I'm looking for a good gun belt to assist with wearing my CCW. I switch between OWB and IWB depending on what shirt / coat I am wearing. I'm open to both leather or Nylon. I was looking at Uncle Mike's Tactical Two-Layer Nylon Reinforced Instructor's Belt but figured I'd ask around first.
For a nice looking belt that's not too "Tacticool" look at the Galco leather belts. I've had one for years and unfortunately outgrew it. My son wears it now. For a rigger style belt, the Blackhawks aren't bad but I like the SOE belts best. They last longer, better Velcro and stuff. The new cool guy ones with the Q/R buckles kind of suck. Can't get them on and off a pair of jeans without completely disassembling them.
thebeltman.net - bull and horse hide gun belts. I got a HH (the stiffest) may be the last belt I'll ever need (I don't even carry anymore).
this. I picked up a 1.5" horsehide in January and haven't used anything else since. iwb, owb, both covered. wilderness tactical 5-stitch is way to go if you're looking for a nylon rig.
My first 'gun belt' was a 5.11 Trainer and I liked it. Then I picked up a Special Operations Equipment 1.5" Rigid Cobra Duty Belt and I love it. Thinking about picking up a second without the velcro, they might be having a sale right now, check their facebook page.
I have an Ares Gear Ranger Belt. It's amazing. Very rigid and comfortable. The only downside is the Tacti-cool looking buckle and that you have to take the male part of the buckle off to thread a OWB holster on. I know 2 people that have the Ares Aegis belt and they love it. Just as rigid as the Ranger, but with a more traditional looking buckle.
5 stitch Original Instructor Belt from The Wilderness... I was worried about how the velcro would wear, but EDC for 3 years and still looks brand new.
If you want an excellent quality leather belt, look up Bullhide Belts. I bought one a couple years ago and it's still holding up great. Be sure to follow their sizing guidelines, their belts are super thick.
Thanks for the recommendations! I'll be looking at all of these belts over the weekend. I can't stand to tuck my shirt in so what the belt or buckle looks like is less important than if it can keep my CCW from sagging. I mostly wear Old Navy type cargo pants and carry at the 4 o'clock position. My leather belts don't hold up very long, but I have been a little furgal (as my wife likes to call it) with how much I spend on them. So I'm thinking this is one of those "you get what you pay for" items. Topic for another thread though: anyone recommend a good OWB kydex holster for a Ruger SR9c?
I prefer a belt with lots of adjust ability for IWB so I use a rigger type belt although I generally carry OWB. I have been using a London Bridge which isn't really that stiff but works great with my snub nose. I just picked up a Volund Atlas G Hook to see if it feels better with my Sig 229 which is a pretty beefy pistol. The Volund seems to be highly thought of.
Nylon- Wilderness instructors or Ares Aegis Leather-Dillion Precision's Mitch Rosen gun belt. Decent price, size usually in stock. I have a older model, before they went to Mitch, and it still is going strong.
Well, in my opinion, I own and wear, everyday, two of the best gun belts on the planet! One is a Wm. Tucker, premium cowhide, oak-tanned, leather belt. It's a beautiful piece of hand-tooled leather; and I'm positive that it will last the rest of my life. It's set up right, too: It's 1 1/2 inches wide; the tongue has 7 holes set 3/4 inch apart, the belt edges are saddle-stitched; and I added 2 inches to the total length in order to accommodate ITB carry.* I, 'went for my lungs' and had this belt handstamped in a traditional basket weave pattern. The only reason to, ever, replace a belt like this is if it's destroyed in, something like, a house fire; (or if you go, 'blotto' and, 'pork-out' as you age). (Google, 'Wm. Tucker Gun Leather'. The site wouldn't allow me to post the link.) The other belt I use everyday is a Beltman cowhide belt with an interior polymer stiffener. It's a very chic belt, and looks entirely in place for someone who wears a suit. (It's nice 'n dressy; and a casual observer really can't tell that it's a load-bearing belt.) Again, it has a 7 hole tongue. Both belts have heavy, chrome-plated buckles; and are very strong.** (I carry a substantial belt-load around with me, everyday; and I need my belt to remain completely sag-free and to stay tightly in place if I should have to execute a fast draw. (Google, 'The Beltman' for the same reason stated above.) The Wm. Tucker belt does NOT need a polymer stiffener; the Beltman belt does. Either one is an expensive, nicely finished, 'buy it once and wear it for the rest of your life' strip of leather. Here's an older picture of my Tucker belt (and, 'HF-1' holster) that I snapped during one of the first days I wore this rig ~ NOTES: * Measured from the center hole on the belt's, 'tongue'. (On a 7 hole tongue that would allow for 3 holes on each side of the hole where the measurement was taken.) ** Yes, I just noticed that the pictured buckle is brass. Well, ....... I also bought two, semi-fancy, nickel-plated buckles from The Beltman; and I'm, presently, using them on both belts.
I'll second the 5-11 tactical operator. Infinitely adjustable, reasonably priced. More importantly for me, I carry appendix and the belt is nice and stiff just to the right of the buckle where my holster is.
