Developed by T3 Gear in close conjunction with Special Operations, the Trident Operator Belt is intended to give the wearer a low profile, adaptable belt by which to hang various holsters or equipment.
The Trident Operator Belt (TOB) integrates the aspects of a flexible inner belt (that can be worn as a regular daily belt), with a rigid, weight-bearing outer belt that can be easily donned or removed. The TOB includes:
The inner 1.5” belt is made from scuba webbing that gives it a tensile strength of approximately 4800 pounds that gives it a tensile strength of approximately 4800 pounds. It has an outward-facing (female) hook-and-loop material that goes through the belt loops of the trouser and secures to a mating panel of (male) hook-and loop on the inside of the belt’s tail. The result is a complete 360-degree exposure of the (female) hook-and-loop around the waist that faces outward.
The outer belt is a resin-impregnated, 2” duty belt made of Type 13 nylon webbing with a tensile strength of approximately 7000 pounds. The outer belt uses a mating (male) hook-and-loop panel along the inside, that when combined with the inner belt, makes for very secure platform. The outer-facing side of the duty belt is stitched with two rows of ½” nylon webbing, folded over and segmented to form 1.75” MOLLE-compatible sections.
To secure the nylon strips, extensive perimeter and bartack stitching is used throughout to ensure whatever accessory is attached will remain secure and in place. The duty belt itself is secured using an AustriAlpin Cobra Hybrid Buckle and an elastic cuff helps control any excess in belt length.
The Trident Operator Belt is only available in Multicam (featured).
Product Evaluation Scores:
- Cost – Average (3/5): At $159.56 the webbing throughout the TOB was indicative (in terms of weave and rigidity) to Type 13 webbing. The use of additional bands to create MOLLE webbing is somewhat comparable in other belts such as Persec’s Delta Belt ($115.86 USD), or Ronin Tactics’ Task Force Belt ($187). Use of reinforcement stitching, materials, buckle, and design often delineate based on the vendor and intended purpose. In the case of the TOB, while it trends to the upper end of the market (which is fair given the quantity of material utilized), it would rank appropriate (or average) among the listed competitors whom use a similar design.
- Comfort – Good (4/5): The TOB was comfortable, although the nylon took a little time to loosen up (about two weeks) and become a more flexible. The inner belt was comfortable enough to be used as a light or EDC belt, and made donning the outer duty belt easy. The Cobra Buckle provided a clean and crisp lock that ensures the belt remained secure. No lose threads or fraying at the edges were noted, and cuts to the nylon at the ends were appropriately heat-treated. While worn, the belt evenly distributed the overall weight of the load around the circumference of the waist. It proved comfortable for short durations, but extended wear (4+ hours) did fatigue the hip. Possibly the inclusion of optional connections for suspenders, or use of a separate hip pad would serve as a viable accessory in the future, thus allowing some of the load to be transferred to the shoulders as well as pad the hip.
- Durability – Good (4/5): As stated, the material was Type 13 webbing or parachute webbing, that gave it a likely very high level of abrasion resistance and strength, as well as made the overall outer belt somewhat rigid. The bartack and X-pattern stitching reinforced the overall ability of the belt to withstand the load of pouches and magazines. Perhaps the only negative aspect of the TOB was the choice to fold ribbons of nylon to form the overall ½” MOLLE segments, rather than use a solid band of nylon webbing, such as found in Persec’s belt. This may not necessarily make the material less durable in such small segmented lengths, but the likelihood of that folded material wearing/fraying over the long-term is greater. Throughout stressor drills and evaluation, no aspects of the TOB’s durability were identified and all stitching held without becoming frayed or popped.
- Functionality – Fair (2/5): Functionally, as a stand-alone duty belt the TOB did as expected. The TOB supported the weight of added magazine pouches and a drop leg holster adequately without sagging or flex. Unfortunately, because the outer duty belt is a wide 2”, few weapon holsters could be found with the necessitating hardware (loop, clip, or wing) to mount to the belt (having to have the necessary length to accommodate the width of the belt, and the thickness as well). Even CKK Combat Belt Loops, which are a hinge design that the manufacturer advertises as accommodating belts up to 2” wide, couldn’t fit around the outer duty belt and lock. Ultimately only holsters using a pass-through loop design could accommodate the width and thickness of the TOB. While military applications traditionally don’t account for sidearm holsters amongst the rank-and-file, T3 may want to reexamine the size/width (say to a 1.75” width) of the TOB to make it more compatible to the civilian market of holsters.
- Weight – Good (4/5): As evaluated, the size of the Trident Operator Belt was a Large, and it weighed in at 1.27 pounds. Naturally the weight of the overall belt would change with length/size due to the overall amount of material involved. In the aspect of the overall market with stand-alone battle belts, the TOB was of a good and comparable weight to similar products from Persec’s Delta Belt (1.3 pounds), Ronin’s TF Belt (1.2 pounds), or other quality manufacturers.
Overall Rating – Above Average (17/25)
Product Link: https://www.t3gear.com/t3-triton-operator-belt/
I am reviewing this product as a courtesy to the manufacturer and via STL Shooting Enthusiasts, so that I can evaluate it and provide my honest feedback. I am not bound by any written, verbal, or implied contract to give positive reviews. All views are my own, and based off my personal experience with the product.
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