With all the fancy belt options out there, sometimes you just need something to hold your pants up and the First Tactical BDU BELT is a great execution of this concept while offering attention to detail and being affordable.
When it comes to simple webbing belts the small details are going to be the main things to look for and this series does include some nice touches. For starters a custom polymer buckle is used; the shape has a nice modern angular look while not sacrificing functionality. The thickness is appropriate for long term durability without being excessive and the side protrusion helps with angling the buckle for aid in adjustments. Although the hole is probably just for weight reduction, one could even add cord to the hole for even more adjustment grip options.
As a big plus the shape of the main belt is curved for improved comfort right out of the box and a good amount of love went into the slack tip. The tip is nicely shaped to aid in buckle threading with stitching even going around the edge to help preserve the shape. For a sneaky extra the main logo tag has a slit opening in it great for hiding an item similar to a handcuff key or razor blade. When not knowing specifically to look for it, the tag works out great for hiding in plain sight.
Comfort and use wise the BDU Belt has lived up to all my expectations, however I think worth noting I wouldn't necessarily call the belt low profile by default. While it is obviously less bulky than a cobra style belt, to get the hardware to lay more flat the belt has to be cinched down fairly tight. That said, even while at a comfortable setting, I haven't had issues of the buckle poking into me or snagging on other things. This BDU belt would certainly still be appropriate to wear under a battle belt.
How the belt tip wants to curve by default confused me a little trying to route the belt through the buckle slots for the very first time, but no worries my pictures should help show you how it ends up so you don't have to look like a chump like me. Offhand I started with the BDU 1.5" version shown here, but First Tactical also offers a 1.75" size and a Range version which doubles up on the webbing for more rigidity. If on the lookout for a simple BDU style belt, First Tactical's version offers great bang for the buck.
