Steamer's Get Home Belt!!!

therealsteamer · October 22, 2006, 12:13 AM

Steamer’s Get Home Belt…!!

There will come a time in the near future when an event requires us to put all our skills to the test.
Having the practical knowledge, and gear to deal with this paramount!

In my personal plans and preparations I have decided that whatever the initial situation or event, getting home is priority one. Our children are nearby during the day, our supplies are there, and this is also where my wife intends to “rally”.

In preparing for the unexpected with this “Get Home” strategy in mind, I have tried several different methods of carrying my chosen gear with the idea that getting home should be able to be accomplished in a vehicle as well as on foot. I originally started out with a rather large backpack that I kept as my primary bag for a few years which eventually developed into two smaller packs, each containing a few duplicate items and additional things for our daughter as she grew older. I was finally able to “carve” my set up down to the point where it would all fit primarily into a medium sized “day pack”, with a secondary pack that would contain items to go on my personal belt and into a waist bag as well.

My ideal set up for this would be the tried and true original LBE. The combination of the belt and suspenders allows the pouches to be situated within a nearly 360 degree configuration. I do have a complete LBE, set up for myself for more serious SHTF type situations, but the issue I have with the LBE is its military connotations. IF for whatever reason I have to make it home on foot, I do not want to attract attention of anyone who might have their curiosity piqued due to my military looking appearance and impede my progress, be it Farmer Bob or Deputy Charles….

So when I went looking for an alternative to the LBE I found the market to be lacking to say the least….

Enter Armchair Tactical…

I contacted Larry at ACT about getting some of his custom gear several weeks ago. In addition to the “Get Home Belt” I wanted a few custom made pouches as well. “No Problem!!”, I was told. After a short exchange of ideas and prototypes, the completed belt is now “in service”.

The main panel is set up with three rows of MOLLE webbing. This works great for all sorts of attachment configurations. The rear pack/pouch (which has been thus dubbed my “ass bag”) measures 10”x8”x10” is also covered with webbing for additional attachment points. The water bottle/canteen pouches were made to my specifications to give them a multi-use capability. For starters each pouch will hold two standard 20oz. bottles, be it water, juice or soft drink; they will also hold three 16.9oz. bottles. This is the size of most smaller water bottles that come in sealed cases. Finally each pouch will hold a standard G.I. 1qt. canteen. This was considered due to the fact that most water purification/sanitation treatments are “dosed” for quart-sized containers. The suspenders are simple bands of webbing. They are attached with fastex buckles to allow for upgrading to a more vest-like upper and a more padded support system at a later time, though the straps are more than sufficient as they are.

This is the finished product… Loaded and ready to go…
http://img217.imageshack.us/img217/9...onporchev5.jpg

Twin 20oz Bottles
http://img53.imageshack.us/img53/139...bottleshg5.jpg

Three 16.9oz Bottles
http://img504.imageshack.us/img504/8...bottlesuy0.jpg

1qt Canteen
http://img67.imageshack.us/img67/576...canteensd7.jpg

The rear pack has a great closure system of twin snaps separated with a very effective strip of Velcro.
http://img486.imageshack.us/img486/1...closurexc6.jpg

The same pack has a four way flap cover that helps protect the contents inside.
http://img290.imageshack.us/img290/6...closureag2.jpg

The “Get Home Belt” wears like a low slung backpack/beltpack. Mine is set up so that all the pouches and packs are kept to my rear and on my sides. This ensures that my front is essentially free of clutter. The option is there to add more gear to the front, but this is my preference.

In addition to the “Belt”, Larry made a set of suspenders for me; not your typical squeeze clip suspenders, but ones intended to be used in conjunction with a regular belt. This will allow me to place the necessary personal gear load-out on MY belt and ensure that my pants stay up. (Gotta love those “no ass” genetics, thanks DAD!)

In the event that, for whatever reason, I include a firearm or two in my plans, Larry made arrangements for this as well. My “truck gun” of choice (for now) is a VZ-24 8mm Mauser which is fed from 5 round stripper clips. With this in mind three ammo pouches were made for me which can be attached to the belt with ease. One has three compartments that hold two clips each and the other has two compartments that hold three clips each. Both of the twin compartment pouches fit nicely near the front on each side of the belt.

Original gear links here:
Get Home Belt
http://neardeathexperiments.com/smf/...hp?topic=782.0
Canteen Pouches & Others
http://neardeathexperiments.com/smf/...hp?topic=850.0
Ammo Pouches
http://neardeathexperiments.com/smf/...hp?topic=783.0

If you like “Belt”, then check out the “Survivor”
http://neardeathexperiments.com/smf/...hp?topic=779.0

I have worn the Get Home Belt for several hours total with no stress tears or stitching failure. Overall the construction is great and the materials are top quality. This rig now rides in my personal vehicle everyday!

hso · October 22, 2006, 07:41 AM

How is it on your back? It looks like a lot of load on the lumbar region with all the weight in the back like that. Have you tried it with the bottle carriers more forward to make the rig more neutrally balanced?

therealsteamer · October 22, 2006, 10:50 AM

Actually it carries very nicely. From appearances it looks as if it would put undue pressure on my lower back, but the belt's padding and width help disperse the weight quite a bit...

I have thought about mounting the water carriers more forward, but decided against it for a few reasons. If they are at my side or slightly forward my natural arm movement is impeded. This "arm movement/swing" is part of my natural stride and balance. If I deem the situation to require it the ammo carriers will be attached to the frontal region of the belt. In that situation the two carriers full of ammo will more than balance out the load. Lastly I have two girls, 14 weeks and 5 years old, who I have to consider. The baby can roll over, which as cute as it may be, is not going to get her very far. Thus she will HAVE to be carried. For this I pack a linen cloth shoulder sling. It provides great stability and environmental protection for my daughter. Now my five year old can travel a bit more, but not for miles. After about two miles max she is spent. Again, she will have to be carried as well. With this in mind I have elected to keep the front as clutter free as possible.

Hope this helps....

Steamer

DeathRodent · October 23, 2006, 04:23 PM

Nice idea - I thought of something similar I have a tool belt suspender and a tool belt - definetly NOT tactical looking and the suspenders have padded shoulder straps. Nowadays you can get all kinds of extra holders for the toolbelt.

October 22, 2006, 12:13 AM	#1
therealsteamer Member Join Date: June 16, 2005 Location: NW Chio but Dreamin' of Shreveport Posts: 35	Steamer's Get Home Belt!!! Steamer’s Get Home Belt…!! There will come a time in the near future when an event requires us to put all our skills to the test. Having the practical knowledge, and gear to deal with this paramount! In my personal plans and preparations I have decided that whatever the initial situation or event, getting home is priority one. Our children are nearby during the day, our supplies are there, and this is also where my wife intends to “rally”. In preparing for the unexpected with this “Get Home” strategy in mind, I have tried several different methods of carrying my chosen gear with the idea that getting home should be able to be accomplished in a vehicle as well as on foot. I originally started out with a rather large backpack that I kept as my primary bag for a few years which eventually developed into two smaller packs, each containing a few duplicate items and additional things for our daughter as she grew older. I was finally able to “carve” my set up down to the point where it would all fit primarily into a medium sized “day pack”, with a secondary pack that would contain items to go on my personal belt and into a waist bag as well. My ideal set up for this would be the tried and true original LBE. The combination of the belt and suspenders allows the pouches to be situated within a nearly 360 degree configuration. I do have a complete LBE, set up for myself for more serious SHTF type situations, but the issue I have with the LBE is its military connotations. IF for whatever reason I have to make it home on foot, I do not want to attract attention of anyone who might have their curiosity piqued due to my military looking appearance and impede my progress, be it Farmer Bob or Deputy Charles…. So when I went looking for an alternative to the LBE I found the market to be lacking to say the least…. Enter Armchair Tactical… I contacted Larry at ACT about getting some of his custom gear several weeks ago. In addition to the “Get Home Belt” I wanted a few custom made pouches as well. “No Problem!!”, I was told. After a short exchange of ideas and prototypes, the completed belt is now “in service”. The main panel is set up with three rows of MOLLE webbing. This works great for all sorts of attachment configurations. The rear pack/pouch (which has been thus dubbed my “ass bag”) measures 10”x8”x10” is also covered with webbing for additional attachment points. The water bottle/canteen pouches were made to my specifications to give them a multi-use capability. For starters each pouch will hold two standard 20oz. bottles, be it water, juice or soft drink; they will also hold three 16.9oz. bottles. This is the size of most smaller water bottles that come in sealed cases. Finally each pouch will hold a standard G.I. 1qt. canteen. This was considered due to the fact that most water purification/sanitation treatments are “dosed” for quart-sized containers. The suspenders are simple bands of webbing. They are attached with fastex buckles to allow for upgrading to a more vest-like upper and a more padded support system at a later time, though the straps are more than sufficient as they are. This is the finished product… Loaded and ready to go… http://img217.imageshack.us/img217/9...onporchev5.jpg Twin 20oz Bottles http://img53.imageshack.us/img53/139...bottleshg5.jpg Three 16.9oz Bottles http://img504.imageshack.us/img504/8...bottlesuy0.jpg 1qt Canteen http://img67.imageshack.us/img67/576...canteensd7.jpg The rear pack has a great closure system of twin snaps separated with a very effective strip of Velcro. http://img486.imageshack.us/img486/1...closurexc6.jpg The same pack has a four way flap cover that helps protect the contents inside. http://img290.imageshack.us/img290/6...closureag2.jpg The “Get Home Belt” wears like a low slung backpack/beltpack. Mine is set up so that all the pouches and packs are kept to my rear and on my sides. This ensures that my front is essentially free of clutter. The option is there to add more gear to the front, but this is my preference. In addition to the “Belt”, Larry made a set of suspenders for me; not your typical squeeze clip suspenders, but ones intended to be used in conjunction with a regular belt. This will allow me to place the necessary personal gear load-out on MY belt and ensure that my pants stay up. (Gotta love those “no ass” genetics, thanks DAD!) In the event that, for whatever reason, I include a firearm or two in my plans, Larry made arrangements for this as well. My “truck gun” of choice (for now) is a VZ-24 8mm Mauser which is fed from 5 round stripper clips. With this in mind three ammo pouches were made for me which can be attached to the belt with ease. One has three compartments that hold two clips each and the other has two compartments that hold three clips each. Both of the twin compartment pouches fit nicely near the front on each side of the belt. Original gear links here: Get Home Belt http://neardeathexperiments.com/smf/...hp?topic=782.0 Canteen Pouches & Others http://neardeathexperiments.com/smf/...hp?topic=850.0 Ammo Pouches http://neardeathexperiments.com/smf/...hp?topic=783.0 If you like “Belt”, then check out the “Survivor” http://neardeathexperiments.com/smf/...hp?topic=779.0 I have worn the Get Home Belt for several hours total with no stress tears or stitching failure. Overall the construction is great and the materials are top quality. This rig now rides in my personal vehicle everyday! __________________ MENS SANA IN CORPORE SANO www.neardeathexperiments.com Survival & Preparedness for All...

October 22, 2006, 07:41 AM	#2
hso Senior Member Join Date: May 10, 2002 Location: Appalachia Posts: 170	How is it on your back? It looks like a lot of load on the lumbar region with all the weight in the back like that. Have you tried it with the bottle carriers more forward to make the rig more neutrally balanced? __________________ TANSTAAFL

October 22, 2006, 10:50 AM	#3
therealsteamer Member Join Date: June 16, 2005 Location: NW Chio but Dreamin' of Shreveport Posts: 35	Actually it carries very nicely. From appearances it looks as if it would put undue pressure on my lower back, but the belt's padding and width help disperse the weight quite a bit... I have thought about mounting the water carriers more forward, but decided against it for a few reasons. If they are at my side or slightly forward my natural arm movement is impeded. This "arm movement/swing" is part of my natural stride and balance. If I deem the situation to require it the ammo carriers will be attached to the frontal region of the belt. In that situation the two carriers full of ammo will more than balance out the load. Lastly I have two girls, 14 weeks and 5 years old, who I have to consider. The baby can roll over, which as cute as it may be, is not going to get her very far. Thus she will HAVE to be carried. For this I pack a linen cloth shoulder sling. It provides great stability and environmental protection for my daughter. Now my five year old can travel a bit more, but not for miles. After about two miles max she is spent. Again, she will have to be carried as well. With this in mind I have elected to keep the front as clutter free as possible. Hope this helps.... Steamer __________________ MENS SANA IN CORPORE SANO www.neardeathexperiments.com Survival & Preparedness for All...

October 23, 2006, 04:23 PM	#4
DeathRodent Senior Member Join Date: August 22, 2006 Posts: 209	Nice idea - I thought of something similar I have a tool belt suspender and a tool belt - definetly NOT tactical looking and the suspenders have padded shoulder straps. Nowadays you can get all kinds of extra holders for the toolbelt.