With the tape measure holder on the occidentals, if you shove a 35ft tape measure in there and soak a rag in warm water and wrap it around the leather, it will soften and when it dries your tape measure will slide in and out with ease
oh yeah, so true. The look at these rigs was great, but the single and absolute killer spec is... comfort. 8 plus hours a day and if its not comfortable, its like going to the chair every morning. Find the most comfortable set, get great comfortable suspenders, and a 12 pack of stainless steel 3/16 rivets and bitch the bag set up. Make it exactly as you need it to be. Not a big deal, and you can mix up brands parts to fit your belt. Fit-drill-rivet. You bag will be the cats nuts. Thanks for the great work madman.
I see a lot of comments about hammer holder's.. I just replaced a stolen tool belt and this time I did everything I wanted in the other belt, but never did. I made a one piece occidental set with components. First off.. the sheepskin liner. I never liked the liners buckle near the belt buckle so I removed it and attached belt and liner with a piece of suspender strap leather, at the buckle. Also the strap in the center of the liner wouldn't allow you to use anything in the center of the belt. I removed that strap and use both on each side of my center pouch to secure the liner to the belt. They can be positioned anywhere now, and also two points of attachment now instead of one. Next I attached the suspender loop hardware directly to the belt and attached each bag to the belt. All attachments were made with Chicago screws, so nothing is permanent. Now back to the hammer holder... I got a no slap all leather hammer loop. Attached to the belt like its supposed to be, its awkward getting a long handed hammer in or out because its vertical. What I did... I cut the loop off at an angle and removed the top back rivet on the holder. Then using gorilla glue gel to position and help secure at my desired angle. Then I riveted the holder directly to the belt (replacing the rivet I removed, it's now through the belt as well) at an angle toward the front. Not a severe angle or horizontal, just tilted toward the front. Now I just lay it across the top of my tool pouch and it slips in. Very smooth and natural and very secure in the sleve.
Im a union carpenter from Chicago and I wear the occidental leather tool bags. I feel like my hammer would slap my knee more if I use the hammer loop on the front vs one on the back. That leather hammer loop will eventually wear out and need to be repaired. The one in the back will last your whole career. And your ability to slip between studs and joists and rafters depends on your biscuit and gravy intake... not the type of bags you wear. Also they have many different configurations to suit your needs based on what your prefer. IMO occidental all the way
Bit late to the party, but...61 yr old advanced DIYer with a compressed spine and a few cracked vertebrae from a car rollover. I've used toughbuilt, Occidental, and have settled on Buckaroo. All good rigs, but the Buck has superb back support and comfort, particularly with a well adjusted harness. The double belt arrangement and the inbuilt harness loops, save your rig sliding around, and keep it all together even if you set your belt loose...habit I picked up in my Australian army days was to have my webbing harness loose down on my hips, which has carried over to my tool belt rigs. For a DIYer, the range of work you'll do is pretty wide, so get the 'bespoke' pouch, plenty of room, dedicated speed square slot, and two power tool loops on the ends of the main pouch. A three pouch bag on the other side gives you plenty of carry space. It's an expensive rig, but well worth it, especially for older guys who may not be as flexible and energetic as the younger folk. Additionally, the toughbuilt clip system fits onto the buckaroo belt, so you can throw those on if you want.
Hi, gr8 review. I think it is the most informative unbiased tool belt review I have seen! Good job. I have 3 occidental leather all leather tool belts. All with suspenders. One is for framing and trim, another for electrical work and interchangeable drywall pouch set up and the other for small home stuff where minimal tools and materials are needed. I understand you dislike the original hammer holder at the back of the belt... it does friggin flap your hind legs. I replaced it with the high back hammer holder and covered the metal ring with heat shrink (no more noise)... no more leg slapping. I keep it more uncentered towards the tool pouch at the back. It is just high enough not to slap... you should look into it. I use the front leather loop for the impact driver belt loop, another hammer if needed or rapid hammer tacker. The tape holder above the tool pouch is a nuisance I never got used to. OL sells a tool pouch without the tape holder and a fastener pouch with one. On mine, I just drilled and unstitched it and got a separate tape holder held at the back uncentered towards the fastener pouch. But correction, it does hold a 35 foot fat max though. Lastly, to solve the pouches from moving around, you can either Chicago bolt the pouches into position or get hip buddies. I have the hip buddies and love them. They cushion the hip, hold the suspender straps into place and are tight and none slip enough to hold the pouches where you set them. The only drawback is that the belt rings are high and can dig into your belly when you bend... especially true when they are new... I lowered the belt by 1/2 inch to solve this. Otherwise they are great. I never really looked into Buckaroo but many boys I know who have them don't really like the pouches much. I hear that they are limitive and, like you said, are not as tool friendly as others. Diamond Backs are just not my thing... I left the armed forces 25 years ago... don't like that material much. Just saying ;). I am an old school leather type of guy I guess. Thanks for the detailed review.
I Brazeau appreciate this comment greatly! I disliked all the biased reviews from people. I was really wanting to put this out! Their are a few things I could have done differently with each belt, but it’s the belts I had! Thanks for the comment!
Occidental is actually quite customizable, not necessarily in the original package, but with additional/alternative accessories they sell. Hip pads, suspender/lanyard loops, several different hammer holders, alternate main pouches, etc. Might have to spend a little bit but there's a lot you can do with them.
This was by far the best video review of tool belts I’ve ever seen! You could easily get a job in sales with anyone of those three companies. Great job!!
oh yeah, so true. The look at these rigs was great, but the single and absolute killer spec is... comfort. 8 plus hours a day and if its not comfortable, its like going to the chair every morning. Find the most comfortable set, get great comfortable suspenders, and a 12 pack of stainless steel 3/16 rivets and bitch the bag set up. Make it exactly as you need it to be. Not a big deal, and you can mix up brands parts to fit your belt. Fit-drill-rivet. You bag will be the cats nuts. Thanks for the great work madman.
I'm 49 been doing construction works since I was about 14. I had every tool belt you could imagine, finally last year I got set of Occidental adjust to fit framers. And their suspenders without the padding just the leather ones since they don't sweat as bad.It's actually the only tool belt I've worn for more than a month without selling to someone, I've used it a year already 🤣😂😅. It's nice because I like the front mounted hammer loop and I like the fact that the belt is padded and the bags are made to the belt so that they don't slide around
The occidental is the way to go. I have had my oxy lights for 14 years now. They are the green leather that is not as stiff when brand new. I still love mine and never had any issues. Probably paid $250 or $300 but was best investment I've made.
I've been rocking my pouch setup for 11-12 yrs. craftsmen pro. Leather 4 pocket stacked for fasteners I got it in 2007 tool pouch is awp (Lowe's) leather pouch not sure the model but I love it. Bought that in 2008 to replace a drywall pouch. Been wearing it at least 5 days a week since standard 2" leather belt total price $115
I ran the typical CLC framer rig for a long time. Long enough to go through multiple sets every 3 or so years. Finally decided to go with that same OxyLite set up. Buy once, cry once. I should have invested in a better rig years ago. Love those oxys.
The OxyLights are a killer belt and pouch combo! They last forever too, so that one time of crying will be the last for 10+ years, that's one good way to look at it! Haha
I carry a 35’ fat max in my occidental tape joker everyday. I assure you it fits. Have to wear the suspenders myself or the belt constantly sags and it uncomfortably tight. Might check out the buckaroo bags when it’s time to retire the Occidentals, but that might be 10 years from now!!!
Thanks for the review, Im going Buckaroo. We do all aspects of building in NZ and I will enjoy the minimal weight and maximum comfort. Most always using maximum of two fixing types and have bought a nice lightweight design. Got the cabinet makers pouch for the right side it has heaps of loops and storage for a few tools 😁
buckaroo is a big thing in Australia, nobody uses the other brands. i guess as an apprentice you buy what everyone else has and learn to fall in love with it. great video btw
I recently got an Ox leather and brass tool belt with shoulder straps and it is really comfortable and very durable for a pretty decent price as far as tool belts go. It's not the lightest belt in the world but the straps help with that a lot.
It all comes down to what you have I guess or do because I nearly didnt have any of the issues you did with the occidental. My only issue is that the items all fall out on my bag when I take it off
One thing to note is that weight doesn't matter very much when you add suspenders. I actually carry an impact driver on my left side just to balance the weight of tools on my right side. Raw weight is not a problem at all, but imbalance between sides will cause wicked back pain as your body fights to keep itself straight. I'm just wearing cheap $15 Walmart suspenders on the belt. I also wear suspenders on my jeans. Suspenders on your jeans makes a huge difference as this prevents your pants from dropping below your tool belt and causing a rash on your skin. If you want to get fancy, you'll wear suspenders that are NOT elastic. Such suspenders are far superior to elastic because it means the tool belt sits at the same height regardless of how heavy it is. Non-elastic suspenders are 10x as expensive as normal suspenders, so I just try to maintain constant weight to maintain that constant amount of stretching.
I use Occidental heritage fat lip 8580 with hip buddies and 5055 leather stronghold suspenders running this rig 5 years for sheet metal work. The front leather hammer holster is perfect fit for offset snips and the tape holder you dislike is perfect fit for fatmax 25 and have no issues accessing bags. Use Chicago screws to secure the pouches to belt after getting position correct. The 5020 2in1 hammer loop won’t bang the back of your legs. Personally I hate hammer in front I had it on and old pouch. To each his own. Thanks for showing all these great set ups🙂
I love my diamond back rig, I ended up shoving little pieces of wood in the bottom of the bit Index so they don't fall to the bottom other than that nothing to complain about
I've been production framing since '89. Bags have come a long way since then. I don't miss the Craftsman 9 pocket leather pouch. I've tried a lot of bags and there's always pouches, hammer hooks and pockets that aren't necessary. Who needs 4 pencil holders? I've got 7 years on my Milwaukee nylon pouches and their held together with a lot of rebar tie wire and zip ties. I've recently taken up leather tooling as a hobby and I'm stitching up a set of custom pouches to hold my tools and nails exactly where I want them without all the extra bs. No one needs a half gallon pocket to hold 3 lbs of sinkers or a fat stack of stick nails. Custom made pouches are slim, lightweight and efficient with all the pockets formed to minimize wasted space and increase speed/production. If you want to do a review I'll send you a set.
Wore the Viking leather “Cadillac” ( stitched in place) That was my built for close to 10 years just recently switched to occidental nylon adjust-to-fit framer very comfortable. Here in Canada that artisan by diamondback is more the 600 price range. The occidental was 400 range
I've had a viking 601 since nearly the day I started working. Leathers finally started tearing, stitching is letting go and rivets have popped in some places. Doesn't owe me anything so wondering if I should stick with made in canada viking or try occy or akribis. What's your thoughts between the 2
I got a Milwaukee general contractor belt with suspension rig. I paid like $100 for it on eBay. But it’s like $130 at Home Depot. It’s really nice. I wish it had a pocket for a speed square. And I feel super wide in the belt. But slim from to back. So you have to turn to walk through studs with it on. It’s held up well for the little use it’s seen. Looks brand new. It’s got lots of pockets. Takes a little to break in. But it’s comfortable now. And for the price it’s a great deal. Being a diy/home owner and done with professional construction I really think that’ll be the last belt I buy. I’m currently 36.
For any framers looking for insight: If you can comfortably run with/manage a local store-bought leather bag, buy the Diamondback 4” belt w/ Wrangell pouch. Only carry what you need as per usual and you’ll want to put that belt on at 7:00 AM.
So happy that you use the designated leather hammer loop on your occidental! Seems like 98% of guys wear their hammers on the back. I love the leather loop.
For hiking, you distribute the weight between your shoulders, hips, and butt with a snug torso harness. The idea is to not put all the weight on a single body part. Plus, hiking gear is specifically designed to breathe and wick moisture. So what I'm saying is, maybe check out sporting goods just to see if anything looks useful and cheaper than the fancy leather alternatives.
It really depends on the type of carpentry you do. Buckaroo would be a problem on a concrete job. Not enough space. Occidental is the most used on jobs that I'm on. Been in concrete for almost 15 years and am on my second set of full leather occidental. I would try the buckaroo if I switched to framing though. Where wouldn't be so much wear and tear on them.
@@brookstomas-vejar3391 Buy Harbor Feight big machines and replace them often. My neighbor is a concrete boss himself. Also the new Milwaukee hammers (22 OZ) are really good for concrete. Beat them up and get a new one.
I like your review, but disagree with the comment about a 35' tape not fitting in the oxy dedicated tape holder. It may be tight for a few days, but then mine drops in with no problems. And like you, I remove the belt clip from the tape. Heck, I've even had a 40' fat max in mine for a day or two. I only carry it when I'm cutting really long hips and such. Thanks for the reviews.
With my Occidental Pro Framer and Occy Green bags I always used the tape holder. It was just right for where I wanted my tape. I got my first Diamondback UFO in 2000. Still have it. Still build with it. I also got a Diamondback Remodeler set of bags . I'm full on Diamondback anymore. One GREAT thing about Diamondback . The bags can go on many fall arrest/positioning harnesses. Nome of the others will without alot of monkeying around. Good review . Thanks ! One thing is for sure every carpenter likes things a little different so no one should get bent out of shape about how another carpenter wears his tool belt. Unless they make a habit of losing their hammer or cats paw off a scaffold or roof ect.
Thanks for the tip about removing the belt clip! I just got a 7 Framer Series and move them. I need to get suspenders with hip buddies next! So much stuff to go and the cost do add up!
I've had ol and db. Love them both. Wish I could combine all the goods stuff from both to make the ultimate tool belt. Love the pencil holder on ol, the right hand and left hand specific pockets and the leather one piece belt set with the sheepkin and the open top bags. On the db, I love the hammer sleeve, belt and buckle system. The pockets are more generic and not tool specific though. Both wear like iron and each one lasted over ten years of framing and trim work. Cant go wrong with either.
I made my Occidental belt a one piece setup and its perfect! Attached the suspender rings directly to the belt and riveted the bags to the belt. I added carry handles to each pouch, using the suspender loop leather. I also made a couple mods to the belt liner. I attached it to the belt and relocated a couple of the straps. The hammer sleve is why I had to comment.. I use the no slap hammer holder sleve which is about 6" long. Vertical it's a pain in the butt, however I cut the loop off and riveted it to the belt at an angle. Its perfect on the back of the belt now, and the angle make it smooth and easily accessible.
Nice been eyeing up an occidental full leather number with matching suspenders, did not consider how much it sticks out though, cheers for the warning!
I rock the full leather Occidentals I personally love them and have never had a problem grated its what I started with so that may contribute but as far as I'm considered there the best especially for the price
1) I only use the front holster for when I'm grabbing my hammer evet 2seconds, the rear holster is great for weight distribution 2) the tape holder is awesome lol, it's a must have in my book plus I only carry a 25'. 3) being able to slide your bags on your belt at an instant is great for different working positions that my .02
Really decent review!! I’ve definitely got a tool belt obsession. I’ve owned occidental,db,badger & buckaroo all really decent but I find I always go back to buckaroo something about it I really enjoy. Very comfy very slim making it easy getting through studs etc
Try akribis tool belts. I don’t have them and I probably won’t in a very long time but they look like they might be the perfect framing bags. Try them out let us know what you think.
Wow!26 years?! That's a long time. I've seen some belts go 20 years, 15 years, etc.. I personally like new belts, so I will only wear mine for a few years before getting a new set, lol.
It's funny you don't use the tape holder on the occidental. I don't wear occi, but every toolbag I have got to have this thing, once it's broken in, it's so easy to access. I just assumed everybody loved those as much as I did
The Hammer Holster you don't like is what guys in Germany only have on their hip and most of them don't use tape measure they use a Yard Stick or a Meter Stick. With that being said, the majority of the houses are made of brick and only the roof is made from wood, like the rafters. You should look up "Zimmermann". They all still wear traditional uniform that dates back hundreds of years. Different places different methods. While a German House probably will last longer it is also 2X more expensive to build and even though I am from there, I still prefer the US method of building Houses. They go up really fast and a Working man can easily afford one. In Germany, you will be lucky to have it paid of by the time you are 60years old.
Thanks for this video. I'm a homesteader building my own house and have been looking for something versatile and comfortable. No i'm not doing this for a living, but what ever I use I want it to work. I'm considering the Diamondback Danali because of the back support of the 6" belt. These home depot belts are so uncomfortable.
Just got a full set with Occidentals green builders and no slap hammer holder with the stronghold of with for wood framing and concrete forms on the ground. When I am in my harness for lifts or wall climbing, I think I will going atlas 46 or some other nylon bags. By the way, I have never had the issue with dropping my bags and losing one.
you're right you cannot tell somebody what belt to buy because my belt I like the old leather ones my tape measure has to be dead center of my back on the right side of my waist have to have a hammer Nails left side pocket screws whatever but everyone has to pick out their own
Love my Diamondback Denali. Had it for 5 years and it seems like they've fixed any gripes I've had with my setup with the newer models. I don't know what they use to make them but I've been super hard on them and they just have a bit of fraying through one of the three layers of material on the bottom corners. Worn them for everything from custom finishing to industrial formwork and everything in between. Had the Occidental for a number of years as well and still go back to them from time to time but they spill loose fasteners out of them when I bend over, there isn't a designated tool spot for everything that I carry on a daily basis, and my hammer holster in the front has collapsed and gotten floppy to a point where I have to wiggle and twist my hammer quite a bit to get it out every time so I've resorted to keeping it upside down in the pouch. I can't recommend Diamondback enough for anyone looking to buy their 'forever' pouches.
Christian Chavez Let me know what set you go with! You’ll love the Diamondback Tool Belt, regardless of what you go with. Big upgrade from Home Depot sets. 😊
I wore Occidental for 10 years or so. Recently switched to Tru Gear from Lithuania 🇱🇹. I care less about American made and more about comfort and personalization. The belt is super comfortable, with antimicrobial wool, and conforming to the shape of body better. I custom did it thinking of where I’d want every hand tool, what color stitching would be, etc. game changer. Leather bags are great but adds weight. Leather is heavier plus all your handtools and screws or nails. Some guys have the heaviest bags. It’s just crazy how much weight they have on themselves
damn brooo just when i thought i couldnt do any more research and pull the trigger on an occi set up you got me heavy wishin on the slim aspect to the buckaroo. for the exact reason, squeezing in trusses !
I think occidental leather in leather are the nicest. They have great suspenders choices that I like also even though I don’t own those. All the bags that arent Home Depot are a major upgrade though.
So to say you can’t tell the difference in weight is incredibly underestimate the occidental tool bags empty weight 9lbs and the diamond back tool bags weigh 5lbs if you work 10 hour shifts that extra five pounds is very much noticeable.
Het Matt, just saw this and have to say, you answered some questions about these bags that other reviews didnt. Like the Occidental, looks to big, i am 6'2 and like 230 lbs and squeezing through walls and tigjts spaces is already a big enough challenge. Also the diamond back i always wondered about that hammer holder up against thw leg, looked uncomfy but i wasnt going to buy one just to put it away. Buckaroo is made in my country and although it may seem like i favour them, its only be ause they are ine tough bag. I habe the same issue, if only it has an extra pouch for the square i would be happy as. But i got so used to putting my nail punches (sets) in those small pockets at the front i can seem to get past it. Buckaroo also make a real fat leather belt so you can slide access to anywjere you want them, i habe to use braces now coz im a bit fat and the learher belt ise to slide down over my hips (heavy) so i know exactly what your saying about those little eyelets? I generally get over 10 years from thw pouches and i usually carry a bluntish chisel i. Them so that ends up putting a hole in kne of the bags, which cost $120 AUD here each.hammer holder 35, chisel holder 35 tape pouch 35 amd the big belt which was called a scaffolders belt, is over $130. I will do a review on my buckaroo soon. Thanks for your honest opinion. I like watching carpenters in other countries and hiw they work, California and texas seem to frame s iij similarly to us but we keep it a lot more simple
Maybe you can look into akribis leather. Hand made out of summerland bc I took my 2nd yr carpenter course kelowna and seen few guys with custom built bags
Well I will strat saying that I've been doing framing siding interior trim etc for 20 years and you forgot something important, nail gun placement, the spot on the front that you use for hammer is where I hook the nail gun, I'm assume that you have hooks on all your guns like all the pros, the reason why the Occidentals have wide and open bags is to have good storage room and easy access.
Some of my coworkers wear only one pouch and a hammer holster. I prefer to wear two pouches and a hammer holster. What’s your opinion on this??? Would one pouch be enough?
Great video. I heard the Buckaroo suspenders are the best - that is why I was wondering if you see a way that you could make the Buck suspenders work on the Diamondbacks. Let me know if you think it is workable - I think that is the combo I want to try.
I build part time, so I don't really belong here. But I use a Dead-on Rig and I really like the layout. Only complaints are the suspenders and the durability.
Bought the fat lip framers not much on they belt they come with but everything else with the bags are great the bags are so “fat” I just drop my hammer in the big pocket or if I’m using a impact I’ll just drop it in it. The fat lips are the best layout I’ve seen, the diamondbacks are weirdly laid out to me. I’m not a framer I mainly use my tool belt for setting and building forms for concrete.
Im a Apprentice carpenter (framer) from Australia and personally i love the buckaroo because of how customisable they are and having a smaller pouch helps me slip through studs and that kind of stuff
Hey Matt, great video as usual, I am catching up on some of your older videos now. One question on the Buckaroo - how wide is the belt on which you hook the bags? Thanks
See, everyone does things differently. I keep my tape in the lowest pocket on my left pouch. Even if I have a designated tape holster / pocket.. I'm sure you'll get used to it over time!
I still have leather occidental bags that I bought 22 years ago. They've been repaired a couple times, but still work great. That said, I'm looking at a set of diamondbacks mainly for finish work.
With the tape measure holder on the occidentals, if you shove a 35ft tape measure in there and soak a rag in warm water and wrap it around the leather, it will soften and when it dries your tape measure will slide in and out with ease
oh yeah, so true. The look at these rigs was great, but the single and absolute killer spec is... comfort. 8 plus hours a day and if its not comfortable, its like going to the chair every morning. Find the most comfortable set, get great comfortable suspenders, and a 12 pack of stainless steel 3/16 rivets and bitch the bag set up. Make it exactly as you need it to be. Not a big deal, and you can mix up brands parts to fit your belt. Fit-drill-rivet. You bag will be the cats nuts. Thanks for the great work madman.
Just cut mine off the other day tape did not fit.
I see a lot of comments about hammer holder's.. I just replaced a stolen tool belt and this time I did everything I wanted in the other belt, but never did.
I made a one piece occidental set with components. First off.. the sheepskin liner. I never liked the liners buckle near the belt buckle so I removed it and attached belt and liner with a piece of suspender strap leather, at the buckle. Also the strap in the center of the liner wouldn't allow you to use anything in the center of the belt. I removed that strap and use both on each side of my center pouch to secure the liner to the belt. They can be positioned anywhere now, and also two points of attachment now instead of one.
Next I attached the suspender loop hardware directly to the belt and attached each bag to the belt. All attachments were made with Chicago screws, so nothing is permanent.
Now back to the hammer holder... I got a no slap all leather hammer loop. Attached to the belt like its supposed to be, its awkward getting a long handed hammer in or out because its vertical. What I did... I cut the loop off at an angle and removed the top back rivet on the holder. Then using gorilla glue gel to position and help secure at my desired angle. Then I riveted the holder directly to the belt (replacing the rivet I removed, it's now through the belt as well) at an angle toward the front. Not a severe angle or horizontal, just tilted toward the front. Now I just lay it across the top of my tool pouch and it slips in. Very smooth and natural and very secure in the sleve.
Im a union carpenter from Chicago and I wear the occidental leather tool bags. I feel like my hammer would slap my knee more if I use the hammer loop on the front vs one on the back. That leather hammer loop will eventually wear out and need to be repaired. The one in the back will last your whole career. And your ability to slip between studs and joists and rafters depends on your biscuit and gravy intake... not the type of bags you wear. Also they have many different configurations to suit your needs based on what your prefer. IMO occidental all the way
Pretty sure you helped me out on making my mind. Thanks.
lmao biscuit and gravy intake
Yessir couldn’t agree more
Lol framers are awesome!
The all leather ones are a bit heavier. I prefer the adjust to fit light framer bags from occidental
Bit late to the party, but...61 yr old advanced DIYer with a compressed spine and a few cracked vertebrae from a car rollover. I've used toughbuilt, Occidental, and have settled on Buckaroo. All good rigs, but the Buck has superb back support and comfort, particularly with a well adjusted harness. The double belt arrangement and the inbuilt harness loops, save your rig sliding around, and keep it all together even if you set your belt loose...habit I picked up in my Australian army days was to have my webbing harness loose down on my hips, which has carried over to my tool belt rigs. For a DIYer, the range of work you'll do is pretty wide, so get the 'bespoke' pouch, plenty of room, dedicated speed square slot, and two power tool loops on the ends of the main pouch. A three pouch bag on the other side gives you plenty of carry space. It's an expensive rig, but well worth it, especially for older guys who may not be as flexible and energetic as the younger folk.
Additionally, the toughbuilt clip system fits onto the buckaroo belt, so you can throw those on if you want.
Buckaroo belt + Oxylight bags are my go to, love them
Hi, gr8 review. I think it is the most informative unbiased tool belt review I have seen! Good job.
I have 3 occidental leather all leather tool belts. All with suspenders. One is for framing and trim, another for electrical work and interchangeable drywall pouch set up and the other for small home stuff where minimal tools and materials are needed. I understand you dislike the original hammer holder at the back of the belt... it does friggin flap your hind legs. I replaced it with the high back hammer holder and covered the metal ring with heat shrink (no more noise)... no more leg slapping. I keep it more uncentered towards the tool pouch at the back. It is just high enough not to slap... you should look into it. I use the front leather loop for the impact driver belt loop, another hammer if needed or rapid hammer tacker.
The tape holder above the tool pouch is a nuisance I never got used to. OL sells a tool pouch without the tape holder and a fastener pouch with one. On mine, I just drilled and unstitched it and got a separate tape holder held at the back uncentered towards the fastener pouch. But correction, it does hold a 35 foot fat max though.
Lastly, to solve the pouches from moving around, you can either Chicago bolt the pouches into position or get hip buddies. I have the hip buddies and love them. They cushion the hip, hold the suspender straps into place and are tight and none slip enough to hold the pouches where you set them. The only drawback is that the belt rings are high and can dig into your belly when you bend... especially true when they are new... I lowered the belt by 1/2 inch to solve this. Otherwise they are great.
I never really looked into Buckaroo but many boys I know who have them don't really like the pouches much. I hear that they are limitive and, like you said, are not as tool friendly as others.
Diamond Backs are just not my thing... I left the armed forces 25 years ago... don't like that material much. Just saying ;). I am an old school leather type of guy I guess.
Thanks for the detailed review.
I Brazeau appreciate this comment greatly! I disliked all the biased reviews from people. I was really wanting to put this out! Their are a few things I could have done differently with each belt, but it’s the belts I had!
Thanks for the comment!
Occidental is actually quite customizable, not necessarily in the original package, but with additional/alternative accessories they sell. Hip pads, suspender/lanyard loops, several different hammer holders, alternate main pouches, etc. Might have to spend a little bit but there's a lot you can do with them.
This was by far the best video review of tool belts I’ve ever seen! You could easily get a job in sales with anyone of those three companies. Great job!!
oh yeah, so true. The look at these rigs was great, but the single and absolute killer spec is... comfort. 8 plus hours a day and if its not comfortable, its like going to the chair every morning. Find the most comfortable set, get great comfortable suspenders, and a 12 pack of stainless steel 3/16 rivets and bitch the bag set up. Make it exactly as you need it to be. Not a big deal, and you can mix up brands parts to fit your belt. Fit-drill-rivet. You bag will be the cats nuts. Thanks for the great work madman.
I'm 49 been doing construction works since I was about 14. I had every tool belt you could imagine, finally last year I got set of Occidental adjust to fit framers. And their suspenders without the padding just the leather ones since they don't sweat as bad.It's actually the only tool belt I've worn for more than a month without selling to someone, I've used it a year already 🤣😂😅. It's nice because I like the front mounted hammer loop and I like the fact that the belt is padded and the bags are made to the belt so that they don't slide around
Say what you want, my Occidental bags are the shit, bought mine in 2014 ,best bags I ever invested in, still going strong
👍 😁 🇺🇸 🇮🇪
As for the bags falling off your belt. I threw a ziptie on the suspender loop and a belt hole. Quick easy fix.
The occidental is the way to go. I have had my oxy lights for 14 years now. They are the green leather that is not as stiff when brand new. I still love mine and never had any issues. Probably paid $250 or $300 but was best investment I've made.
Denali 2.0 on the way. My current setup is a dewalt pouch with occidental suspenders. Big upgrade.
I've been rocking my pouch setup for 11-12 yrs. craftsmen pro. Leather 4 pocket stacked for fasteners I got it in 2007 tool pouch is awp (Lowe's) leather pouch not sure the model but I love it. Bought that in 2008 to replace a drywall pouch. Been wearing it at least 5 days a week since standard 2" leather belt total price $115
Occidental leather for the win!! I have the adjust to fit set up and by far the best I’ve ever had
Still have my oxys I purchased in 1995 still holding up.. great setup.. just got atlas 46 rig.. only to same weight 👍😊
Every day I still wear the first toolbelt i ever bought 14 years ago Occidental framer setup.👍
I ran the typical CLC framer rig for a long time. Long enough to go through multiple sets every 3 or so years. Finally decided to go with that same OxyLite set up. Buy once, cry once. I should have invested in a better rig years ago. Love those oxys.
The OxyLights are a killer belt and pouch combo! They last forever too, so that one time of crying will be the last for 10+ years, that's one good way to look at it! Haha
I carry a 35’ fat max in my occidental tape joker everyday. I assure you it fits. Have to wear the suspenders myself or the belt constantly sags and it uncomfortably tight. Might check out the buckaroo bags when it’s time to retire the Occidentals, but that might be 10 years from now!!!
Thanks for the review, Im going Buckaroo. We do all aspects of building in NZ and I will enjoy the minimal weight and maximum comfort. Most always using maximum of two fixing types and have bought a nice lightweight design. Got the cabinet makers pouch for the right side it has heaps of loops and storage for a few tools 😁
I’m going buckaroo as well the leathers kangaroo not cow so it lasts alot longer
buckaroo is a big thing in Australia, nobody uses the other brands. i guess as an apprentice you buy what everyone else has and learn to fall in love with it. great video btw
I recently got an Ox leather and brass tool belt with shoulder straps and it is really comfortable and very durable for a pretty decent price as far as tool belts go. It's not the lightest belt in the world but the straps help with that a lot.
It all comes down to what you have I guess or do because I nearly didnt have any of the issues you did with the occidental. My only issue is that the items all fall out on my bag when I take it off
One thing to note is that weight doesn't matter very much when you add suspenders. I actually carry an impact driver on my left side just to balance the weight of tools on my right side. Raw weight is not a problem at all, but imbalance between sides will cause wicked back pain as your body fights to keep itself straight.
I'm just wearing cheap $15 Walmart suspenders on the belt. I also wear suspenders on my jeans. Suspenders on your jeans makes a huge difference as this prevents your pants from dropping below your tool belt and causing a rash on your skin.
If you want to get fancy, you'll wear suspenders that are NOT elastic. Such suspenders are far superior to elastic because it means the tool belt sits at the same height regardless of how heavy it is. Non-elastic suspenders are 10x as expensive as normal suspenders, so I just try to maintain constant weight to maintain that constant amount of stretching.
I use Occidental heritage fat lip 8580 with hip buddies and 5055 leather stronghold suspenders running this rig 5 years for sheet metal work. The front leather hammer holster is perfect fit for offset snips and the tape holder you dislike is perfect fit for fatmax 25 and have no issues accessing bags. Use Chicago screws to secure the pouches to belt after getting position correct. The 5020 2in1 hammer loop won’t bang the back of your legs. Personally I hate hammer in front I had it on and old pouch. To each his own. Thanks for showing all these great set ups🙂
I love my diamond back rig, I ended up shoving little pieces of wood in the bottom of the bit Index so they don't fall to the bottom other than that nothing to complain about
I've thought about adding more stitching to make it tighter
I've been production framing since '89. Bags have come a long way since then. I don't miss the Craftsman 9 pocket leather pouch. I've tried a lot of bags and there's always pouches, hammer hooks and pockets that aren't necessary. Who needs 4 pencil holders?
I've got 7 years on my Milwaukee nylon pouches and their held together with a lot of rebar tie wire and zip ties. I've recently taken up leather tooling as a hobby and I'm stitching up a set of custom pouches to hold my tools and nails exactly where I want them without all the extra bs. No one needs a half gallon pocket to hold 3 lbs of sinkers or a fat stack of stick nails. Custom made pouches are slim, lightweight and efficient with all the pockets formed to minimize wasted space and increase speed/production.
If you want to do a review I'll send you a set.
Keath I'll be happy to review your pouches, been doing production framing, siding and interior trim for 20 years.
I got my local saddler to make my bag about 15 years ago .still brand new now .👍🏻🏴
I'll do a review!
Wore the Viking leather “Cadillac” ( stitched in place)
That was my built for close to 10 years just recently switched to occidental nylon adjust-to-fit framer very comfortable. Here in Canada that artisan by diamondback is more the 600 price range. The occidental was 400 range
I've had a viking 601 since nearly the day I started working. Leathers finally started tearing, stitching is letting go and rivets have popped in some places. Doesn't owe me anything so wondering if I should stick with made in canada viking or try occy or akribis. What's your thoughts between the 2
I got a Milwaukee general contractor belt with suspension rig. I paid like $100 for it on eBay. But it’s like $130 at Home Depot.
It’s really nice. I wish it had a pocket for a speed square. And I feel super wide in the belt. But slim from to back. So you have to turn to walk through studs with it on.
It’s held up well for the little use it’s seen. Looks brand new. It’s got lots of pockets. Takes a little to break in. But it’s comfortable now. And for the price it’s a great deal. Being a diy/home owner and done with professional construction I really think that’ll be the last belt I buy. I’m currently 36.
For any framers looking for insight:
If you can comfortably run with/manage a local store-bought leather bag, buy the Diamondback 4” belt w/ Wrangell pouch. Only carry what you need as per usual and you’ll want to put that belt on at 7:00 AM.
So happy that you use the designated leather hammer loop on your occidental! Seems like 98% of guys wear their hammers on the back. I love the leather loop.
you just have to get right one for back to stop hammer from cracking you in calf all day......for me its better in the back
High mount hammer loop just behind your right pouch for a Stiletto titanium hammer and the leather hammer loop for a hammer tacker, 👍 🔨 🇺🇸 🇮🇪
Complete in depth review a lot of us can all relate too. Thanks dude
For hiking, you distribute the weight between your shoulders, hips, and butt with a snug torso harness. The idea is to not put all the weight on a single body part. Plus, hiking gear is specifically designed to breathe and wick moisture. So what I'm saying is, maybe check out sporting goods just to see if anything looks useful and cheaper than the fancy leather alternatives.
It really depends on the type of carpentry you do. Buckaroo would be a problem on a concrete job. Not enough space. Occidental is the most used on jobs that I'm on. Been in concrete for almost 15 years and am on my second set of full leather occidental. I would try the buckaroo if I switched to framing though. Where wouldn't be so much wear and tear on them.
Any tool belt advice for a young man in the concrete game?
@@brookstomas-vejar3391 Buy Harbor Feight big machines and replace them often. My neighbor is a concrete boss himself. Also the new Milwaukee hammers (22 OZ) are really good for concrete. Beat them up and get a new one.
I like your review, but disagree with the comment about a 35' tape not fitting in the oxy dedicated tape holder. It may be tight for a few days, but then mine drops in with no problems. And like you, I remove the belt clip from the tape. Heck, I've even had a 40' fat max in mine for a day or two. I only carry it when I'm cutting really long hips and such. Thanks for the reviews.
With my Occidental Pro Framer and Occy Green bags I always used the tape holder. It was just right for where I wanted my tape.
I got my first Diamondback UFO in 2000. Still have it. Still build with it. I also got a Diamondback Remodeler set of bags . I'm full on Diamondback anymore.
One GREAT thing about Diamondback . The bags can go on many fall arrest/positioning harnesses. Nome of the others will without alot of monkeying around.
Good review . Thanks !
One thing is for sure every carpenter likes things a little different so no one should get bent out of shape about how another carpenter wears his tool belt. Unless they make a habit of losing their hammer or cats paw off a scaffold or roof ect.
Thanks for the tip about removing the belt clip! I just got a 7 Framer Series and move them. I need to get suspenders with hip buddies next! So much stuff to go and the cost do add up!
I have my dads old occidental leather that he bought new in 98 the Maroon barrel bags
I've had ol and db. Love them both. Wish I could combine all the goods stuff from both to make the ultimate tool belt. Love the pencil holder on ol, the right hand and left hand specific pockets and the leather one piece belt set with the sheepkin and the open top bags. On the db, I love the hammer sleeve, belt and buckle system. The pockets are more generic and not tool specific though. Both wear like iron and each one lasted over ten years of framing and trim work. Cant go wrong with either.
I made my Occidental belt a one piece setup and its perfect! Attached the suspender rings directly to the belt and riveted the bags to the belt. I added carry handles to each pouch, using the suspender loop leather. I also made a couple mods to the belt liner. I attached it to the belt and relocated a couple of the straps.
The hammer sleve is why I had to comment.. I use the no slap hammer holder sleve which is about 6" long. Vertical it's a pain in the butt, however I cut the loop off and riveted it to the belt at an angle. Its perfect on the back of the belt now, and the angle make it smooth and easily accessible.
@@leoncrandall2552 can you provide some photos of your modifications. Thanks
Nice been eyeing up an occidental full leather number with matching suspenders, did not consider how much it sticks out though, cheers for the warning!
I rock the full leather Occidentals I personally love them and have never had a problem grated its what I started with so that may contribute but as far as I'm considered there the best especially for the price
The oxy ones once they get worn in do slim down quite a bit
1) I only use the front holster for when I'm grabbing my hammer evet 2seconds, the rear holster is great for weight distribution 2) the tape holder is awesome lol, it's a must have in my book plus I only carry a 25'. 3) being able to slide your bags on your belt at an instant is great for different working positions that my .02
I carry a 35 in my Occidental best bags ever thinking about the diamond backs tho
I switched from leather to nylon bags, will never go back. Your back and hips will thank you
Really decent review!! I’ve definitely got a tool belt obsession. I’ve owned occidental,db,badger & buckaroo all really decent but I find I always go back to buckaroo something about it I really enjoy. Very comfy very slim making it easy getting through studs etc
Do you have the buckaroo all rounder or back support one ?
@@codyfrancis4474 all rounder
Try akribis tool belts. I don’t have them and I probably won’t in a very long time but they look like they might be the perfect framing bags. Try them out let us know what you think.
That tape holder is my cigarette holder lol
My home building teacher has an all leather occidental setup I'm not sure of the model# but he has had the belt 26 years.
Wow!26 years?! That's a long time. I've seen some belts go 20 years, 15 years, etc.. I personally like new belts, so I will only wear mine for a few years before getting a new set, lol.
It's funny you don't use the tape holder on the occidental. I don't wear occi, but every toolbag I have got to have this thing, once it's broken in, it's so easy to access. I just assumed everybody loved those as much as I did
The Hammer Holster you don't like is what guys in Germany only have on their hip and most of them don't use tape measure they use a Yard Stick or a Meter Stick. With that being said, the majority of the houses are made of brick and only the roof is made from wood, like the rafters. You should look up "Zimmermann". They all still wear traditional uniform that dates back hundreds of years. Different places different methods. While a German House probably will last longer it is also 2X more expensive to build and even though I am from there, I still prefer the US method of building Houses. They go up really fast and a Working man can easily afford one. In Germany, you will be lucky to have it paid of by the time you are 60years old.
Thanks for this video. I'm a homesteader building my own house and have been looking for something versatile and comfortable. No i'm not doing this for a living, but what ever I use I want it to work. I'm considering the Diamondback Danali because of the back support of the 6" belt. These home depot belts are so uncomfortable.
That is what I have . But back when I got mine (2000) they were called the Ultimate Framers Outfit , UFO. The are still holding up Great.
Just got a full set with Occidentals green builders and no slap hammer holder with the stronghold of with for wood framing and concrete forms on the ground. When I am in my harness for lifts or wall climbing, I think I will going atlas 46 or some other nylon bags. By the way, I have never had the issue with dropping my bags and losing one.
you're right you cannot tell somebody what belt to buy because my belt I like the old leather ones my tape measure has to be dead center of my back on the right side of my waist have to have a hammer Nails left side pocket screws whatever but everyone has to pick out their own
Love my Diamondback Denali. Had it for 5 years and it seems like they've fixed any gripes I've had with my setup with the newer models. I don't know what they use to make them but I've been super hard on them and they just have a bit of fraying through one of the three layers of material on the bottom corners. Worn them for everything from custom finishing to industrial formwork and everything in between. Had the Occidental for a number of years as well and still go back to them from time to time but they spill loose fasteners out of them when I bend over, there isn't a designated tool spot for everything that I carry on a daily basis, and my hammer holster in the front has collapsed and gotten floppy to a point where I have to wiggle and twist my hammer quite a bit to get it out every time so I've resorted to keeping it upside down in the pouch. I can't recommend Diamondback enough for anyone looking to buy their 'forever' pouches.
Occidental. Only bags I’ll ever by. It’s the best hands down period
You know it's a quality belt when you can actually re-sell it to someone else.
The diamondback will be my first "real" set of tool bags as an apprentice framer. I hate how uncomfortable and weak home depot bags are lol
Christian Chavez Let me know what set you go with! You’ll love the Diamondback Tool Belt, regardless of what you go with. Big upgrade from Home Depot sets. 😊
Me too bro ,, just don’t know if to go with artasin or the danali bags
Hey man if your on a job site and you got bags on your hips than you have real bags no need to spend like crazy
@@randyvelasquez7908 they're coming out with adanali 2.0 soon
I wore Occidental for 10 years or so. Recently switched to Tru Gear from Lithuania 🇱🇹. I care less about American made and more about comfort and personalization. The belt is super comfortable, with antimicrobial wool, and conforming to the shape of body better. I custom did it thinking of where I’d want every hand tool, what color stitching would be, etc. game changer. Leather bags are great but adds weight. Leather is heavier plus all your handtools and screws or nails. Some guys have the heaviest bags. It’s just crazy how much weight they have on themselves
damn brooo just when i thought i couldnt do any more research and pull the trigger on an occi set up you got me heavy wishin on the slim aspect to the buckaroo. for the exact reason, squeezing in trusses !
I think occidental leather in leather are the nicest. They have great suspenders choices that I like also even though I don’t own those. All the bags that arent Home Depot are a major upgrade though.
So to say you can’t tell the difference in weight is incredibly underestimate the occidental tool bags empty weight 9lbs and the diamond back tool bags weigh 5lbs if you work 10 hour shifts that extra five pounds is very much noticeable.
Thanks for this video. It’s exactly what I needed. God bless
Iv'e been wearing Occidentals since 93, never heard of Buckaroos and I have seen Diamondbacks in the stores here in So Cal.
Any chance the Buckaroo suspenders would fit on the Diamondback belt?
I bought Occidental leather bags in about 1987 they are all leather, I framed and did finish carpentry. I’m semi retired now. Those bags last 👍
How about BADGER TOOL BELTS...?
Craftmax Cruz ill talk to Joel and see if I can check out a belt..
Great video- thanx Matt
Really informative & valuable to my daily routine , time management &
Efficiency- thnku !
Het Matt, just saw this and have to say, you answered some questions about these bags that other reviews didnt. Like the Occidental, looks to big, i am 6'2 and like 230 lbs and squeezing through walls and tigjts spaces is already a big enough challenge. Also the diamond back i always wondered about that hammer holder up against thw leg, looked uncomfy but i wasnt going to buy one just to put it away. Buckaroo is made in my country and although it may seem like i favour them, its only be ause they are ine tough bag. I habe the same issue, if only it has an extra pouch for the square i would be happy as. But i got so used to putting my nail punches (sets) in those small pockets at the front i can seem to get past it. Buckaroo also make a real fat leather belt so you can slide access to anywjere you want them, i habe to use braces now coz im a bit fat and the learher belt ise to slide down over my hips (heavy) so i know exactly what your saying about those little eyelets? I generally get over 10 years from thw pouches and i usually carry a bluntish chisel i. Them so that ends up putting a hole in kne of the bags, which cost $120 AUD here each.hammer holder 35, chisel holder 35 tape pouch 35 amd the big belt which was called a scaffolders belt, is over $130. I will do a review on my buckaroo soon. Thanks for your honest opinion. I like watching carpenters in other countries and hiw they work, California and texas seem to frame s iij similarly to us but we keep it a lot more simple
Great informative video matt, im a diamondback guy myself. Not a fan of anything leather in pouches.
Trade Time Tool belts worth checking out if reading this, handmade customisable with pretty unique ideas.
Can you put the diamondback pouches on the buckaroo belt and show us what it looks like
Maybe you can look into akribis leather. Hand made out of summerland bc I took my 2nd yr carpenter course kelowna and seen few guys with custom built bags
First thing I did is cut the tape holder off, best improvement on that pouch by far!!
Well I will strat saying that I've been doing framing siding interior trim etc for 20 years and you forgot something important, nail gun placement, the spot on the front that you use for hammer is where I hook the nail gun, I'm assume that you have hooks on all your guns like all the pros, the reason why the Occidentals have wide and open bags is to have good storage room and easy access.
the loop for the hammer is too low to hang your nail gun, i do framing for a living
The first one you reviewed they have it on Amazon but how would I know what’s my size they have s, m, L . I don’t see a size chart
How far apart is the bathroom from the wall. or how much approximately should be free
Some of my coworkers wear only one pouch and a hammer holster. I prefer to wear two pouches and a hammer holster. What’s your opinion on this??? Would one pouch be enough?
Great video. I heard the Buckaroo suspenders are the best - that is why I was wondering if you see a way that you could make the Buck suspenders work on the Diamondbacks. Let me know if you think it is workable - I think that is the combo I want to try.
I build part time, so I don't really belong here. But I use a Dead-on Rig and I really like the layout. Only complaints are the suspenders and the durability.
Man...love this video. Very helpful. I have occidental suspenders...do you think they will fit a buckaroo belt?
I have a guy on my crew with this exact set up right now.
Bought the fat lip framers not much on they belt they come with but everything else with the bags are great the bags are so “fat” I just drop my hammer in the big pocket or if I’m using a impact I’ll just drop it in it. The fat lips are the best layout I’ve seen, the diamondbacks are weirdly laid out to me. I’m not a framer I mainly use my tool belt for setting and building forms for concrete.
Matt iv noticed you don't use the buckaroo in your recent videos?
Why did you go back to diamondback?
Occidental fat lip 10 inch deep pockets, best bags ever
Ive had a ton of different ones
Occidental best
thank god ive been waiting for this
As of now, I believe it's the only video showing more than 1 belt.. I felt it was needed!
I have had my diamondback for almost 2 years and they are barely starting to break in, it kind of sucks, you should check out badger tool belts
Have your checked out Akribis Leather?!
I’ve talked with him a time or two. Very nice tool belts!
Would the Occidental pouches fit on the buckaroo belt?
Yes, I rock leather oxy pouches on a custom nylon belt.
I have the same problem with my Oxy set up. Then I saw that Buckaroo Belt. Thanks for the idea bro 👌🏽
Im a Apprentice carpenter (framer) from Australia and personally i love the buckaroo because of how customisable they are and having a smaller pouch helps me slip through studs and that kind of stuff
Just got the buckaroo w backsupport belt. Havent used it feels great tho.
Rodrigo Cardenas You’ll love it! Which pouches did you get?
I got the 4 pocket bag and 3 pocket bag hammer chisel frog with orange suspenders looks killer
The 4 pocket bag looks really nice! DM me a photo of the set on IG! 🙏
Hey Matt, great video as usual, I am catching up on some of your older videos now. One question on the Buckaroo - how wide is the belt on which you hook the bags? Thanks
how about Akribis Leather? Made in Canada.
Oxi’s are definitely worth your money regardless of there competition
Do you think that you'll do a review on akribis leather?
How was the sizing ? On the buckaroo belt
I’ve heard oxy’s high mount hammer holster is better than the one that came stock on yours.
My only complaint about the oxys is the tape measure situation. I like it clipped up front on my left side. I'm sure I'll end up adjusting though.
See, everyone does things differently. I keep my tape in the lowest pocket on my left pouch. Even if I have a designated tape holster / pocket.. I'm sure you'll get used to it over time!
also they can get heavy
Major pouch flops on the oxi, almost daily flops
Are buckaroo bags compatible with diamondback belts?
Gatorback contractor pro. Sounds cheesy but great bags.
I still have leather occidental bags that I bought 22 years ago. They've been repaired a couple times, but still work great. That said, I'm looking at a set of diamondbacks mainly for finish work.
Can you use buckaroo suspenders with the diamondback belt?