Quoted:
I have an ILBE pack that I enjoy using, but my only gripe is that there's no PALS/MOLLE webbing on the belt.
Without having to go through the pain of modding the existing belt or fabricating a new one, does anyone know if the
Kifaru duplex belt or the
Hill People Gear prarie belt would work as a
drop-in replacement for the standard ILBE belt?
If so, which would be better? Does anyone here have experience with those specific mods?
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IIRC, the bottom of the aluminum stays anchor the belt to the ILBE. I'd have to look at my ILBE to take measurements, but it seems to me like either of the two mentioned candidates could be possibilities. At most, it would mean removing some of the stuff in the small of the back, and then sewing-on some webbing to mimic the arrangement on the ILBE waist belt.
Since you already have an ILBE, I would take careful measurements of the area where the aluminum stays pass through the built-in tunnels on the ILBE waist belt, and then call the two mfrs cited above and as their tech people if the other belts are compatible, or if they can be modified by the mft to suit your needs.
All the above said, the reason why most padded waist belts are free of PALS webbing is that the waist belts themselves are so bulky that attaching anything that would add depth to the belt, such as a pouch, would interfere with the wearer swinging their arms while walking. Tape or tie some of the pouches you are thinking about using to your existing ILBE belt, and see what you think
before proceeding.