5.11 1.5" TDU Belt Tactical Reviews, Deals, Problems and Guides

I’ve been wearing these for years. I’m a big dude prone to weight loss and gain. It’s nice to not have to poke a new hole in a leather belt when I slim down in the spring. These are crazy durable, my oldest TDU belt is over a decade old & still works fine. You can even use it to compress your sleeping bag or bundle gear! It works. The hardened tip makes it easy to slide through the buckle. Once tightened, they stay in place well. They will soften and stretch a tiny bit after long-term daily wear but will not stretch in the way leather does. The material is burly. If you’re not used to the “cinch” style buckle it can be awkward. To tighten the belt you have to sort of grip the outside of the buckle frame with your strong hand then adjust with the other. Think of it sort of like the strap on a headlamp or a backpack. Once you’re used to it it’s great. It’s nice for courthouses & airports, no metal, no need to remove it, no fuss. The buckle is a dense zytel-like glass filled nylon type material and will not break. Very tough. These are inexpensive enough that you should give one a try and hey, if you don’t like it, pass it on to a buddy.

Seems like a great product but the length of the belt is the actual length so I haven't been able to wear it. Other companies advertise a length of the belt but ends up being longer (relative to waist size on pants). Would recommend buying a size or two above the waist of your pants. I wear a 32 waist and ordered a 32-34. I had 1 inch of belt left after tightening to a snug fit

Overall, this belt is okay. I wouldn't buy it again though, and I use my other belts most of the other time. I like the color though.

PROS:
- The "cloth" , material is real tough and thick, and isn't going to be tearing or shredding anytime soon.
- "Clipping" the belt together is a quiet action, no rattling of metal or such.
- The color itself is unique and true to pictures.
CONS:
- The buckle... while the plastic material is durable, the design is not good. It is difficult to get the belt taught against yourself, as it loosens when you put the second part through.
- Also, the front buckle causes the whole front part of the belt to protrude somewhat forward, which is mildly unsightly/unattractive.

NEUTRAL:
The tip of the belt which goes through the loop is OKAY, nothing special, not a hinderance either.

I don't want to totally down the belts... I bought 2 of them... I've also purchased many great 5.11 products... Here's my problem... When we put a belt on, it's to tighten, and hold up our pants... If the pants have an adjusting strap, they will stay up without any belt... That being said, If your pants stay up without the use of a belt, then this belt may be for you... If the purpose of the belt, is to hold your pants up by tightening it, then this is not a great option... I've tried every way possible to snug the belt up without it loosing some slack when released... I've even tried to tighten the belt by pulling at the lead end once it is in place... At that point it will not tighten, or loosen... So, it is a secure belt... It is well constructed, even though I'm not real fond of the plastic buckle... My entire issue is, how can I snug it down to where I need it, and lock it in place... One other thing about the buckle... When worn under a t-shirt, it looks like a belly button pushing out on the shirt, because the buckle does not lay flat against the belt... Sorry 5.11, but I'm not happy with the design, and overall function... I won't be returning it, because I can use it on some pants that do not really require a belt when I'm not carrying a weapon on it... I don't remember my military belts being so difficult to tighten, that were pretty much the same design, but were metal...

Belt looks to be made of quality material. I rated it a 1 because when you buckle the belt, the front of the belt pooches out a lot. If wearing a shirt with no gun belt on, the front bulges out and looks extremely odd pooching out like that. If you put on gun belt on, felt real uncomfortable where the belt buckles together.

I have three of these belts, two in black, one in kakhi. They are my only belts. I've had my other two belts for 6 years or more and wear them every day. They do not fray, their "stiffness" make threading through belt loops easy, and the buckle is supposedly TSA compliant. I say "supposedly" because TSA might still require you to remove the belt. The belts hold sheath knives with no problem, as they do with IWB holsters (I used to carry a full-size M1911 in an IWB holster) but, in my opinion, is too flexible for some (inexpensive) belt holsters for 1911-style and weight handguns.

It's a good belt. I accidentally ordered the belt too big, but it appears it will be easy to trim it when I decide to do so. A pair of trauma shears and a lighter and it will be the correct size then, just like cutting a nylon rope and then melting the edge with a lighter to fuse the synthetic fibers together to prevent fraying. So, in summary, it is good quality and don't worry about getting a size too big since you can trim it yourself easily. Remember this is a work or duty belt, not a dress belt.

I bought a 5.11 TDU belt from TacticalGear after trying a similar belt for 4x the price at a local store. It's strong yet incredibly light, easy to adjust and can even be worn without belt loops like an old-style holster belt. It has the convenience of a military service belt but with a quality quiet buckle and the strength of a heavy leather belt without the weight and odor. I'm a big guy, 40" waist, wear 42" pants. The X-large 40-42" belt fits fine with room to spare for waistband holsters.

This is the 4th or 5th 5-11 tactical belt I have purchased. While I would not recommend this as a belt to affix a holster (too "flexible" for carrying a M1911 - unless using an IWB holster) it is great for carrying lighter gear such as a knife, pepper spray, flashlight, etc. The buckle doesn't set off metal detectors and is easily tightened or loosened (like when you pig out at a buffet - LOL). Plus it matches the colors of Tru-Spec trousers (my favorite trousers brand).

I am a lieutenant at my fire dept. I bought this belt to hold my radio and badge and it was a great find and buy. it is worth every penny. It is stiff but to me I feel that it needs to be. It is heavy duty and while on scene I don't have to worry about my radio or my belt from coming off.The belt does take some strength to tighten and loosen. it ain't coming off easy that is for sure.