Advice on gun belts

[TomV]

There are at least two of us who have questions about gun belts (me included).

This is broken off from Maximus' thread on advice to a newbie.

What to look for?
What makes a good gun belt?
What to avoid?
Why doesn't a normal dress belt work?

Thanks

[mrvmax]

Normal dress belts are not made to carry any weight and will deform when used with a holster. One bog problem with new CHL holders is that they spend a lot of time finding a holster but not to find a good belt. I have been using a Wilderness Instructor belt for several years (may be close to ten but I cannot remember when I bought it). I also have the 5.11 version and it is a good one too. The Beltman and others make heavy/thick leather belts if you need something out of leather. Buy a good belt and it will last for years. Gun belts are made to hold the weight of the handgun and other accessories (light, extra mags etc.).

[MoJo]

I too, use the Wilderness belts. I must have four or five in different colors and styles. I also have a couple of Uncle Mike's instructor belts that are good. When I first started carrying I used belts from Wal-Mart or KMart. I learned quickly, the only thing they would hold up was my pants. I had a friend who makes holsters make me a leather reinforced gun belt sadly, over time it shrank I still have it in hopes it will eventually stretch back to fit. A couple of my wilderness belts shrank also I guess it's the heat and humidity here in coastal South East Texas causing it.

A good well made load bearing belt will hold your pants up along with all the stuff you may want to hang on it. Also, a proper fitting belt will help prevent nagging "Pistol Packer's Backache." Good luck in your quest.

[WildBill]

Normal dress belts are not made to carry any weight and will deform when used with a holster. One bog problem with new CHL holders is that they spend a lot of time finding a holster but not to find a good belt. I have been using a Wilderness Instructor belt for several years (may be close to ten but I cannot remember when I bought it). I also have the 5.11 version and it is a good one too. The Beltman and others make heavy/thick leather belts if you need something out of leather. Buy a good belt and it will last for years. Gun belts are made to hold the weight of the handgun and other accessories (light, extra mags etc.).

[SpringerFan]

Wilderness for synthetic, Hank's Amish for leather. Either of these will serve you well for years to come.

[Teamless]

I have had 3:
Crossbreed Gun Belt - not stiff enough for me
I forget the 2nd brand, it was decent for the price but not really what i needed.
Now I use a Beltman (thebeltman.net)
Worth every penny (and there were a lot of pennies!)
I did get the stiffener
And I got the horsehide (always get the horsehide in belts and holsters, as it is better for keeping the sweat away)

[WildBill]

I have had 3:
Crossbreed Gun Belt - not stiff enough for me
I forget the 2nd brand, it was decent for the price but not really what i needed.
Now I use a Beltman (thebeltman.net)
Worth every penny (and there were a lot of pennies!)
I did get the stiffener
And I got the horsehide (always get the horsehide in belts and holsters, as it is better for keeping the sweat away)

[BigD1951]

I have two that I love. The first is a DM Bullard leather and is awesome, i.e. my favorite. The other is a 5.11 instructors belt that is reinforced with poly it is a very good belt but not as comfortable as the Bullard leather. Dave does great work and makes awesome holsters as well. But most importantly make sure that you use a true gun belt as anything else will make you quickly regret it.

[C-dub]

I started off with regular belts and some called heavy duty, but they weren't even close to what a real gun belt is like. My first gun belt purchase was a Galco leather belt about 5-6 years ago and it is still going strong. Those early, non-gun belts would need replacing every 1-2 years. I have also purchased two synthetic Galco belts with stiffeners. The leather belt is 1.5" and both synthetic belts are 1.75". The only weakness I've worried about in the synthetic belts is the velcro the flap goes back to stick to after going through the "buckle."

I may try another synthetic 5.11 or Wilderness belt, but will probably go with only 1.5". Sometimes the 1.75" belt is uncomfortable and I'd like to see if it is the width or not.

Takeaway lesson for me is that a "gun belt" is much stronger and has better load bearing ability and lasts MUCH longer.

[jalow]

I have two that I love. The first is a DM Bullard leather and is awesome, i.e. my favorite. The other is a 5.11 instructors belt that is reinforced with poly it is a very good belt but not as comfortable as the Bullard leather. Dave does great work and makes awesome holsters as well. But most importantly make sure that you use a true gun belt as anything else will make you quickly regret it.

I also have a DM Bullard leather belt. Well worth the money!

[TEA]

Another happy DM Bullard belt owner. Not only does he make quality gear, he's in Texas.

[RJGold]

My two cents added in red below...

What to look for? A belt made for holding your holster (i.e. one made by a gun belt maker) that is stiff enough not to deform under the weight (load) of your carry weapon, holster, and any other gear you may wish to attach. Belts come in leather (bull, horse, or other critter) or synthetic. I prefer those with a kydex insert (CompTac makes the one I use). Color or finish would be your preference of course.
What makes a good gun belt? See above.
What to avoid? Belts not made to carry the weight of your weapon, holster and other gear (i.e. regular belts that look sturdy enough to work as a gun belt.
Why doesn't a normal dress belt work? They are just not made to withstand the weight of your weapon and other things described above. They will sag, deform, and some will just break down. It will make your carry experience miserable.

I wear the kydex / leather belt from CompTac (Texas company with great service). I've had it for more than a year and it still looks new.

I don't have a Bullard belt but do have one of their holsters and can vouch for their quality and customer service (also a Texas company).

Hope this helps. Good luck.

[WildBill]

I may try another synthetic 5.11 or Wilderness belt, but will probably go with only 1.5". Sometimes the 1.75" belt is uncomfortable and I'd like to see if it is the width or not.

Takeaway lesson for me is that a "gun belt" is much stronger and has better load bearing ability and lasts MUCH longer.

I never had a problem with the comfort of the 1.75" but had to change to 1.5" due to the belt loops on some of the pants being too small.

I didn't feel any difference in the ability to hold up the gun. I normally carry a Berretta PX4 SC, which isn't that heavy.

[A-R]

Another big for Wilderness Tactical. Just about all I wear anymore. The "5-stitch" works great for most, but the kydex lining is the supreme for a heavy gun or a large gut (sales lady once told me the "bigger guys" like the kydex lining because it helps the belt keep its shape). The beauty of these web fabric " rigging " belts is you can adjust them minutely to get just the desired tightness (instead of deciding between a few prepunched holes on a leather belt. They're like a ratcheting tie down strap you use to hold cargo on a truck, but instead they hold your gun. & holster to your body.

If I really need a "dressy" belt (i.e. leather) I have a few assorted "off duty" police belts from Safariland, Gould & Goodrich etc. But best leather CCW belt I ever used was TheBeltman.com - but I lost a lot of weight a few years ago and haven't ordered a new one in my new waist size (because I rarely wear leather belt anymore).

To answer OP's specific questions:

What to look for - strength, rigidity, double or triple layers of material (leather or webbing + optional plastic/kydex inner core)

What to avoid - anything that wasn't designed specifically to carry the weight of a fully loaded sidearm, spare mag(s), flashlight, multitool/knife, cell phone, etc. anything made from a single layer of material (leather or webbing).

And of course avoid "cheaply" made belts that may look good at first but don't last - sadly, 5.11 Tactical's faux leather belts now fit this category for me. They're strong enough because of the plastic core but the faux leather material is junk and falls apart with semi-rough use. Their web belts are good, but Wilderness is noticeably better.

[TomV]

Thanks yall,

I wear a belt every day. I appreciate the advice and links.