High Threat Concealment, a veteran-owned small business, developed its Low Profile System in response to a need to improve the ability of executive protection details to react and engage threats while still preserving a low profile and a low-key appearance. This led to the development of the company’s Low Profile System, which allows users to maintain a full kit belt complete with holster, spare magazines and other accessories while being able to hide the entire rig beneath a standard suit jacket.
How effective is the system, though? Since the rig is designed for use by executive protection services, Shooting Illustrated enlisted the services of Aspis Protection Service, a company dedicated to the very job the HTC kit was designed to supplement.
The kit used by Aspis featured a Kydex holster molded for the Glock G17. The HTC Glock Pistol Holsters are made to order for every customer by the company. The holster includes belt loops that fit standard 1/2-inch to 1 3/4-inch rigger-style belts. The holsters can also be worn inside the waistband using optional IWB hardware. The holster is also designed to work with the HTC Low Profile System. Suggested retail price on the holster is $94.
Along with the holster, HTC offers its Dual Pistol Mag Holder, which is designed to fit snugly around the body, avoiding printing issues. The holder features a universal design that allows for the accommodation of a wide range of pistol magazines. Specific models are available for double-stack and single-stack magazines. The HTC Dual Pistol Mag Holder retails at a suggested price of $62. The Low Profile System also allows users to step up their threat response capabilities with the HTC 5.56/.223 Mag Holder. These modular components of the Low Profile System are universal-fit magazine carriers and can carry standard STANAG magazine. The 5.56/.223 Mag Holder retails at a suggested price of $62.
The belt can also be supplemented with other mission-essential elements using HTC’s Modular Accessory Panel. The panel uses tactical Nylon pouches that fit close to a user’s body to maintain the discreet contours of the Low Profile System. Using standard MOLLE straps, a wearer can choose from five different pouches to wear on the belt: a Universal Handcuff Pouch, Cell Phone/Camera Pouch, Utility Pouch and a TAG MOLLE Utility Mini Pouch. The panel comes in a flat or curved design and retails for $45. Utility pouches and handcuff pouches retail for $22 each, while the Cell Phone/Camera Pouch retails for $33.
The entire system can be placed on HTC’s Low Pro Belt, which is described by the company as blending “the performance of a quality leather belt with the comfort of tactical Nylon webbing.” The belt consists of an under belt and an over belt that work together to make a secure tactical kit that is also easily removable. Each belt is 1.75 inches wide and narrows to a 1.5-inch wide leather front that can be hooked through front pant loops to provide a non-threatening look when opening the front of a suit jacket. The Low Pro Belt retails at a suggested price of $100.
Aspis Protection Service had Team Lead Daniel M. Vance run the kit through its paces during a two-week field test. During this time, Vance was on duty and served in an executive protection role using the kit. One of the benefits of the HTC Low Profile System is the ability to set up the kit in whatever configuration best suits the user.
“I placed the Kydex holster and Kydex pistol magazine holders on the leather/nylon Velcro lined outer belt,” Vance said. “The holster and mag holders appeared to be of high quality. My Glock 17 fit the holster well as did the two Glock factory 17-round magazines. I did not mount the M4 magazine holders or the IFAK type pouch on the outer belt.”
Vance said that, during his two-week trial, none of the elements of the belt failed to work as designed.
According to Troy Wilkinson, president of Aspis, the team gave the belt a thorough going-over, even simulating a close-quarters hand-to-hand assault to see how the belt would retain its multiple accessory points. At no point did any element of the belt fail or show weakness.
Vance said that the leather front portion of the belt matched very well with his usual attire.
“As I showed the rig to colleagues, there was unanimous agreement that it would serve its purpose very well,’ he said. “They all wished they had their own.”
Wilkinson noted another positive benefit of the HTC Low Profile Belt.
“Me and my guys, we’re always in vehicles,” he said. “This belt comes on and off easily, so if we ever needed to change our gear, we could have another belt stashed in the vehicle, ready to go.”
The key point of the system, its ability to maintain deep concealment underneath a standard suit jacket, was a key takeaway for Vance during the testing.
“I, and some colleagues, use the nylon ‘shooter’s belt’ that has Velcro lining coupled with an inner trouser belt, which works well, it just does not fit with wearing a suit,” he said. “This rig would definitely solve that problem.”
