Review: Platatac - SICC belt

As first seen on BreachBangClear. Due to OpSec, they can't confirm or deny that I am the GyroPilot from MadMax, and I am sticking to that.

I'd been lusting after one of these belts for some time. I have a fair collection of both "tactical", "practical" and "everybody" belts. I have skinny little hips, and really long legs, so getting a pair of pants, or one of my many sets of kilts. to fit can be a real issue, so I depend on belts to carry the load, and protect my dignity. I have been very happy with the 215Gear Ultimate Riggers Belt and the 5.11Tactical TDU belts, as well as the PM Leather Hobble Belt for more personal use.

This is the very multifunctional and heavily engineered Soldier’s Integrated Combat Cobra Belt (SICC Belt) by Platatac .

Constructed from three layers of MILSPEC high breaking strain para tape and tube tape, the resulting belt has both the stiffness and body to provide a stable platform for covert carriage as well as a platform for a padded first line belt such as the Young Guns Belt

The primary standout feature of the SICC is that it is wrapped in PALS. This allows it to be used as a platform in its own right. With 18 channels, which are slightly off-set to favour the left side, this single row of PALS loops allows you to mount a variety of pouches and accessories directly and securely to the belt.
The belt is both wide enough and stiff enough that you could carry a pistol and magazines without any drama, or in my case, a variety of pouches and tools. I regularly carry both my multitool and Hexbright light, but have also run both my Tactical Tailor Joey Hydration pouch and my ITS/ZuluNylon skeletonized carrier to carry my ZombieSquad Nalgene. Even with a liter (32oz) in the bottle, the belt felt stable and didn't twist or sag.

You can see it here with the 5x12ga Shingle by Platatac which I've used to secure ranger-bands and cord. You can see the hook-and-loop adjustment closure that is standard for the Cobra belts I've seen, I found this one gave me lots of room, and plenty of space for bigger folks too.

The other stand-out feature of the SICC is the loop beside the Cobra buckle. I've previously used this type of belt loop to attach carabiners, as a backup climbing or retention point, but I also looped my EDCpen through it, and can see how it would serve admirably as a pistol retention loop, for those who need that kind of security.

I really liked being able to secure my EDC pouches, which usually slide between belt loop to belt loop, as well as being able to change my loadout with the convenience of the PALS/MOLLE options. Interestingly, for those of us who -don't- want have the full "tacticool" look, Platatac offer essentially the same belt, without the PALS loops and lanyard loop as their "Regular Guy" version of the belt.

Review: EDCpen

As first featured on RecoilWeb.com here: the-ultimate-minimalist-everyday-carry-pen-edcpen

I was very pleased to be contacted by Kris of EDCpen who I've been following for a while, having missed out on his Kickstarter, but also by association with Brad of Tactical KeyChains, who has collaborated with Kris in the past.

Openly professing not being an engineer or product designer by trade, rather, Kris is a guy with a great idea. A former Infantryman and Paratrooper, who like me enjoys having a handful of EDC items which are practical and useful on a daily basis. Kris has gone the extra step, (in more way than one) and has produced a great item which I am pleased to share here.


The Kickstarter project that was produced to fund the production of these, and offered them in aluminium, brass and stainless steel. A later stretch goal brought forth a titanium option, which is what I was sent.

Fitted with a Fisher Space Pen cartridge the EDCpen gives a smooth writing action, and fits the hand snugly, even for a small pen, when unscrewed. You can see the threading and o-ring where the lid fits to the pen end, and the machined rings for grip towards the nib end. I found as a pen, this was a great fit, and haven't had any trouble using it. The ends feature similar fluted groves as those seen on the Ti2 Sentinel cache that Mike Bond puts out. I have a feeling there is a lot of collaboration between these guys, which is excellent, as it means there are awesome products coming our way.

The whole pen has been machined from solid titanium, with the cap having its lanyard loop cut deeply enough that there is no doubt that your cord would break before the loop, and the pen body itself seats the ink cartridge by having a countersunk threaded plug which screws in tightly behind the cartridge.

I can't imagine the situation in which this would come loose of its own accord in my use(perhaps being stuck in an engine casing) but it certainly didn't give me any worries. This thing really is designed to last a lifetime.I shudder to think what it would take to break this thing, and I'm confident that my body would go first.

I've covered a couple of "tactical pens" in the past, namely the S&W pen, and the CRL modular pen. The EDCpen is substantially heftier and hardier feeling than both.

It's solid construction, especially in titanium, give it a mass of 50g, ( 1 3/4oz) (53g with the included paracord loop), which outweighs the aluminium version of the CRL pen (at 42g) but as I said earlier, it sits nicely in the hand. The smooth finish of the pen lends again to it's heft and I found that the four fluted groves had just enough bite to their edges to give a good grip, without cutting in.


Why is this relevant? Because I always like to look at how I can use what I carry to combative purpose.

Having a 113mm x 12mm cylinder of titanium on hand just made me want to hit things, and I found that it most certainly does make an impression. These two divots were from one-inch-punch type strikes on a painted concrete wall. The pen didn't take even a smudge, the wall took two fairly impressive dents.

This was a great pen, and certainly worth adding to my EDC. It certainly lives up to its name. My only worry would be losing it, and with the included paracord lanyard, I've been able to have it looped through PALS/MOLLE, my belt loops and the like. This is a great example of someone taking a simple need, producing an elegant product and having a complete solution.