For anyone new to the carry game, let's start with why you need a gun belt. Yes, they're $50+; No, your regular belt isn't just as good. Here's why... A good gun belt supports the weight of a loaded firearm and distributes it better around your waist. This makes wearing a gun more comfortable and more concealable. A belt, ideally, should be laterally pliable but vertically rigid (it should loop, but not sag).
All pictures below are shown with a P365xl loaded with 13 rounds of HST 147gr in a Vedder Lighttuck, at a relatively modest carry weight of 1lb 13.2oz
Here are two extremes to highlight the difference: A regular top-grain* "jeans belt" vs a reinforced competition outer belt. The difference is fairly self-explanatory...
regular jeans belt
midway competition outer belt
Safe assume nobody's walking around in a match rig, so here are some examples of popular not-too-expensive gun belts. My photography isn't very good, but I hope this gives the general gist.
hank's gunner
blue alpha gear low-profile edc
blue alpha gear hybrid
nexbelt guardian (kydex reinforced)
The Nexbelt is the newest to me, but I can already tell that my dearly beloved and well-worn BAGs aren't going to get nearly much rotation as they used to. A reinforced core, even a thin kydex one, makes a heck of a difference.
Caveat: I carry strongside, so if there are any beltular nuances for appendix carry, someone please chime in and correct me on anything.
*If you're buying a leather belt, buy only "top grain" or "full grain" -- those are literal slices of cow skin. Anything that says "bonded leather" or "genuine leather" is basically leather particleboard (leather shavings + glue) that'll crack and wear out very quickly.
All pictures below are shown with a P365xl loaded with 13 rounds of HST 147gr in a Vedder Lighttuck, at a relatively modest carry weight of 1lb 13.2oz
Here are two extremes to highlight the difference: A regular top-grain* "jeans belt" vs a reinforced competition outer belt. The difference is fairly self-explanatory...
regular jeans belt
midway competition outer belt
Safe assume nobody's walking around in a match rig, so here are some examples of popular not-too-expensive gun belts. My photography isn't very good, but I hope this gives the general gist.
hank's gunner
blue alpha gear low-profile edc
blue alpha gear hybrid
nexbelt guardian (kydex reinforced)
The Nexbelt is the newest to me, but I can already tell that my dearly beloved and well-worn BAGs aren't going to get nearly much rotation as they used to. A reinforced core, even a thin kydex one, makes a heck of a difference.
Caveat: I carry strongside, so if there are any beltular nuances for appendix carry, someone please chime in and correct me on anything.
*If you're buying a leather belt, buy only "top grain" or "full grain" -- those are literal slices of cow skin. Anything that says "bonded leather" or "genuine leather" is basically leather particleboard (leather shavings + glue) that'll crack and wear out very quickly.
