CampingGearReview » On your belt

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Whenever I go camping, this utility belt is always with me. Around the campsite I take it off, but when out hiking, looking for firewood, or exploring it’s always on me.

The belt is a standard US Army Utility belt. I bought it from an army surplus store for about four or five bucks. I am not sure if it’s a ‘genuine’ issue belt, or a civilian look-alike, but it’s strong, and serves my purpose. On my left side is a Cold Steel GI Tanto knife. Then a plastic canteen in an ALICE pouch, then two ammo pouches. I have two screw-gate carabiners in between the pouches just in case. I cut off the loops from the ammo pouches, since they are useless for me, take up extra space, and snag on things. A GI metal cup sits inside the canteen pouch, and the canteen itself sits inside the cup.

One of the pouches contains the following:

• Bic lighter
• 550 paracord. Maybe 40 or 50 feet
• Trioxane fuel tabs. There are three in the box
• Mylar emergency blanket
• Winchester multitool
• Signal mirror
• Brunton compass with declination adjustment
• Slingshot replacement band. I have made my own slingshots before, this works great!
• Two wire saws. They don’t work too well, but will do in an emergency
• Aquamira Frontier Filter. Basically a straw filter good for 20 gallons

The second pouch has these items:

• Snake bite and sting kit. I added scalpel blades, more bandages, 4 clothes pins, butterfly sutures and a P-38 can opener. The disposable razor is there so you can shave the sting site for suction cup to adhere to your skin.
• Roll of waterproof medical tape
• Assorted large bandages, and gauze pads
• Roll of gauze
• Advil in a small bottle
• More medicine; antacids, anti-diarrheal, painkillers
• Garrity LED flashlight. 3 AAA batteries. This cost me $5 at the store, great flashlight for the price
• Gerber Gator knife. I have had this for at least 10 years, and use it all the time when camping

On the right side of the utility belt there is extra space for my Kimber 1911 in a Bianchi M12 style holster. I do not normally carry it with me, but if the situation arises, it sits comfortably on my hip.