Does anyone own and use these belts?
Just saw their ad in JLC. They look great, but quite pricey.
Any comments for those of us on the fence? Thank you.
Does anyone own and use these belts?
Just saw their ad in JLC. They look great, but quite pricey.
Any comments for those of us on the fence? Thank you.
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Replies
I used them for about 5 years. Loved them and found them to be very durable. Last summer I just got sick of how big they were. I'm not real tall, 5'7" so that might be the problem :-)
here are pictures of me wearing the Dbacks.
http://pic40.picturetrail.com/VOL293/2163851/10043887/146235245.jpg
http://pic40.picturetrail.com/VOL293/2163851/9094915/126965328.jpg
http://pic40.picturetrail.com/VOL293/2163851/8885471/133790276.jpg
hanging a nailgun from your belt? did that pull your pants down?
how do you like that chainsaw-jig?
No problem with the gun pulling pants down.
The chainsaw jig works great. I love it.
Tim,
Thank you . I'm 6' tall and they look really big to me too.
Still pondering.
Walter
I'm the same height as Tim and I agree completely. I've had mine about 4 years and I keep going back to it to give it another try only because of what I paid for it but the result is always the same. To make it work for me I have to hoist it halfway up my chest. Then I can't get my hands in the top pockets so I guess it doesn't really work after all.
Gary
Sounds like between you and Tim there's a deal to be had on some DB's.
I, for one, would be interested if you're looking to dump 'em.The best reward for a job well done is the opportunity to do another.
If there is any interest I have a nice Duluth bag I want to sell. It's the Duluth Master series with adjustable pockets, padded belt, and cudura nylon constuction. I used it twice, fits 30"-36" waist. Paid $105 asking $50
I'll think about it. I really was never a big fan of the systems where the pouches are fixed.
Being left-handed, I need options.
ThanksThe best reward for a job well done is the opportunity to do another.
You know what it is partly for me? I don't like wearing them with shorts, but with pants its not bad.
I hesitate selling mine because I keep feeling like I'll come back to them.
Email me though. The newer pair I only wore for about 3-6 months. they are in great shape. I could part with them. My wife and I are going to Europe in summer '09 and with the dollar so weak, I need every dollar I can get :-)
I think you want to talk to Davidhawks. I believe he's the one that would like to try it. Mine wouldn't be any good cause I've tried some modifications to make it work. Whenever I have to hire an extra hand for a bigger job and he doesn't have one, guess what pouch he gets.
Gary
I have been running the same diamondback belt for 6 years noe and not one tear yet. Extremely durable well built belts. If they seem to big, you can pick and choose what pouches you want and they put together a custom set-up for you. Best belt I have ever owned. Probably would have went through $200 woth of other belts by now anyway.
Tim,
Are the bags you'd be willing to part with the ones you're wearing in the pics?
The best reward for a job well done is the opportunity to do another.
Stumbled across this old message and had to reply. I own two sets of DB bags and would recomend them to anybody. I am a short guy and have no problem reaching all the pockets. They make two sizes of bags so you can get shorter ones if you prefer. The new owner is wonderful to deal with and actually went out to his workshop,got the bags i was inquiring about and went through them pocket by pocket with me. His website asn't great at that time for which he apologized. I had a set of Rose leather bags that were horrible in my opinion. i have look at Occidental bags on the job and they just don't seem ergonomic to me, weird placement of tool pouches/holders. The nice thing about them is you can chuck them in the washer when they get nasty or you have to do some nice trim work.. Hope this helps, spike
Spike, what size bags do you have? The mediums or the large? About six months ago (after agonizing for two years over the decision) I bought a set of Diamond Backs. I was totally bummed that the bags were so long that they didn't work for me at all. I ended up giving them to one of my carps for a B-day present. A few weeks ago a broke down and ordered myself another set... this time choosing the medium bags and a different configuration. Really hoping I'm not going to regret this...... again.View Image
I have a set of each, the first set i bought were mediums, the second were large. The first set was the trim set and after wearing for awhile i wanted more pockets. I bought the remodeler set the second time in large and really dont mind the lenght. They do get heavy loaded but i offset that with Occidental suspenders. The db bags just work great for me, everything fits and is easily accessible. The trim set is relegated to home use, but am thinking about another set of the remodelers for home.
My leather Occidentals developed a hole from some chemical, havent figured out what did it but I'm using the Dbacks again. There is not a good speed square pocket which is crucial to me. The belt system would be good if you can find pants with huge belt loops to fit their narrow belt that goes on your pants to make the padded belt velcro to it. Unless you already have these bags, i just don't see how you can have them made, DP is fortunate to have already owned them once to figure out the problems. the cell phone pouch is a joke and the hammer sleeve is too small for a Stilleto,the tape pouch ruins the first big pouch for entry and trying to keep the tape in a lower pouch will beat your legs to death. I use one pouch and a regular hammer holster. Never liked a hammer hanging in the back. Your nail set will disappear because the hole is too deep. I have a hard time believing that a carpenter actually originally designed these.
Brian,
I bought the large 2 years ago to replace a previous set which I loved, but the new ones drove me nuts. They were large and so they are sitting in my garage.
I bought the Occidentals a year ago and didn't like them, but they've grown on me. They don't have enough room on the right for my calculator, but it works ok. Works well enough. I try not to carry much in my bags.
It's Occi's that I'm trying to replace now. I've got a set of the green bags.... forget what they're called but you know the ones. I picked out the bags I wanted and made up my own set because I'm a half left handed, half right handed hybrid freak. That was about 5 or 6 years ago and they're starting to fall apart. The don't owe me anything though.
I'd buy another set, but the thought of having to break another set of Occi's in is more than I wanna deal with right now. Don't know about that set you have, but it took me about six months to break in my set. No kidding. I'd wear 'em for a week and go back to my old bags because they were digging in and chaffing me in all sorts of places that are nobody's business. Kept at it and eventually they were broken in, but I swear it took months.
That set you have there... I've tried them on in the local tool store a couple different times. They're very nice, but they didn't suit me for one reason or another. I'm really keeping my fingers crossed on this new set of DB's I've ordered.
What was it that "drove you crazy" about your new(er) set of DB's? Was it that you got the large size? Or did they change something else about them in the time between your first set and second set? And how long did you wear the first set for before you retired 'em?
If this set of DB's doesn't suit me, I'm going to give up and just order a couple new Occi bags and patch my current rig up. Either that or get a whole new set of Occi's and drag them behind the forklift for the next couple jobs to break them in.View Image
Brian,
I'm pretty sure Occy will repair your bags for you. They are pretty nice people to deal with customer-service-wise. Maybe try giving them a call?
I sent two guy's bags in for repair...they sent them back, repaired, no charge. Don't know if you will have the same luck, but they are pretty good people.
Edited to add customer service #:
Phone: (707) 824-2560(8-4 pm Mon-Fri PST)
Not sure if I will ever get it right, but I will continue to roll that marble around my pea-brain until I figure it out.
Edited 5/17/2008 6:08 pm by Fishrite
Now that's an idea I never even thought of but would realistically be the ideal solution. My current bags serve me well and it kinda hurts to give 'em up... getting 'em fixed up, even for a price, would be great. Thanks I'm going to looking into that!View Image
I've got a set of the DB's made 10 yrs ago by Jim the original designer builder they are still in great shape but the bottom pocket is hard to reach.
Good idea!
I am pretty sure they will take good care of you Brian...you may have to pay postage though. It still remains to be a small enough company that they actually care about customer service. I would be a great rep for them, huh?
I still have my Occy Lite framing belt, though it went a bit limp after O'Niell spilled a bucket of drywall mud all over it (freakin' bull-in-a-china-shop guy to work with...thankfully, I did not injure him, eventhough I Really wanted to!)
Not sure if I will ever get it right, but I will continue to roll that marble around my pea-brain until I figure it out.
when you sent in your bags for repair, how long did you have to be without them?
Dustin
Well, my tool store was in Nor-Cal, and Occy is in Santa Rosa, CA. Because it was nearby, the repair turn around was about a week or less.
Hope that helps, and once again, they are a great company who likes to make sure the customer is satisfied. At least, that has been my experience with them.
Not sure if I will ever get it right, but I will continue to roll that marble around my pea-brain until I figure it out.
Man, as a lefty myself I've given up on the perfect belt
I just do the reach around, hold the pencil in the teeth, cuss under
my breath thing.
They don't have enough room on the right for my calculator, but it works ok. Works well enough. I try not to carry much in my bags.@@@I carry my in the rear bag, where you have the Tajima chalk box. What do you carry in the front bag? That's where I park the chalk box (Tajima). BrotherInLaw (shrink) comped me a drug mfg. gimme - a leather zippered case thingie that now holds the CM 5, cards, note pad, cut list forms, etc.They do make a case for the CM. The tape is on an Endeavor Magnetic tape holder on the belt above the chisel. Works very well. Just forget the sticky tape and use hot glue.If I were the designer - you would have a loop or sleeve in the rear of the bag for the torpedo level and three loops along the inside of the outer wall for pliers, etc.The ToolBear
"I am still learning." Goya
The two bags on the right hold my cell phone, chalkline and calculator. Just depends, things move around. I used to have a holder for the calculator, but I didn't like wearing attached to the belt because it'd break more often.
In the DBacks there was a spot between bags where it fit perfectly. http://pic40.picturetrail.com/VOL293/2163851/8885471/124712069.jpg