I'm looking for a "survival belt" that will be something that I will wear everyday. I have seen some belts that have hidden compartments - are they useful? Can anyone share their favorite belt and please provide any useful links!

Thanks.

Colby

P.S. - Thank you to all who responded to my previous request for recommendations for a Survival Compass.

DR reviews one such here

I prefer the Bat Belt approach with a bunch of color-coordinated pouches containing grappling hooks and Batarangs and stuff...

The Pro Belt Kit is no longer being manufactured. Any other suggestions? I don't want to have to wear any pouches - just a belt.

One of the latest ongoing discoveries from Oetzi was his survival belt. First it was in an ergonomic load bearing pattern to support his leggings that again was thought a more recent innovation.
inside the simple folded over pocket were some needles, firemaking kit, some lithic microtools.
What you are porbably looking at is a form of moneybelt with either such a fold over compartment with end opening or a zippered compartment such as a money belt.
I owned such a belt from the now collectable S.D. Meyer company (now El Paso Saddlery.)
Aside from paper documents and money you pretty much are restricted to small needles, thread, x-acto blades or razors, a BCB wire saw and perahps a booklet of paper matches.
You MUST have a belt loop model, and the thicker the better, both for space and comfort. A thin belt cuts like a knife under high impact into soft tissue vs the greater safety of a wide belt.
You might also consider discretely sharpening the belt buckle on the inner face like a chisel.
The germans actually produced two shot belt buckles in small pistol calibers, but I don't think that would work vs charging bears.

Money belts come in two basic designs; One in a regular belt with a long zippered pocket hidden behind, the other is a fabric pouch ( often sized to carry a passport) worn under clothing. A search for 'money belt' or on travel sites will give you some ideas.

Teacher

{ most models are quite comfortable and unnoticeable after wearing for a bit.}

The Pro Survival Belt alone is stil available from the same company for about $25 and you can add the contents yourself. I put most of the contents of a Doug Ritter kit in mine, with some modifications for comfort, trim, and personal preference.

No need for gimmicks. A normal leather belt will do. Any good tool has a sheath with a belt loop.

Has anyone ever actually needed or uses a grappling hook?

Needed or wanted...?

Forget the hook, I want the boots that allowed Batman and the boy wonder to walk up walls...;^)

John E

da-da, da-da, da-da, da-da, da-da, da-da, da,...Batman

Sorry, couldn't help myself. One of my good friends, who remains a techy, has so much stuff on his belt we refer to it as the Bat Belt. A Leatherman Wave, two flashlights, a cell phone, a trunk radio, a coax repair kit, etc.

I prefer pockets in pants and shirts to belt acouterments. For me, stuff hanging around my midsection gets hung up too easily. But that's just me.

and yes, I've needed and used a grappling hook on more than one occasion. Occupational thing.

I have a zip-type from Western Belt. I consider it a good way to increase what you have with you every day without bulking out your pockets. I also like to think it has a chance of staying with me if I get mugged.

The space available in this type is very small. I have some paper clips, a short ferro rod, striker and tinder. It is not really accessible in a hurry. There isn't room for, eg, a photon freedom, or a 1 litre plastic bag. I also carry money in it, and it's surprising how much space that takes up, especially if you use small, spendable denominations. $100 bills may not be the best form of cash in an emergency.

Apparently stuff in cheaper belts can "print through" the material to leave a visible outline. I've not had that problem, perhaps because my belt has a plastic strip inside the pocket.

Nice idea... several of the 'custom' holster makers will have on hand or will make a belt too. However, they will be high dollar examples. Another idea is multi pocket pants. Dockers used to make a nice pair of such pants and some can still be found on e-bay. The same style of pants is now made by 5.11 clothing. Here's the web site:
http://www.511tactical.com/browse/Home/Law-Enforcement/Pants/Casual-Pants/Covert-Khaki-Pants/D/30100/P/1:100:10000:10100:10104/I/74269

They also make lots of other designs and jeans too. The quality is good and they can often be found in 'law enforcement' catalogues and websites at a discount. This may be a more practical approach then relying on just a belt - maybe a combination of the two?

Paul -

The Pro Survival Kit Company's "Multi-Purpose Belt" is indeed $25 and can be found here:

http://prosurvivalkit.stores.yahoo.net/mube.html

They also link to Equipped to Survive.

If you absolutely have to have a grappling hook for your Baman survival kit, these are really small.

http://countycomm.com/hook.htm

http://countycomm.com/microhook.htm

I think I need one, but I don't know why... I'm trying to come up with a reason.

Using a grappling hook is far more desirable than laying on your belly with your arm dangling in the sewage stream trying to fish out the line.

That qualifies for one of those Ernest P. Worell jaw jutting wrinkle faced type "Eeeeewwwww!!!" expressions.

Know what I mean, vern?

I made the mistake of ignoring warnings on this forum that the buckle on the eagle creek 'regular belt with a long zippered pocket hidden behind' was too flimsy. It soon broke.
The Sock

That’s the story of my life with a lot of things I see……

I tried a fanny pack when i was working in a big busy trauma center that had
thrown in the towel on trying to get any of us prima donna's to stock the
rooms-usually had a multi-tool, the stock needed for an iv access and cardiac
workup blood draw, tape, and maybe a water bottle, cuz if you left your drink on
the counter someone would squirt some Lasix into it, or a one of our fragrant
drunks would grab a slurp on his way by.
My problem was that my butt was already wider than it needed to be, and adding a fanny pack brought me to the level of requiring marker lights and a lead car marked "wide load", which was disruptive to normal ER traffic. I shifted to stuffing my pockets, and had a colleague who wore a fishing vest. the vest is a swell idea, harking back to the nurse who followed Lord Lister around with a
pocketed leather apron and an atomizer of carbolic acid for asepsis. The
downside is that you look like an embedded correspondent from Iraq, or an stunt
double for "a river runs through it'. Eventually i came to embrace the Tao of
the er which dictates that, for a procedure requiring four items, each item will
be in a different room, and will have a backup supply located in a stock room
as far from the er as possible, while remaining in the same building.
It’s not like we are in a hurry to do this stuff.

Dickies also makes several types of pants with "cargo" pockets. I love my 5.11's, but they don't have a crease. The Dickies don't have as much room in the pockets, but they do look a bit dressier. And they're work pants so they last.

The trouble with a belt kit is that you can't keep anything of useful size in it. Take each thing that you plan to put in the belt, and use it. Once you've tried all the little things, you'll start looking at other carry options.

How about adapting an inside-the-belt pistol holster to be an emergency kit, for instance?

The "Wilderness 5-Stitch Instructors Belt" is my favorite.

http://www.thewilderness.com/

http://www.gunnersalley.com/product/WILDERNESSBELT/Wilderness_1_12_5_Stitch_Instructors_Belt.html

If you intend to carry a firearm, get the "5-stitch" model. It is a webbing belt that is stiff enough to support an inside or outside waistband holster - no problem. The buckle is steel and you can clip a carabiner to it and use it for a "high places" security rig.