Wilderness Titanium Money Belt

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Thought I’d do a quick review of the Wilderness Money Belt. This is the 1.5″ belt in “foliage” with a titanium buckle.

I shall review and rate the belt foremost, then subsequently offer my opinion of Wilderness Tactical Products.

The Belt:

Upon first inspection of the Wilderness Money Belt, my impression was as expected based on previously viewed video reviews and forum posts. It is very well constructed and exudes qualities that suggest it will provide years of service.

The color is not really foliage as stated by Wilderness, but olive drab. However the hook & loop used is most definitely foliage and the contrast is certainly noticeable (although it does not show in my photos).

Stiffness is of no concern and the belt certainly retains its form. It could easily be worn strictly as a gun belt only, without feeding it through belt loops. Attaching a Tec-Lok is only possible in two locations, on either side of the buckle, because the pocket sewn in to provide the money belt function adds considerably to the thickness of the belt*.

*Because of the money belt option and the additional width it creates, the advertised sizing for the medium size belt of 32-37″ is false. The belt is just over 2″ smaller than it should have been. Wilderness has not compensated for this unfortunately and it makes the belt more like 30-35″ in size when used as intended. This leaves me with a belt that fits but has left me with no room for adjustment as the hook & loop attaches at the very last bit of panel available.

As you can see in the following photo, the size of the belt at its interior maximum extended size allowed by the hook & loop is 34 3/4″. Because of this I do not have the extra 2″ of adjustment that I had carefully planned for after explicitly following the sizing instructions on the Wilderness website. I find this disappointing because Wilderness should be aware of this and know to adjust accordingly for this particular belt option.

To be fair, the belt does measure out to 37″ when laid flat and measured according to the instructions given on the Wilderness website. However, when buckled up and using the money belt option this number becomes superfluous.

Despite my sizing issue and the color not quite being as claimed, the belt is certainly of unparalleled quality and is the epitome of tactical belts. The option to use as a money belt also is a bonus.

Wilderness Titanium Money Belt: 5 out of 5

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Wilderness Tactical Products, LLC:

Here is the sizing chart used on the Wilderness website to help choose the proper size belt. This chart is identical to the regular belts and nowhere mentions any information regarding adjustment for the money belt option:

This is from their FAQ explaining how the hook & loop should attach for a properly fitted belt:

Considering the chart above and my waist size of 34″, I should have plenty of room either way, but sadly this is not the case.

Shipping is extremely expensive to Canada. Here you can see the only two options offered through the form:

The difference between economy and priority is insulting. Of course, this is FedEx sticking it to the little guy, not Wilderness. Seems some companies are bent on hurting small business in America. 

I have ordered from other online vendors with orders of considerably more value yet the FedEx fees for priority shipping are less than half the price you see here, even coming from Europe.

I had tried to email Wilderness about another shipping option, as I know there are others that provide insurance and will protect both parties. I received no response.

Today I spoke with a lovely young lady, Samantha, who informed me that my email somehow got lost and effort had been made to retrieve it.  A more fiscally sane method could have been arranged. I should have tried to contact them by phone but sometimes ones faith in technology can become a stubborn burden. It’s easy to forget how prone to failure it can often be; an unwanted reflection of our imperfection as humans.

After communicating to Wilderness about the size discrepancy concerning the money belt option, Samantha sounded very concerned. I know that this is a matter of pride for her and will be closely looked into. She was not aware of this issue (of me having too much money  hahaha! NOT!). She’ll have me return the belt so that it may be inspected for any possible error and exchange it for another sized to accommodate the intended functionality of the design. I have no doubts that this issue will recur again. Wilderness isn’t a company, it’s a family that cares more about us than just the money in our belts. -`ღ´-

Wilderness Tactical Products, LLC: 5 out of 5

UPDATE: May 8, 2014

I’ve had a replacement belt for 15 days now. After writing this review and sending the original that I ordered back to Wilderness, I had another in about 2 weeks, a week going each way roughly.

The sizing issue has obviously been remedied with a longer belt. It is 2″ longer and it fits perfectly, exactly how it should fit as per the instructions on Wilderness’ website.

I’ve worn it every day and finally today with some shorts. For a heavier and stiffer belt than average, I find it comfortable and not at all noticeable. I think I prefer the added stiffness to a flimsier belt as it can keep your pants up and while having some slack, so the belt can be worn somewhat looser for a more casual/comfortable fit. The rigid construction allows the belt to ride on the hips. The buckle design and hook & loop keeps it exactly where it should be without having to fiddle around with adjustments throughout the day, something that I often find myself doing with my old D-ring style belts.

I haven’t put any bills in it yet, so I don’t know how much that will affect things this time around. If there is any noticeable difference, I will document it here with photos showing how much difference it actually makes.

If you are considering this belt, I certainly suggest pulling the trigger, just be careful and mindful if ordering the money belt.

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