• Non-folding
• Medium size - I didn't want to go much larger than the RollyPoly as it could become cumbersome. I definitely didn't want to go smaller, as I found myself needing more space than not.
• Reduction in swaying or swinging - I wanted to see if I could make a relatively stable dump pouch that would keep swinging to a minimum, without being too rigid.
• MOLLE and belt compatible.
• Dropped below the belt line to clear body armour.
• No elastic shock cord or elastic closure.
• Had to be easy to insert mags yet be relatively secure - Now this was the biggest challenge. Dump pouches have that one big contradictory requirement: you want the opening to stay open when dumping stuff in it, yet keep those contents from falling out when moving. There have been various ways of accomplishing this; shock cord closures (as in the RollyPoly, where the opening is adjusted so that it's partially open), overlapping bands of elastic (I didn't like these as they were difficult to insert and extract from), internal liners (I found these a bit difficult to work with as well and left them open generally) etc.

After a lot of thought, I finally came up with a design that seemed like it'd work, and presented it to Ken at EMDOM. There were some unknowns, so we had a prototype made and took it from there. Over the next six months, we tweaked the design and dimensions, while I tested each revised prototype out at the range, running around, until we ended up with the final result. Here it is:

• Dimensions - The dump pouch is 7" wide x 3" deep x 9" tall. I wanted it to be tall enough to accomodate AK mags as well as M4 mags with Magpuls or Ranger plates without sticking out. I found that a medium sized dump pouch was what I needed. Anything smaller was just too small, and a larger one could swing around a lot when loaded.
• Stiffened drop panel - An 8" tall stiffened panel forms the mounting surface and provides the back of the pouch with support. The top of the pouch is dropped 3" below the mounting panel. The purpose of this is to ensure that there's enough clearance between the opening of the pouch and the bottom of a vest or body armour. The first 3" of the panel has a MOLLE-compatible malice clip grid on the back with three rows and three columns, for mounting to PALS webbing or duty belts. The panel then extends down 5" and provides lateral stiffness to the body of the pouch, which minimizes side to side swinging. It also reduces bouncing of the pouch. Even though it's stiffened with a HDPE sheet, it's still flexible enough not to get in the way when seated or in a vehicle as it doesn't extend lower than your butt in the seated position. We actually experimented with prototypes with two and four columns of PALS. Four was the most stable, but took up too much room on a belt. Two took up less room, but was less stable. Three columns of MOLLE webbing provided the best compromise. The mounting panel takes up three columns of PALS for mounting. We decided not to put any webbing on the front of the panel as we didn't want anyone mounting a pouch there and obstructing the pouch opening.
• Stiffened opening - The dump pouch has a sttiffened/structured opening for easy insertion of items, in a rounded-rectangular shape. A plastic stiffener sewn into the top keeps it open, and also provides support for the pouch, preventing it from sagging shut like a non-supported opening. The pouch is actually a two-piece design - the lower and upper (stiffened portion) are sewn together.
• Half-cover - This is my solution to the challenge presented by trying to keep the opening open and easily accessible, and keeping the contents from falling out. The opening only needs a partial cover to prevent most large items from falling out. Having an internal 'storm flap' with elastic cord opening results in a round hole in the middle of the opening. I figured out that if things are shaken out, they'll most likely fall out the side of the opening towards the outside of the pouch, away from the body. This is because the mounting point of the pouch becomes a pivot, and the pouch bounces up and down and around the pivot. The outside of the opening is moving the most, and also there's nothing there to keep stuff from falling out (as opposed to the mounted side which is against the body). So, the logical solution was to create the cover so that it covers the outside half of the pouch. We experimented with different sizes, like covering only one -third. I found that covering the outside half of the pouch kept the contents in the pouch, while providing easy access for both insertion and extraction by hand. There is also an inner lip around the inside of the opening, below the stiffener where the top and bottom portions of the pouch are sewn together. This inner lip further helps keep items from bouncing out of the opening.
  The half cover is removable, and is securely fastened to the opening of the dump pouch with four velcro tabs. The velcro tabs engage both sides of the opening, and are very secure.
• Snap closure - Even though the half-cover provides good retention of larger items like rifle mags, there's a chance that the user may want even more security for smaller items. So, a tab with a snap has been provided, that compresses the stiffened opening and essentially closes it. The tab is easily snapped and unsnapped with one hand, by feel alone. The tab can be folded inside the pouch if not needed.
• Dual expansion pleats - The dump pouch has two vertical pleats sewn into the body. Paul, EMDOM's manufacturing partner and pattern designer, is credited with this feature. The body of the dump pouch can expand to accomodate more, without increasing the size of the opening and mounting platform. This also helps it store bulky or odd-shaped items. When using a dump pouch, we seldom have time to place the items in a neat, ordered fashion, so a bit of extra space helps.
• 1000D Cordura construction - I feel that 1000D cordura is the optimum weight to use for a dump pouch, simply because it's stiffer, which reduces swinging, gives the pouch shape and protects the contents better than thinner fabric. Lighter weight fabrics have been used in other designs, mainly to reduce bulk in the folded configuration. Since this is a non-folding pouch, we were not constrained by that requirement, and could optimze it for actual use instead of storage on a belt.
• Drainage grommet at the bottom

Sizing - The EMDOM/MM Dump Pouch is sized to accomodate AK and M4 mags. It's tall enough so that AK mags placed vertically are retained by the half cover. The dump pouch can hold up to six AK mags and seven M4 mags. Of course, this is when the mags are placed inside neatly. We all know that under actual use, they go in at all sorts of angles and positions, so the capacity will definitely be reduced. The dual expansion pleats help with this issue, though.

Range testing - Over the past six months, I used the various prototypes of the EMDOM/MM Dump Pouch at the range during various drills which required running and shooting from various positions. Not once did I have anything fall out of the dump pouches, although I'm sure that there will be circumstances under which an item might get out. I wore it with 2" wide duty belts, mounted to my STRIKE chest rig, and mounted to MOLLE belts like the Crye Blast Belt. The 3" drop opening below the belt line provided clearance between the bottom of body armour and the opening for unrestricted access. While the stiffened panel doesn't eliminate up and down bouncing of the pouch completely, it does reduce it quite a bit. Lateral side-side swaying of the pouch is greatly reduced. I didn't find it to get in the way in any position as the stiffened panel only extends 5" below the mounting location. When I sat down, the pouch body just compressed/flattened. Having a semi-rigid opening helps when inserting mags into the pouch. The half-cover opening was easy to find and insert mags into.

Shown below are the different prototypes I tried (including a single-pleat version) as well as the final production version. As far as non-folding, dedicated dump pouches go, I'm happy to say that it works as designed.

Notes/Observations - The user needs to determine whether the mesh vs. the solid fabric version will best suit his needs. Mesh allows water to drain quickly and sand to fall out of its holes, but also allows it to get in. A dump pouch is an open top pouch anyway, so it's not sealed from debris falling in. The additional snap keeps the pouch folded up in half - not as compact as a true folding pouch due to the stiffening panel, but the stiffening panel is an integral part of the support for the pouch; to reduce flopping and movement when full. The stiffening panel doesn't extend below the butt, so it just sits flat against the body when seated in a vehicle. The stiffening 'ring' around the opening will just scrunch flat as well.

At the range, the Mesh dump pouch functions exactly like the solid fabric one - I use it for empty mags, a water bottle, a spare pocket for gloves etc. If you're in the habit of picking up empty shotgun hulls or cases for reloading and dumping them into a pouch, the mesh will allow sand to fall out, so that you can shake it a bit and when you extract the empties they'll have less sand in them. The EMDOM Omega Mesh dump pouch doesn't replace the standard Cordura MultiCam dump pouch, it's offered in addition to it.

• Low profile, Drilex padded shoulder pads - These are based off the EMDOM shoulder pad/strap design that that strikes a balance between padding and a low profile. When I first saw them, I thought "hey, these would make great suspender shoulder pads." They are 2" wide, and utilize Drilex on the inside to provide a low profile layer of padding and comfort. Drilex is used on Kifaru packs and is a very abrasion-resistant fabric - much more so than Coolmax, which tends to pill. The Drilex also helps keep the pads from slipping off slick fabrics. The shoulder pads do not chafe, cut nor dig into your shoulders. The front and back straps are one piece, sewn to the shoulder straps with bartacks every 1.5". The bartacked webbing can be used to attach hydration pouches in the rear, like EMDOM's hydration carrier.
• All metal hardware is used throughout - Thirteen colour-matched ITW Ghillietex metal sliders are used instead of plastic hardware for the lowest profile possible. These are stronger and much flatter than the equivalent plastic hardware. They also have more 'bite' on the webbing and will not slip along it.
• Fixed X-configuration - The rear of the suspenders cross in the back. The position of the X is fixed with a non-glare black rivet and plated washer. This allows the angle between the straps to be adjusted but not slide with respect to each other. Having a fixed X results in a more stable harness and less chance of the shoulder pads slipping off the shoulders.
• Simple attachment - The suspender straps are 1" webbing and wrap around the belt and secure with the two metal sliders. The lower metal slider keeps it tight around the belt, and the upper one secures excess length and the loose end. One metal slider can be used instead of two if there isn't much excess strap to secure. No ladder locs, buckles or elastic. The straps can also be attached to D-rings or molle webbing on belts as well.
• Velcro keeper loops - Four belt keeper loops are supplied for use with velcro-lined belts. These form small loops for the suspender straps to pass through, and will keep the straps from sliding along the belt.
• Adjustable/removable sternum and upper back straps - To fully ensure that there is absolutely NO chance of the suspenders slipping off all shoulder types, sternum and back straps have been provided. These attach to the suspenders at the 1" webbing slots on the shoulder straps and can be moved anywhere up or down the slots. Either one (or both) can be removed if desired. ITW metal slides are used, as the lowest-profile hardware available. The sternum strap has a snap instead of a plastic SR buckle, also for the lowest profile possible, and enables easy donning and doffing.
• Available in EMDOM's Coyote and Sewer Green (pictured here), Black and Foliage green.

Sizing - The EMDOM Suspenders come in two sizes: S/M and L/XL. On the S/M, the front and back 1" straps are 24" long and the shoulder pads are 18" long (see pic below for clarification). On the L/XL suspenders, the front and back straps are 32" long and the shoulder pads are 21" long. Here are some recommended notes on sizing:

S/M - Fits up to 5' 8" in height, with a rigger belt. If you're wrapping the strap around a very wide 4" or more wide MOLLE belt instead of attaching it to a D-ring or PALS strap, the L/XL size is recommended. Excess strap can be cut off or just routed a couple of times through the metal sliders.

L/XL - will fit 5' 8" and above. The straps are supplied extra long, so any excess can be cut off. This size should accomodate most people with any kind of belt - conventional or MOLLE.

These sizing recommendations are meant as a guide; use a tape measure and measure your exact setup if you're in doubt, or in-between sizes. Allow and inch and a half at each end for securing the ends through the metal sliders.

Adjustment - The Battle Suspenders are meant to be pre-adjusted, then worn; not adjusted on the fly. The Suspenders are attached to the belt, using only the lower metal sliders so they can be adjusted easily. The upper ones are left in place. The strap can either wrap around the entire belt, or attach to D-rings if provided. The length of each strap is adjusted for support the belt equally. The sternum and upper back straps are then moved up or down in their slots depending on the user's preference. I prefer the sternum strap on the upper part of my chest and the upper back strap just below my neck. The rear strap usually ends up above the neckline of body armour. The width of the sternum and upper back straps are adjusted just so the shoulder pads don't fall off on the shoulders - there doesn't need to be any tension in the straps pulling the shoulder straps together.

After all the adjustments are complete, the loose strap ends are routed through the upper metal slides, and back down to the lower metal slides if there's a lot of excess. The upper metal slides can be positioned at any height - whatever is needed to take up the loose ends, illustrated below:

Since late 2006, I've been using the different iterations of the prototypes - each time refining the design here and there until the production version was finalized. The idea of elastic was eliminated early on as it was found to be unnecessary, as tension on the straps to keep them on the shoulders wasn't needed. Bending or squatting down didn't affect the position of the belt. Without elastic, the suspenders distributed the load better between the hips and the shoulders with no sagging of the belt and less shifting of the load. There was also a consistent distribution of load between the shoulders and the hips without elastic, as elastic stretches the more you load it up and the length changes.

The Battle Suspenders worked very well during the activities I wore them for (shooting and running around on a range). I didn't feel any restriction of movement or discomfort, and they stayed put on my shoulders. The Drilex padding on the shoulders were instrumental in adding comfort. I also wore them under a plate carrier and they're practically unnoticeable. The sternum and rear straps don't interfere with vests or plate carriers, nor can I feel the rivet in the middle of the X.

I used the suspenders with a few different setups. One with an Original SOE Cobra belt with EMDOM 6o4 pouch, MM Dump pouch and handgun, and also heavier loadouts with the Crye Blast belt and SOE Tapered War Belt Sleeve shown below. I wore these under a DBT FAPC and BH STRIKE rig and they were comfortable under both. We also sent out a set more than a year ago to a beta tester and received very positive feedback (thanks - you know who you are). It unfortunately took longer than expected, with other projects in the works, but they're finally here and I'm very pleased with how they turned out.

The manufacturing cost due to labour time on these is higher than most other suspenders - much of it coming from the fabrication of the shoulder straps. Instead of simply cutting some webbing to length, the shoulder straps need to be cut to shape, the Drilex cut and sewn, and the 1" webbing bartacked. The other small details add up, like the velcro belt keepers made from scratch, and assembly of the sternum and rear straps. But, the goal was to make the best suspenders we could, not the cheapest, and I do feel that the extra expense was worth it for the comfort and utility they provide.

• Light weight and low profile (not too thick).
• Stiff enough to support subloads and holsters without rolling over.
• Quick-release plastic buckle. No Cobra buckle to keep the cost down, and it's not needed as the CM belt is not designed as a safety or riggers belt.
• MOLLE and belt loop compatible.
• Some sort of retention system that prevents pouches from sliding around.
• Compatible with the EMDOM Battle Suspenders - loops to prevent the straps from sliding around.
• 2" wide.

After a few prototypes and testing at the range over the past year and a half, the final version is shown here.

• Construction/materials - Instead of using scuba webbing, the CM Belt is made by wrapping 1000D cordura around a stiff HDPE insert, which gives the CM belt its rigidity. The inside of the belt is lined with 2" wide webbing. Sewn to the webbing is 1" wide velcro, bartacked at regular intervals to create loops. The 1000D construction allows it to be offered in seven colours - Crye MultiCam, ACU/UCP, Black, Coyote, Sewer Green, Foliage Green and SDU Grey.
• Inner row of MOLLE webbing - The CM belt is compatible with most MOLLE pouches, MALICE clips, and pouches with attachments designed for 2" belts. An inner row of velcro-covered webbing is bartacked every 1.5", which creates loops through which MOLLE straps or MALICE clips are passed through. The loops prevent the pouches from sliding around on the belt. The first three loops towards the front and side are 2.5" wide instead of 1", so that holsters or subloads that use 2" webbing will be retained by the loop. Some belt pouches have velcro wrap-around attachments, so the inner loop velcro will prevent these pouches from sliding around as well.
• ITW Snap Dragon buckle - A 2" ITW 1794 Snap Dragon buckle is used for the CM Belt. The Snap Dragon releases by pulling on the release tab made of 1" webbing with a snap on the end. The CM belt is adjusted on both sides of the buckle by lengthening or shortening the ends, which velcro down to the inside of the belt. Keeper loops on each side of the buckle add security. One of them has a female snap to which the quick-release tab is secured. This is a duty belt, not a safety/riggers belt, so I wanted to keep the cost down by not using a Austrialpin Cobra buckle, which are expensive. The Snap Dragon buckle is available in tan and black.
• Sizing - The CM belt sizing parallels standard BDU waist sizing: Small 27" - 31", Medium 31" - 35", Large 35" - 39" and Extra-Large 39" - 43". Other sizes can be accommodated. Note that if you plan on using the CM belt with a padded belt/sleeve, a larger size might be needed. Measure the circumference of your waist with the padded sleeve to be sure.

Notes - As I mentioned above, the CM Belt was intended both for use with the EMDOM-MM Battle suspenders (or any other suitable brand) or by itself. However, even with a minimal load of a holster, pistol mags and dump pouch, I find it more comfortable to use the suspenders. This way, the weight is distributed between the shoulders and the hips, plus the belt doesn't have to be adjusted as tight for fear of it slipping down. Besides stand-alone use, I've also used my CM Belt in conjunction with the Crye Blast Belt shown below. The Crye Blast belt utilizes an outer web belt, which I replaced with the CM Belt, which is stiffer and matches it perfectly.

When mounting pouches to the CM Belt using malice clips, only the top two rows of webbing on the back of the pouch are used, and the malice clip is tightened to the 2nd slot. Note that when using MOLLE pouches, they will be a bit loose because the spacing is 3". The CM Belt is designed for those who want to use a combination of MOLLE, Malice or regular belt-mounted pouches. If the majority of pouches used are going to be MOLLE, then a dedicated MOLLE belt is recommended over the CM.

Note that if you plan on using the CM belt with a padded belt/sleeve, a larger size might be needed. Measure the circumference of your waist with the padded sleeve to be sure.

One of the problems with having a short torso is that many vests or armoured vest will be long enough to overlap or interfere with the belt that I'm wearing, especially when kneeling or bending. This was one of the reasons why I wanted a low profie duty belt instead of a padded belt, which could be too bulky at times. In the photos below, I'm wearing the CM Belt with the Diamondback/Battlelab Predator vest. The CM Belt is low profile enough to allow the Predator to overlap it in some places. The Crye CAGE Chassis, on the other hand, is designed to be short in the torso length, for use in conjunction with their armoured Blast Belt.

I've been using the CM Belt over the past year and a half at the range with various setups, and I found it to work well and feel comfortable, even though it's unpadded. The suspender straps and attached pouches stay put; kept in place by the inner row of MOLLE webbing. All CM belts are custom made to order as it'd be too hard to stock all 56 combinations (seven colour options, two buckle colour options and four size options).

• Light weight and low profile (not too thick) - I wanted the minimum of added bulk.
• Attaches directly to CM Belt with no alteration.
• Easily removable with pouches attached.
• Can be used on any other velcro-lined belt up to 2.5" wide.

After a few prototypes and testing at the range over the past year, the final version is shown here.

• Construction/materials - The CM Belt Pad set is made of breathable drilex, with low profile 1/4" foam padding. Only the upper and lower portions of the pad are padded to accommodate the thickness of the velcro inside the CM Belt.
• Dimensions - Each CM belt pad is 13" long and approx 2.8" wide. They are 1/4" thick except for the center portion. The pads are tapered at one end, which is meant to face toward the buckle.
• Attachment - The CM Belt pad has a 1" strip of hook velcro down the middle, that secures it to the inside loop velcro on the CM Belt. At each end are velcro tabs that wrap around the belt to further secure the end.
• Sizing - One size, in Coyote, Sewer Green or Black.
• Adaptability - The CM Belt pads can be used as a pair, as a single pad on the side or rear, or on any rigger's or duty belt less than 2.5" wide that is lined with loop velcro.

Notes - I've been using the pads for a while and I found that using them eliminates the need for suspenders, as they're low profile and very comfortable. The pads take the 'edge' off any duty belt. The pads are installed onto the CM Belt simply by placing them inside the CM Belt; lining up the hook velcro center strip with the internal velcro on the CM Belt, and securing the ends around the belt. Note that the velcro tabs do not have to wrap around the belt; they can be attached to the inner loops on the CM Belt. That way, they don't interfere with the attachment of pouches at that location.

IMPORTANT - The addition of the CM Belt Pads to a belt makes it tighter. A belt will have to be loosened about one inch, so make sure that you have that adjustability available.

The CM Belt pad can also be used to accommodate bulky clothing. When worn over regular clothing, the Belt Pads are used. When worn over bulky clothing, the pads can be removed and the belt length does not have to be adjusted (depending on the clothing). With padded belts or sleeves, the main belt has to be adjusted for thick clothing wear. But, with thick clothing, the need for pads is lessened, hence the versatility of removable pads.

The CM Belt Pad can also be used singly, and we found that when one belt pad is installed in the rear of the belt, it helps keep the belt from riding up the back. The center portion of the pad that is unpadded gives it more grip when worn over pant belts. The CM Belt Pad set will also work with rigger's belts or duty belts up to 2.5" wide with loop velcro lining. Many people use rigger's belts with cobra buckles as load-bearing belts, but stiff riggers belts can tend to dig into the hip bones when fully loaded up. The addition of the CM Belt Pads will greatly add to the comfort of a rigger belt setup. I don't recommend using them on belts without loop velcro lining, as they'll slide around.

Anyway, if you own a CM belt, I think you'll really like the pads.

SDU grey CM belt and black pads

Coyote pads on multicam belt

Black pads on SDU grey belt

Mounted on rigger's belt

ALS holsters - Safariland's ALS (Automatic Locking System) is an internal locking device in the holster that secures the weapon upon re-holstering. It prevents removal of the weapon until activated. The ALS locks into the ejection port and is operated by the thumb when the shooting grip is obtained on the weapon. It's that small black tab at the inside top of the holsters you see below. I think it's the best system I've come across. No straps or hoods to unsnap or rotate. Just a quick rearward press of the thumb on the black tab releases the weapon for a smooth draw. Since it's located at the top inside of the holster, there's nothing to snag, and it's well protected.

The 6305 seen below for the govt .45 has both the ALS and the SLS rotating hood providing two levels of retention. The SLS hood can be rotated out of the way and the handgun will still be secured in the 6305 by the ALS.

The 6378 ALS paddle holster in FDE is also shown below, for the Glock 19. For this writeup, I specifically picked a holster for the Glock 19 for the purposes of attaching it to a MOLLE vest. The Glock 19 is compact and light, making it a good size for vest mounting, especially for a smaller guy like me.

To convert the 6378 to be utilize the MOLLE Locking System, the paddle was removed, and the MOLLE holster mount attached with the three screws. The three screws fit into the slotted holes on the mount, which allow some cant adjustment. With the MOLLE mount attached, the holster could now be used with the leg shroud to which the receiver plate had been attached, or directly to a MOLLE vest. Utilizing the MLS instead of attaching the holster directly to the leg shroud moves the holster outboard about 0.5".

I attached the Standard receiver plate to the paddle I had removed from the 6378, so the holster could be used with both the leg shroud and paddle. It's easily switched between them in seconds, plus it mounts to a MOLLE vest or belt.

The holster with holster mount is shown below mounted to a MOLLE vest. It's very secure and stable. This is much more low profile and easy to use than the older MOLLE plate adapter that Safariland originally offered. The ALS holster provides retention without any more bulk than a standard molded kydex holster. The combination of an ALS holster and MLS is a low profile and secure way to carry a handgun on a vest.

Mounted on paddle

Holster on MOLLE vest

The MLS and 6378 shown here are available from Safariland Dealers like Belsco Inc., where mine came from. The Safariland online catalog didn't even list an FDE option for either the holster or MLS, but Erik at Belsco (erikb@belsco.com) who is familiar with the Safariland part code system and was able to figure out the part number and order one for me.

Quick-Release Riggers Belt - The only drawback to riggers belts is that to undo them, you've got to unthread the loose end through the buckle. More of a matter of inconvenience than anything else. I bought a couple of Austrialpin Cobra quick release buckles from Paragear - they're typically used for para/hang gliding and are the slickest looking buckles out there. They're available in anodized tan and green. Not cheap at $30 per buckle, but unique-looking and very functional. They require both latches to be depressed before releasing and will not release even if one latch has been pressed. I sent them to John, and he made up these two riggers belts.

I asked John to make the tan one without the steel V-ring. Just a simple, stiff, shooter's belt. The OD Green has the V-ring. Both are lined with loop velcro and are of double-thickness 1.75" wide type 7R webbing. The section that goes through the Cobra buckles is a single thickness of webbing as a double thickness won't go through the Cobra buckle.

Shown below are the Cobra belts worn. Note that the buckle won't pass through most belt loops, so the male buckle is removed from the loose end of the belt, the loose end threaded through the belt loops (like a regular riggers belt) and the buckle re-attached. But once adjusted, you don't have to unthread and re-adjust the belt everytime you drop your pants or put them back on.

John liked the buckles so much and got overwhelming response from the people he showed the belts to that he now keeps buckles in stock and offers his riggers belts with them as an option for about $60 per belt. They can be set up any way you want - with or without V-ring. John's contact info is on his website, so give him a holler if you want one (or two).

Note: Some customers contacted me in the past concerning issues with backordered items from OSOE. OSOE is not taking individual orders anymore and is directing customers to purchase from their network of dealers. To avoid any delays in orders, it's a good idea to verify with the dealer that items are in stock.

• Made to size - you order your waist/pant size and use your own duty or rigger's belt. Note that you need at least an extra 2-3" of length on your current belt to accomodate the added padding of the sleeve.
• A velcro-lined duty or riggers 2" wide belt is recommend for use with the Tapered War Belt sleeve; prefereably one with a front buckle for on/off convenience. I used an OSOE Cobra rigger's belt. You use your own belt; it's not included with the sleeve.
• Belt is 4.5" tall in the back and 3.5" tall on the sides. The number of columns of PALS webbing will depend on the size of the belt. My waist is about 33", and the belt sleeve is 38" (it's supposed to be worn on the hips, not around the waist). Seems like it'd be too long, but it's not - it works out perfectly.
• For the size shown here, the front/side 6 columns of PALS are 3 rows tall and in the back, there are 10 columns of 4 rows. These are full rows of webbing - there is no empty space between them. This allows you to go one row up or down in the 4 rows in the back, and mount pouches higher or lower. The full rows of webbing also accomodate pouches that rely on attachments for 2" wide belts.
• There are two slots/openings on the bottom of the sides, about 4.5" long, to allow access to the inner duty belt for non-MOLLE holsters or thigh rigs. A drop holster can be attached to either the inner belt or MOLLE webbing on the sides.
• The inside tunnel of the sleeve is lined with velcro until the rear of the bottom slots, making inserting and adjusting the inner belt easier.
• The inside surface of the belt is fully lined with Coolmax.
• 5 suspender D-rings are provided for either H or Y-style harnesses/suspenders.
• Available in colour-matched MultiCam webbing or solid colours.

I used my OSOE Cobra rigger's belt with the Tapered War Belt Sleeve, and I think that a belt with some kind of buckle in front should be used. If a regular riggers belt is used, you'd have to find somewhere to engage and tuck the loose end of the belt, which is difficult because the belt sleeve covers pretty much everything but the buckle. The Tapered sleeve works exactly as I had imagined. The lower profile gives me full range of motion and it's still wide/thick enough to provide padding where it's needed. I also recommend using suspenders for comfort. Personally, I like to wear the belt a bit looser around the hips (snug, but not too tight), and offload some of the weight with suspenders. The Tapered War Belt Sleeve is shown below with a selection of pouches (both MOLLE and 2" velcro strap types). I've got my MAXPEDITION MM dump pouch behind my right hip, an EMDOM 6o4 pistol mag pouch with 4 M&P mags, a small TAD Gear BC4 Batuca battery case to the right of my buckle, a TAD Gear iCOMM pouch to the left of the buckle, a home-modified TT MOLLE panel/thigh rig with a home-modified/attached Serpa holster for my M&P (it was one of the only holsters that'd fit the M&P when it first came out - I know it's got a controversial reputation but if it fails, I'll just replace it. I'm not depending on it with my life - it'll never be used anywhere but the range), and a prototype EMDOM compact digital camera case. There are still 7 columns of PALS left over in the back.

The belt wears comfortably, and is a very stable platform for what I've attached to it. No sagging or pulling away from the inner belt. It's also not too bulky for a padded belt sleeve, which I like. As usual, it's overbuilt with OSOE's bomb-proof construction, and I've very happy with the way it turned out.

Note: Some customers contacted me in the past concerning issues with backordered items from OSOE. OSOE is not taking individual orders anymore and is directing customers to purchase from their network of dealers. To avoid any delays in orders, it's a good idea to verify with the dealer that items are in stock.

Notes/observations - The FatZombie Duty Belt is shown below with a Safariland 007 holster, an EMDOM-MM 6o4 pistol magazine pouch (with six single-stack 1911 mags) using small Malice clips, and a Maxpedition RollyPoly dump pouch. When I was looking through my holsters, all except the 007 would only accommodate up to 1-3/4" belts. So, before you buy, make sure that your holster, mag pouches or whatever you want to mount to it can fit a 2" wide belt (or order a 1-3/4" version). It's also quite a thick belt, due to the 3 layers of webbing plus velcro. The thickness of the outer belt is about 1/4". A large Blade-Tech Tek-Lok will work on the FatZombie with a bit of coaxing.

To don the FatZombie belt, the inner belt is first threaded through the belt loops on the pants, and the overlapping ends secured in front. The outer belt is then wrapped around the waist (I find it easier to start from the back and pull both ends forward while wrapping them around to the front, for good velcro engagement between the outer and inner belts), the overlapping ends secured with velcro, then the Cobra buckle buckled. It helps to pre-adjust the loose end of the outer belt, if pouches are going to cover the loose end.

Inner/outer duty belt systems have the convenience of leaving everything mounted on the outer belt and not having to thread it through the belt loops. The velcro 'sandwich' keeps everything from sliding around on the belt. The inner belt is also low profile, and more comfortable under the outer belt than a regular pants belt with buckle would be. Since they're attached, you don't have the problem of the pants or belt riding up or down relative to each other - they're always at the same level on the waist.

The outer belt is initially very stiff, but broke in and conformed to my waist after a few days of wear. It didn't lose any of its lateral (rollover) stiffness and easily supports the weight of a full size 1911 plus mags. It's a well built system for duty or competition wear.

Update 8/2016 - I received an email from an unhappy customer who stated that wait times were much longer than the time stated on the website and the product was not delivered after several promises to do so. Do a search on the internet for current information regarding this subject.