Rigger, V2 or the duty set: picking a tactical belt

Tactical is a look for some buyers and a load rating for others. Our range splits the same way, so the first question is what the belt has to carry.

The rigger, $19.98

72,719 ratings, the biggest number in our catalogue. Stretch nylon webbing with a machined aluminium quick-release buckle. It holds trousers, a phone and a multitool, looks right with field clothing, and the elastic weave means you can drive or squat without the bar of a stiff belt in your gut. If you are not mounting a holster, stop reading here, this is the belt.

The V2, also $19.98

Same idea, different buckle: one-button zinc release instead of the twin-tab aluminium frame. Faster with gloves on, slightly heavier face. Reviews split on feel rather than function, so pick by which release you would rather operate a hundred times a month. It sits at 4.1 against the original's 4.6, mostly from people expecting the original buckle.

The duty set, $49.98

Two belts: an inner hook-and-loop belt that lives in your trouser loops and an outer 1000D nylon belt with bound MOLLE webbing and a dual-locking buckle. The outer carries the weight, the inner keeps it indexed in one place. This is for holsters, mag pouches and duty kit; worn empty it is stiffer and heavier than anyone needs. Its chart also assumes wearing over a jacket, so check the size finder rather than guessing from your trouser size.

Colour logic

The family colours follow field kit: coyote, army green, grey, black. Coyote reads brown next to most trousers and hides dust; black reads as a plain work belt in an office. There is no wrong answer, but if the belt must match existing gear, coyote is the shade the accessories market standardised on.