TACTICAL GUN BELT SYSTEM

Abstract

A tactical gun belt system comprises an inner belt, outer belt, and one or more belt units. The inner belt comprises hook-and-loop fasteners on an inner surface and an outer surface. The outer belt comprises a removable belt buckle and positions the one or more belt units about the waist of a user. The outer belt further comprises hook-and-loop fasteners on an inner surface and detachably affixes to the inner belt. The one or more belt units may attach to one another, may position guns, ammunition magazines, utilities, or pouches, and may comprise a quick-release harness for MOLLE-compatible accessories.

Description

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application claims the priority of provisional application No. 61/535,476, which is herein incorporated by reference.

NOTICE OF COPYRIGHT PROTECTION

A portion of the disclosure of this patent document and its figures contain material subject to copyright protection. The copyright owner has no objection to the facsimile reproduction by anyone of the patent document or the patent disclosure, but otherwise reserves all copyrights whatsoever.

BACKGROUND

I. Field

This invention relates to containers for weapons and accessories.

II. Background

Various users of weapons have various needs. Conventional gun belts and holsters lack enough versatility to meet different use cases. Instead, they can store items only in a set configuration. For example, a soldier may have needs different from those of a private security officer or from a diplomat's personal guard. As a further example, one soldier may have needs different from those of another soldier. A medic may desire to customize his load-out such that it places more emphasis on medical equipment rather than ammunition. Conversely, a police officer or security officer may want a more balanced load-out.

Each of these users may have different needs or desires depending upon the circumstances. For example, a user may sometimes need to carry an extra pistol, magazine of ammunition, radio, or other item. These needs or desires may shift based upon the user's assignment, preference, or other factors. Conventional gun belts lack enough versatility and customizability to meet these various needs.

Conventional pistol holsters utilize retaining clips or straps to retain a pistol in the holster. These clips or straps come in a variety of designs, such as a strap secured on one side by stitching and a snap fastener on the other. To remove the pistol in this case, the user must disengage the snap fastener before pulling the pistol free of the holster. This design, like many others, often requires multiple pieces of material joined together, which introduces additional potential points of mechanical failure, raises the manufacturing cost of the device, and complicates operation. Further, clips or straps often need to be adjusted to fit various firearms, may stretch when exposed to various environmental elements (e.g., moisture), and may not be flexible in purpose enough to accommodate customized or non-standard firearms. Yet, preventing the unintended withdrawal of a weapon from a holster is a paramount safety concern. There is a need for a retaining structure which is less prone to failure, easy to use, and customizable to a wide variety of firearms while still being capable of providing resistance against unintended withdrawals.

Users typically outfit a belt with myriad utilities, holsters, and accessories. To don the belt, the user must alternate between feeding the belt through the belt loops of the user's pants and those of the user's belt units (e.g., utility holsters, weapons holsters, ammunition holsters, quick release harnesses, or belt accessories). To remove the belt, the user must alternate in the reverse manner. This results in a slow and tedious process which can hamper a user's ability to switch from one task to another. Modern military and paramilitary demands create a need for a tactical gun belt system capable of switching belt units quickly and flexibly.

Further, with traditional gun or utility belts, there is no expedient way to remove the entire utility belt, which may be desirable if, for example, a portion becomes tangled in an obstacle. For example, an accessory may become entangled with a seat belt during a car accident or in foliage while traversing a thicket, possibly endangering the life of the user if quick release is not possible. There is a need for a tactical gun belt which can be removed quickly and easily.

The problems associated with removing and donning a tactical gun belt are exacerbated when the users desires to switch from one entire tactical outfit to another. For example, a soldier may be tasked with a variety of roles, each of which requires different outfits. The soldier may be tasked as a medic for a first portion of a mission, then in a support role for a second portion of the same mission. The soldier may thus desire to rebalance his outfit to replace extra medical kits with extra ammunition. Using traditional solutions, this would require a long and tedious process of removing individual accessories and carefully threading the tactical gun belt through various belt loops, resulting in unacceptably long delays of the mission. There is a need for a belt which can be equipped with a desired kit or outfit and quickly donned or removed.

Traditional gun or utility belts are often worn during personal security missions, which require an element of stealth, subtlety, or discretion. A portion of the belt and its accessories is often obscured by use of, for example, an over-garment or sport coat, which is often worn unbuttoned to avoid hampering access to weapons or utilities. However, the front of the belt, including the buckle and adjacent areas, often remain visible. These visible areas traditionally comprise materials which are tactical in appearance, thereby betraying the purpose of the belt and “blowing the cover” of the user. There is a need for a tactical gun belt which comprises materials designed to obfuscate or disguise the purpose of the belt, yet can also meet the demands of the tactical situation.

The above problems, and others, are solved by the tactical gun belt system as herein described and shown.

SUMMARY

The present invention is for a tactical gun belt system which comprises an inner belt, an outer belt, and one or more belt units. Such belt units may include a pistol holster, pistol magazine holster, rifle magazine holster, hand-held radio enclosure, quick-release harness, or other belt units adapted for other similar purposes.

Each belt unit is capable of being attached to any other belt unit at a joining edge in a modular fashion. Belt units may comprise one or more belt loops, which may be either integrally formed or detachably affixed. A belt unit may attach to a belt loop, another belt unit, both a belt loop and another belt unit, or neither. Each belt loop is configured to accommodate at least the outer belt.

The present invention may comprise a plurality of belts, including at least an inner belt and an outer belt. The inner belt may comprise an inner surface and an outer surface, each with hook-and-loop fasteners disposed thereon, wherein each of the inner surface and outer surface may comprise hook-and-loop fasters of a type opposite to one another. The outer belt may comprise an inner surface comprising hook-and-loop fasters of a type opposite to that of the outer surface of the inner belt.

The outer belt may further comprise a buckle and a front disguise or concealment portion. Traditional gun belts are often made from thick leather or synthetic materials such as nylon, both of which are easily recognizable and betray the purpose of the belt being worn. Conversely, traditional dress belts are often made from more delicate materials and suggest a non-tactical purpose. However, delicate materials are not suitable to double as gun belts. There is a need for a belt which appears to be a dress belt but provides the support of a gun belt.

The present invention is a container for positioning weapons, weapons accessories, communication devices, first aid kits, or other items. The invention comprises one or more belt units. Each belt unit is configured to accommodate a particular load. For example, a pistol holster belt unit may be configured to accommodate a pistol, while a rifle magazine holder belt unit may be contoured to accommodate a rifle magazine. Each unit is configured to be detachably secured to any other unit. The tactical gun belt system is configured to support or position units such as a pistol, pistol magazine, rifle magazine, hand-held radio, pouch or blow-out kit, or other utility items.

Each belt unit of the present invention may be detachably secured to another unit by screws, snap fasteners, hook-and-loop fasteners, or any functionally equivalent means. Each belt unit has at least one edge upon which it may be detachably secured to another unit. A unit may be detachably secured to zero or more other belt units. A unit may accommodate more than one unit on a single edge. Two or more belt units may be worn on the same belt without being secured to one another.

Multiple outer belts may be used with the same inner belt. For example, the user may desire to equip one outer belt with one kit and a second outer belt with a different kit, wherein kit refers to the equipment or utilities the user desires to carry. Such equipment or utilities may include, for example, pistol holsters, pistol ammunition holsters, rifle ammunition holsters, first aid packs, and radio holsters. The outer belt is dimensioned and configured to be threaded through the belt loops or attachment points of such equipment or utilities.

A user may thread the first outer belt through one or more of such equipment or utilities and the second outer belt through one or more of other such equipment or utilities. The user may then alternate quickly and easily between the two kits by removing the first outer belt and donning the second outer belt.

For example, a user may desire to have a first pre-configured kit or outfit comprising a pistol holster, two pistol ammunition holsters, two rifle ammunition holsters, a radio holster, and a quick-release first aid kit harness. The same user may desire to alternate between the first kit and a second kit with fewer ammunition holsters but an additional first aid harness.

The outer belt can be easily and quickly removed by unfastening the buckle and separating the hook and loop fasteners of the outer surface of the inner belt and the inner surface of the outer belt. The outer belt can be easily and quickly replace with another outer belt, which may have advantages such as, for example, enabling a user to quickly switch from one kit or outfit to another.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 depicts a perspective view of an aspect of an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 depicts a perspective view of an aspect of an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 3 depicts a perspective view of an aspect of an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 4 depicts a perspective view of an aspect of an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 5 depicts a perspective view of an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 6 depicts a perspective view of an embodiment of the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

FIG. 1 depicts an embodiment of an aspect of the invention. A pistol holster unit 111 is contoured to securely position a pistol (not shown). The inner surface of the pistol holster unit 111 is interacts against a pistol, thereby exerting frictional and mechanical force. The closer the contours of the inner surface of the pistol holster unit 111 match those of the pistol, the more force is exerted and the more the pistol holster 111 resists the withdrawal of the pistol. A tensioning screw 105 allows moderation of the amount of force by adjusting the tension of the walls against the pistol. The tensioning screw 105 may be adjusted on the fly, thereby allowing a user to adjust the tension based upon the tactical environment. For example, where faster withdrawal is advantageous, such as in a combat situation, the tension screw 105, and thus the tension, may be loosened. Conversely, where higher resistance is advantageous, the screw, and thus the tension, can be tightened.

The pistol holster unit 111 may also against the may be contoured to position a variety of pistols or may comprise an inner surface contoured to a particular pistol. The gun holster unit 111 may include a retention clip 115 configured to retain a pistol by providing pressure against the outer surface of the pistol or by recessing into a contour of the pistol's outer surface such as the trigger guard.

The retaining clip 115 may be one of various designs. In an embodiment, the retaining clip is integrated into the surface of the gun holster unit 111. The retaining clip 115 may be constructed by extending the inner side 113 of the gun holster unit 111. The inner side 113 is the side of the gun holster unit 111 which would be closer to the body of the user while the system is being worn. The retaining clip 115 is connected to the inner side 113 and is configured to apply pressure to the rear of a pistol slide when the pistol is fully engaged with the gun holster unit 111. In this embodiment, the material of the retaining clip 115 is resistant to, but capable of, bending. The retaining clip 115 may be disengaged and the pistol may be removed from the gun holster unit 111. The user may remove the pistol from the gun holster unit 111 by pulling the pistol from the gun holster unit 111 while bending the retaining clip 115 to the side. The retaining clip 115 and inner side 113 are disposed toward returning toward their respective original positions. A retaining clip 115 of this, or another, design may be utilized in conjunction with the gun holster unit 111.

Similarly, a belt unit can be contoured to position another object, such as a hand-held radio, in which case the contours may include a recess into which the radio activation button fits, thereby helping avoid accidentally depressing the activation button on the side of the radio causing what is sometimes called a “hot-mic” or an unintentional radio activation. The radio enclosure may be shaped to accommodate a particular model of hand-held radio or may accommodate multiple models. The radio enclosure may include a bottom side, at least two lateral sides, and at least a partial top side. The radio enclosure may include apertures configured to accommodate a particular hand-held radio model's controls and interfaces, such as, for example, the radio's volume knob, activation button, channel control, or audio output port (headphone jack). The radio enclosure may partially enclose the hand-held radio to resist its accidental removal.

FIG. 2 depicts two identical belt units each contoured to accommodate a pistol magazine. The pistol magazine holder 203 may be configured to accommodate a wide variety of pistol magazines or may be configured to accommodate only select models of pistol magazines. In an embodiment, the pistol magazine holder 203 is constructed of a moldable material. The pistol magazine holder 203 may be configured to securely position a magazine 207 such that the magazine 207 resists removal, for example by contouring the inner surface of the pistol magazine holder 203 specifically to match the contours of the particular model of magazine 207.

In an embodiment, the pistol magazine holder 203 may have a curved top edge 201 designed to expose more of the magazine 207 for gripping, thereby facilitating extraction of the magazine 207 from the pistol magazine holder 203. As with other units, the pistol magazine holder 203 may be detachably secured to other belt units by means such as screws 205. Aperture 209 provides an attachment point for auxiliary gear, for example by cords or using loop-and-barrel type interference.

FIG. 3 depicts an aspect of the present invention, in particular, a rifle magazine holder 301 is constructed of a moldable material such as thermoplastic. The rifle magazine holder 301 may be configured to securely position a rifle magazine 305 such that the rifle magazine 305 resists removal, for example by contouring the inner surface of the magazine holder specifically to a particular model of magazine. The rifle magazine holder 301 may attach to adjacent belt units at, e.g., screw holes 309. The rifle magazine holder 301 may comprise a single sheet of thermoplastic which has been cut and shaped to comprise two contoured side walls and a bottom 307. Due at least in part to the one-piece construction of the rifle magazine holder 301, the edges at which the bottom 307 and side walls meet are smoothed slightly to prevent buildup of debris such as dirt or sand. The bottom 307 prevents the rifle magazine 305 from being inserted into the rifle magazine holder 301 past a particular point. The contoured side walls of the rifle magazine holster 301 exert force against rifle magazine 305, thereby resisting the removal of the rifle magazine 305.

The rifle magazine holder 301 may have cutouts 303 in the bottom corners. The cutouts 303 prevent water from pooling in the magazine holder when it is empty, which helps avoid the potential health hazards posed by stagnant water in certain environments. The cutouts 303 also help improve comfort for the user when the magazine holder is worn by eliminating sharp corners which could become pressure points against the user's body. Further, the cutouts 303 allow air to replace the rifle magazine 305 as the rifle magazine 305 is removed in order to help prevent a partial vacuum, which would hinder extraction of the rifle magazine 303 from the rifle magazine holder 301.

FIG. 4 depicts an aspect of the present invention. In particular, a quick-release harness comprises a frame 409 and a fork 411. The fork 411 has a plurality of tines 407 and a pull handle 403. The pull handle 403 has an aperture 405 to facilitate extraction of the fork 411 from the frame 409, such as by accommodating a user's hand, thereby allowing the user to better exert force upon the pull handle 403. The frame 409 and fork 411 are configured to mate such that the tines 407 of the fork 411 pass through slots on the frame 409. The tines 407 are disposed toward being substantially parallel to one another. However, the slots of the frame 409 are spaced slightly closer together than the widest point of the tines 407, thus requiring that the tines 407 compress together slightly when the fork 411 is inserted into the frame 409. This configuration also requires that the tines 415 compress together in order to remove the fork 411 from the frame 409. The tines 407 of the fork 411 are slightly wider at the ends opposite the handle 403 in order to help prevent accidental withdrawal of the fork 411 from the frame 409. However, a user may quickly remove the fork 411 from the frame 409 by pulling on the pull handle 403 of the fork 411, such as by inserting a hand into the aperture 405 and pulling on the pull handle 403.

The tines 407 of the fork 411 may be engaged with a pouch (not pictured) or other accessory supporting a standard MOLLE-compatible attachment system. The tines 407 pass through both the webbing of the pouch and the slots on the frame 409 in an alternating fashion. The fork 411 may be attached to the pouch by cord 401, which helps prevent losing the fork 411 after extraction from the frame 409. The fork 411 may also be quickly removed from the frame 409 by pulling on the cords 401. Alternating the tines between the webbing of the pouch and the slots prevents the fork 407 from being accidentally removed from the frame 409 when force is exerted on an attached pouch. Force exerted upon the pouch is transferred to the slots rather than the fork 407, which prevents the fork 407 from being removed from the frame 409. Because the fork 407 remains interwoven between the slots and the pouch webbing, the pouch remains attached to the frame 409.

FIG. 5 depicts an embodiment of the tactical gun belt system. An outer belt 501 comprises an inner surface 509, the inner surface 509 comprising hook and loop fasteners 503.

The belt units may include a pistol holster 513, a radio holster 515, a quick-release harness 517 with quick-release fork 519, a rifle magazine holster 521, and/or a pistol magazine holster 525. The belt units on the outer belt 501 need not be unique with respect to one another; that is, multiple belt units of the same type may be used simultaneously. Similarly, any given belt unit may be omitted from a configuration or other belt units may be added. Any given belt unit may position one or more object such as a pistol, radio, pouch or blow-out kit, rifle magazine, or pistol magazine. Each belt unit may join another belt unit adjacent along the outer belt 501 along a joining edge with screw holes 523, where the adjacent belt units overlap partially and are secured to one another by, for example, rivets, bolts, screws, adhesive, clips, snaps, frictional or mechanical interference, welding, or similar means.

A belt unit, for example the pistol magazine holster 525, may be generically formed to fit a class or category or type of item rather than a specific object. Pistol magazine holster 525 includes a tension screw 527 which moderates the tension exerted against its contents, thereby adjusting how tightly the contents are held within the pistol magazine holster 525.

A belt unit, for example the pistol holster 513, may be comprised of moldable material capable of holding its molded form, such as thermoplastic. The pistol holster 513 may be form-fitted to the contours of a particular pistol, thereby helping to retain the pistol within the pistol holster 513. The pistol holster 513 may comprise a tension screw (not shown) similar to the tension screw 527 of the pistol magazine holster 525.

FIG. 6 depicts an embodiment of the present invention, in particular an inner belt 601 and outer belt 611. The inner belt 601 comprises an inner belt's inner surface 603 and an inner belt's outer surface 605. The inner belt's outer surface 605 comprises hook and loop fasters. The inner belt's inner surface 603 comprises hook and loop fasteners of a type opposite to those of the inner belt's outer surface 605.

The inner belt 601 partially overlaps itself when encompassing a user's waist. The hook and loop fasteners of the inner belt's outer surface 605 engage those of the inner belt's inner surface 603.

The inner belt 601 is of a length greater than the circumference of the user's body, such that the a first portion of the inner belt 601 overlaps a second portion of the inner belt 601 when it is wrapped around the user's body, such as when it is threaded through the belt loops of the user's pants. In this case, hook-and-loop fasteners disposed upon the first portion of the inner belt's inner surface 609 engage with hook-and-loop fasteners disposed upon the second portion of the inner belt's outer surface 611, which are each of a type opposite to one another.

The outer belt 603 is of a length approximately equal to the circumference of the user's body, but may of an adjustable length by means such as a belt buckle. The hook-and-loop fasteners of the outer belt's inner surface 607 engage with the hook-and-loop fasteners of the inner belt's outer surface 611, which are each of a type opposite to one another.

The outer belt 603 may be threaded through one or more belt units, such as while the hook-and-loop fasteners of the outer belt 603 and inner belt 601 are not engaged to one another. Thus, the outer belt 603 may be fully equipped with belt units and donned by engaging the hook-and-loop f asteners of the outer belt's inner surface 607 with those of the inner belt's outer surface 611.

The outer belt 611 comprises a support portion 623, a first concealment portion 617 and a second concealment portion 619. The first concealment portion 617 and the second concealment portion 619 are adjustably attached to one another by a belt buckle 621. The support portion 623 is a strap or belt comprising an outer belt's inner surface 613, which comprises hook and loop fasters of a type opposite to those of the inner belt's outer surface 605. The support portion 623 runs from the first concealment portion 617 to the second concealment portion 619. The first concealment portion 617 and second concealment portion 619 may comprise leather or other traditional belt material to mask the purpose of the tactical belt system, especially when worn in combination with an over-garment, such as an unbuttoned blazer or sport coat. The first concealment portion 617, buckle 621, and second concealment portion 619 thus function as camouflage for the Tactical Gun Belt System by presenting an appearance of a conventional belt. The support portion 623 is affixed to the first concealment portion 617 and second concealment portion 619 by, for example, stitching, adhesive, or similar attachment means.

The first concealment portion 617 and second concealment portion 619 of the outer belt may comprise material made to mimic a dress belt. The outer belt 611 bears the weight of the belt units (not shown) but, when detachably affixed to the inner belt 601, transfers much of this weight to the inner belt via the hook-and-loop connectors. Thus, the first concealment portion 617 and second concealment portion 619 need not be comprised of materials with a high capacity to bear support heavy loads, as much of the weight is borne deferred. Instead, the first concealment portion 617 and second concealment portion 619 may be comprised of materials suggestive of dress clothing or other non-tactical gear, thereby increasing the concealment to the wearer of the tactical gun belt system. This may be called a “low-profile” option.

The outer belt 611 further comprises a buckle 621. The buckle 621 may be removable and may be replaced by various other buckles for aesthetic or functional purposes. One of the concealment portions, in this case the second concealment portion 619, folds back upon itself, where it is detachably secured by, for example, a snap. This creates a loop in the second concealment portion 619 in which part of the buckle 621 is disposed. The remainder of the buckle 621 creates an aperture through which the first concealment portion 617 partially passes. The first concealment portion 617 comprises one or more holes which interact with the buckle 621 to secure the outer belt 601 around the waist of the user. Thus, the process of buckling entails the buckle 621 being affixed, either permanently or removably, to one end of the outer belt 601 and the other end of the outer belt 601 passing through and interacts with the buckle 621, whereby it is adjustably retained. While the buckle 621 is removed, both the first concealment portion 617 and the second concealment portion 619 may be threaded through the belt loops of a wearer's pants, thereby providing additional concealment by further disguising the purpose of the tactical gun belt system.

This invention may be constructed of, in part or in whole, a variety of materials. These materials may include, but are not limited to, thermoplastics such as Kydex®, other plastics, other moldable materials, metal, rubber, canvas, nylon, leather, or any similar material.

Other systems, methods, and/or products according to the above embodiments will be or will become apparent to one of ordinary skill in the art upon review of the above description, the following drawings, and any further description. It is intended that all such additional systems, methods, and/or products be included within this description, be within the scope of the present invention, and be protected by the accompanying claims.

Claims

1: A tactical gun belt system comprising:

an inner belt having a first inner surface and an outer surface;

an outer belt having a second inner surface;

hook-and-loop fasteners of a first type disposed upon the first inner surface;

hook-and-loop fasteners of a first type disposed upon the second inner surface;

hook-and-loop fasteners of a second type disposed upon the outer surface; and

one or more belt units disposed upon the outer belt.

2: The tactical gun belt system of claim 1, wherein:

each of the one or more belt units comprise an inner surface contoured to match the shape of a pre-determined belt accessory.

3: The tactical gun belt system of claim 2, wherein:

the one or more belt units include a pistol holster wherein the pre-determined belt accessory is a pistol of pre-determined shape;

the pistol holster further positioning the pistol between two side walls, the two side walls exerting force upon the pistol; and

the pistol holster further comprises a tension screw, the tension screw traversing the two side walls and adjustably influencing the amount of force exerted upon the pistol by the two side walls.

4: The tactical gun belt system of claim 3, wherein:

the two side walls further comprise an inner side wall and an outer side wall, the inner side wall comprising a thumb-break portion, the thumb-break portion obstructing the withdrawal of the pistol from the pistol holster by extending beyond the pistol and partially covering the rear of the pistol.

5: The tactical gun belt system of claim 2, wherein:

the one or more belt units include an ammunition magazine holder, wherein the pre-determined belt accessory is a magazine for ammunition;

the ammunition magazine holder positioning a one or more ammunition magazines between two side walls, the two side walls exerting force upon the one or more ammunition magazines.

6: The tactical gun belt system of claim 5, wherein:

the one or more ammunition magazines comprises a plurality of ammunition magazines; and

the ammunition magazine holder further comprises a tension screw, the tension screw traversing the two side walls and adjustably influencing the amount of force exerted upon the plurality of ammunition magazines by the side walls.

7: The tactical gun belt system of claim 5, wherein:

the two side walls further comprise excisions, the excisions allowing passage of air and liquids.

8: The tactical gun belt system of claim 1, further comprising:

a removable belt buckle, the removable belt buckle secured to the first end of the outer belt and adjustably retaining the second end of the outer belt.

9: The tactical gun belt system of claim 1, wherein:

the one or more belt units comprise a plurality of belt units;

each of the plurality of belt units is disposed adjacently to one another upon the outer belt; and

each of the plurality of belt units detachably affixes to another of the plurality of belt units.

10: The tactical gun belt system of claim 1, wherein:

the outer belt further comprises a first concealment portion and a second concealment portion; and

wherein the first concealment portion and second concealment portion comprise non-tactical material, the non-tactical material obscuring the nature of the tactical gun belt system.

11: The tactical belt system of claim 10, wherein:

the first concealment portion does not comprise hook-and-loop fasteners; and

and second concealment portion does not comprise hook-and-loop fasteners.

12: The tactical belt system of claim 10, wherein:

the first concealment portion comprises leather; and

the second concealment portion comprises leather.

13: The tactical belt system of claim 1, wherein:

the one or more belt units comprise thermoplastic.

14: The tactical belt system of claim 1, wherein:

the one or more belt units comprise a quick-release harness, the quick-release harness comprising: a fork comprising a plurality of tines extending from a handle, each of the plurality of tines terminating in a retaining portion; and a frame dimensioned to receive the plurality of tines in a plurality of slots; wherein the retaining portion resists the removal of the plurality of tines from the frame.

15: A method of providing support to apparel and accessories comprising:

threading an inner belt through a plurality of pant belt loops;

affixing a first portion of the inner belt against a second portion of the inner belt;

threading an outer belt through one or more belt units;

positioning an inner surface of the outer belt against an outer surface of the inner belt;

engaging hook-and-loop fasteners of the inner surface of the outer belt to hook-and-loop fasteners of the outer surface of the inner belt; and

buckling a belt buckle of the outer belt.

16: The method of claim 14, further comprising:

positioning a pistol in a holster, the holster being one of the one or more belt units;

adjusting a tension screw disposed upon the holster.