Item Option Explanations
- Leather Color – This is the main color of the leather used in constructing the Radio Strap.
- Detail/Loop Leather Color – The small details on the Radio Strap such as the Mic Loops, Mic Cord Keeper, Holster Cross-strap and Decorative Strap Ends (if selected as an ugrade) can be made from a different leather color to contrast with your main Leather Color. If you just want everything the same color, “Same as Leather Color” is the default option.
- Thread Color – This is the color of thread used to stitch your Radio Strap.
- Hardware/Fastener Finish – This is the color of Rivets, Chicago screws, Trigger Snaps, and Line Snaps.
- Strap Adjustment – We can make the Radio Strap either Adjustable or Fixed Length. Adjustable means you can make it shorter or longer using a buckle. Fixed means it is made from a single, solid strap of leather and cannot be made shorter or longer. Only select Fixed if you’re 100% confident in your measurements!
- Upgrade Option (Olight Clip Light w/ Leather Snap Loop) – The clip lights are very lightweight, compact, rechargable LED flashlights with a big output. They are ideally suited for mounting to a Radio Strap or Suspenders. This option includes the light and a detachable leather snap loop that keeps the light securely on your strap.
- Upgrade Option (Anti-Sway with Carabiner End) – The anti-sway or keeper strap is the 9″ long, small strap that connects your Radio Holster to your pants so it doesn’t swing in front of you when you lean forward. The Radio Strap includes this piece by default but you can have one of the ends swapped out to a 4″ Carabiner instead which makes connecting/disconnecting it from your pants is a lot easier.
- Upgrade Option (Two Rows of Stitching) – If you select this, we will double stitch the length of the Radio Strap for a total of 4 rows (2 on each side.) This option adds visual appeal but does not change the strap functionally in any way. Adding 2 rows of stitching may limit some stamping or engraving options as it reduces the amount of space you have to fit such items.
- Upgrade Option (Decorative Strap Ends) – Normally the ends of the radio strap are a single piece of leather, folded around to the back and riveted in place. If you select this option, we will make two, separate, stitched pieces that are then placed on the ends of the radio strap. This adds visual appeal but does not change the strap functionally in any way. If you select a different Detail/Loop Leather Color, these decorative ends will be done in that color.
- Upgrade Option (PolyPro Webbing Reinforcement) – If you select this, we will line the inside of the Radio Strap with polypropylene webbing. This will give the Radio Strap a little bit more of a ‘grippy’ feeling while wearing it, which is preferable for some customers who don’t want it to slide around at all. Over time, it may slightly reduce the amount of stretch in the Radio Strap but we’ve never had any issues in the ones made without it. We chose polypropylene over nylon webbing due to the better functional characteristics of polypro such as not retaining water, superior moisture and mold resistance, chemical resistance and good UV resistance.
- Strap Length – This is the overall length of your Radio Shoulder Strap in inches. We have detailed instructions on how to measure yourself in the Measurements section of this website.
- Mic Loop/2nd Mic Loop Height – This is how far up the strap your microphone loops sit. You want it high enough to naturally be able to key-up your mic but not so high that it sits on your shoulder. You can optionally have a 2nd mic loop if desired. The 2nd mic loop is often used for holding a folding pocket knife or small flashlight.
- Additional Mic Cord Keeper – All Radio Straps come with a Mic Cord Keeper. If you’d like a second one, this is the option to do it although its usually not necessary. On very long (over 68″ length) or on Fixed Length Radio Straps, this is sometimes a beneficial option to select.
- Mic Loop Orientation – You have two choice for how your Mic Loops are positioned: they can either go across your strap or be vertically aligned with it. This is purely personal preference and most customers opt for the horizontal/across the strap option since its the most natural to clip on and off with.
Frequently Asked Questions
What size should I order my Radio Strap? Is there a Small/Medium/Large?
We make all of our Radio Straps based on actual sizes and do not do general “Small/Medium/Large” sizing. This is because we’re creating the item from scratch and you’re paying good money for it; we want it to fit you right!
We have detailed instructions on how to measure yourself under the “Measurements” section of this site.
Should I order an “Adjustable” or “Fixed” Length Strap?
If this is your first Radio Strap, we strongly recommend you order an Adjustable Strap. If you’ve had a Radio Strap for a long time and are comfortable with a set length, the Fixed Strap will be more comfortable without extra hardware on the front.
The Adjustable Strap will give you plus or minus 3″ from the measurement you provide. So for example, if you give us a Strap Length of 65″, you’ll be able to adjust between 62-68″ with 65″ being the center hole in the range. Keep in mind that your Mic Loop Height will also change as you move to a different spot.
Where do people typically want their “Stamping”?
The most common stamping setup by far is having your last name on the back of the strap. Some customers also opt for having a badge number or department initials on the front. Aside from that, this is entirely up to you unless your particular department requires a certain arrangement. You can also check our “Item Options” page for a list of specialty stamps we can apply or go for some further customized artwork.
The biggest issue we see is people requesting too much stamping. It’s not that we’re not willing to do it but that at a certain point you will run out of “real estate” where the stamps will no longer physically fit or it starts looking super cluttered. If this happens, we’ll contact you to try and work out a good solution.
How do I select the options for painting?
There are two options for painting; Primary Color and Outlining. The Primary Color will be the body of the letter/number. The Outlining will be as it sounds, the outer perimeter of the character. You don’t have to have a primary color to have the stamp outlined and vice versa. It’s entirely up to you.
The only mistake we commonly see is people who select a paint color that matches the leather color. For example, if you select Black leather and then select either a primary or outlined color as black. This is unnecessary and we’ll usually contact you to verify this wasn’t an accident.
So here’s an example: you have a black radio strap and you want your name on the back, painted red and outlined in white. You would type the information in the “Stamping & Locations” box such as “Stamp J DOE on the back of the strap.” Then you would go down and select Paint Color – Primary as Red, Number of Painted Characters as 4 (J DOE), Paint Color – Outlining would be White, Number of Painted Characters as 4 again.
If you decided you wanted to add a painted Maltese Cross to your strap above your name, you would change your description to “Stamp Maltese Cross, then name J DOE on back of strap” and select Paint Special Stamps as 1x.
What size Radios do the Radio Holsters fit and how are they adjusted?
We’ve designed our holsters in such a way that pretty much every commercially produced radio will fit and can still be firmly secured.
The radios are secured using an adjustable loop of 550 Paracord. Why do we use Paracord and not elastic? It’s far more durable. The holster sees the most abuse compared to the rest of the radio strap and on other designs the first thing to fail is that elastic loop. If you ever wear out the Paracord, we’ll send you a replacement loop for free.