AO Review – Best Gun Belts for Carry Holsters (for the Money $$$) in 2023
Travis Olander 08.28.23
A quality IWB or OWB holster makes or breaks the carry setup, but what about the gun belts that hold your holster? Sure, any old 1″ strap of leather with a buckle can suffice, but quality, by-design gun belts are what you should invest in to obtain a truly comfortable, reliable carry rig that won’t leave your piece sagging and swaying. So, let’s take a look at some of the BEST Gun Belts for carry holsters on the market today that you can buy for the money!
Concealed Carry Coverage on AllOutdoor
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- AllOutdoor Review: FN Reflex MRD 9mm – New King of Concealed Carry?
- Concealed Carry & Open Carry – The Beginner’s Guide to Gun Holsters
- XS Sights Announces New Sights for Concealed Carry Pistols
What are in Good Gun Belts?
Not all belts are made equal. Some offer high carry capacity, but they sacrifice comfort. Others might be cheap, but lack critical features. Some belts have all the bells n’ whistles, but they’re costly. Where’s what you should consider before you buy any gun belt.
Leather vs Nylon
99% of all gun belts will be made of leather or ballistic nylon. Both have their pros and cons. Leather is tougher and more rigid, and it can typically hold more weight than fabric belts. It’s the material to pick if you’re loading up your belt with, say a heavy full-size 1911 and some extra magazines. But ballistic nylon can provide a better fit than leather. Some fabric belts have unique ratcheting systems that provide the perfect fit for extra comfort. Other nylon belts have hook-and-loop fasteners for liners and attachments, too.
Belt Width
The wider the gun belt, the more it can hold — but too much of anything can be bad. A massive 2.5″ tactical belt can wind up feeling constrictive. It could cause hot spots and pinching when worn all day. Some belts are too wide for your pants, so measure the loop width on your jeans. Inversely, skinny belts — 1″ to 1.25″ — might not have the stiffness and support you need for your holster setup. To keep things simple, you should probably focus on gun belts measuring 1.5″ to 2″. These belts fit most pants, and they provide plenty of support without feeling like you’ve got a boa constrictor wrapped around your waist.
Buckles / Fasteners
Getting the perfect fit on a gun belt is important. Too loose, and your holster will sag. Too tight, and you’ll suffer for it. Traditional buckles look great, and they can get the job done if fitted correctly. But you may find the holes on your gun belt fit too loose or too tight. That means punching your own hole, or switching over to a ratcheting buckle, Velcro, or tension buckle. Although more complicated and expensive, any of these fastener systems eliminate fitment issues altogether.
Got a warm n’ fuzzy on gun belt stuff? Good. Now, check out our top picks for tactical, EDC, leather, and nylon gun belts.
KORE Tactical X7 Gun Belt (Editor’s Choice)
The X7-buckled 1.5″ gun belt from KORE has it all: Perfect fitment thanks to a ratcheting adjuster. Crazy load capacity for even the biggest, heaviest guns, holsters, and magazines. Six rows of reinforced stitching. Easily removable buckles that can be swapped for 8 other ratcheting options. Slick, inconspicuous looks that blend in with any casual clothing. The KORE X7 is a crowd favorite for plenty of reasons. Some say it’s overkill, but at $60, you’re getting one helluva deal. The KORE gun belt’s ratchet system works with a simple toggle lever built into the buckle: Actuate the lever, and the belt cinches up in 0.25″ increments, with a total adjustment range of 10″. The result is a finely tune fit that’s just right.
The outer shell is made of heavy-duty ballistic nylon, while the inside sports two layers of supporting material – KORE calls it their “Power-Core Center” and “Super-Fiber inner liner – to afford up to 10 pounds of carrying capacity without any bending or sagging. With a 1.5″ belt width, the KORE X7 can be worn with most pants, shorts, and typical outer wear. Sizing up the belt before your first wear is an easy task – just measure to your waist width, add 4”, and cut the excess fabric. The X7 buckle is the favorite among wearers, but the belt can accommodate any of KORE’s other buckles. Just remove the two hex-head bolts binding the buckle to the belt, and install any other option you prefer. The KORE X7 is arguably the best gun belt because of what it isn’t: It’s not bulky, heavy, or obtrusive. It fits plenty of features and support into a compact package that, when worn, feels like any other nylon belt. KORE did an excellent job designing flush-fit buckles that don’t poke or prod, too.
Nexbelt EDC Titan Ratchet Belt (Honorable Mention)
Nexbelt’s EDC Titan gun belt is a great alternative to KORE’s belt. Some say the KORE X7 is a bit thick and a little too stiff, which can force the tongue on the end of the belt to bow outward. The Nexbelt Titan is a tad thinner and more flexible, mitigating this issue. Yet it provides a nearly identical 0.25″ ratcheting buckle system with an easily removable clasped buckle. At 1.5″ in width, the Titan will also fit all standard pant loops, accommodating waists up to 50″.
All the fasteners on the Titan are stainless, while the buckle is powder coated steel – no plastic bits to speak of. Although Nexbelt doesn’t advertise a specific load capacity, plenty of users are spied carrying full-size semiauto setups with double mag pouches. Others run the Titan as a full duty belt, complete with LEO kit. So, it’s safe to say the Titan can easily support 8 to 10 pounds of gear. The Titan is a few bucks cheaper than KORE’s belt, too – grab yours for $50.
KRYDEX Rigger Gun Belt (Best Quick-Release Belt)
During my time in uniform, I carried a lot of kit on my waist and came to appreciate a solid, heavy-duty rigger belt with a Cobra buckle. The KRYDEX Rigger Belt dutifully affords both components, and it does it without breaking the bank. What makes KRYDEX’s gun belt a great choice, though, is its modularity. Need a load of support and capacity? Run the belt as it sits out of the box. Want something lighter, thinner, and arguably more comfortable and form-fitting? Just remove the hook-and-loop set inner liner.
The KRYDEX’s biggest selling point is its PALS webbing: There are loads of mounts for attaching pistol and rifle magazine pouches, IFAKs, and just about any holster setup on the market. I’ve personally ran this belt and quite liked its adjustment, comfort, weight, and overall quality. At 1.75″ wide it still fits most jean loops and any “tacticool” cargo pants you might wear on the daily. An elastic loop is fitted behind the male buckle for stowing the extra nylon – but I found it easier to size it up, and then chop off the excess (which is what KRYDEX also recommends). There are plenty of color and pattern options – Multicam, coyote, ranger green, black, and so on – and the whole assembly comes in at under $50, making it a great budget option for your next nylon gun belt.
Relentless Tactical Ultimate CCW Gun Belt (Best for Casual Concealment)
If tactical belts and ballistic nylon ain’t your style, consider Relentless Tactical’s “Ultimate” CCW Gun Belt. At a glance, it looks like any other patterned leather strap. Except it’s made from a single piece of full-grain, US leather. No glue, layers, or stitching to be found. That means it’ll never crack, separate, or fray — an obvious advantage for a gun belt made to carry some extra weight. Beyond its intended purpose, the Ultimate CCW looks like any other quality leather belt. It’s available in black, brown, or tan (pictured above, my personal favorite), for around $60 to $70.
In a sea of so many leather gun belts, the Ultimate CCW appears to provide a better range of adjustment for your waist — it sports seven holes spaced 1″ apart and, since it’s one piece of full-grain leather, it can handle a an extra hole or two if you want poke ’em for an even more precise fit. Relentless Tactical offers the Ultimate CCW in sizes ranging between 32 and 50. Grab yours here.
Galls Molded Nylon Duty Belt (Best “Cheap” Gun Belt)
Gun belts aren’t cheap. Well, except this one: Galls’ Molded Nylon Duty Belt is about as simple – and affordable – as they come. Sure, there’s nothing inherently remarkable about it. But it’s a fine gun belt measuring 2.25″ wide, with quality ballistic nylon and plenty of solid stitching. It also accommodates a hoop-and-loop support liner (sold separately) to give it extra support and rigidity for heavier holster setups. The nylon fabric itself is nicely stitched, with some padding built in for extra comfort. The tri-release buckle is made from an injection molded polymer, with a safety clip that prevents accidental separation if the buckle’s main clips are compressed while worn. The Galls Belt is as much an LEO-type duty belt as it is a gun belt, with plenty of extra pouches and packs available to fit out some extra kit. The inner liner – Galls calls it their “Trouser Belt” – will set you back another $20, and the base gun belt alone is just $20. Altogether, the combo will set you back $40, which isn’t bad for a blue line apparel partner.
Safariland 7950 Duty Belt (Best LEO Gun Belt)
We can’t leave out the higher tier LEO duty belt. Safariland’s 7950 is a prime example of a quality, classic basket woven, blue liner’s gun belt. But this is not real leather. It’s a proprietary, synthetic leatherette (Safariland calls it Duraskin) that’s allegedly even tougher and more resistant to wear over time. A 4-layer polymer coating finishes off the production to protect against cracking and fading.
The 7950 is complemented by extra kit available at Safariland: Additional belt keepers, a hook-and-loop liner for added support, pouches, and of course, holsters are all tailored to fit the 7950. The belt sports a tri-lock buckle, closed cell foam for some cushion, and it measures 2.25″ in width. It’ll fill out larger loops just fine, but it might not fit typical jeans. But if you’re shopping for one of these belts, chances are you’re rocking some “tacticool” pants, too.
Tucker Custom Gun Belts (Best for Dress)
If you value form as much as function in a gun belt, look no further: Tucker’s Gun Belts produces some seriously slick custom leather units — belts and holsters alike – for your daily waist carry. Based in Texas, Tucker uses only US cowhide, and every belt and holster is made to order. Custom belts start just below $100. But you can quickly tack on extras, like custom embroidering, stitching, stamping and embossing that’ll easily push your production up to three figures at checkout. The finished belt (and holster, if desired) is worth the two week wait, though. All belts are cut from full grain and feature two layers of double-stitched hide measuring 0.25″ thick. Custom color options include rich Mahogany, deep stained black cherry, and every earth tone you can fathom. Start your custom gun belt order for $91. Not sure which OWB holster you should partner up with your new belt? Read our review of the best OWB holsters for 2023.
