Looking for a seriously heavy duty work belt? I wasn’t, but I stumbled upon a belt that Chute43 was offering and just dug the way it looked. I dropped him a line, sent him some cash via paypal, and received my “Smokejumper” belt just a few days later.

The Smokejumper is a simple 50″ piece of 1.75″ wide military grade parachute webbing (rated at 6500 pounds) with an all metal “bar catch” clasp (rated at 2000 pounds) sewn on to one end. They are available in all kinds of colors and combinations, but generally have a military or “civil service” look to them – no-nonsense and industrial.

I’ve been wearing my belt for about a week now and am actually a bit surprised by how much I like it. Although this is a wide belt, it is extremely comfortable. The webbing is soft and pliable unlike many other forms of military grade webbing and the unit wears much smaller than it’s actual size. That said, you need to be aware of the 1.75″ width – some jeans such as Levis will not support the width. Lucky Brand, most cargos, and any BDU will, however, work.

And how bout that buckle? It works beautifully. Synch it up as tight as you dare and it won’t budge an inch…

All and all, I’ve got to say that the Smokejumper is a winner – especially at only $16. You can get yours here.