ACTION AIR: DAA LYNX BELT

measure, and the hook and loop system is actually moulded onto the inside face of each individual link. This is a great innovation and something the product design engineer in me can appreciate for its simplicity and effectiveness.

The other advantage of the rigid link assembly is the more positive attachment surface provided for holster or magazine carrier systems, which can span one or more links to suit your setup and are provided with a more rigid base which allows for less movement than a traditional fabric belt, as well as preventing things from moving around the belt itself and allowing you to leave things in the appropriate places without fear of things wandering between sessions and messing up your ‘muscle memory’ or familiarity with where everything sits.

Having the buckle now moved to the front also makes it much easier to affix and remove the outer belt; placing your holster in the appropriate index point and then wrapping and following the rest of the belt around the other side and closing the front buckle (the inherent rigidity of the link system also makes it easier to ensure you properly align with outer belt directly along the inner belt without it sagging or flopping around and forcing you to rush the thing on as I have experience with the older fabric belt setups) the entire system just seems to work a lot more effectively and comfortably whether putting it on, taking it off, or during its use - I’m sold!

A DREAM TO STORE AND CARRY TOO!

One of the biggest benefits, and main drives behind the design according to DAA’s marketing videos, is also the collapsible nature of the linked design; the traditional reinforced fabric outer belts tend to present a problem with how much you can wind them in on themselves given their size and composition, and will always tend to want to spring back open anyway, making them a bit of a nightmare to deal with in terms of bagging and carrying them! Many in my team and the wider Action Air or real steel community evidently resort to just slinging them on the top of their backpacks with a suitable karabiner or other affixing method, not ideal in terms of protecting your expensive rig, magazine carriers and holster, and not ideal if you’re moving around in public spaces as it somewhat telegraphs ‘hey, I am a shooter, and no doubt have a gun in this bag’ which may have varied mileage for you depending on the permissiveness of your local society. In Taiwan it doesn’t seem to be as big a deal, but nonetheless, grey-man is good.

The collapsible nature of the Lynx setup allows you to easily wrap it in on itself, or as I do, just fold it into flat sections with my five magazine carriers providing the outermost, longer rigid section that I then fold the holster carrying side and excess sections in upon. This is extremely convenient and simple to use, and very compact by comparison to the older designs of belt. Now our main concern seems to be just what to do with all the excess space left in our backpacks or lockers now that we have such compact shooting rigs in use!

I’m definitely a convert, the initial investment might seem a bit steep for some, but in real terms it isn’t that much more of a stretch than their older belt system, and the modularity of it allows for teams to choose a common colour scheme or bulk buy links and apportion them accordingly to each shooter, rather than everyone having to faff about with single set sized belts. Likewise the stockists and supply chain can benefit a great deal from not having to deal with those bulkier older belt solutions so the Double Alpha Academy Lynx Belt is well worth the investment in my mind. AA

“I’M DEFINITELY A CONVERT, THE INITIAL INVESTMENT MIGHT SEEM A BIT STEEP FOR SOME, BUT IN REAL TERMS IT ISN’T THAT MUCH MORE OF A STRETCH THAN THEIR OLDER BELT SYSTEM, AND THE MODULARITY OF IT ALLOWS FOR TEAMS TO CHOOSE A COMMON COLOUR SCHEME OR BULK BUY LINKS AND APPORTION THEM ACCORDINGLY TO EACH SHOOTER, RATHER THAN EVERYONE HAVING TO FAFF ABOUT WITH SINGLE SET SIZED BELTS”