Gunbelt 101

Novice guestion with gun belts that have a inner velcro sleeve that separates from belt. Is sleeve put trough bet loop of pants and outer belt attached to velcro on pants with holsters and accessorie clips placed between the outer and inner velcro? Are single leather belts better option? Thank you.

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for best results, yes, but some people don’t like the inners through their pants and prefer to wear a padded sleeve instead and wear their normal belt underneath. the downfall to most 2-piece Velcro belts is the size of the inner belt requires pants with very large belt loops. This can be a problem with less “tactical” pants due to normal belt loop sizes. I would avoid leather for all carry options that don’t involve western attire lol

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For everyday carry I suggest single belt, that goes through pant’s loops.
Inner velcro with outer belt is great for practice and classes. It’s very convenient.
Which one you want to use depends how much you would like your firearm to be concealed or close to your body.

If you decide to use single belt - be sure the material is sturdy and stiff enough to handle holster with firearm and the pressure you put on it during draw stroke. Don’t use “regular” leather belt.

For belt recommendation check few threads we already had at this Community.

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I hear this one all the time and I don’t get it. For five years and more I have used “regular” leather belts to carry my concealed firearm without any problems. By “regular” belt I mean the belts I have purchased at Rural King, Walmart, and other general retailers. I have carried IWB at the four o’clock and appendix positions without difficulty. I have trained at both positions using drills in which I draw, fire, and re-holster; slowly to refine technique and build muscle memory as well as moving as fast as I can to determine best speed and accuracy. My regular belt has never let me down or caused any problems.

By the way, these are the same belts I wear even when I’m not carrying, just to hold up my britches. I have begun to think that the “you-MUST-have-a-special-made-gun-belt” mantra is similar to selling fishing tackle; it catches more fishermen than fish. Maybe the needs are different for professionals, i.e., military/LEO/security personnel, but for your average civilian carrier I don’t see it.

Full disclosure: I do own a “gun belt” from a reputable holster maker. After a significant period of daily wear, I decided that its only advantage was being less comfortable and, because of its unrelenting stiffness, it made my rig a little harder to conceal, not easier.

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It’s all about personal experience and preference.

What I meant by “regular” belt is, especially for new shooters, to eliminate as many factors as possible to have bad draw experiences.
Sometimes people blame holster for giving bad draw, however the problem may start with the belt .

I’m not negating any belts, to be honest, with good equipment the holster can be worn without belt at all
 but this is not the case.

My advice wasn’t about

“you-MUST-have-a-special-made-gun-belt”

it was about

sturdy and stiff enough to handle holster with firearm and the pressure you put on it during draw stroke

and most of “Walmart belts” may don’t fit this.
Once again - this is only to eliminate problems.

OP specifically posted:

and I gave my recommendation to the novice :point_up:

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Agreed. :wink: My response was intended more as an expansion on the question rather than a refutation.

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Yeah, I’ve noticed that sometimes people get into statements and think these are the only way.
Exactly what you have pointed in you first post.

I hope @Bill174 will use every word of this thread and figure out what is the best solution for him.

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I have been using Nexbelt for 2 years, Just starting to show some wear at the end.
Love them. I bought 2 and when I switch over I will buy 2 more.
Don’t forget the USCCA discount. :+1:

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who is EDCing a two piece war belt rig for edc? that wasn’t even the OP’s question.

as for “regular” leather, the vast majority of the issue comes from A. That cheap leather stretches horribly over time with any significant pinpoint weight on it. you will stretch the belt, you will stretch the holes, and in the end, you get nowhere near the adjustability as you do on the modern EDC belts like Nexbelt or Kore because they have much smaller adjustment increments than a leather belt with 4 or 5 holes in it.
B. Leather doesnt have rotational strength, which quite often lets the pistol hang away from the body, creating printing issues for some people.

AWS and a few other companies make the replacement velcro inners that are padded so that you dont have to run the gunbelt through your pants, you can just wear it over your regular belt. A lot of people dont like the velcro closure on the inner belts because it can be a PITA to get them adjusted right so they actually hold your pants up.

54051 PADDED INNER BELT - AWS INC

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Check out “$30 Gun belt”. Great products at a great price. Highly recommend.

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I’m by no means an expert on gun belts, but I’ve accumulated quite a few, and found a few that work for me:

  • I have a Groove Life belt that I wear in the Summer. It can carry a micro compact and a spare mag fairly well, but I do think that it would hold up well with anything more. My only complaint with this belt is that it is hard to adjust the length while wearing it.
  • I also have a Nexbelt, but haven’t used it that much. It is a bit tactical looking, and is a bit pricey for a “budget” belt. Probably would be good for a training class or the range.
  • the belt I use most often for IWB carry is a basic DeSantis leather belt. It is a gun belt, but looks like a normal belt. I can carry a compact 9mm IWB, along with a spare mag fairly well.
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It all depends on what your EDC is. A “regular” belt is typically 1" width, whereas a holster is typically at least 1 1/2". That leaves a lot of play/movement on the draw, and sag on the belt/holster. Also as pointed out, a thin “regular” belt will stretch with several pounds applied in a small area.

I carry a .45, even with it being a poly frame, it is too heavy for a “regular” belt, and the 1 3/4" slit too wide for a “regular” belt.

I use a double thick leather belt, it doesn’t stretch and is quite comfortable. Holds my .45 quite securely. Probably 6+ years so far and the best one I have had to date, still like new, except for some scuff marks.

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The vast majority use a 1.5" ‘single’ gun belt for concealed carrier. These fit almost all pants belt loops, with the exception of some dress pants/suits that may require 1.25".

When in doubt, always opt for the more/most stiff option.

IME, the two piece with the inner that goes through the loops and then the outer that velcros to it are considered “duty belts” and only overt, open carry of a lot of gear like a patrol police officer or openly armed and armoured security use them

A couple (nylon, then leather) options I have used for many years. There are a lot of options out there.

Again, IMO and IME, always take the “double” or “polymer stiffener/insert” option

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I want to clarify something as well. I generally just say no to leather because people generally don’t know the different grades of leather and think that a “Genuine Leather” belt is appropriate. Genuine leather is literally the bottom of the barrel. Its ground up glued together leather from trimmings and unusable pieces. If you want to use a leather belt it is very essential to understand what type of leather it is made from. Good leather belts for firearm carry should only ever be made from full or top grain leather. This is continuous fiber leather and has no where near the stretch issues that cheaper genuine leather does. Its a much higher quality, but that quality generally comes at a much steeper cost than traditional consumer grade “Genuine Leather”. Leather appropriately oiled and cared for will last many people a lifetime, but sadly these traditions and skills have been lost to the vast majority of the general public

Full Grain Leather vs. Top Grain Leather - What’s the Difference? | Buffalo Jackson

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@Bill174 
 are you still with us? :joy: :face_with_open_eyes_and_hand_over_mouth: :thinking:

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Thank you for your clarification, you are 100% correct.

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I have made my own belt. It would be the equivalent of two hanks belts made into one. It is sturdy and has stayed sturdy for over a year of wearing it.

image

I do not know if you can see but it is two pieces of thick belt leather and it is extremely good as an EDC belt. I have thought about producing them myself just as a side gig. It is very sturdy and holds its form.
I love how well my belt has held up and how good the quality is.

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I assume that it will hold a 5” 1911 upright with no sagging? :thinking:

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It works on my 1911 45 SPRINGFIELD fully loaded with 5-inch barrel! It stays in place when drawing your gun too!

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When it comes to daily wear gun belt I highly recommend one of the nex belts. There are very firm and will not bend or roll. They also will not sag due to weight. In addition to that the feature I like the most is the buckle adjustment. The belt will adjust back and forth a 1/4 inch at a time with a simple hand release. Great for daily wear and looks no different than other belts.

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