Just setting up a belt for training and 2gun/run and gun type comps. Have previously used the HSGI Slimgrip and Tacos, but wanting to go to a 2 belt system to eliminate bulk. Planning to keep padded belt system as a “heavy” setup. Just looking for feedback before dropping cash.

Plan:
- Ronin Tactics Task Force Belt
- Esstac Kywi double pistol mag pouch
- 2x Esstac mid-length 5.56 pouches
- BFG Micro Trauma NOW kit
- Safariland 6354 or similar ALS holster for G19+/- an SF X300

Thoughts-
- Undecided on dump pouch. Never used one, not sure I want to start.
- Considering a 3rd rifle mag pouch to put behind the pistol if needed
- No plans for a knife or multi-tool, but I can easily add one if needed

Sounds good to me.  I use almost the same setup except different manufacturers on the pouches, and I only have one rifle mag in the same place as my belt supplements a PC or chest rig.

Thinking about the Esstac belt.  1.75 vs the 2.0. Thoughts?

My only comment is think again about a dump pouch.

I find them really handy at all day classes for just about anything; bottle of water, gloves, extra mags, fiddly bits etc.

Mine is easily connected to my belt so if i dont need it, it comes off quickly and out of the way.

YMMV

I’m running the Blue Force Gear dump pouch, small compact, and still has the capacity I need.

I run a dump pouch at 1130, just left of the buckle. Old Maxpedition pouch I've had forever. I haven't run it until recently and it is useful, and folds up nicely out of the way when not needed. Worth having, IMO.

Are you running a chest rig/carrier during these at all or is it just belt?

Honestly for 90% of matches you aren't going to need 2 spares. Do yourself a favor. Buy a 40 round Pmag. A 5 round TTI or Strike extension. Run that in the gun and run one 30 round spare.

The KYWIs are absolutely fucking excellent though.
If you MUST have a spare rifle mag, get a BFG 10 speed single pouch. Practically disappears when not in use.

Also the BFG dump pouch is pretty neat

ETA fix autocorrect

Sounds Ike the belt I'm going to be building.  Only thing I would change on yours is look at the GAP model of the Esstac Kywi double pistol mag pouch.  They have a nice space between the mags but not to much.  Keep you from accidentally grabbing both mags during a speed reload.

Advice on the dump pouch noted and will probably add the BFG one. Looks good.

Not currently running a chest rig/PC. I have a 5.11 PC that I'm not a fan of because I'd rather have integrated mag pouches or at least a placard. My plan is either a Spiritus Systems or Crye JPC PC set up and a Haley micro chest rig down the line.

Appreciate the advice. A carbine league that I participate in occasionally likes to mandate reloads or downloaded mags to force reloads and considers 2 spares the minimum. I figure as long as I get single mag pouches, I can always remove them if they prove impractical. I will look at the BFG pouches though. Thanks.

Gotcha. Until you run a carrier I'd say it's a good setup. Everybody will have their own ideas - best you can do it use it as best you can and make adjustments. It'll always vary by "mission," with mine dropping a few things if I have to work vs. train/play.

Good luck

I have noticed almost no one uses suspenders
And I have ditched mine although my heavy setup will accommodate them..

Why are not more people using suspenders?

Isn't one the biggest complaints about belts that can use suspenders is the belt riding up?

So you’re wanting something similar to this?  I just don’t have the extra rifle mag pouches.

You should add a hand held light to your belt.

Im a big proponent of some sort of man down strap to recover teammates if you work in a group.

I added a plastic carabiner for my gloves to the right of my IFAK.

I'm a cop so I also have a cuff case behind my pistol holster.

Dont get a third rifle mag pouch.

Put your pocket knife in your pocket. The only knife on my kit is a SOCP partially concealed on my carrier solely for stopping someone attempting a gun grab.

Put trauma shears up front in the molle of your carrier because there is no room on your belt.

Dont need suspenders if you keep your belt light. And that is the purpose of the Ronin belt.

This is exactly what I’m looking to set up. How do you like it?

Came here to suggest this.

I would like to add that the BFG dump pouch is the lightest you can get, but it is not a dump pouch for guys who train to use dump pouches. Its a very thin fabric and does not hold open easily.

Personally, I train to dump empties on speed reloads and type 2 malfinctions (since the mag might be the cause) and reshufle mags so I can retain partials in the "bad" locations on my gear. I guess that requires me to explain my magazine administration protocol which is lengthy... sorry. Skip to the last 2 paragraphs if you dont care.

I run 1 or 2 mags on weak side belt line and three on my plate carrier up front and a mag in the gun. My mag pouches are open top friction based retention pouches that allow easy draw and reinsertion.This gives me 5-6 rifle magazines total to deal with and is more than enough for my LE job or self defense. Any extra is IMO dead weight and gets put into my soft case, a pack, etc. but not on my belt or carrier. The Houston SWAT team only has 1 in gun, 1 on belt, 1 on plate carrier for their fast response plate carriers with the other mag spots holding a radio and IFAK. But they have multiple guys backing them up, carry more when in full kit, etc. Some think 5 mags is too little or too much, but its my "do all" load out.

Magazine administration:

I draw primarily from the belt as my #1 speed reload spot. #2 spot is weak side chest on plate carrier unless I have a second belt line mag then it is #2 and weak side chest is #3, etc. Those need to be kept with full magazines. My "bad" spot or hardest/slowest to access spot is strong side chest on plate carrier, because you have to reach way over and your forearm tends to smack your chin on draw if you dont turn your head with a high mounted plate carrier (vs longer soft armor + plate heavy vest) and prone its a very slow/hard to access spot.

I administratively pull a full mag out of strong side chest pouch and put it in the belt pouch (or the closest to #1 "good" pouch spot) when time is available after a speed reload. If my belt line is full and my weak side chest pouch is empty I put a fully loaded mag there next, etc. I call this "administrative mag shuffling" for lack of a better term.

If I am doing a tac reload, it means I am NOT actively engaged in a fight, and I have time to top off with cover (either physical or from teammates). During the tac reload, I draw a full mag from my "worst" spot (starting with strong side chest, then center chest, etc.) then pull my partial and insert the full mag with same hand. I take the partial and move it to the worst open spot on my chest, starting strong side chest and working my way across.

By doing it that way, I keep my full mags in the best/fastest locations for speed reloads and have immediate access to my partials, should I need them, due to running low on ammo, but they are segregated so I dont accidentally put a partial in my rifle when I wanted a full mag and one was still left on my plate carrier.

This means I have better access to my partials than if they were in a dump pouch,  mixed with empties, but I have to police mags during training. Since, for me, a dump pouch is more of a low use item, or a place to put a bad guy's weapon instead of the front of my pants, or a place to put a piece of evidence while in full kit, the BFG dump pouch is fine for me.

If you intend to train exclusively with a dump pouch as a time savings measure,  because you don't want to leave empties on the battlefield  or are concerned about a SHTF scenario where mags left might never be recovered and you end up with few mags but lots of ammo, the BFG dump pouch is not for you.

The BFG dump pouch is only anchored on half the mouth opening. The mouth has no structure to hold it open.  The only retaining mechanism is a draw cord. If you leave it loose to make insertion easy, mags pop out when you run. If you cinch it more closed, the super thin fabric, no mouth structure, and 50% attachment to the molle makes it SUPER hard to put a rifle mag in there quickly without looking. Since it is attached 50% it tends to flop out away from the belt so it really needs to be on your side. It would be USELESS on your back or way behind your hip where traditional highly structured dump pouches work best and its dufficult to usecwithout looking. Also the material is highly susceptible to high heat items like silencers and gun barrels. Please make sure this is the right item for you. If you wont put much in it, or do heavy training depending relying on it, then its near weightless and takes up very little space.

Everyone has different needs and preferences, run it and change it up as you see fit. That’s how we all end up with boxes of shit that sounded cool but didn’t work for our needs

For my uses(LE Patrol) I do not keep a rifle mag or IFAK on my belt but do keep a flash light and a multitool. Plate carrier has the rifle mags and IFAK. I keep a TQ and Combat Gauze on my ankle and lots of spares in the car. I use the hell out of my flashlight and multitool.

My personal belt is pretty slick. Pistol mags, holster, multitool, and a TT dump pouch for range work. When you’re sweating your ass off less is more on your waist.

I like having suspenders and a dump pouch on my heavy belt.

My light belt only has 4 pistol mag pouches, a rifle pouch and the holster.

The heavy has 3 pistol, 2 rifle, dump pouch, knife, first aid pouch, tq pouch, holster, and flashlight.

I am trying to get something that looks like that. However I am on a budget. Save for a 2 piece belt or go with a cheaper padded belt? Non duty use, range, classes, hunting and SHTF.

Any particular reason you like suspenders? Bear with me here ok. I can put on my heavy belt and run jump roll around and it doesn't move. Am I just not doing that hard enough or what? It seems that suspenders are more for keeping the belt from falling down around your ankles than anything else. What am i missing here?

It's nice when you need to take a dump or unbuckle it for other reasons. Especially in the winter.

When it is buckled the suspenders are loose.

It's also nice for storage.

Good gear won't let you down and really isn't that much more $ than cheap crap.  
You can get a full belt setup from Gcode for $250 or less, comes with the belt, pouches, etc.  I'd go that route, or mil surplus.....But I promise you, good gear is worth the $.

I've been running a belt like you're describing. It's a Volund Gearworks gen 3 belt or something. It's very nice.

My only comment is that the inner belt is "hook" and the outer belt (with all the gear attached to it) is "loop". So if you want to take your outer belt off, the "hook" material of the inner belt grabs and roughs up any other clothing like shirts, etc that you're wearing, in addition to trashing the belt loops of your pants as you're putting it on and taking it off.

Volund allows you to choose hook or loop and I chose poorly.

Other brands might not have an option. But I strongly recommend going with "loop" for the inner belt.

I believe the logic of manufacturers that only offer loop on the outer belt is that if you wear it without the inner belt (just throwing it on) the hook will trash your clothes more than loop. HSGI offers a suregrip inner liner for just such an occasion, and I believe they now offer it in either hook or loop.

I second that... loop inner belt, or you shred everything.