Buying a leather belt

[Traditional_Ale]

This is the one time I would just let your girlfriend pick one out. After all, she's the one that's gonna take a spanking from it.

[Hack&Lube]

Also the other day, I managed to get a girl to try to take it off while I was wearing it because I told her she wouldn't be able to figure out the mechanism. ;-)

[DuffMan]

I can't remember if I had more or less the same bitching in the gmg's thread or a seperate one, but I too was sick of belts. I have had one that has lasted about 25 years, but looks that old too now. I've boughten about 50 other ones of all sorts of price ranges etc, and they are all crap. Someone suggested going to a western wear place., so I went to a Lammles I think and got one for about $20 that is holding up fairly good so far, Been about half a year.

[sun]

Originally Posted by Azure

Yeah sorry Peter, but I'm not paying $110 for a belt.

http://www.ebay.ca/itm/Allen-Edmonds...ht_2209wt_1139

I'm not trying to be an ahole, but sometimes you have to pay for quality. If you're going through 3-4 30-50 dollar belts/year, wouldn't paying $100 for a belt that will likely last much longer be a no-brainer?

That said, I'm not a huge fan of Allen Edmond belts. Are you wearing the belts casually (with jeans?). If so,

http://www.narragansettleathers.com/gallery.html
http://corterleather.bigcartel.com/

Can't go wrong with either of those companies. Hand made, great quality leather, American made, etc. $55 and under. I own products from both and the quality is fantastic. Try the double ring belt by Narragansett if your belts are failing at the holes.

A ratchet belt is a neat invention, but a silly gimmick, in my opinion. I'm sure they work great, but I would never buy one.

[Azure]

I know you have to pay for quality, but I've paid more than $100 for belts before, and they didn't last very long.

[getbak]

There's a big difference between "Genuine Leather" and "Full Grain Leather".

Genuine Leather just means that it's made from pieces that all at one time were part of a cow's hide and glued together to make what appears a single solid piece. Full Grain Leather is actually a single piece cut from one piece of hide.

Genuine Leather belts are the ones that will fall apart. Full Grain will last forever.

[Burninator]

I've had pretty mixed results with belts too. I have one expensive belt ($100ish) and it's held up great, but I only wear it on occasion. I've been given double sided belts (brown on one side, black on the other with a pivoting buckle) as gifts. While they seem handy, everyone I've had was garbage. They all de-laminated in a couple months. So I would stay away from those.

[Northendzone]

are you ok with a large belt buckle that says "SKOAL" on it?

[peter12]

Azure, you lucky son of a thrifty father. I remembered this site. Homecrafted leather belts made from great quality leather. I've got one of the pelican hook belts, and it's been going strong for 4 years.

http://www.narragansettleathers.com/

[peter12]

Originally Posted by sun

I'm not trying to be an ahole, but sometimes you have to pay for quality. If you're going through 3-4 30-50 dollar belts/year, wouldn't paying $100 for a belt that will likely last much longer be a no-brainer?

That said, I'm not a huge fan of Allen Edmond belts. Are you wearing the belts casually (with jeans?). If so,

http://www.narragansettleathers.com/gallery.html
http://corterleather.bigcartel.com/

Can't go wrong with either of those companies. Hand made, great quality leather, American made, etc. $55 and under. I own products from both and the quality is fantastic. Try the double ring belt by Narragansett if your belts are failing at the holes.

A ratchet belt is a neat invention, but a silly gimmick, in my opinion. I'm sure they work great, but I would never buy one.

Agh, you got to Narragansett before me! You are right about Allen Edmonds. I only have one, and I got it on steep discount. I just couldn't think of anything else.

[Canada 02]

Originally Posted by Hack&Lube

Also the other day, I managed to get a girl to try to take it off while I was wearing it because I told her she wouldn't be able to figure out the mechanism. ;-)

that's not a selling point

[PIMking]

The belt that I use as a gun belt is a made by Don Hume. It's nice and the buckle is easily removed to change it to what ever you like. I bought it for $50

[firebug]

Saddleback also makes terrific leather goods.

http://www.saddlebackleather.com/Products/Belts

[BlackRedGold25]

http://www.primermagazine.com/2012/l...lt-for-only-23

[Rerun]

Originally Posted by Hack&Lube

Stop buying leather belts with traditional buckles/holes or fabric belts with snap-on covers/clips.

That's why they wear out. I only buy belts with ratcheting action now. They are fantastic. I will never go back to a traditional belt again. One of the best inventions ever and have been popular in Asia and Europe for 2-3 years.

It's like a continuously variable transmission for your pants!

You are no-longer restricted to holes with fixed distances, I can adjust to any size I want in the day in tiny intervals, they slide in and out, are incredibly secure, great at airports (buckles can detach from belt), I can cut any belt to size easily because the other end clamps into the buckle, etc. and some of them slide the long portion behind the top portion so it's invisible and you don't need to worry about tucking it into a loop.

There are hundreds of designs and styles, they last forever!

http://www.jingdongleather.com/product.asp (see ratchet belts down the page a bit)
http://missionbelt.com/ratchet-belt
http://www.amazon.co.uk/Black-Leathe.../dp/B005HDNX36

I bought a brown leather ratcheting belt the other day for $10 and it's probably the best belt I ever owned and it's going outlast belts 10x the price that I have owned in the past.

Great suggestion. I'd never heard of this type of belt before. I'll keep my eye open for one.

[Rerun]

Originally Posted by BlackRedGold25

http://www.primermagazine.com/2012/l...lt-for-only-23

[MoneyGuy]

Who wears belts out in three months? I have belts older than some posters here.

[vanisleflamesfan]

I bought a "Full Grain Leather" belt from Tommy Hilfiger about 2 years ago. It is still in perfect condition.

[saskflames69]

See, I buy my belts at Old Navy and they tend to last not for 6-7 months but 6-7 years.

[Alberta_Beef]

Originally Posted by You Need a Thneed

How does a belt only last for 3 months? Honestly, I don't understand. What breaks?

The cheap belts that I've had that I've worn virtually every day last for many years.

This is what I have been wondering. I have had the same belt for like 15 years and while the coating and whatnot looks cracked, structurally the belt is in excellent condition and I only dropped $20 at most on it. And my fat ass gives a belt a work out.