December 16, 2021 | Written by: Josh Kishner

Thanks to the originality of the Argali Kodiak belt, I will never look at the belt the same way again.

Hunting equipment is becoming more and more practical and efficient at all times. This is the result of other hunters making the equipment they have always wanted. These people try to solve problems not only for themselves, but also for other hunters.

The Argali Kodiak belt is made with this mentality. This is an efficient system, not just a belt.

So, what exactly is a Kodiak belt? Kodiak aims to be the ultimate wild hunting belt. In addition to its lightweight and low-key design, it also doubles as a sharpener. It has three sharpening components and a hook sharpener.

It is fully functional and can grind any knife, wide-end knife or hook. Talk about it later. Kodiak is also equipped with a stylish capture system to ensure that it will not slip.

The point is that Kodiak not only keeps your pants flat, but also allows you to no longer have to wear a sharpener-because you are wearing it.

A simple but highly appreciated feature of the Kodiak belt is its lightweight, low-key design. This is absolutely necessary, especially when carrying a heavy backpack.

In the past, I wore a normal belt under the belt of my backpack, and I had a wound near my hip when I returned home. This larger belt will penetrate deep into my skin, and the belt will put extra pressure on it. It can also make hiking uncomfortable and sometimes even cut off blood circulation.

For Kodiak, this is the worry of the past. Whether I am carrying 20 pounds or 80 pounds, it fits my backpack very well.

What is unique to me is the Iron Grip Web capture system implemented by Argali in Kodiak. It took me some time to figure out how to actually use a belt buckle as a belt buckle, but once I did it, it became very easy.

This system adds to the low profile of the belt and keeps it tidy.

All you have to do is to pass the waist belt through the front groove of the buckle. Tighten it as you like, and the extra part is just behind the main part of the belt. You can't even see it. This is a stylish and effective design.

As for the belt sharpening function, I will start with the diamond plate. It is located on the back of the belt buckle with a grain size of 800.

For knives that really need to be reshaped, this is the ticket. For those more stubborn sharpening jobs, the diamond plate is a rougher surface.

If you need to completely reshape the blade, this is where you start.

Next-and my personal favorite-is the tungsten carbide rod. It is located on the top edge of the buckle.

I land here most of the time because it looks a bit like a "tweener" to me. It is not as rough as the diamond plate, but it is more durable than the leather strips we will discuss later.

Remember, I tend to try my best to maintain the advantage and don't let it become too dull, which is why I usually land here. A few clicks on this are enough to get my blade back to its original shape and get me back to work.

Next is the vegetable tanned leather belt next to the buckle on the outside of the belt. It blends with the beauty of the belt so naturally that it was really unknown to me at first. However, leather straps are definitely not just for good looks.

This is very useful for minimal sharpening operations where you only need to bend the blade back to zero. Or after you run the tool on one of the other surfaces, it can double as a spinner. Either way, it will make your knife sharp again.

As a bonus, the argali also includes a small groove for sharpening fish hooks. It is located at the bottom end of the diamond-shaped plate and is perfect for hooks that you need to blunt on the water.

Believe it or not, Kodiak's belt has some shortcomings. The first is how it works as a belt. It works very well, but it does require some tinkering to understand how to actually put on the belt. This is not entirely self-explanatory, but once you figure it out, it becomes easy.

Another thing to note is the lack of bevel guides. When sharpening a knife, the bevel angle is very important. Without the correct bevel angle, it may do more harm than good when trying to trim the blade.

Therefore, be sure to understand the correct bevel angle of your tool and practice beforehand to achieve that angle in order to get the best results with Kodiak.

When the chips fell, I was absolutely attracted by this belt. New equipment is introduced every year, many of which are great. However, it is not common to be truly independent and call for innovation.

Kodiak does just that, and I dare say it is the perfect belt for wild hunting. It is sturdy, reliable and ready to use. These are the three must-haves for wild hunting, which is why Kodiak will do many adventures with me in the future.

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