I went belt shopping the other day...for my pants, not my guns. I was "shocked" at what is available from the racks. Good old names like Resistol and others. It says "Genuine leather" but looks and feels more like genuine cardboard. They look good, but didn't have any real brass anywhere; the edges were rough and the stitching was in a light thread. Now I know why The Beltman and others who make quality are so popular. I've also been disappointed with some Safariland and Bianchi belts. My guess is that they're made "elsewhere" with shoddy materials. No more store-bought belts for me! If they can't support my .45 they won't support my pants. Quality DOES matter!

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Term limits!

Howdy Oldfed, Do what I do. Go to the nearest
Tandy/Leather Factory store and buy a blank.
Attach your buckle and poke holes, and rub some
evoo into it and you're done.(evoo-extra virgin
olive oil)
Chipmunk6

I bought three dress belts at Macy's about three years ago, and they looked good. But now, all are wearing through where the buckle touches and I'm disgusted! I have a belt made in Chicago about 20 years ago that has endured far better than these Chinese junk belts, for which I paid about $45 each.

A decent belt at Ralph Lauren or that shoe store where George Bush shops (have their shoes; just don't want to walk in the bedroom now to check the brand) sells for $100 or more. That's ridiculous!

My son bought a belt from Milt Sparks from E-Bay, paid just $45. He was lucky to find the right size, for he has a slender waist. It supports his gun, but is also a good dress belt.

I was a 34" waist, but now seem to need 36" belts. I guess I need to shop soon. But I want better quality than I'll likely find, unless I go to a holster maker.

It's getting harder and harder to find quality goods of all kinds.

I recently bought the S&W belt. It's also made by.... you guessed it, DeSantis. It is affordable (less than $40.00) and nice quality. It works with a holster on it and without

After building a belt online at the beltmans I ended up with ~ $115.00. Sorry... don't spend this much on a freakin' belt...

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Jorge

I only do laundry once a week so I use the clothesline the other 6 days as a belt. Sundays, I go beltless...

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Thirty characters. Exactly...

Try a western wear store. I don't even bother looking at belts in a department store; even when they say "leather" they feel like plastic. Western wear store, at least the one I shop at, has good quality leather belts in the $45-$65 range. A little more for me because of the extra-length leather...

I'd like to find a leather that dosen't shrink.

I bought a gun belt from someone on the forum to wear for pants not for a gun and I don't like it. It's just to stiff for my liking. It looks nice but now it just lays in the drawer. Don

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"Don't worry be happy"

You Hillbilly.

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Dum vivo cano

There is a process to turn leather scrap material into something that looks like leather. I believe this is what we are buying when we get a China belt (I just got one, and as it wears, it is obviously not the "real leather" I am used to).

I still buy some stuff from a harness supply shop, and I can get good quality leather strap in several widths. I may just order several more even though the last one I got (1992) still looks great, and shows very little wear and no cracks.

This gentleman makes some good-looking affordable belts and he's a member here:

WTS, new horsehide gun belt..SOLD

He's got a website you can access via his profile page here.

I got one on ebay that bragged about made in the USA. It didn't even come close to the quality of my western belts made in China. He's sending me another one that he says is a really good quality. He told me to keep the other one, too. Guess he makes enough off them to just give them away and eat the shipping cost. It makes me wonder if made in the USA is the brand name, not a statement.

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Hold on. SWAT's at my door.

The Beltman. What else do you need for dress belts or gun belts. They work for both. Quality and value, really made in the U.S.A., you can't beat it. I have worn two, 1 3/4 and 1 1/2 for over a year now (I hate suspenders so, two belts. The only belt I'll ever buy! YMMV.

De Oppresso Liber

I wouldn't blame the forum guy. I've got a small collection of belts that I hate. And I've got a collection of holsters that I won't use. I've got a similar collection of wallets, too.

My wallet was literally falling apart, and I had to do something. So I bought one I thought maybe I could live with. I got home and started transferring stuff to it, but its awful. So I opened the drawer where I keep such things and found one that isn't too awful. So I moved everything to it. I've been known to wear belts for at least a decade. The last one I'd been on the last hole for way too long. So I got this one. I kind of like it, but its been shrinking as belts seem to do. Now this one is also on that last hole.

I think its a personal failing of mine. I can't look at an item in a store, on a gun show table, or at any other venue and envision it being anything other than great. But then in actual use it has flaws so bad I reject it. I could buy a very nice gun with just the money I've wasted on things I won't use. I think that next time I can avoid the mistake just by looking harder or being even more selective. But it doesn't work.

I wish there was someone smart that could advise me, but I've not met any one like that.

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Dick Burg

It is very rare that I go a day without a couple of belts.

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Corripe Cervisiam

What we need now is a good suspenders thread.

For those fashion divas with shoddy belts -- spread both legs out wide, and wrap a tight circle of duct tape around each upper thigh -- your pants won't come off for at least a week, you have an instant tourniquet for each leg if you take a round in the femoral, and shoddy belt will only have to hold up the top 4 inches of your pants -- problem solved.

The last two Western Wear stores I went to looking for a belt [going from 46 to 40] were in the $40 range for plain black or brown but were Made in China. And the quality, as has been mentioned was not as good.

So I went back to an equestrian shop here in LexVegas and got what I needed. My last one lasted 15 years. Yes, it's named after the town.

Lexington Belt

The BEST "Gun Belt" I have ever had is from Kramer Leather and it is made out of Horsehide. The belt is simply AWESOME! It is as good today ( at least 10 years old) as the day I bought it. Yes, it is expensive, but worth every penny IMHO.

My friend just received his Beltman Horsehide Gun Belt about 5 months ago and it looks to be very well made and did cost about half of what the Kramer Leather belt cost me, but we'll see if the Beltman product holds up for as long or as well as mine has. Time will tell............

Chief38

I got one made for me by Forum member, LOBO at LOBOgunleather. Perfect, it's a gunbelt for every day use. Ray can do real custom at reasonable prices and reasonable delivery time.

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H Richard
SWCA1967 SWHF244

As we all know, Carhartt makes so excellent jackets and pants. Thinking that, I bought a Carhartt belt from Work World. Worst belt I ever owned! After 9 months, the stitching at the lead end started coming loose and the belt leather split from the backing.
I only use Beltman belts now.

I think the belts in the retail stores are more for fashion dress than utility purposes. like mentioned above, many don't even use real leather.

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Memory of Randy Freas-Rimfired

I don't blame the guy who made the belt it's a well made belt. I don't think I would like any belt that stiff. I pocket carry so I don't need a gun belt, I just thought it would be a nice belt to wear anytime. Don

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"Don't worry be happy"

I had the same issues with department store belts. I purchased a
belt from Beltman. It was only $65.00 and is the best belt I have ever owned. They are great folks to deal with too.
Stonecove

I have a whole drawer full of belts I don't wear anymore.

Of course, it may have to do with the fact that they're all too small now...

Seriously, though, if a belt is too stiff it needs to be worn and broken in. Just like leather shoes or boots that seem awfully stiff at first gradually wear in to where they are comfortable. That baseball glove you got as a kid wasn't perfect right off the bat, was it? You had to break it in.

A&G Custom Gun Leather has some nice belts, "QUICK SHIP" belts are on hand and $80, Nice Belts. They make Customs but my off the shelf has held up nice and I wear it every day.

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NRA Pistol/Rifle Inst. RSO

I bought a Roys leather belt from a fellow on Gunsamerica for 49.00, its a lined basketweave that he bought from Roys in 1980 and never wore it, its as new would cost at least 150 now but he never listed the width and I never asked, just assumed it was 2" wide it came and it 2 1/4" wide will not fit any of my Roys holster slots or any pants I have but it is beautiful and very heavy, will elongate the slots in my holster, anything of quality wil be expensive. Jeff

My belts from 7-8 years ago are beginning to look a little shoddy. However the one I got from El Paso Saddelry is just beginning to be broken in.

Well, you get what you pay for. Hopefully your $40 belt last a while. My experience has been to buy the $115 BeltMan belt and never have to buy another. It only takes a few $40 belts to wear out and you've spent more than you would have for one good one from BeltMan.

Every year I make it a point to go to the Ohio State Fair and visit the belt maker. He has some very nice belts at $25. That's for the leather. By the time you add a decent buckle set, you're in for $50 - more if you add conchos.

But they wear like iron and if you happen to outgrow one, you can take it back and buy new leather and he will transfer your buckle set for free.

He also doesn't mind if you walk in with a holster for a proper fitting.