Are Gunbelts Really Necessary?

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I would think having a proper belt would be more of an issue with OWB carry. I've been doing IWB with my regular "dress" belt and it works just fine. Although my belt is a bit thicker than most.
 
I have a new Crossbreed supertuck for my G27, and as I break it in, I'm wondering about gun belts.

I live in Texas, so my clothing is often shorts and an untucked shirt. I often wear a thick, 1 1/2" standard leather belt. What are the thoughts behind gunbelts? What makes them specific for carry?

Someone educate this poor guy.
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Gunbelts are only neccessary if you want to maximize concealment and comfort when you are carrying a gun.

That's the long and short of it. :)

BikerRN
 
For correct positoning of an Outside The Waistband holster (OWB), the answer is yes. It is needed to keep the holstered firearm in the correct position and close to the body.
For Inside The Waistband (IWB) a good regular belt may work for you since the pants also help in keeping the holstered firearm correctly positioned.
I use a Don Hume IWB for GLOCK 23 and 27 and a web type 1 1/4 inch belt for casual carry and it works well for me.
 
DWarren's got it. OWB needs a very stiff belt with loops on the holster that fit the belt snugly. IWB needs enough rigidity to hold it up, your pants will usually keep it from flopping around.
Or do like me and just get a shoulder holster, and you won't need a belt. :p
 
Well...based on the font of knowledge around here, I ordered my 1.5" Bullhide belt from the Beltman today.

I opted for the internal stiffener, so we'll see in 3-5 weeks how it works.


Thanks for the input.
 
Another +1 for Beltman

The quality exceeds the price on these.
They do not sag with the heaviest guns and holsters.. and they will last forever... Very Very comfortable!!!
 
I believe that Beltman actually makes the belts for Comp-tac. I maybe wrong.
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Not sure if he actually makes belts for comp-tac, but he makes belts with a velcro liner that work well with comp-tac and other velcro clip type holsters.

His quality is outstanding. I was planning to order a belt from him for months and never got around to it. I actually got to meet him at the last Raleigh, NC gunshow and he happened to have some samples on hand and one was my size :D.

I ended up taking home a double layer brown horsehide belt and it has held everything I've hung on it, including my Ruger P90.
 
Month long review of Beltman belt

I put in my order for a Beltman brown belt with the 7 hole option and the internal stiffener.

Almost a month to the day later it arrived and looked great.

After about a month of using it, it's now my daily casual belt. I use it when I'm carrying and when I'm not.

My current rigs are a Crossbreed Supertuck for HK USPc and G27, so there isn't a lot of strain on the belt itself. I notice a little difference from my regular 1.60" wide normal belt, but frankly not much. I imagine if I carried an all metal pistol, OWB or both, there would be a noticable difference.

All in all, it was well worth the $80 I paid for the belt. I would have paid roughly $50 for a quality belt at a department store anyway, and it's nice to support a small operation that's geared toward the gun owners.

If I had to do it over again, I don't think I'd get the internal stiffener. I just don't need it with the rigs I'm using, and it makes the belt a little tough to put on. I'm sure it will loosen up a bit as it gets worn in and older, but frankly, the quality of this belt is such that I don't think it will get THAT much looser.

I would recommend this belt to anyone who is looking for a good belt, especially if they are looking to carry 24/7 with it. I would also recommend definitely the 7 hole option and would pass on the stiffener.
 
I've got a few "stiffened" gun belts but I rarely wear them. My Dickies Brand heavy duty work belt ($12.97 at Wally World) works the same for 75% less.
 
I've worn cheap belts, a good gun belt and now a Beltman belt with stiffener. The difference between the Beltman belt and the regular gunbelt is amazing - the new one is so much stiffer it makes all the gear seem lighter. There is no belt at Wal-Mart that is going to work as well as a true gunbelt. I got the Gray Elephant belt from Beltman and not only is it great at doing what it's supposed to do but it is the most beautiful thing I've ever seen.
 
I've got a few "stiffened" gun belts but I rarely wear them. My Dickies Brand heavy duty work belt ($12.97 at Wally World) works the same for 75% less.
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I wore out the same belt in six months. When I tossed it in the trash, it was a limp noodle that could hold up my pants or my K-frame in a competition OWB holster... but not both. I've had my Beltman for more than six months and it will hold a 40 ounce revolver as well as the day I bought it, which is really darn well.

If you don't notice any difference, no point in using an expensive belt when you can use a cheap one. For me, it was well worth the price.
 
I've been doing IWB with my regular "dress" belt and it works just fine.
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I'm a big proponent of the "works just fine" method myself. If a belt "works just fine" as a "gun belt", than it IS a "gun belt" imo...
 
I carry a 229 IWB, and it's heavy. For me, the BIGGEST aid in carrying was a belt. My gun belts are those that I picked up at American Eagle.

The biggest thing is to wear a belt... I tried not wearing a belt and CC'ing my Sig, and it popped the button off of two good pairs of shorts in less than a month.
 
Just because Filson double-belts are pricey, and not widely known (no usual advertising; just
catalogs, word of mouth, and online), is not an excuse to set them aside as a potential
valid choice.

Yes, I do own a pair of Filson's Style 901 "Upland" boots ;). *Superb* stuff, Filson.
 
A cheap belt can make your $100 holster feel like a $10 holster. Invest some $$ into a good gun belt. The webbed wilderness gun belts only run about $35.
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Those wilderness belts are good for construction type work because they stand up to abuse, but they really suck as gun belts. The problem with belts not meant for guns, and the wilderness one never was designed for a gun no matter what they say, is that the flop over. The Wilderness belt may be a 1.75" belt, but it twists really easily so it must be worn tighter to keep the holster positioned correctly. That is very uncomfortable, not to mention most holsters won't fit the ones I've seen.
 
I have seen a few belts that are close to thickness to a good gun belt. If that's the case, then you're good to go. Most of my belts are too thin and flexible for carry, so I got a very nice black sharkskin belt (1.5 inch) from Rafter S Gunleather. I will get a 1.25 inch black belt for dress carry soon.
 
Just to add to the chorus, what you consider a thick belt now is probably well short of an average gun belt. A nice 1.5" gun belt really does make a dramatic difference.

+Another for http://thebeltman.net/ I had the pleasure of visiting his shop not too long ago and bought another one of his belts. I wear them daily, non-carry mostly, and am very impressed with them. The owner/maker is also a very nice guy too.
 
IWB I haven't had any problems with a regular dress belt from Dillards.

I have 2 OWB holsters that I never use because I don't have a good belt. I tried it a couple times and the grip of the gun was way too far from my body. I'm saving my pennies for a Beltman belt for all 2 weeks of winter that I'll get to carry OWB.
 
I want to buy the 5.11 Tactical 1.75" Operator belt
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Make sure your holster will accommodate that width. A lot of holsters have slots that are just 1.5" wide.
 
bp78,

When I was over there looking at horse vs. bull belts he let me shoot his airsoft Thompson in his shop. Very cool times. He was sadly correct that I would outgrow his belt before it wore out. 32" waists don't last afterall. I need to get another belt from Jim.
 
I tried a lot of different belts because I thought all the "experts" who said "get a real gunbelt" were full of applesauce.

Then I got a gunbelt from "The Beltman." Now I have two, and haven't worn anything but since.
 
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