I’ve previously touched on what you need for your first match here. Today I’d like to go over my competition setup, what it consists of, why I chose those products, and what I like and dislike. This will be for my USPSA setup.
I’m sure many of you are like me and have gone through more holsters, belts and other supporting equipment than you can count. Having some practical firsthand accounts of different products can help narrow down your choices and avoid that drawer full of belts and holsters you spent hundreds of dollars on that is now virtually worthless to you. Because sometimes you just have to see for yourself what works for you and fits you best. I’m speaking from experience here.
When I first started in USPSA I used my old work belt, a Ronin Tactics belt with a mix of Esstac, Tyr, LBT, and Safariland to round it out. That is a great set that I still use for work and instructing, but it wasn’t the best tool for practical/competitive shooting. The holster didn’t ride exactly where I would want it for strictly competitive use. There was too much to the belt overall as it was setup for things like K9 and SWAT callouts as well as teaching agents in something resembling their high-pro loadout. Plus, I wanted to position my mag pouches better so I could look cool and go fast.
So, I did what any good aspiring competitor should do and went to the Ben Stoeger Pro Shop (BSPS) and found me a belt. I’m currently using a Double Alpha Academy (DAA) 2-piece Premium belt, 3x DAA Racer pouches, Comp-Tac holster on a BOSS hanger, and a belt mounted magnet for retaining magazines. Now let’s go over each piece. We’ll talk about the gun another time (It’s a Glock, not much to it).
Belt
The DAA belt is a great option to get you started. It uses a Velcro inner belt that goes through your belt loops while the stiffer outer belt holds your pouches and holster and sticks over the Velcro of the inner belt to stay in place. There is no buckle, just Velcro and a retainer that wraps where the belt overlaps for added security. It’s very light and very rigid. It carries three full 141mm (24 round) magazines and a loaded handgun with ease. You will notice there is no MOLLE/PALS webbing that you see on other tactical belts, only Velcro on the inside. So, your MOLLE pouches may not stay put when they’re just riding free on this type of belt. Not much else to say, it just works and many top competitors use this belt and others just like it.
There are other options out there with various buckles or other minor changes. Ratcheting buckles are becoming very popular and in my opinion are worth the extra cost. Given the frequency of my travel, I haven’t went out and upgraded, yet, but plan to once I’m home.
Holster
Next is the Comp-Tac holster. Comp-Tac has been around for some time and for good reason. They’re one of the few cheaper (price-wise) and widely produced options that I will happily use. I don’t know the particular model designation, but it has toolless thumbscrew tension adjustments to get the right amount of gun retention. For strictly competition use I haven’t seen much reason for a newer shooter to go out and spend money or get on a long waitlist if you can grab something like a Comp-Tac or Blade Tech, provided they make a holster for your gun. Again, nothing wrong with the more refined and more expensive options, but you won’t feel held back by this holster for quite a while. (You’ll notice over time that I have no problem spending money on what I decide is my best option, but once I find something that does its job, I tend to stick with it)
The holster is attached via a BOSS hanger from BSPS. This is an aluminum holster hanger with a hole pattern to accommodate plenty of holsters and belt attachment methods. I went with the standard BOSS mount, which is just a second piece of machined aluminum that clamps the belt with four screws. It’s been rock solid. It is also compatible with Safariland, Comp-Tac, and Blade Tech belt mounting systems. All of which are fine options. The hole pattern allows you to adjust holster ride height, cant, and distance from your body to suit your needs. The BOSS is also offered in a few anodized colors.
Pouches
I went with DAA Racer pouches and they do the job just fine. They’re primarily made of polymer, but attach with a metal bar that clamps around the outer belt using two screws, no issues there. The cant, or angle, of the magazine is adjustable by loosening a single screw, setting the position and locking it back down. This is beneficial to adjust each magazine into the best position for a reload depending on where exactly it is on your belt.
Plastic spacers are used to accommodate various sized double stack mags as well as single stacks. A leaf spring in the back is used to set the tension holding the magazine in place.
I haven’t had any major issues other than one of the three allowing a small amount of movement in the angle of the pouch on the belt mount regardless of how much the set screw is torqued. This has never been a factor when training or running a stage and it has yet to work loose. DAA does offer the Alpha-Xi pouch, with metal construction and a slightly different adjustment/attachment for the pouch. They seem to fix that problem and are very sturdy but come at nearly double the cost.
Extras
Less of a need and more of a want, but I opted for a belt mounted magnet. The best use for this is having a faster place to stow a magazine retrieved from a table or barrel on an unloaded start. As you know, time is money in USPSA, and you don’t want to waste it trying to get a magazine in a pouch on the run. I will also use it to easily stow a magazine after the unload and show clear command.
There are other useful things to carry on your belt. A small medical pouch or elastic tourniquet carrier is a smart idea when working with live ammunition. I carry my medical kit in a Ryker Nylon Gear AFAK around my ankle. Some people get a small elastic pouch to carry their liquid chalk bottle or a belt hangar for their hearing protection. My only recommendation here is don’t get carried away. If this is going to be a dedicated sporting setup, don’t load it down with everything you can find like you’re about to make your next Instagram operator video. The belt is there to carry what is necessary for the stage and to stay out of your way, not slow you down.
Well that about does it. Comment below or write me if you have any questions.