HRT Tactical Gear—ARC Belt
In UN12’s Issue 020—available on newsstands now—we take a look at the company HRT Tactical Gear and one of their modular plate carriers, the LBAC, and its associated body armor and gear loadouts. Due to space constraints in the print package we decided to omit one section within the pages of the magazine and are instead posting it here.
The HRT ARC Belt is part of the company’s “First Line” system—which also includes items like hats, windbreakers, and combat slings. Each product is designed by HRT to offer a better combination of attributes than other offerings currently on the market.
The ARC Belt in particular is one that’s designed to combine light worn weight, comfort, and modularity. Although not expressly part of the plate carrier ecosystem featured in the pages of the magazine, the belt is easily integrated into the user’s equipment loadout and complements HRT plate carrier systems perfectly.
HRT’s president and CEO, Jeem Newland, explains: “There are some extremely good lightweight belts, there are some extremely comfortable belts, and there are some extremely modular belts. But we haven’t really found one that has all three. Rarely would I find a belt that has even just two of the three.”
He continues: “Most belts fall into the comfortable category, and that seems to be what most people are chasing. But almost all ‘comfortable’ belts are heavy. The ARC belt is meant to take all those important qualifications and bring them to the next level.”
Put another way: “It is meant to be a belt that does not sacrifice any of these qualities for another. We want it to be the lightest belt that is also the most comfortable and most modular on the market, and I think we delivered.
“We didn’t set out to make a ‘simple to use’ belt, because simplicity will always contradict adjustability and customizability. If you want a belt to fit like a glove, it needs to be both vastly adjustable and fine-tunable. No other belt gives you that level of customization, and that’s where the ARC Belt excels.”
The ARC is a fully ambidextrous tactical belt design that can be reversed for right- or left-hand-dominant users. It is founded on a laser-cut, woven thermoplastic core for an unmatched strength-to-weight ratio, is naturally hydrophobic, and features no “dead space” for MOLLE mounting positions.
The MOLLE sleeve itself can be moved in 1.5-inch increments so slots will always be readily available by the buckle. The buckle itself is a standard G-hook but is also user-replaceable for a Cobra buckle. The ARC Belt features what HRT claims is the widest range of adjustability for each size variant—three sizes with 9+ inches each, fitting waist profiles from 26 to 48 inches.
The ARC Belt can be combined with an optional inner belt for enhanced security. This inner belt can also be worn on its own as an EDC piece.
As with HRT’s plate carrier offerings, the ARC Belt is available as part of a packaged loadout that comprises an array of standard attachments, including the ARC, the inner belt, the buckle, and various specialized and multi-use pouches.
There’s also a range of individual accessories available from HRT that are readily hosted by the ARC, including magazine pouches, hanger pouches, med pouches, tourniquet hangers—you name it, there is an accessory for that.
We had some brief hands-on time with both the ARC Belt system and the LBAC loadout, and came away impressed at both systems’ high build quality, modularity, and adjustability. The construction is second to none and, using the available range of accessories, each system can be tailored to fit any mission, as well as be adjusted for a finely tuned fit to accommodate just about any user.
Pick up a copy of UN12 Issue 20, on newsstands now, for more on HRT Tactical Gear and their flagship plate carrier loadout systems.
HRT Tactical Gear
ARC Belt
MSRP: From $124.95
URL: hrttacticalgear.com
