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Do you need a special type of belt for concealed carry?
In a nutshell, Yes.
A normal belt just will not cut it...
A good belt can be the difference between carrying and not carrying.
Why?
Read on and we will explain..
So let's discuss all things Concealed Carry belts!
Perhaps you are in the market for a concealed carry belt or you don't know where to buy a good belt for concealed carry.
Well look no further, we have you covered!
We have a saying here at Holster Central - "A holster is only as good as the belt it's carried on!"
The importance of a good belt
To get the full benefit of a kick ass holster, don't skimp when it comes to getting a belt to carry it on.
You want your EDC set up to be as comfortable as possible and the holster is only one half of the equation, the other half is having a good belt!
A good belt will distribute the weight of your gun and holster evenly, which aids with two things - Comfort and Conceal-ability - the two things we want when Concealed Carrying! You are going to struggle with both of these without a good belt.
Regular belts are not made to carry the weight of a gun and holster, they are designed just to keep your pants up...thats it!
A gun belt is designed to support the weight of your gun and holster whilst also keeping your pants up. A good belt will also be able to carry extra things such as a mag carrier, flashlight, multitool, tourniquet and so on.
A regular belt will begin to sag and dip when carrying a holster, and over time it will be damaged and become warped and deformed.
If the belt is weak, and the holster and gun sag, it's going to cause printing. Your holster's belt clips need something strong and sturdy to attach to and if not your gun will not conceal properly as you will have a bulge, making the gun way more visible than if the gun and holster are held tight and inline with the body by a good belt.
Carrying with a normal belt that is not made for carrying will be more uncomfortable, especially if you carry other accessories like a Magazine Carrier as well. It should be no trouble to carry whatever accessories you want.
Did you know a lot of concealed carriers complain about back pain after carrying for years? Quite often this is down to carrying low back and with a bad belt!
It's kind of like people getting back pain from carrying a thick wallet in their back pocket for years - it throws off your alignment and causes pain over time.
A good belt will help keep things tight and evenly distributed which is going to help with back pain. If you invest in a good belt your hips and back will be thanking you!
So your belt must be fit for purpose, and if the purpose is to carry daily you need something stronger, stiffer and more sturdy than a regular belt.
However you may not want to wear something that looks “Tactical” as that can be a dead giveaway that you are carrying, as we discussed in our Gray Man article. If you want to blend in you may want to consider a more discreet belt.
When choosing your belt there are a few things to consider.
Firstly, there's various different types of Belt Buckles.
Secondly consider Belt Height.
Belt Heights - 1.5" vs 1.75"?
When it comes to the holster and gun world you will come across the belt height situation - what is the best height to choose for your holster and other accessories?
For belt loops/clips or attachments you usually have the choice of 2 heights 1.5" and 1.75"
Most pant loops are 1.5" so I always go 1.5" height as that is a normal belt height that will fit through most pants belt loops and it's easy to thread it through.
It is more discreet and most holsters offer 1.5" belt clips.
1.75" is more for duty belts that are designed to carry even more gear.
What makes the perfect gun belt?
How about a belt that looks like a normal belt, being more stealth, whilst also checking the boxes of carrying a firearm comfortably?
Do you need a belt for every occasion? Perhaps, but it makes sense to choose a carry belt that could accommodate a wide range of uses.
Unless you plan to buy a bunch of different belts and drop some serious money on building a belt collection for all of your different outfits, we recommend going for one belt that can rule them all and work with a variety of outfits...
Well we found the perfect belt for both of those things!
It works with any outfit and it checks all of the boxes..
click here and you can get the best of both worlds for yourself
In conclusion, you want a belt strong enough to carry the weight of your gun and holster, you will be much more comfortable and you should conceal a lot better too.
We also recommend to try to get a belt that is discreet and doesn't scream "I'm concealed carrying".
When you are belt shopping for your EDC if you find a belt that checks all of the boxes you will be on the right track.
If you struggle we highly recommend our belt of choice The Ultimate Concealed Carry belt
Let us know your thoughts in the comments section below!
Thanks for reading!
