6 Must-Have Features in a Professional Tool Belt
What makes a Professional Tool Belt?
There are a few key features of a premium tool belt. Pouches should be durable, lightweight and organized while the belt (or vest) should have continuous adjustment, padding and lumbar support. Other nice to haves are locking pouches and easy customization.
1. Lightweight and Durable
There are a number of materials on the market today that provide years of use in a tool belt. Of course, leather lasts and lasts, but today's 1000d nylon provides equal or better durability at a fraction of the weight. More modern materials like Hypalon and Diamondskin(TM) provide even greater durability while keeping weight down.
2. Organized
Work smarter, not harder. If you are organized and your tools are arranged well, you will be far more efficient on the job. Tool pouches need dedicated slots and pockets for your most commonly used tools and fasteners. Everything should be easily visible as well.
3. Continuous Adjustment
This is a very overlooked part of proper fit and comfort in a tool belt. Old school tongue-and-hole adjustments are always too loose (sliding down onto your hips) or too tight (squeezing your guts). Even if you find the perfect hole or punch one yourself, different clothing layers in different temperatures will cause issues. A continuously adjusting buckle allows you to have the perfect fit no matter what the weather, your clothing or what you had for lunch. Remember, keeping your belt above you hips and on your waist is critical to reducing hip and back pain.
4. Padding and Lumbar Support:
The other critical piece to avoiding back and hip pain is a quality padding and lumbar support system. The Diamondback BAC system combines a dual axis adjustment and multi-tier reinforcement in the transfer pad to provide the absolute pinnacle in lumbar support. The variable padding system is designed to locate the bulk of the padding in the lumbar area of the back with softer padding around the hips to prevent the weight of the belt from digging into the hips. Traditional leather belts will tend to slide down off of the waist and dig into the hips, while other padded nylon belts generally lack the additional curvature and support in the lumbar.
5. Locking pouches
When you put your belt on, your pouches should be right where you left them. You should not have to slide the pouches into place every time you put on your belt. A locking system like Diamondback's Tri-Fold Hook and Loop System keeps your pouches locked into the same position on your belt, but also allows for easy adjustment if you add layers in the winter or shed them in the summer.
6. Easy Customization
No two workers are the same, and no one carries the same exact set of tools. We include as many slots and pockets as possible in our pouches, but there is always room to personalize your set-up with a wide range of accessories so that you can make it yours. DB Sax for additional fasteners, Tape Pouches, Utility Pockets and Sheaths, Suspenders and so many more options allow you to customize your system for the work that you do and the way that you do it.
