We’re on a double-duty travel gear roll this week and we’ve got another item that earns its keep in your suitcase or backpack. It’s a rugged belt from Mountain Khakis that also will pop open a bottle of beer.
This is a nylon webbing belt, which has long been a kind of belt popular with travelers. These things are pretty bulletproof, taking whatever you throw at them without getting ugly, and it’s fine if you get them wet. They can be clamped exactly where you want instead of you having to pick a hole that’s not quite right. If you gain 15 pounds on a U.S. road trip or lose 15 pounds getting sick in India, this belt will still work for you. And it’ll keep opening your beers.
This Mountain Khakis one stays in place better than others I’ve tried too, with a strong metal buckle that has gripping teeth. It feels like it’ll outlast most of my pants. It’s a good casual choice for travel pants with belt loops: those look kind of silly with a regular leather belt. Unlike many other ones I’ve seen in gear stores, this version comes in four colors: khaki, green, black, and navy.
My main complaint about this belt is that it’s “one size fits all,” which in this case means “sized for gargatuan Americans.” If you have trouble fitting into the width of an airplane seat, this belt will still fit you—it’s for waists up to 51 inches. (The company tries to put a positive spin on this length though, saying it will double as a six-pack holder or a dog leash…) For those of us who keep in decent shape this thing is way too long, going through multiple belt loops. I had this problem with a similar belt from Eagle Creek I reviewed before. I ended up cutting the thing down with carpet scissors and will probably do the same with this one. But then I won’t have such a clean seam at the end.
But hey, it’s $25 list, so not a big investment. You can find this belt in retail stores that carry Mountain Khaki products or you can check prices online through these links: Amazon or Backcountry.com.
See our other reviews of Mountain Khakis clothing.
This is so cool! Great one MK!