Triangle Tactical Podcast and Blog on Guns, Gear, and Competition Shooting
I purchased a CR Speed belt for competition shooting about a year ago, and I have found it to be one of my favorite pieces of gear for shooting matches.
This belt solves several problems that shooters run into when attempting to add all sorts of gear around their waist for 3-gun competitions, having to work around buckles, and belt loops.
The CR Speed belt does not have a buckle, and it is really 2 belts in one. There is an inner belt that has velcro loops, and the outer belt that had the velcro hooks. This is important, because other belts have the velcro hooks on the inner belt, which have a tendency to velcro you to the seat of your car if you decide to arrive at the match wearing just the inner belt to hold up your pants, whereas the CR Speed belt has the loops on the inner belt, and the hooks on the outer, making this a non-issue.
The inner belt goes through your pants belt loops, and attaches back onto itself with more velcro. It is quite stiff all by itself, and when it is combined with the inner, it makes an awesome, stable package for attaching gear.
The outer belt attaches to the inner belt outside the belt loops on your pants, giving you unlimited space to place your holster, and other gear onto your belt. The outer belt also attaches to itself with velcro, and a supplied nylon loop that holds the two together.
One of the real advantages to this system, is that it allows the user to setup all their gear in the right place, and leave it there. Holsters, and mag pouches do not have to be threaded on and off the belt between matches, and you don’t have to worry about leaving a essential piece of gear at home, because everything stays right on the belt.
I like to run my belt with the inner belt fastened in the front, like a normal pants belt, but with the outer belt fastened in the rear, allowing me to put my shotgun shell caddies across the front with no buckle to get in their way. With the inner belt fastened in the front, and the outer in the rear, this also keeps from having 4 layers of belt all in one spot. With the CR Speed belt being as thick as it is, 4 layers in one spot would give you more than an inch of belt thickness on your front. I’ve run it like this, and its just weird, so I flip flop the belts.
One thing that I have noticed, is when I install a bunch of pistol magazine pouches in a row on the belt, all next to each other, the outer belt isn’t able to attach to the inner belts velcro for several inches, allowing it to sag a little. To solve this, I went to the store, and bought a roll of stick on velcro, and added about 1.5″ of hook velcro to the back of the magazine pouches so they will stick to the inner belt. Problem solved.
This may only be an issue for the fatter guys out there like me… but being that the belt is as stiff as it is, walking around with it pasting targets all day with loaded rifle mags, pistol mags, shotgun shell caddies, and a pistol on it, it tends to dig into my sides and get uncomfortable after a bit. Solution: leave your loaded mags in your range bag until you are on deck to shoot. Easy as that.
I’m trying to come up with some sort of negative about this belt, and the only thing I can thing of, is that because of its thickness, initially threading some items onto it can be a little tedious. Not a huge issue though, because one you get everything on it, you don’t have to move it again. Also, double belt systems are not approved for some shooting games, specifically IDPA which requires a normal every day type belt. If you are a USPSA shooter, or a 3-gunner, you should be good to go.
I highly recommend this belt for competition shooting. It is super stiff, and quite versatile being that it does not have a buckle. It allows the shooter to place gear anywhere on the belt, not having to be concerned with different belt loop placements on different pairs of pants. I’ll give it an A+.
