There are certain things that are just meant to be together – Shelby and Ford, Fred and Ginger, peanut butter and jelly, gin and tonic, to name a few. Could the unlikely pairing of a field belt and knife sharpener join that list for the overlander?
Argali, a Boise-based manufacturer of hunting and backcountry equipment, has released the Kodiak belt, which promises to “shape, sharpen and hone any knife, broadhead or hook” with something you likely have on you all the time – your belt. The lightweight belt has three sharpening components built into its 3.8-ounce package – a sharpening plate, a sharpening bar, and a leather strop.
An 800-grit diamond sharpening plate is found on the back face of the belt buckle and has an integrated fishhook sharpening groove at the top of the plate. The face of the 7075-grade aluminum buckle has a tungsten carbide sharpening bar across its top for reshaping and deburring a knife-edge. A 6-inch long vegetable tanned leather strop is stitched to the nylon belt adjacent to the buckle. The configuration of the sharpening components allows all three to easily be accessed with minimal removal of the belt.
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The buckle is a low-profile design intended to be comfortable under a backpack hip belt, with the nylon belt webbing lying flat behind it. The webbing is secured with what Argali calls its Iron Grip Webbing Capture System that promises to keep both the belt from slipping and be easy to take on and off. Early reviews of the belt seem to confirm that it delivers on its promises.
The sage green belt is available for waists from 28” to 44” and retails for $74.99. Argali offers a 60 day “no questions asked” return policy.
