TFB Review: Getting to Know the HSP/Safariland BASELINE Belt System

A few months back, Safariland and Haley Strategic Partners flew a handful of us out to HSP's headquarters in Arizona. The main event for this trip was the Incog XS, the new single-clip concealment version of the Incog X, and that's where most of our range time went. But before we packed up, they pulled out something that hadn't leaked yet: BASELINE, a full belt system Safariland and HSP had been building quietly on the side. I've been running it since, and while I've got more testing planned, here's where I've landed so far.

More from Safariland @ TFB:

• TFB Behind the Gun #225: Safariland IncogXS w/ Dave Higginbotham 
• TFB Review: Safariland Solis Holster, ALS Security For EDC 
• Safariland HOLLE Solves the Duty Belt's Oldest Frustrations 
• New BASELINE Belts From Safariland And Haley Strategic 

TFB Review: Getting to Know the HSP/Safariland BASELINE Belt System

Travis Haley and Safariland's Dave Higginbotham, who's been a guest on my podcast, walked the group through it. The whole HSP/Safariland partnership is built around configurability: give a shooter the gear they need and make it easy to rearrange when the task changes. Travis Haley also took this time to share a few new projects he’s been working on, set to come out later this year that I think a lot of you will either love or hate depending on your taste in handguns. However, before the skunkworks stuff, he gave us the broad overview of the BASELINE system and its various optional accessories.

Product Link: https://safariland.com/collections/baseline-belts-accessories/products/baseline-molle-belt 

BASELINE MOLLE Belt ($170)

Safariland describes it as a belt that delivers a rigid, lightweight platform that supports demanding loadouts without unnecessary bulk.

• Laminate construction with a high-density polyethylene stiffener; MIL-SPEC webbing and nylon laminate
• Overlock Tab Closure System paired with an integrated 1-inch Raptor buckle
• Half-inch MOLLE interface, compatible with standard MOLLE/PALS, Malice Clips, and Mandible Straps
• VELCRO Brand High Technology Hook for inner-belt engagement
• Ships with a Mandible Vertical MOLLE Strap 2-pack
• Sizes/weights: Small 32"-36.5" / 7.45 oz / 20 columns; Medium 35"-39.5" / 7.9 oz / 22 columns; Large 38"-42.5" / 8.3 oz / 24 columns; XL 41"-45.5" / 8.66 oz / 26 columns (all 1.75" H x 0.25" W, 3 rows of ½" MOLLE)
• Colors: Black, Coyote, MultiCam, Ranger Green

The Overlock Tab Closure System works in conjunction with the integrated 1" Raptor® buckle to eliminate traditional weak points at the closure, delivering true 360° rigidity and consistent support under load.

Single ($25) / Double ($40) Pistol Mag Pouch

Safariland's description: features a robust laminate construction with a removable injection-molded MP2 Handgun Insert that enables secure retention of most double-stack 9mm pistol magazines without the need for pull tabs, bungies or loud hook-and-loop flaps.

• Positive click-in retention; MP2 insert installs bullets-out or bullets-forward
• Single includes 1 MP2 insert; Double includes 2
• Ships with a pair of Mandible Vertical MOLLE Straps; sized for 1.5" to 2.0" outer belts
• MIL-SPEC 500D/1000D nylon laminate; Berry Compliant
• Fits common double-stack 9mm mags (Glock 17/19/34/45, Sig P320/M17/M18/P226, 2011/Staccato, M&P9, XD/Hellcat, HK VP9/P30, Walther PDP)
• Colors: Black, Coyote, MultiCam, Ranger Green

Mandible MOLLE Straps

• Vertical Strap ($3.50) and Angled Strap ($5.00, Left or Right)
• Angled strap cants pouches outboard; proprietary extruded hook and loop laminate for extra-strength adhesion to inner belts

Dump Pouch ($45)

An extremely lightweight roll-up pouch designed to securely store magazines, breaching charges/equipment, provisions, water bottles and other kit.

• One-handed cinch cord closure; drainage grommets at the bottom
• VELCRO Brand hook-and-loop drop-down attachment
• DWR-treated ripstop nylon; MIL-SPEC 550 paracord; Berry Compliant
• Colors: Black, Coyote, MultiCam

Improved Trauma Response Kit ($80)

Developed in collaboration with Special Operations Aid and Rescue™ (SOARescue).

• Ambidextrous medical tray with rubberized loop handles for single-handed, wet-hand retrieval
• Two-way mount: vertical on 2 columns of MOLLE, or horizontal belt pass-through
• Fits 1" to 2.25" belts; holds 6.25" to 7.25" shears; sized for a sealed SOARescue MedMag IFAK
• Includes weatherproof Medical Info & TCCC card; laser-cut medical cross
• Waterproof MIL-SPEC 500D/400D Aramid X-PLY laminate; Berry Compliant
• Colors: Black, Coyote, MultiCam, Ranger Green

The closure for the outer belt uses Safariland's Overlock Tab system with a 1-inch Raptor buckle, meant to spread load around the belt rather than concentrate it at the buckle. The plastic tab simply slips back into the belt itself, leaving no “tail” and providing better structure on the front of the belt where there is usually less Velcro contact. Speaking of which, the outer belt, of course, runs over a D3 or D3 Pro inner belt ($25/$45) that attaches with hook-and-loop. I have a plain D3 belt which features a G-hook closure method instead of Velcro. Currently, the belt only comes in two colors, tan or black.

Similarly, retention is adjustable, and as a bonus feature, the pouches can be canted: they ship on a vertical Mandible strap, and the $5 angled strap tilts it outboard. Vertical takes up less belt; canted is quicker to reach for a competition draw, which is how I've set mine. The $45 Dump Pouch rolls flat and closes one-handed. The $80 Improved Trauma Response Kit, made with SOARescue, mounts vertically on MOLLE or horizontally on the belt and has a tray built to open with wet or gloved hands. Thankfully, I’ve only had to open up the trauma kit so far to get everything staged properly.

Range Time So Far

I’ve only had the belt setup for a few months and only been able to take it to two competitions so far. The first thing I noticed with the whole kit assembled was that the belt keeps its shape under a loaded holster and mags without stiffening up enough to dig in when you sit or twist. In two gun, you often have more gear on your belt than you would during a USPSA match, so I like having the extra weight capabilities. I didn't get much time on it at the HSP event in Arizona, since the range portion went to the Incog XS, but I've worn it through several matches up to this point and training days since, and nothing has loosened, shifted, or worn in a way worth flagging. Furthermore, making small adjustments is pretty easy if you use their special One Wrap tabs.

In comparison to some less weight-conscious rigs, the BASELINE seems like it does indeed hold up the extra weight very well, and I experience virtually no shift in the position of the belt, even under intense movement. Like other belt systems that use one wrap, however, if you overload your belt with incompatible surfaces (like the holster mount I’m using), you’ll lose some of that positive retention around your waist. That is why it’s probably best to keep as many pieces of the system together as possible, rather than breaking it out. If you want to build your

Because BASELINE is so new, there isn't a deep well of long-term owner feedback, including my own, to lean on yet, and that's probably a little concerning for anyone spending this kind of money on day one for a belt. However, to help you as much as I can, a few things stand out from the spec sheets and the design choices, at least to me. The proprietary Mandible strap attachment means the mag pouches rely heavily on Safariland's own ecosystem rather than dropping straight onto standard MOLLE like a typical Tenicor or Tek-Lok setup, so canting a pouch costs you an extra $5 strap on top of the pouch itself and isn’t a native capability of the belt or the attachments.

Safariland's own product page also says that certain metal 2011 magazines can scrape or gouge the MP2 insert during break-in, which I haven’t really experienced, but instead I have experienced the insert coming out occasionally when performing a particularly aggressive draw with my Staccato C mags. And the pistol pouches are 9mm double-stack specific, so .45, single-stack, or oddball platforms are out unless you want them jiggling around on your belt. None of these are dealbreakers, I think, but they're the kind of things that don't typically show up in a launch-day press release, or necessarily an early product page review.

Final Thoughts

At roughly $280 for the whole belt, inner belt, a double pouch, and a dump pouch before a holster, it's priced with the established battle belt makers, not under them. I like it so far, but this is a first look on purpose. I have three more two-gun matches this year, and those are long days that put real hours on a belt, closer to what duty or hard use does to one than a normal range trip. I'll follow up after those. Safariland's own 4333 Low Profile Battle Belt (roughly $180) and just above the new HOLLE duty belt ($157 to $232 depending on buckle), so it's not undercutting the house lineup so much as offering a different flavor of load-bearing belt at the same tier. I think it's also worth pointing out that the older 032 ELS Competition Belt runs around $75 to $89, which makes BASELINE a real step up in price if your only goal is to get a bare-bones match belt.

To sum my thoughts up, I think BASELINE gets the fundamentals right, and the accessory system is genuinely thoughtful in a way that rewards shooters who want to tinker with their layout and also keep matching sets together. I’m becoming more of a stickler about matching sets of gear and accessories as I age, and I think my Magpul furniture addiction is a strong indication of that. What I can't tell you yet is whether the laminate used in this belt holds its rigidity after years of getting thrown in a range bag, cinched down hard, and worn through full match days or duty shifts in the heat and cold. I’ve only had the belt for about 6 months, and range days alone and a handful of 2 Gun ACMs can’t test a belt sufficiently.