Gear Review: Volund Gearworks ATLAS Belts

[TheTrevor]

The feature product of Volund Gearworks, based in the heart of the American Midwest, is the tremendously rugged yet adaptable ATLAS belt. Volund Gearworks is one of those open secrets among serious shooters: a fantastic vendor of top-quality, made-to-order belts, backed by the promise that if you take care of your belt, they’ll take care of you. (Just remember: Do Not Taunt Happy Fun (ATLAS) Belt.)

Matt at Volund Gearworks has made two custom belts for me in 2014, both of which I put to hard use at Rogers Shooting School 13-18 April 2014. (Spoiler: I love my VGW belts, and you may lose body parts if you try to make off with one. They're that good.)

Full review including pictures at my blog, Trevor On The Trigger. (http://trevoronthetrigger.wordpress.com/2014/04/23/gear-review-volund-gearworks-atlas-belts/)

[Irelander]

Great review. Thanks for that. I had never heard of Volund before today. I'll be ordering one of their Atlas belts soon. Just what I was looking for.

[Dos Cylindros]

I couldn't agree more. I have been wearing my Atlas belt since June of last year. The low profile G-Hook really makes AIWB carry that much more discrete. I plan on buying another to use as the under belt for my patrol gear.

[JAD]

In another thread I mentioned not being a huge fan of the atlas. I was pm'd for an explanation and I thought I should share with the group:

It is a nice stiff belt that lays very flat, and therefore doesn't print under light concealment. That's good. The bit that gets fed through the holster loops has big loops of fabric for attachment of the g hook. I may be doing it wrong, but that sucks for getting the holster on and off frequently. I feel like I'm tearing up the belt and the holster. While it's 'infinitely adjustable,' which I like, the adjustment method (tightening the g hook retainer) seems flimsy and messy. It is way easier to cinch down a Wilderness belt.

I'm not going to throw it away, but in general I prefer my wilderness frequent flier for aiwb applications, despite the irritation of the buckle.

[WoodLark]

I have a number of different gun belts, and the Volund Atlas (which is my newest) is by far my favorite.

[Up1911Fan]

In another thread I mentioned not being a huge fan of the atlas. I was pm'd for an explanation and I thought I should share with the group:

I figured out which of the loops I used to book the g hook on and had Matt make me an Atlas with just that one. Much better for threading through gear.

[JAD]

I could probably retro mine with an exacto.


My front sight is my happy place.

[Haraise]

If this belt came with a solid attachment from one end of the belt to the other, it'd be my favorite. Until then, I'll have to stay with the Aegis Enhanced.

[23JAZ]

Volund Cobra belt or Ares Ranger belt?

[BobLoblaw]

Volund Cobra belt or Ares Ranger belt?

AIWB: Volund
IWB/OWB: Ares

[23JAZ]

AIWB: Volund
IWB/OWB: Ares
Is the volund stiff enough and comfortable enough for a G19 in a JMCK AIWB and a reload. Everyday all day wear? I've got an Elite Survival Systems Shooters belt now and I'm finding I need something stiffer now after 6 months of EDC with it. Before that belt all my other belts were leather but I like the cobra buckle so I want to stick with that.

[TheTrevor]

Is the volund stiff enough and comfortable enough for a G19 in a JMCK AIWB and a reload. Everyday all day wear? I've got an Elite Survival Systems Shooters belt now and I'm finding I need something stiffer now after 6 months of EDC with it. Before that belt all my other belts were leather but I like the cobra buckle so I want to stick with that.

The inner belt shown in my review is my EDC belt with an HK P30 in a JMCK AIWB at 12:30 and complementary IWB mag pouch at 11:00. It's a 1.5-inch to fit through the loops on all of my clothes (especially shorts) and is still vertically stiff yet comfortable after several months of break-in.

[Up1911Fan]

I've owned an Ares Ranger, I now have two Volund Cobra belts.

[Up1911Fan]

Is the volund stiff enough and comfortable enough for a G19 in a JMCK AIWB and a reload. Everyday all day wear? I've got an Elite Survival Systems Shooters belt now and I'm finding I need something stiffer now after 6 months of EDC with it. Before that belt all my other belts were leather but I like the cobra buckle so I want to stick with that.

More than. Carry a G17 in a JMCK AIWB, reload and small fixed blade on mine daily.

[MSparks909]

Ordered a 1.5" Atlas Cobra. Eager to see how much of an improvement it is over my current belt!

[HES]

I got my first Volund and am about to drop an order for another. I find myself using this belt for EDC than using my leather one from TheBeltman.net. The only negatives that I have against this belt are 1) If you gotta go really bad, it'll take you a second or two to "unbuckle" the belt. Depending on how much chili you had, that could be "messy". The next one is that with my leather, I can get my compatc-minotuar on and off the belt with out having to remove and re-thread it. That ain't gonna happen with the Volund. If I want to remove the holster for what ever reason I have to un-thread and then re-thread the belt. To me that is just a minor annoyance. Other than that, there isn't a thing I don't like about this belt. It's nice and stiff and can easily support the weight of my PPQ and 2 spare magazines with out any flex. However it's not so stiff as to be uncomfortable. It lays flat, is easily adjustable, and is rock hard solid.

[TheTrevor]

Regarding the occasional need for rapidly disrobing due to an urgent biological function... Over Memorial Day weekend, we had a temporary steel-and-targets range set up on private land where we were staying. The nearest restroom facilities were ~7 minutes drive away. I was wearing my inner (G-hook) and outer (Cobra) Volund Atlas belts, fully rigged, when a previous meal decided it was time to move through the system like an express train. I had no trouble divesting myself of my heavily laden outer belt one-handed as I walked (with urgency, entrenching tool in hand) over a ridgeline and behind a convenient tree. I was also able to loosen the inner belt in time.

I don't even unhook the G-hook, but instead untab the velcro end and loosen the strap with the G-hook still fastened. This allows me to loosen the belt by quite a bit without disconnecting it, facilitating access to fasteners on my clothing. This is also nice for concealed carry situations in actual restrooms, of course.

TMI? Maybe, but this is the stuff you have to deal with in real life.

[Wendell]

...I don't even unhook the G-hook, but instead untab the velcro end and loosen the strap with the G-hook still fastened. This allows me to loosen the belt by quite a bit without disconnecting it, facilitating access to fasteners on my clothing. This is also nice for concealed carry situations in actual restrooms, of course...

Once you get used to it, any other arrangement seems to be a step backward. The Volund (G-hook) Atlas sets the standard, in my opinion.

[Hizzie]

Regarding the occasional need for rapidly disrobing due to an urgent biological function... Over Memorial Day weekend, we had a temporary steel-and-targets range set up on private land where we were staying. The nearest restroom facilities were ~7 minutes drive away. I was wearing my inner (G-hook) and outer (Cobra) Volund Atlas belts, fully rigged, when a previous meal decided it was time to move through the system like an express train. I had no trouble divesting myself of my heavily laden outer belt one-handed as I walked (with urgency, entrenching tool in hand) over a ridgeline and behind a convenient tree. I was also able to loosen the inner belt in time.

I don't even unhook the G-hook, but instead untab the velcro end and loosen the strap with the G-hook still fastened. This allows me to loosen the belt by quite a bit without disconnecting it, facilitating access to fasteners on my clothing. This is also nice for concealed carry situations in actual restrooms, of course.

TMI? Maybe, but this is the stuff you have to deal with in real life.


Wow. I hope everything came out ok.

[JM Campbell]

Trevor...that's the way I've been doing it since day 1. Little advice on it though, the velcro will wear out faster and puff out. Not really an issue trim it down and continue until velcro side needs to be replaced.

Hands down best belt I've used.

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-N900A using Tapatalk

[Irelander]

Just got my Volund Atlas G-hook belt yesterday. Wow! This is my first web belt and I am really digging it. Much better than my leather belt. I no longer am discreetly hiking up my EDC rig all day long. The leather was nice but I needed some fine adjustment and the Altas gets me there. I never really cared for the tactical belts with the big riggers buckle. The Atlas is low profile, comfortable, strong and stay put. Now I am chomping at the bit for my JMCK holster to arrive.

[Up1911Fan]

Just got my Volund Atlas G-hook belt yesterday. Wow! This is my first web belt and I am really digging it. Much better than my leather belt. I no longer am discreetly hiking up my EDC rig all day long. The leather was nice but I needed some fine adjustment and the Altas gets me there. I never really cared for the tactical belts with the big riggers buckle. The Atlas is low profile, comfortable, strong and stay put. Now I am chomping at the bit for my JMCK holster to arrive.

JM Custom on an Atlas is a great combination, wear mine daily.