found on the SlideBelt website, where they offer various strap colors if you want to mix things up. Whether you choose a minimalist approach to your daily loadout or you choose to add this to your extensive list of every day carry items, this is an invaluable piece of gear to make sure you always have a sturdy strap, knife, light, and fire-starting source. Keep in mind, this belt is not TSA approved so if you intend to travel with it keep that in mind and pack accordingly. As an added benefit, I have found that this belt can either be dressed down (casual) or dressed up so you can literally wear it anywhere where the contained items aren’t prohibited.
*Featured image courtesy of Slide Belts, all other photos courtesy of the author
