The market for gun belts used to be a bit isolated, but in the last decade it’s exploded. I love it. I love competition, I love innovation, I love the fine art of capitalism. Ares Gear was kind enough to outfit the writers at Rendezvous 2026 with their Aegis Enhanced Belt. Since then, I’ve been wearing it for about a month, training with it, and generally giving it a run for its money.
The Aegis Enhanced Belt – Breaking It Down
Aeres Gear is an American, veteran-owned company. One of their points of pride is that their products are 100% made in America. The components are all made in the United States, in their word, down to the last thread. The belts are manufactured in Virginia.
The Aegis Enhanced belt is 1.5 inches wide and .21 inches thick. Ares uses 2 layers of proprietary scuba webbing with an added layer of 1.5-inch thin colored webbing available in eight different colors.
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The Aegis Enhanced belt uses machined carbon steel buckles and nitrides them. The end result is a stiff, well-made belt designed to support your daily loadout. It’s one of the stiffest belts I’ve ever used.
Stiff enough to sit in a natural loop when set down. It doesn’t fold, and doesn’t sag. The belt sits in a vaguely round shape. It can even be a hassle to put on because it’s so stiff. That’s not a downside as far as I’m concerned.
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Loaded Up
The stiff nature of the belt is its biggest strength. Carrying a P365 won’t challenge most belts, but what if you step up to a Glock 17, with a spare mag or two? Maybe add a fixed blade on top of that. Heck, just for fun, let’s toss out POM in a belt-mounted pouch. A lot of belts are going to taco or sag.
That’s not the case here. Toss on a CZ SP01, and it still won’t sag or taco. The belt’s extremely rigid and provides excellent support overall. Good support keeps the gun where you want it and makes carrying larger guns much more comfortable. Most importantly, it keeps them concealed and where you expect them to be.
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When a belt rolls over or tacos, it can press the gun outward. This breaks up concealment and puts the gun at an odd angle for your draw. The Aegis belt keeps it straight up and down for a sure grip every time.
It doesn’t matter your carry style. IWB, OWB, AIWB, it stays put and makes for an easy draw.
The Aegis buckle is a box-type buckle that was fairly popular with the military years ago. It’s also apparently the same type of buckle used by Boy Scouts. The difference is that this one is made of rigid metal rather than thin aluminum. The Aegis buckle allows for easy adjustments at any waist size.
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Slide the belt through the buckle until it’s tight enough, and you’re done. No punching holes, no click, just fit. Which is great because my local Chinese buffet has crab legs again, so I’m going to need some extra room on demand.
Comfort and Movement
The downside to a stiff belt is that it doesn’t always conform to your body. It prefers to stay on its vertical plane. That’s a necessary downside, and when bending over or leaning to the side, you’ll feel the belt poke and prod.
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That’s about the only time I noticed discomfort. Due to the .21-inch thick nature of the belt, you might not like how much the belt buckle sticks out, but it’s not a concern to me. I only tuck a shirt in when absolutely forced to.
The belt comes with small elastic loops that are a must to tuck in the belt tail. The belt is so stiff that if you don’t, it will poke outward and be a bit awkward. Loop it down, boys and girls.
The Belt
A good gun belt goes a long way. Ares Gear and the Aegis Enhanced belt are an outstanding combination. It’s a tough, rigid belt with a tough-as-nails belt buckle. If you’re packing more than a pocket pistol, this belt will support it. If you actually carry all the stuff you claim to on Reddit, this belt is for you.
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