Solarius Posted March 16, 2006 Share Posted March 16, 2006 I'm on a student budget and I want a belt for USPSA production that's cheaper than the CR speed =(. Can't I find something for like $20 that's still sturdy, or is it really worth the extra money? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dfwmiket Posted March 16, 2006 Share Posted March 16, 2006 CR Speed is worth it, but if you are only going to shoot Production, you do have other options. A good double-thick leather work belt from somewhere like Tractor Supply will do in a pinch, or one of the Galco belts that are a Wilderness knock off as well. Also, check want ads on some of the popular gun forums.... people gain and lose weight enough they sell quite often. Mike Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
driver8M3 Posted March 16, 2006 Share Posted March 16, 2006 you can get by with others...but the cr speed belt is really worth the extra few dollars. and this is especially true for production. trying to thread 5 mag pouches and a holster on to the belt, between belt loops on the pants is a huge pita. with the cr speed, you just lock everything into place on the outer belt. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mike_pinto Posted March 16, 2006 Share Posted March 16, 2006 The CR or the Safariland will pay for itself in short time.. You won't regret the up front cost. You may want to keep tabs on the classifieds. I am thinking of going to the CR from my Safariland. Shoot me a PM with your size, if mine will work, I will make you a great deal.. Mike Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
.40AET Posted March 16, 2006 Share Posted March 16, 2006 The CR Speed is worth the extra money and you'll have it for a long time. Keep an eye on the classified section they show up pretty regularly. I saw a bunch when I was looking for a new one except they were all for little skinny guys. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Genghis Posted March 16, 2006 Share Posted March 16, 2006 I shoot Limited with a thick black leather belt from JC Penney, and Blade Tech holster and double mag pouch. I know I give up some time to the guys with the competition holsters and fancy pouches, but I haven't yet made the jump. I do have the fancy stuff for my Para and my Open gun. I don't think the dress belt would work as well with the fancy stuff, but if you could afford a $200 holster and $150 worth of mag pouches, you'd probably go ahead and buy the $45 CR speed belt. I'm betting you use carry gear, and the leather belt works just fine with that stuff. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
boo radley Posted March 16, 2006 Share Posted March 16, 2006 If for no other reason, the CR-Speed is terrific because you can set up your equipment *once*, and quickly put it on and off. A lot of times when I practice I don't even bother with the inner belt, in fact. With a single leather belt, you have to thread it through the loops, add your pouches, etc., as someone else pointed out. The difference is what - the cost of 5 boxes of ammo? This is one of those pieces of gear that's truly worth what it costs. I have 2 in fact. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Genghis Posted March 16, 2006 Share Posted March 16, 2006 (edited) CR Speed Belt $49.95 http://www.ipsc.org/store/storeeq.htm $54.95 Shooter's Connection http://shootersconnection.com/store/index.php?cPath=39 $50.75 Dawson http://www3.mailordercentral.com/shootings...s.asp?dept=1294 [edited to provide correct URL's] Edited March 17, 2006 by Genghis Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Vlad Posted March 16, 2006 Share Posted March 16, 2006 The CR is where its at! IF you want a cheap standard belt that will work, the double belts from Carhart are very rigid and about $25. To me the convinience of gear placement alone is worth the price difference, nevermind that the CR is more then twice the belt. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AZ38super Posted March 16, 2006 Share Posted March 16, 2006 The inner and outer is the way to go as everyone has said. Use what you can for now and look for a used one. I bought my CR Speed new but I just picked up a used Safariland for $15.00 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SRT Driver Posted March 16, 2006 Share Posted March 16, 2006 safariland 4350 belts can be found in the $25 range new. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jake Di Vita Posted March 16, 2006 Share Posted March 16, 2006 Buy the best once. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JFD Posted March 16, 2006 Share Posted March 16, 2006 The 2 piece Gilmore at Brownells used to be significantly cheaper than the CR Speed. However it's now $50 and I think Chuck has the CR Speed for $55. No longer worth the effort IMHO. I used a Gilmore for several years shooting L-10 with a Ghost holster and 5 mag pouches with CMC 10 round mags attached. Never a problem. My wife still uses a Gilmore with the same setup. The problem started the second I tried to hang a few 21 round Para mags on the belt when I switched to Limited. It is simply not stiff enough to hold the weight. Now I have a pair of CR Speed rigs for my Limited guns. Absolutely perfect. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AZ38super Posted March 16, 2006 Share Posted March 16, 2006 (edited) safariland 4350 belts can be found in the $25 range new. It is $25.00 for the inner belt and $65.95 for the #4350 basket weave outer belt that I got used for $15.00 They sell a nylon type outer for around $37.00 which comes to $62.00 for the set Safarilands sell as individual pieces... Edited March 16, 2006 by AZ38super Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
George Posted March 16, 2006 Share Posted March 16, 2006 Buy the best once. Jake is right and at the moment the CR Speed is the best going. I have 3 "best systems" that are all still in use because they are good stuff in the first place. I still have and use all the original Ernie Hill heavy duty belts and FasTrac holsters I was advised to get in 1988. I still have and use the SafariLand inner/outer system I bought in 1991 and I also have a CR Speed belt system that I use now for my main open division rig. Good gear keeps on working as long as you want to use it. I do however have a big cardboard box full of cheap crap like Galco, Uncle Mikes, etc... that sits out back near the beer cans. I occasionally toss something else into that box, but seldom does anything ever come out of that box ;-) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mikegot38 Posted March 16, 2006 Share Posted March 16, 2006 I'm on a student budget and I want a belt for USPSA production that's cheaper than the CR speed =(. Can't I find something for like $20 that's still sturdy, or is it really worth the extra money? Bought Safariland and Gilmoure. Nice belts but not stiff enough for big mags. Now use CR Speed-about 50 bucks. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
boo radley Posted March 17, 2006 Share Posted March 17, 2006 [....]I do however have a big cardboard box full of cheap crap like Galco, Uncle Mikes, etc... that sits out back near the beer cans. I occasionally toss something else into that box, but seldom does anything ever come out of that box ;-) I'm starting to get a box like that. It has two Fobus's (Fobi?) in it, along with a couple Uncle Mike's mag holders that are held together with epoxy, and..... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chris Keen Posted March 17, 2006 Share Posted March 17, 2006 Enough said about the CR SPEED to convince you yet ???? I'm trying to convince my wallet that I need 1 CR SPEED rig for Open, 1 CR SPEED rig for Limited, and 1 CR SPEED rig for Production. Do I NEED 3 dif. rigs ? Nope! I just want to NOT HAVE TO MESS AROUND with changing anything before a match. I have enough other stuff to worry about. Like winning~! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Loves2Shoot Posted March 17, 2006 Share Posted March 17, 2006 You can take two pieces of 2" nylon webbing, 1 piece of thin plastic (plyable enough to bend around your waist 2" wide and long enough to go 3/4the way around), and 1 piece of 2" velcro. Take an industrial sewing machine and sew the thin plastic betwen the layers of webing with the hook end velcro together. Use the cloth velcro to pass between you belt loops. About $15 bucks in material. Buy the CR and you'll be much happier. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GeorgeInNePa Posted March 17, 2006 Share Posted March 17, 2006 Buy the best once. Jake is right and at the moment the CR Speed is the best going. I have 3 "best systems" that are all still in use because they are good stuff in the first place. I still have and use all the original Ernie Hill heavy duty belts and FasTrac holsters I was advised to get in 1988. I still have and use the SafariLand inner/outer system I bought in 1991 and I also have a CR Speed belt system that I use now for my main open division rig. Good gear keeps on working as long as you want to use it. I do however have a big cardboard box full of cheap crap like Galco, Uncle Mikes, etc... that sits out back near the beer cans. I occasionally toss something else into that box, but seldom does anything ever come out of that box ;-) +1 on buy the best once. I have Ernie's stuff in a box, not because it doesn't work right, but because the belt has shrunk since the early 90's. Seriously, go with the CR Speed belt, I love my Production set-up with the CR so much, I'm setting up my new Limited rig on a CR Speed belt. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
spook Posted March 17, 2006 Share Posted March 17, 2006 The CR belt is the only thing I have for shooting I would buy again without thinking twice. The cool thing is that it actually makes your holster and pouches (whichever ones you choose) work better. Another big plus is that the CR won't ruin your clothes with the soft velcro on the inside. I would seriously consider spending less on a holster (kydex, or used old school speed) and going for the CR belt. I currently have a CR speed belt set up with a very old cheap Safariland 007 holster I bought for $20 used and get consistent .80 draws with it. See if you can find one used. If you still don't want the CR and want to go cheap I suggest looking for used belts Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Scooter Posted March 17, 2006 Share Posted March 17, 2006 Just don't go to the bars for a night, and you just paid for the belt. Just spend the money on the CR Speed belt. It's something you buy once and use for the next decade or till you sit behind a desk all day and the belt no longer fits you. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GeorgeInNePa Posted March 17, 2006 Share Posted March 17, 2006 Just don't go to the bars for a night, and you just paid for the belt.Just spend the money on the CR Speed belt. It's something you buy once and use for the next decade or till you sit behind a desk all day and the belt no longer fits you. Blasphemy! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LPatterson Posted March 17, 2006 Share Posted March 17, 2006 Enough said about the CR SPEED to convince you yet ????I'm trying to convince my wallet that I need 1 CR SPEED rig for Open, 1 CR SPEED rig for Limited, and 1 CR SPEED rig for Production. Do I NEED 3 dif. rigs ? Nope! I just want to NOT HAVE TO MESS AROUND with changing anything before a match. I have enough other stuff to worry about. Like winning~! I am glad to see someone else admit to this because I wasn't going to be first. But then I am just lazy. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EricW Posted March 17, 2006 Share Posted March 17, 2006 The Safariland belts that Brian sells are better, cheaper, and will last longer than the CR's. I've tried both side by side and there's no comparison in quality. Yes the CR is stiffer. Unless you have a lot of extra girth you need to...um...manage, or shoot 170mm sticks, the Safariland is plenty stiff. I just bought a 1.5" belt from Brian, but I think I would err toward a 1.75" if I bought again. This post will be followed by 75 more denouncing me as a heretic, but I chatted with a dealer at Area-1 last year and he told me outright that he switched to selling CR's for the simple reason that they broke down over time and he got to sell shooters more than one. The Safariland belts just last forever and still look like new after years of hard use. I have one that's so old, it conforms neither to the 1.75 or 1.5 system. Still looks and works like brand new. Bet nobody's CR does that 20 years from now unless they just never used it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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