A while back we did a review of some covert escape gear for our PMCs (Private Military Contractors), civilians in high risk locales, or even just prepared civilians. Up for review is the Shomer-Tec SHETB Escape/Travel Belt.
This little belt is a great item to add to your EDC (Everyday Carry), which will allow you to escape restraints, hide money, and get out of a tight situation without doing much more than putting a belt on. While the belt buckle itself is plastic, and not ready to use to rappel off a building, it is completely serviceable, and very unique. It, and it’s contents, are security friendly – by that we mean that it will not set off a metal detector.
It has several elasticized little pouches around the back, and it comes with a mini handcuff key and several feet of 200lb test Kevlar line (which one can use to cut, secure, lash, or pretty much anything you can think of). You can also hide some holdout cash or some other E+E gear within these pouches. Within the buckle, you have a nice little cache of escape items, which are a mini handcuff key, and a razor.
The Shomer-Tec Escape/Travel Belt itself is very unique, and totally capable of being used. However, be advised, it is not a high quality buckle not belt – but it’s not meant for rigorous duty – it’s meant for application – IE getting out of a tight situation. All of that being said it is a great value, with a belt with hidden pockets, almost 10 feet of 200lb Kevlar, 2 hidden keys and a ceramic razor.
And last but not least, some nifty little E+E devices. They look like regular nickels, but alas, they are not.
The one on the far left is a mini nickel knife, used to cut out of restraints. It’s hidden so well that if you don’t have a thumbnail, good luck getting it out. Once out, the mini blade is super sharp and ready to go to work, and stows right back into the slit, looking like a regular nickel. It’s a potentially lifesaving tool for undercover operatives and even civilians traveling in hostile regions. This unique micro tool was engineered to be both clandestine and pre-positioned for deployment. The most ignored things that people carry are coins; rarely does anyone pay the slightest attention to a bunch of coins, even during searches.
In the middle we have something more meant for special operators or even James Bond, but it’s still pretty nifty nonetheless. You can hide a micro-sd card, sim card, or other piece of sensitive electronics within this covert nickel, and it cannot be opened very easily. It, also, is undetectable.
The one on the far right is a covert nickel compass, pictured with a piece of Kevlar tripwire. This little gem can be used with just a piece of string or dental floss to reveal magnetic north. I tested it, and it’s only off by a few degrees, which is definitely good enough to get you to an exfil point. It was inspired by the various escape compasses developed during WWII and issued to Allied airmen and commandos as part of their escape & evasion kits. Unlike standard military compasses, due to specialized requirements escape compasses were mostly very small and of rudimentary design, had minimal markings, and provided gross magnetic north indication.
This is a great addition to your EDC or E+E kit, I’m sure Clint Emerson would approve.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Alex Castiglione lives in Atlanta, and is an avid outdoorsman and competitive shooter.
Where-abouts include getting after it in his garage gym, practicing martial arts, hitting the trails, or running CrossFit and Strongman competitions for his non-profit, Barbells for Bullies, which holds fundraiser fitness competitions dedicated to aiding Bully breed rescues, dog rescues, or other non-profits with similar missions.
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