The Dragon Skin DUTY BELT's inner belt expands and contracts with the outer belt. All of the components have to work together: the inner webbing with inner velcro along with outer velcro and outer webbing. All of those components will stretch together with every body movement, e.g. sitting, bending over, or twisting from side to side. The expanding material used to obtain these features is man-made and as a result testing showed they did not change after over 250,000 times of stretch action, unlike elastic that will breakdown over a short period, because it is man-made. Hi-Tec has also included a much smaller polymer footprint for the gun holster that can be flipped from one side to another to accommodate the user.
Testimonial
"When I first heard about the Dragon Skin Ergonomic Duty Belt System, I was told it was a “revolutionary” new duty belt that would change the way I looked at other duty belts. Needless to say, I was dubious. I’ve seen a lot of “revolutionary” products come and go. Most are gimmicks dressed up in fancy packaging. This is not the case with the Dragon Skin Ergonomic Duty Belt System.
I’ve been wearing a duty belt for over 30 years. I’ve worked through the transition from all leather belts to nylon belts with Velcro lining. The nylon belts are lighter than the leather belts, but the biggest difference was the Velcro liner keeping the belts in place. I’ve also experienced back injuries that are common to wearing a duty belt for so long.
Enter the Dragon Skin Ergonomic Duty Belt. The inner and outer belt work together to expand and contract with the human body. According to the manufacturer, the material used to make the Dragon Skin duty belt has been tested extensively and has been shown to maintain its stretch after over 250,000 expansions. I’m not sure how this translates into bending, twisting, sitting, and crouching while working, but I really like this duty belt system so far.
The belts are Velcro lined resulting in solid lockup between the two belts. The result is a duty belt system that stretches with the body and flexes with movement. This is very noticeable especially when bending over or twisting from side to side. This duty belt doesn’t bind or pinch like traditional leather or nylon belts, and it doesn’t create pressure points on the hips or lower back. Again, I’ve been wearing a duty belt for over 30 years, and this has resulted in my share of back pain. Anything I can do to reduce or eliminate back pain is important, and this duty belt system has been a welcome addition to my work life.
The Dragon Skin outer belt features a polymer insert at the holster position providing additional rigidity to support the weight of the holster and duty gun. This can be reversed from one side to the other for either right or left handed officers. Adjustable polymer stabilizing inserts are also available to lock expendable baton or Taser holsters in place. Lastly, the outer belt features a very robust locking buckle that includes a center lock to provide extra security from inadvertent release.
Once the belt was set up and ready to put on, I noticed another big difference between the Dragon Skin duty belt and a more traditional duty belt. The flexibility makes it more difficult to put on by swinging the belt behind and catching the other end. This just doesn’t work. The manufacturer has provided Velcro on the buckle and next to the buckle to make this process easier. They recommend attaching the female end of the buckle to the inner belt first, and then working the belt into place starting with the holster side. The best way I’ve found to get this belt on is to put it on a counter or bench, reach behind and grab each end, then slide the belt up into place. Once buckled, you can slide your hand between the inner and outer belt to adjust it into place. There’s nothing wrong with either process; it’s just different.
In their literature, the manufacturer calls it “revolutionary”. That’s a pretty big step. But, the Dragon Skin duty belt is without a doubt a more comfortable, lighter, and more flexible duty belt than anything I’ve ever worn. If you have experienced back or hip pain due to your duty belt, or if you just want to prevent those injuries in the first place, the Dragon Skin duty belt can help you with this goal. It may not transform the entire industry, but it offers a more comfortable, ergonomic, and modern update to the traditional duty belt.
If you’re looking for a new duty belt option, I recommend checking out the Dragon Skin Ergonomic Duty Belt at www.hi-tec.qc.ca.
— Todd Fletcher, Combative Firearms Training LLC
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