[ARCHIVED THREAD] - Carry Belts (Page 1 of 2)
Posted: 8/28/2009 1:03:09 PM EDT
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I have never used one nor did I know they had them umtil coming here.
I hae always used a stury leather belt. Without flaming me, are they worth it to purchase one. I may just have to to see how they fit. Natron |
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Without flaming me, are they worth it to purchase one. Only if you carry a gun. 
A good stiff gun belt will make a HUGE difference in how well the gun is held against your body, which helps with comfort as well as concealment. It will also keep your pants from sagging under the wait of the gun. I use a 5.11 leather belt ($35), and I keep it cinched tight. It works very well, though I've got a feeling that it's not going to be around five years from now because it's less than a year old and already showing a fair amount of wear. For an inexpensive entry belt, though, I think it's a champ. Somebody already mentioned Beltman; I've heard great things about those belts. I've also heard great things about the Crossbreed belts. If I had it to do over, I'd definitely spend the $70-ish on a top-end belt. But . . . whether you go low-end or high-end, you should absolutely have a good gun belt if you're carrying. Folks that say, "I bought a good thick belt at Walmart and it works great" only say that because they've never had a real gun belt. |
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Somebody already mentioned Beltman; I've heard great things about those belts. I've also heard great things about the Crossbreed belts. If I had it to do over, I'd definitely spend the $70-ish on a top-end belt. But . . . whether you go low-end or high-end, you should absolutely have a good gun belt if you're carrying. Folks that say, "I bought a good thick belt at Walmart and it works great" only say that because they've never had a real gun belt. I ordered a beltman belt and I have to say that it is very durable, although I feel it is a bit too much for my taste. It is just so thick and stiff that I find it difficult to use most of the time. I cant imagine what it would be like if I got the extra stiffener added. The belt is basically two standard leather belts sewn together and I'm sure will last forever. I've ended up preferring to use something like an instructor belt. It's made with some kind of webbing. It does the job just fine for me and it feels a lot more comfortable to me. I suspect that unless you're carrying a 10 lb item on your belt, just about anything would end up working and there's really no need for a specialized belt unless you're having problems with the one you use. |
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A proper belt for carrying is essential. When I first started carrying, I used just a regular thick leather belt from Walmart (etc). Eventually I broke down and bought a Wilderness Instructors Belt. Best money I have spent on carry gear next to a quality holster. |
| Milt Sparks makes an incredible belt. Lightning Arms stocks them, so you don't end up in 16 weeks of wait time. Alessi made beautiful functional belts too before he passed away. He made a black shark skin one for me with a sterling buckle set several years ago. I wish I would I would of had him make me a brown shark skin one also. His work was the most beautiful shark skin I have ever seen. |
Don't buy a 5.11 belt. 
If you want a 5.11 belt, buy a pair of these great 5.11 pants and get the belt for free. I have 3 belts now, 2 blacks and a brown, and they are super stiff and hold a gun well. I still prefer my Liger Gunbelt though, but those are getting hard to find ... dunno why. 
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Don't buy a 5.11 belt.
If you want a 5.11 belt, buy a pair of these great 5.11 pants and get the belt for free. I have 3 belts now, 2 blacks and a brown, and they are super stiff and hold a gun well. Yeah, good call on that one. After I bought my first 5.11 belt, I got two more for free with the LA Police Gear deal. My only gripe was that they don't let you pick the color or size, so both of my free belts were a size larger than I wanted. They still work, but I wish they were smaller. |
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Don't buy a 5.11 belt.
If you want a 5.11 belt, buy a pair of these great 5.11 pants and get the belt for free. I have 3 belts now, 2 blacks and a brown, and they are super stiff and hold a gun well. Yeah, good call on that one. After I bought my first 5.11 belt, I got two more for free with the LA Police Gear deal. My only gripe was that they don't let you pick the color or size, so both of my free belts were a size larger than I wanted. They still work, but I wish they were smaller. well that suck, because it says size will match the pants, you just cant choose color. when I order a belt then I will have to get new 1.5" clips because I have 1.25" right now. I carry a Kahr p9 that is not that heavy, so will a 1.25" be ok. Natron |
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I've had a Beltman belt for 6 months now and I'm very pleased with it. High quality belt, great service, but there is a month wait. The belt is worth the wait, but I got mine closer to 40 days; but it is handmade. Be very sure of what you order though and READ THE DIRECTIONS FOR ORDERING CAREFULLY. The Beltman
I don't own either one of these, but I hear good things about Tucker Gun Leather gun belts ( Tucker ) and Monica Kuehn Leather gun belts ( Monica ). Supposedly right now Monica has a pretty quick turnaround. I have lost some weight and I'm thinking of keeping my Beltman Belt as is and not sending it back to shorten it just case I gain it back, and having Monica make me one to try. |
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www.thebeltman.net This. A good carry belt will be stiffer than regular thick/heavy belt. For example, my Beltman belts and Wilderness belts (w/polymer inserts) are noticeably stiffer than my Filson Double Belt, which is about as stout a non-carry belt as you will find. |
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I just picked up a 1 1/2" Wilderness Instructor 5 stitch belt. I was previously wearing a regular, nylon (i think) from a surplus shop. I thought that surplus belt was stiff compared to every other leather belt I had. Now that I have the Wilderness..... what a difference. I honestly didn't buy into the whole "a good belt makes a world of difference". I just didn't see how it could. But honestly, as a non-believer.... try it. You'll be surprised.
I bought the Wilderness belt, because I was told the beltman belts are quite thick, and I just don't prefer leather belts to begin with. Plus, with this one, if I ever get my truck stuck.....
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Got my first carry belt in this evening. Great quality and *huge* difference in how the holster feels on my hip.
Edit: Not such great quality. That or it isn't designed to be buckled the way I buckle (my other belts don't do this). The buckle wore down the edge of the leather where the holes are from putting in on. After wearing twice it's too scruffy to wear anywhere but the woods. Just emailed them today. I'll keep you posted on how they deal with it. Took the vendors name out. We'll see how the problem is diagnosed and what the way forward is. 
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I'm giving this one a try.
http://store.thewilderness.com/product_info.php?cPath=43&products_id=374 I wanted something that I could roll around in the dirt with and not worry about jacking the leather up beyond repair. It should go well with the Raven Concealment holster and accessories I ordered last month. |
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SNIP I still prefer my Liger Gunbelt though, but those are getting hard to find ... dunno why. http://www.sniperworld.com/books/liger_1.jpg http://www.maxpedition.com/store/pc/catalog/ligerthane_compare.jpg +1 I've been pretty happy with mine. The buckle took a minute to get used to but besides that it's awesome. |
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I've been carrying for almost 20 years. I had a wilderness belt and still use it occasionally.
by far my favorite is my beltman 1.5" belt. Night and day difference. Not only is it better with a pancake holster, it's also a great under belt for a leather duty rig. The underbelt just rides the hips so well. Waaaay better than the 1.5 " standard black belt issued. |
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I have the wilderness frequent flier. Great quality belt but wish I would have gotten the instructor, the plastic buckle is kind of lame. I'm not trying to bust your balls, but you did understand why it has a plastic buckle and why it is called the "frequent flier" when you bought it, right? |
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I run two of TheBeltMan horse hide belts. They suck at first for about a week they were a pain to wear, then they become so comfortable it's nuts once they break in. I love them, they are so tough they just take the curve of your body and keep it forever. You don't need a stiffener.
I just wish I would have sized my first one better... when I'm packing I am near the last hole. |
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I'm giving this one a try. http://store.thewilderness.com/images/instructorbelt_ticoy500.jpg http://store.thewilderness.com/product_info.php?cPath=43&products_id=374 I wanted something that I could roll around in the dirt with and not worry about jacking the leather up beyond repair. It should go well with the Raven Concealment holster and accessories I ordered last month. There are a lot of us who use Wilderness Instructor Belts for EDC. I love my 5-stitch, though I do need to get a new one, as my current IWB rig is just about maxing out adjustment on my normal belt. (Still perfectly usable, just a less-than-ideal length) |
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Got my first carry belt in this evening. Great quality and *huge* difference in how the holster feels on my hip. Edit: Not such great quality. That or it isn't designed to be buckled the way I buckle (my other belts don't do this). The buckle wore down the edge of the leather where the holes are from putting in on. After wearing twice it's too scruffy to wear anywhere but the woods. Just emailed them today. I'll keep you posted on how they deal with it. Took the vendors name out. We'll see how the problem is diagnosed and what the way forward is. http://i382.photobucket.com/albums/oo266/alschrec/IMG_0885.jpg Either way; I'd be very interested to know the name of the company that made that belt. I buy a lot of gear and it would be useful to me to know; I don't want to fall into another situation like I did with RafterS Gunleather. BTW: I give you a lot of credit for updating your post; some individuals here will post a rave review when they buy something new, but when the product turns out to be not so good over time; they don't let us know. 
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Quoted: Quoted: I have the wilderness frequent flier. Great quality belt but wish I would have gotten the instructor, the plastic buckle is kind of lame. I'm not trying to bust your balls, but you did understand why it has a plastic buckle and why it is called the "frequent flier" when you bought it, right? Yeah, I knew that. Just wish I would have put more thought in to it and not have been as influenced by that article in a gun rag about it. Turns out I spend a lot more time doing other things besides going through airport security. It's really not that bad, the plastic rings are pretty robust. One thing that bothers me is when you're wearing it there's a big hole in the middle of the rings that puts the button of my pants on display.  |
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I have the wilderness frequent flier. Great quality belt but wish I would have gotten the instructor, the plastic buckle is kind of lame. I'm not trying to bust your balls, but you did understand why it has a plastic buckle and why it is called the "frequent flier" when you bought it, right? Yeah, I knew that. Just wish I would have put more thought in to it and not have been as influenced by that article in a gun rag about it. Turns out I spend a lot more time doing other things besides going through airport security. It's really not that bad, the plastic rings are pretty robust. One thing that bothers me is when you're wearing it there's a big hole in the middle of the rings that puts the button of my pants on display.
Yeah, I hear you. I'm one of the few who has never been a fan of the Wilderness belts. I far prefer the belts offered by Spec Ops Brand. Their Better BDU Belt I feel is much better than the Wilderness FF belt. Spec Ops Brand Better BDU Belt |
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If you're going to get a Wilderness belt, get the CSM polymer insert. It stiffens the belt up significantly over the standard model. It's about as stiff as a good leather belt.
I would have gotten this buckle if the price was remotely reasonable. Not 1400 dollars. 
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Got my first carry belt in this evening. Great quality and *huge* difference in how the holster feels on my hip. Edit: Not such great quality. That or it isn't designed to be buckled the way I buckle (my other belts don't do this). The buckle wore down the edge of the leather where the holes are from putting in on. After wearing twice it's too scruffy to wear anywhere but the woods. Just emailed them today. I'll keep you posted on how they deal with it. Took the vendors name out. We'll see how the problem is diagnosed and what the way forward is.
Bump for an update as to how they took care of you. |
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Got my first carry belt in this evening. Great quality and *huge* difference in how the holster feels on my hip. Edit: Not such great quality. That or it isn't designed to be buckled the way I buckle (my other belts don't do this). The buckle wore down the edge of the leather where the holes are from putting in on. After wearing twice it's too scruffy to wear anywhere but the woods. Just emailed them today. I'll keep you posted on how they deal with it. Took the vendors name out. We'll see how the problem is diagnosed and what the way forward is. http://i382.photobucket.com/albums/oo266/alschrec/IMG_0885.jpg If the manufacturer will not help you out then, A bottle of black edge coat from Tandy leather would fix it right up, then save the rest of the bottle in case this happens again!I would put a different buckle on it though. I would prefer a burnished edge on a gunbelt,rather than a coated one.Looks like a very well made belt though! http://www.tandyleatherfactory.com/home/department/Liquids/2225-122.aspx?feature=Product_8 |
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Got my first carry belt in this evening. Great quality and *huge* difference in how the holster feels on my hip. Edit: Not such great quality. That or it isn't designed to be buckled the way I buckle (my other belts don't do this). The buckle wore down the edge of the leather where the holes are from putting in on. After wearing twice it's too scruffy to wear anywhere but the woods. Just emailed them today. I'll keep you posted on how they deal with it. Took the vendors name out. We'll see how the problem is diagnosed and what the way forward is. http://i382.photobucket.com/albums/oo266/alschrec/IMG_0885.jpg Bump for an update as to how they took care of you. Bump for outcome. If it has taken this long to get them to respond, I would like to know whose belt that is so I don't buy it... |
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Got my first carry belt in this evening. Great quality and *huge* difference in how the holster feels on my hip. Edit: Not such great quality. That or it isn't designed to be buckled the way I buckle (my other belts don't do this). The buckle wore down the edge of the leather where the holes are from putting in on. After wearing twice it's too scruffy to wear anywhere but the woods. Just emailed them today. I'll keep you posted on how they deal with it. Took the vendors name out. We'll see how the problem is diagnosed and what the way forward is. http://i382.photobucket.com/albums/oo266/alschrec/IMG_0885.jpg Bump for an update as to how they took care of you. The belt was repaired by Belt Man and sent back promptly enough. After 3 or 4 wearings it now has the same issue so I'm not going to bother trying to get it fixed. I'll just wear it with jeans and if it's a little 'rustic' so be it. I ordered a new belt along with other stuff from Milt Sparks that should be here this spring. |
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Got my first carry belt in this evening. Great quality and *huge* difference in how the holster feels on my hip. Edit: Not such great quality. That or it isn't designed to be buckled the way I buckle (my other belts don't do this). The buckle wore down the edge of the leather where the holes are from putting in on. After wearing twice it's too scruffy to wear anywhere but the woods. Just emailed them today. I'll keep you posted on how they deal with it. Took the vendors name out. We'll see how the problem is diagnosed and what the way forward is. http://i382.photobucket.com/albums/oo266/alschrec/IMG_0885.jpg If the manufacturer will not help you out then, A bottle of black edge coat from Tandy leather would fix it right up, then save the rest of the bottle in case this happens again!I would put a different buckle on it though. I would prefer a burnished edge on a gunbelt,rather than a coated one.Looks like a very well made belt though! http://www.tandyleatherfactory.com/home/department/Liquids/2225-122.aspx?feature=Product_8 Thanks for this.. we have a Tandy's in town that I stop by from time to time and I'll get the edge coating you recommended. |
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Someone asked for more pictures and information on my purchase from The Beltman..
Don't have the dates on this computer but could reconstruct if necessary. The belt arrived originally about when they said it would. After wearing it twice I noticed that it was wearing to raw leather near the end with the holes. I contacted the vendor within a week of receiving the belt and was pointed to a FAQ on their website that dealt mostly with abuse of the product. I indicated this was BS however this was the only communication I ever had from the vendor on this. I sent the belt back at my expense which sucked. 2-3 weeks later it came back looking like it had before I put it on the first time. No correspondence. I have worn the belt probably 4 times since them. Here is what it looks like now: 
I could probably send it back again. I might even be able to fight over it and get my money back. I'm not willing to spend the time to do either. It will be fine with jeans hiking and weekends in town though I think a wilderness trainer is better for this sort of thing. I can't really wear it to work in business casual which is what it was bought for. Someone might note that it isn't actually broken from a functional standpoint and will probably last a long time. Maybe so. However, no other belt I own shows this wear pattern and I view it as either faulty design or construction. That and the vendor did not leave me feeling that they cared much. Moving on, I've ordered a belt from Milt Sparks and I'm tempted by Comp Tac since they've been so great to work with on holsters. Won't do Beltman again. |
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Someone asked for more pictures and information on my purchase from The Beltman.. Don't have the dates on this computer but could reconstruct if necessary. The belt arrived originally about when they said it would. After wearing it twice I noticed that it was wearing to raw leather near the end with the holes. I contacted the vendor within a week of receiving the belt and was pointed to a FAQ on their website that dealt mostly with abuse of the product. I indicated this was BS however this was the only communication I ever had from the vendor on this. I sent the belt back at my expense which sucked. 2-3 weeks later it came back looking like it had before I put it on the first time. No correspondence. I have worn the belt probably 4 times since them. Here is what it looks like now: http://i382.photobucket.com/albums/oo266/alschrec/IMG_0908.jpg http://i382.photobucket.com/albums/oo266/alschrec/IMG_0909.jpg I could probably send it back again. I might even be able to fight over it and get my money back. I'm not willing to spend the time to do either. It will be fine with jeans hiking and weekends in town though I think a wilderness trainer is better for this sort of thing. I can't really wear it to work in business casual which is what it was bought for. Someone might note that it isn't actually broken from a functional standpoint and will probably last a long time. Maybe so. However, no other belt I own shows this wear pattern and I view it as either faulty design or construction. That and the vendor did not leave me feeling that they cared much. Moving on, I've ordered a belt from Milt Sparks and I'm tempted by Comp Tac since they've been so great to work with on holsters. Won't do Beltman again. I highly recommend the COMP-TAC 1 1/2" Kydex reinforced contour belt; it's by far the best gun belt I've ever owned. I've got a Crossbreed Belt which is more than decent, a 1 1/4" custom made shark belt, and a Beltman as well. Of the three I own from makers which are still in business rating them in order; Comp-Tac, Crossbreed, and The Beltman a distant 3rd. The Beltman is IMO overrated except for his top of the line exotic leather belts. "Abuse of the product"; using it to hold your pants up and hanging a gun and holster from it. 
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| Duluth Trading sells a belt that has served me well. I can't say its something I would have bought, but it was a gift from my father a few years ago. It has lived with a near daily carry of a G19 in a supertuck, and fared better than my motorcycle in a particularly bad accident (only piece of clothing I was wearing that day that wasn't ruined). |
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I wear a galico belt, I have been pretty happy with it, and the edge is still holding up after a year (I just checked).
Mostly I decided to go with it due to my local gun store having them on hand and I was able to try it out with my G30 IWB. I'm happy with it and I would buy another. |
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I have worn the belt probably 4 times since then. Here is what it looks like now: http://i382.photobucket.com/albums/oo266/alschrec/IMG_0908.jpg http://i382.photobucket.com/albums/oo266/alschrec/IMG_0909.jpg  How many years do you wear the belt at 'one time'? Just kidding. But seriously, this is the first time I've heard anything bad about The Belt Man..
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I have worn the belt probably 4 times since then. Here is what it looks like now: http://i382.photobucket.com/albums/oo266/alschrec/IMG_0908.jpg http://i382.photobucket.com/albums/oo266/alschrec/IMG_0909.jpg How many years do you wear the belt at 'one time'? Just kidding. But seriously, this is the first time I've heard anything bad about The Belt Man..Yea.. kind of sucks, huh? Sent it back the first time after wearing it twice. He just repainted the area. Photos above were after a couple of a weeks and wearing it maybe 3 or 4 times. Functionally it's fine but you can get functional cheaper. I've got one coming from Comp Tac and (eventually) from Milt Sparks. This belt will be fine for hiking/fishing/hunting. |
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I am a big fan of "carry belts". When I first started to carry, my regular belts would sag and over time were beat. The first carry belt I purchased was a revelation, it stayed in place and maintained it's shape. And, as my choice of carry is a 1911A1, or a S&W 625 (45 ACP), I really needed the heavy duty belt to hold the weight.
I wish I could give some input on the brand name, but I have not got a clue. I picked them up from a guy that frequents gun shows in the Mid Atlantic area. He sell holsters and belt of all kinds (no matter what kind of oddball firearm you have, he is sure to have something in one of his many bins that will fit it!) I now have three belts I picked up from him. One in black, one in natural, and one in Havana brown. The black and brown look to be made by the same manufacturer, the natural appears to be from someone else. The oldest is over three years old, the youngest is just over a year. They have all stood up to wear well. They are all stiff as boards, and all hold my high rise holsters firmly in place and tight against my body. And best of all, they keep my pants in place, instead of drooping around my ass like some homie from the hood.
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I ordered my 1.5" dual-layer bullhide impression belt from the Beltman 3 months ago. I wear it every day and haven't had any problems with it. In addition to carrying a CZ 75 B, and spare mag, I also carry a Surefire 6P LED and a Leatherman tool. No wear and tear on the belt at all.
I couldn't be happier with my belt. I like it so much I ordered one for my dad. Here is how my belt looks after 3 months of everyday wear. 
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