If you’ve felt that I review a lot of gear from TUFF Products then you’ve felt right! I review their product line frequently because TUFF Products makes great gear that is worthy of your notice. I have two more items from their product line to tell you about that I really like: their EZ-Feed Cobra Ranger Belt and Super Tac Pocket Mag Pouch.
It’s been a long time since I’ve worn a nylon tactical-type trouser belt. I’ve grown tired of the standard “universal fit” nylon-webbing Velcro belts and have mostly been wearing double thickness leather belts such as those from CrossBreed holsters. But when I saw the EZ-Feed Cobra Ranger belt from Tuff Products, I decided to give it a try and see if it was more comfortable than the old-style webbing belts or some of the newer nylon tactical belts on the market these days.
I have tried what appeared to be similar belts with similar buckles and have been highly disappointed with them. To put it succinctly, they were a royal pain to put on and take off—so much so that I didn’t review them—and despite their quality construction, they were not worth the inconvenience.
The USA-made Cobra Ranger EZ-Feed Belt is a unique design that I really like, with a lot of options that allow the purchaser to tailor the ranger belt to their needs and/or clothing style. It is clearly a cut above the rest—for several reasons, including the options and styles that are available.
In ordering the Cobra Ranger, one first chooses from the base layer material, which consists of a 1-1/2″ double-layer STUFF Scuba Dive Webbing material, with black or coyote brown color options available. The next choice is the accent layer options. The accent layer is a 1-inch Mil Spec webbing that holds the buckle. Color choices of the accent layer include black, coyote brown, foliage green, multi-cam, olive drab, kryptek typhon, krytek highlander, or ranger green. Finally, there is a choice of the Cobra-brand buckle color: black or coyote brown. I was boring and chose basic black for all three.
The Cobra-brand buckle system used with the Ranger belt is excellent. I worked with the original larger size on a previous belt (the one I didn’t like). That buckle, while excellent in terms of its locking design and construction, didn’t allow the belt to be fed through loops easily because it was wider than the belt width. The Cobra buckle that TUFF uses on the Ranger is the width of the belt, and can easily be fed through the loops. Size adjustments are made by moving the buckle position on the accent layer strap, which is held by horizontal loops around the belt. Adjustment is easy if you follow the included directions to move the buckle to the position needed. The female buckle end has a long tab that goes under the belt on the male buckle side. A Velcro belt keeper is included to keep both portions of the belt solidly together after the buckle is locked, although the Ranger can be worn without it.
I have been wearing my sample for several weeks now. It is very comfortable due to the use of the STUFF Scuba Dive Webbing material used in the base layer, and the appearance is very sharp. Due to the dual-layer construction of the belt, holsters with narrow belt slots may not fit on the Ranger. I had problems fitting a Gould & Goodrich belt holster to it, while the slightly larger loops of a Crossbreed belt slide holster worked fine. In any event, the Cobra Ranger belt will work fine with IWB or paddle holsters. When you order the EZ-Feed Cobra Ranger, pay attention to the directions regarding sizing. MSRP is $89.00.
I have searched for quite awhile to find a really excellent way to carry a spare magazine for those infrequent times when I carry an autoloader off-duty. I don’t carry openly, so using a belt-mounted spare mag holder only occurs if I am wearing a covering garment over it.
For many years, like many of you, I stuck a spare magazine in my reasonably clean left front pants pocket. The spare mag is available when needed but it may have to compete for space with other items like flashlights, and it is always possible to bump the top cartridge out of its proper alignment in the magazine. The loose magazine may not end up in the best orientation position when needed in an emergency. The TUFF Super Tac Pocket Mag Pouch solves both these issues.
The Super Tac Pocket Mag Pouch is cut to hold one magazine in place at a 45-degree angle for smooth removal from the pocket. Constructed of TUFF’s tacky Super Grip Laminate material, the Super Tac remains inside the pocket while the spare magazine is being withdrawn.
I ordered one for my newly acquired Glock 27. The length of the 27’s compact magazine is ideal for the Super Tac magazine holder, and does not print against the pocket fabric. Better still, it protects the ammunition and magazine itself from pocket lint, as well as from dislodging the top round. While it only holds one spare magazine, that magazine will be ready to go quickly if it is needed. Remember too that CCW permit holders rarely get into a situation where dozens and dozens of rounds are fired. For the average permit holder or off-duty police officer, having a total of 27 rounds available in a situation that has gone bad should suffice if the application of potentially deadly force is needed. It is also more comfortable than a loose magazine in a pocket banging against your leg all day.
The MSRP of the Super Tac Pocket Mag Pouch is $25. Both it and the EZ-Feed Cobra Ranger Belt can be found on the TUFF Products website at www.tuffproducts.com.
