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POLICE EQUIPMENT NEWS TOP MANAGEMENT ADVERTISER INDEX PRODUCT SPOTLIGHT Viking Tactics Brokos Belt and Cobra Belt An unbeatable combo for comfort and utility By Eugene Nielsen www.vikingtactics.com www.511tactical.com A battle belt distributes weight much more evenly than traditional gun or riggers belts. They allow you to transfer more of your frst-line kit to your belt and off of your vest. When properly adjusted, the weight is uniformly distributed to the hips, much in the manner of a backpack waist belt. Another reason for running a battle belt is versatility. PALS webbing allows the plethora of MOLLE pouches to be properly attached. The Viking Tactics Battle Belt (VTAC Brokos Belt) was designed by retired U.S. Army Sergeant Major Kyle E. Lamb, Founder and President of Viking Tactics, Inc., along with Dan Brokos, who is still serving. SGM Lamb and Brokos brought their decades of realworld experience to the design of the Brokos Belt. SGM Lamb is a highly decorated operator who spent 21 years in the U.S. Army, most of it in Special Mission Units, including 1st Special Forces Operational Detachment-Delta (1st SFOD-D), commonly known as Delta Force. The VTAC Brokos Belt is made of 500 denier nylon with padded, non-slip 3D spacer mesh for comfort and "breathability." It is wide cut and features an ergonomic shape and a 6-inch high-density plastic insert that reinforces the belt. It weighs less than 8 ounces. There are four suspender D-rings for optional use with a harness, such as the TYR Tactical Suspenders offered by VTAC. The VTAC Brokos Belt can be worn with an H-harness, tactical vest, chest rig, plate or armor carrier or even as a waist belt for a backpack. It can also be worn alone when you don't need an additional rig. Weaving slots are located every 3 inches across the MOLLE. For greater versatility, it retains the capability to use normal beltmounted accessories. Holsters and accessories don't need to be MOLLE-specifc. Many other battle belts lack this capability. As is the case with most battle belts, the Brokos Belt doesn't have a closure and must be worn with an inner belt. Although the VTAC Brokos Belt can be used with any inner belt of your choice, it's sized to go together with VTAC Cobra Belt™. The Cobra Belt operates as a back-up safety harness that can be employed for air-frame tie-ins, roping off situations, and for emergency rappelling. Of course, no riggers belt, including the Cobra Belt, is recommended to be used as a standalone safety harness. It should be employed with a tactical rappelling harness. The VTAC Brokos Belt has an elastic loop that accepts a belt up to 2.25 inches to be used with the Brokos Belt. A smaller, non-elastic loop is below so when you run a Cobra Belt or similar width belts through it, the belt doesn't slide back and forth. The VTAC Cobra Belt features the patented AustriAlpin 64 LAW and ORDER I January 2014 Cobra™ quick-release buckle system. Designed for mountaineering, the Cobra Buckle is the only quick-release buckle that will not open under a load. The Cobra Buckle is machined from the highest quality aircraft-grade 7075 aluminum alloy and features solid brass and stainless internal release mechanisms. The Cobra Buckle has an 18kN rating, i.e., 4,000 pounds. The Cobra Belt is constructed of two layers of Mil-Spec 1.75-inch Type 13 webbing rated for 7000 pounds. The layers are sewn together with bonded 138 nylon thread stitching for the entire length. The two layers are also laminated with an industrial-strength adhesive for additional rigidity and stiffness. The Cobra Belt is stiff enough for support while still being fexible enough for comfort. The Brokos Belt and Cobra Belt are designed to work together as a system. The system is exceptionally comfortable, even when fully kitted out and worn for extended periods. The workmanship and quality of construction of the Brokos Belt and Cobra Belt are absolutely frst rate. It is quickly and easily modifed as the mission dictates by adding or removing pouches or accessories. While there are a lot of MOLLE battle belts/war belts on the market from which to choose, the VTAC Brokos Belt and Cobra Belt excel in both all-around comfort and utility. The VTAC Brokos Belt has an MSRP of $120. It's available in black, coyote brown, OD and MultiCam®. A licensed version of the Brokos Belt is also available from 5.11 Tactical. Designed in conjunction with SGM Lamb, the 5.11 Tactical VTAC Brokos Belt is available in black or sandstone. The MSRP for the 5.11 Tactical VTAC Brokos Belt is $80. The VTAC Cobra Belt is available in either black or coyote brown. MSRP for the VTAC Cobra Belt is $60 (Medium and Large) and $65 (XL and XXL). The VTAC website includes helpful sizing information. Eugene Nielsen provides investigative and tactical consulting services and is a former offcer. He may be reached at eugene.nielsen@live.com. LaO Post your comments on this story by visiting www.lawandordermag.com