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Do you wear a "special" gun belt for carry?

  • Yes

    Votes: 410 78.2%
  • No

    Votes: 114 21.8%

Do you wear a "special" gun belt?

13K views 101 replies 93 participants last post by  billfromtx 
#1 ·
Another pretty straightforward poll here for everyone to chime in on...

Do you wear a special gun belt? I started carry a few weeks ago and have been carrying with my usual leather belt that I quite like. I don't notice any control or stability issues with it with my Minotaur MTAC and P239, but I'm curious if this is just inexperience.

What are your thoughts on this? Is it worth shelling out the cash for a specialty gun belt? I had a look at Comp-Tac's and they are up around $80, which is a little pricey. Anyone know of anything more affordable but still high quality?
 
#3 ·
I voted no only because I have not purchased one yet. I do plan on that being my next purchase.
 
#5 ·
Wilderness Tactical

I own a Wilderness Tactical with my Crossbreed. I work outside and casual dress is the norm... not only is it very stable and comfortable but it allows a much more broad range of adjustment then a standard belt. You can dial in exactly how snug a fit that you need day by day instead of trying to cinch up to the next belt hole.
 
#62 ·
I own a Wilderness Tactical with my Crossbreed. I work outside and casual dress is the norm... not only is it very stable and comfortable but it allows a much more broad range of adjustment then a standard belt. You can dial in exactly how snug a fit that you need day by day instead of trying to cinch up to the next belt hole.
The above has been my experience with the Wilderness Instructor. Love it.
 
#16 ·
Far and away the best quality gun belts made today are by Beltman. Hand made in a small shop in Cary, NC and the quality is unsurpassed.
 
#10 ·
I suppose one could call it "special." It's simply firm enough, thick enough and comfortable enough to support ~35oz of gear for the day, day after day. It does happen to come from a leather maker who specializes in firearms-oriented belts. But then, I've had such belts for so long that I no longer view them as special. They're simply well-made, durable, functional and comfortable ... exactly what I look for in a belt. Wouldn't be so "special," I suppose, if other belt makers woke up and smelled the coffee. :bier:

Double-bullhide units from The Beltman, here. I've got a couple of 1.5 inchers, without stiffeners, and a 1.25" with stiffener.
 
#11 ·
Yes, I wear a Beltman double horsehide 1.5".

Designer belts are a no-go. They're not engineered to carry firearms. They will stretch and this will lead to printing when you are carrying concealed.

I ruined one of my favorite leather belts when I started to conceal carry because I didn't think I needed a 'gun belt'. Lesson learned. The upside is I now have a belt that I love, is hand-crafted and can carry my CZ 75, Surefire 6P, spare magazine pouch and multi tool with no stretching issues.

A good gun belt is a great investment.
 
#12 ·
Huge, significant difference in comfort & concealability with a good belt designed for distributing the weight of the gun evenly around the waist. Heard someone remark the other day (and it's true!) that they went through holster after holster looking for a good one that they never could find. Everything they tried was uncomfortable in some way: too low, too high, too obvious, too difficult to draw from. They finally found one that would work, sort of, and figured that's just the way holsters are & they'd have to get used to it. Then one day not long after that, they bought a belt designed for concealed carry, and when they did, somehow magically all the "bad" holsters in their discard box actually turned out to be useful and good! The "bad" holsters just needed to be worn as designed, supported by the type of belt they were designed to be used with.

pax
 
#13 ·
Is it worth some money to have a heavy duty belt for carrying? Absolutely.

Do you need to spend $70-80 for that belt? Nope.

Cabela's Double Duty Belt

$25 will get you everything you need, although I hated the buckle and replaced it with one I had on another belt, so you might want to figure in $10 or so, if you don't have any other buckles lying around that you could put on it.
 
#17 ·
Either a Looper Leather belt, or a Wilderness Instructor's belt...that's it.:smoke23:

The right belt makes all the difference in the world.:yup:
 
#19 ·
There is a huge difference between non-gun belt and gun belt, I absolutely won't carry without a proper belt. Though the occasional Kel-Tec in a clip IWB while running is the exception.

My first set of belts (one brown, one black) was from comp-tac and I ordered them with my C-TAC, which, along with my Minotaur, I love. However, the belts are "ok" at best. Maybe it's old manufacture standards, and they are better now, but I wouldn't buy one again. They hold the gun pretty well, and the kydex liner is stiff but comfortable. The problem is the finish, both lose color and smoothness, and try out very quickly, and I have tried all of my well-established leather-care methods with no effect.

Gunners Alley's belt was pretty good, but eventually had minor finish problems. I am currently using a leather 5.11 belt, which came free with some pants. It is very comfortable and has a good finish, only some minor scuffs so far, but that's my fault, it also has 7 holes, which means I can use it for OWB or IWB by tightening or loosening it.
 
#20 ·
I spend over a $100 on work boots because I'm on my feet all day. My hunting boots cost me $159 on sale, same reason. My work clothes are mostly Carhartt because they hold up well. Not cheap but worth it. You've got a $700 pistol in a $80 holster with a $10 belt? Doesn't make sense.
The good news is you don't have to spend $75-80 to getting a decent gunbelt. Aker, Blackhawk, Galco, 5.11 and Wilderness all offer decent belts for $40 or less. There are others that were mentioned as well. Get yourself a good belt and you'll be happy you did.
 
#21 ·
Someone (not sure which forum) pointed out that folks have been carrying guns on their belt many years before there were specialty gun belts being made by holster makers. While those $70-$100 belts are certainly up to the task, those who say that you MUST use a gun-specific belt must not know what else is out there. Until recently I wore a Crossbreed double thick gun belt. Absolutely beautiful. In my opinion it was worth the $70 or so I spent. However, I could only afford one color (black). Then I discovered Amish made work belts.

I ordered two for $50, one black, one brown. When they arrived I took off my Crossbreed and compared them side by side. The single thickness Amish belts were about 1/16" thinner than the double thickness CB but they had the same vertical stability, which is the important part. The fit and finish was comparable, and the hardware was virtually identical. Chicago screw construction and almost identical buckles.

FYI my EDC is a Sig 229 in a Milt Sparks VMII IWB or an RGrizzle Workin Man OWB. or a Kahr P45 in a Crossbreed Supertuck. I suppose the real test is how they will hold up, but that will take years to find out. In the meantime I am happy to use my non-gun gunbelt.
 
#23 ·
Your right. When I started carrying, there was no internet, no forums, no holster web sites. I'd buy the thickest leather work belts I could find. They worked ok for a while but they would soon get soft, sag and stretch carrying a Md. 66 or Colt GM. If your carrying IWB, they'll last a lot longer. OWB, stick to a light gun or buy lots of cheap belts. The difference is you may get a year or two with the single layer belt using it daily. Good gun belts can last a decade or more with daily use and still look good. I'm sure my first gun belt, an Alessi, is still working fine for the individual that stole it many years ago. :ticking:
 
#22 ·
I have moved over to a 5.11 belt. I find a world of difference. It's re enforced, and works well for me.
 
#25 ·
FOR THOSE OF YOU WITH WILDERNESS TACTICAL BELTS:

These are of particular interest to me. I've been looking for a replacement belt to wear hiking (I never use leather belts on the trail). I love the full adjustment so I don't have to fit into a particular belt hole. I'd be looking at the Instructor Belt in Black.

My question at this point is what does everyone do in terms of stiffness? 3 Stitch, 5 Stitch, or CSM?
 
#26 ·
I have a CSM and a 5 stitch. Overall, I like the CSM better but I like the 5 stitch for IWB as it is a little more flexible. I bought the CSM off a member here a while ago to try with a BHP and 1911 and found I like it better for OWB with every pistol. Both are great belts.
I have no experience with the 3 stitch but I've heard it doesn't have the vertical stiffness of the 5 stitch.
 
#27 ·
I had to answer 'no' in the poll. However.......the belt(s) I wear daily were purchased specifically with carry in mind. Custom made by a local leather shop. No internet tactical specific belts for me.........what I have compliments my daily dress, and I carry every day. I just guess I'm not one to drop more than $40 or so on something more "special" than I actually need. I have however gone a step above what Sears and JCPenny have to offer off the shelf. It is what it is.
 
#34 ·
A belt can be too stiff IMO.
Yes.

I've got one from Kramer that's very stiff. It cuts harshly into the skin with no giving. Great for supporting the largest pistol you've got, and then some. It would be perfect for an off-duty cop, for sample, that had a penchant for full-sized, all-steel 1911's and all the supporting gear. It'll last a lifetime, other than dings/scuffs on the finish. But, for daily use, I find it far too stiff.
 
#29 ·
I don't know if I would consider what I wear a special gun belt. It isn't made specifically to be a gun belt, but it is a heavier that average leather belt. It is a Dickies work belt, made of thick leather and it is an inch and a quarter wide. It supports all of my guns very well and never sags. It also has the added benefit of not looking like it was designed to hold up a gun.

You can buy these belts at Walmart or Target, and they do not cost the $80 or more that the purpose made gun belts cost. Just $20 or so, and so far the one I have right now has lasted me 2 years and shows little signs of wear.
 
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