Belt kits for hunting, what you find useful

[Wapiti]

Just wondering from all you hunters-outdoorspeople out there, what items do you find essential and most useful for a day doing what you do?

Items on your belt that see you through the days' activities, what's really useful and needed.
And even, the belt itself.
Not the stuff you'd put in a bumbag or pack, because that's skys-the-limit.
So you can get in and out of your 4wd without taking it off, stuff that always has to be there and not "oh crap, forgot my kit"

Interested in your thoughts, what you've found essential, or un-needed, or just hype.
Considering we are not on the streets here, but out in the bush away from silly laws or public opinion.

[bladeracer]

Just wondering from all you hunters-outdoorspeople out there, what items do you find essential and most useful for a day doing what you do?

Items on your belt that see you through the days' activities, what's really useful and needed.
And even, the belt itself.
Not the stuff you'd put in a bumbag or pack, because that's skys-the-limit.
So you can get in and out of your 4wd without taking it off, stuff that always has to be there and not "oh crap, forgot my kit"

Interested in your thoughts, what you've found essential, or un-needed, or just hype.
Considering we are not on the streets here, but out in the bush away from silly laws or public opinion.

On my everyday trouser belt I have a water bottle, my phone pouch, a grenade pouch that holds my keys (which are lanyarded to my belt), folding shears (Chinese copy of the Leatherman), two Israeli bandages, snake bandage, tourniquet, two multitools (a Leatherman with bit kit and a Gerber), two torches, knife sharpener, some folding knives, two pairs of gloves, and a compact dump pouch that I can open up to carry stuff when needed. In my cargo pockets I have some muesli bars, pens, markers, insulation tape, a fire starter rod, hay bale string, some more knives and torches, a fencing wire twister tool, my wallet, ear plugs, a bunch of chamber safety flags, an empty bread bag (for collecting brass) and my ID lanyard. I like to have a pair of sidecutters but they're not here currently, I gave them to Rose the other day to do something and they haven't come back. I do go to places where I prefer not to wear this gear (and when I need to wear a gun belt) but the trousers still go in the car with me so I know I have my gear if I need it. When it starts getting hotter I'll add another water bottle to my belt.

[Wapiti]

Mate, is that for hunt?
Imagine it is

What about EDC? You're a bloke that knows what you're doing.

What are the side cutters for? Are they quicker than a Leatherman for cutting through fences?

[bladeracer]

Mate, is that for hunt?
Imagine it is

What about EDC? You're a bloke that knows what you're doing.

What are the side cutters for? Are they quicker than a Leatherman for cutting through fences?

Everyday here on the farm. I do go into town for various reasons and I'm not getting changed just to appease other people.
We get lots of fence damage so I like to be able to do quick repairs when I find an issue rather than have to leave a fence down until I can come back with tools. Baling string will fix a fence up until I can come back to it with wire. Let's just say, the side cutters are a whole lot cheaper than a Leatherman, so the Leatherman only gets used to cut fences in emergencies

For hunting I'm still wearing my belt but I wear another harness over it with more specific hunting gear onboard. The harness can be removed though, which means I might not have it when I need it. The belt stays on me so I'm unlikely to not have it - that's also why I carry water and pocket food.

[Wapiti]

Thanks for that insight.
Ah, fences. The bane of my life ATM.
I do think about laws though, for an example if I was to carry a knife in a pouch separate from a multi-tool, which I always do, I have to strip a few things off the belt before a trip into town for supplies. I don't want to push my luck here.
I remember when my wife was doing a hairdresser trip in Warwick Qld where we have a place too, with a mate of hers from way back when they were coppers working in western Qld. Her mate is now a Sergeant-in-charge of a copshop in Logan, so obviously has the mindset still of a head full of laws. As police do. My wife had her Leatherman on her belt, wearing jeans, and her mate chastised her for it and the argument went on for awhile.
"Take that off, you can be arrested and it will reflect badly on me"
"It's not a knife, it's a Leatherman and it's always on me, I'm also a farmer"
"It's got a knife on it, you aren't working on the farm and don't need to be wearing it so take it off"
"I'm not taking it off, you know that is bullsh*t and drop it, you don't arrest someone for being in a car they could use to drive over people"
"that's being stupid now, you know what I mean"
"yep, so your laws are stupid and you are considering me a criminal when I am not"
Where have we heard that so many times lately with firearms? Our "minders" are brainwashed and completely blindfolded to the constant indoctrination they are unable to see is bullsh*t.

I've never thought about carrying food on me when working around the farm, or water. Of course if I'm off to a job somewhere which is an everyday thing, because I need other equipment I definitely have hydration coming with me. Distances can be a bit far for walking there so it'll be either in a buggy, ute or tractor so yeah getting caught without water when working is not smart.
Our joint isn't a big one by any means but to get to the back corner from the house for an example is a 45 minute ute drive.

I carry a bit of stuff on a Kent's leather belt, in pouches that keep everything in close so's not to get in the way and catching on stuff.
I liked to carry a sheath knife quite a bit, but it just keeps getting grabbed by everything all day. The pistol is another matter, gets ground into the dirt when getting under something or belted into staff all day, and the reflex sight acts like a funnel for dust which fills the glass. None of the US-inspired holsters made take everyday use past fantasy and tacticool and address real daily wear.
The old Leather US .45 1911 holsters had this solved, but modern guns with reflex sights and lasers do not fit. They need to be moulded and nobody makes one that I know - they just don't look cool enough.

I'm interested in people's EDC, really I'm looking for ideas.
Interested in what people have found useful.

For example, the Leatherman.. do we really ever use all the tools, or do we just use the pliers and cutters? I do, and they are hopeless at that too. But how else to carry plers small enough to sit on a belt and really be useful?

[bladeracer]

For example, the Leatherman.. do we really ever use all the tools, or do we just use the pliers and cutters? I do, and they are hopeless at that too. But how else to carry plers small enough to sit on a belt and really be useful?

Fences are a neverending issue for us too, there are always trees coming down. And we graze our cows on properties that don't have stock, so they don't have great fences.

That's why I bought the Leatherman with the Bit Kit, I think it cost me $300 some years ago. It's saves having to carry screwdrivers. And I need two multitools because it's a safe bet I'll drop it and won't be able to bend down to get it while holding onto something that is trying to hurt me

I find the same with sheath knives, too bulky, I prefer folders. I have a sheath knife on the back of my Cowboy gunbelt though, and it is razor sharp. I used it to cut the leather to make the sheath for it.

What holster are you using? I'm using an Aussie-made Airborne Customs but mounted on a Blade-Tech paddle. I really like it. But I also bought two service holsters from an officer returned from Afghanistan. The Fobus C-21 is excellent with very good retention, too much retention for IPSC though. The Hellweg is very adjustable with thumb-break retention. Can wear it high on the belt or low on the thigh, and adjust the angles for vehicle use or crossdraw. This is the Airborne Customs I'm using - https://airbornecustoms.com.au/collections/holsters/products/fn-browning-hi-power-holster I'll have to order one for the 1911 as well but I'm using that for Cowboy so I'm using a leather holster, not allowed plastic or velcro in Cowboy.

[fussy]

EDC: Leatherman with AAA torch and a small ferro rod.
Hunting: ditto plus...EPIRB, maybe knife. Assuming I'm within 10-200m of the car

[Wapiti]

Bladeracer, I've been through a few holsters, the more tactical type I see with all the cool tattooed US dudes are awful.
Thanks for posting yours.
Heres a few I've used.
The only one that is any good is the old leather Aker.
having said that, any holster that the bigger Sig P226 fits, will fit my shorter-in-the-grip and shorter barrel P229. But in Aus, there's SFA for carrying something flat that is leather. I'm not a nylon webbing kind of person.

Holsters.jpg (676.87 KiB) Viewed 26 times

The ones at the top are 2-point security, cover everything but stick out and bash into everything. that's not also when they're catching on machinery or gear and ripping you off your feet. And won't fit a red-dot or torch, but they aren't necessary anyway.

There's a paddle, for when you forget to thread one on your belt in the morning'
Theres one that goes on your belt iof you remember, and is height adjustable.
Theres one that drops down so you can show everyone you have a pistol on, and guaranteed to bash into everything you walk past.

They might look great on YouTube for those tactical training types that run around in circles in quarries at "training" shooting at steel plates at 10 feet with no enemy shooting back from the top of the berm, but not real life.
The old worn out Aker, I imported from the US and it's perfect for a standard pistol. Sits super-flat and nobody knows I wear a pistol on the farm when my shirts out.
But it's getting kinda old. Been saddle-soaped 1000 times, been soaked wet dozens of times. Great lifespan for being carried 300 days out of 365.

OldAker.jpg (693.68 KiB) Viewed 26 times

[bladeracer]

Bladeracer, I've been through a few holsters, the more tactical type I see with all the cool tattooed US dudes are awful.
Thanks for posting yours.
Heres a few I've used.
The only one that is any good is the old leather Aker.
having said that, any holster that the bigger Sig P226 fits, will fit my shorter-in-the-grip and shorter barrel P229. But in Aus, there's SFA for carrying something flat that is leather. I'm not a nylon webbing kind of person.

Holsters.jpg

The ones at the top are 2-point security, cover everything but stick out and bash into everything. that's not also when they're catching on machinery or gear and ripping you off your feet. And won't fit a red-dot or torch, but they aren't necessary anyway.

There's a paddle, for when you forget to thread one on your belt in the morning'
Theres one that goes on your belt iof you remember, and is height adjustable.
Theres one that drops down so you can show everyone you have a pistol on, and guaranteed to bash into everything you walk past.

They might look great on YouTube for those tactical training types that run around in circles in quarries at "training" shooting at steel plates at 10 feet with no enemy shooting back from the top of the berm, but not real life.
The old worn out Aker, I imported from the US and it's perfect for a standard pistol. Sits super-flat and nobody knows I wear a pistol on the farm when my shirts out.
But it's getting kinda old. Been saddle-soaped 1000 times, been soaked wet dozens of times. Great lifespan for being carried 300 days out of 365.

OldAker.jpg

I prefer leather as well. You reminded me, I have a 1911 holster like those plastic ones but I don't like using the trigger finger for anything except trigger work. Pretty sure we can't use trigger-finger retention systems in competition either. My leather 1911 holster is similar to yours. I can run the belt over the outside of the holster instead of under it, which does make it less obtrusive, but is also a little less comfortable. I'll have to dig out my old leather IPSC holster and mag pouches to see if they'll work with the Hi Power or 1911.

[Wapiti]

But here's the new one, only a month old.
It holds the gun with a torch/laser combo, so I don't need an extra torch, or even aim in low light. Yeah looks a bit gay still, too new, but it won't soon.

229newholster.jpg (676.42 KiB) Viewed 16 times

[Wapiti]

So here's my everyday belt kit. I wear everything every day.
This also explains that I have to remember what I do the times I leave the place.

Fullkit.jpg (695.33 KiB) Viewed 16 times

First there's the gun, with a torch on it. Great for peering up dark hollow logs or after dark. Don't laugh, it sure has.
Spare 15-shot mag in the pouch. Some days I don't take that.
Large folder knife in a pouch, 4" blade, Good knife, and mounted sideways, craps on a flopping around sheath knife. No, it doesn't take the place of a proper dressing and boning knife, but it's there all the time.
Leatherman. Might swap out for a small, high-quality pliers/cutter instead. Getting the sh*ts with these gimmicks. Or Chink pliers in the multi-tools that go PING when you cut HT fence wire.
SPOT satellite beacon. I can text, send messages and SOS, essential for me because we have no mobile service away from the house wifi. My wife can liog on from work and watch me moving around on a satellite map in real time too.
All in Kents (local saddlery) pouches mounted sideways, on a Kents hobble belt. Some pouches are newer than others, because the previous ones have expired from being constantly worn, wet or sweated on.

[Wapiti]

Deleted double post. WTF

[Wapiti]

The SPOT. Tiny thing, and a lifesaver.
I have no use for anything with a map screen on it.

[Wapiti]

Hobble belt. The two-ring design means you can rip it off and hobble a horse at night, a sick cow so you can come back with a tractor and a cow-lifter, or hobble a deer or whatever to bring it back to cover if it's crook. Or for poachers.
It's a normal belt until you set it up this way in a few seconds.

HobbleBelt.jpg (688.88 KiB) Viewed 14 times

When I used to fly back from site jobs and have to dress up in the city gear and hit the Brisbane city company highrise, all the other office management and engineers had the same belt on - the sickening RM Williams double-keeper fu*cking gay belt. And the world's most uncomfortable crap RM boots. All competing with one another to look like the same as the next bloke.

"Wow, what belt is that? I haven't ever seen one of them before, where'd ja git it? I just wear what everyone else does"