Gun belt with stiffener/liner or not

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stonebuster

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I need a good gun belt for IWB holster to carry a full size(34oz) P226 Sig. I need advice as to whether to get the liner to stiffen it or not. With a good leather 1 1/2" regular belt now it almost works with the 3.5 cloak tuck Alien Gear IWB with two belt clips but sags some unless very tight. I've pretty much settled on getting one from "Beltman". They have dual leather but they may be too thick to fit through the Alien gear belt clips so considering a stiffened belt. Any downside to liner other than $10 more?
 
I've never found an unlined belt stiff enough.

The pre-cost reduction Galcos were good (newer Galcos will split quickly) and now I wear a Lenwood Leather Hybrid. Both lined, both excellent.

Check out the Lenwood Hybrid!
 
Uncle Mikes Instructor belt has served me well for 4 or 5 years. No sag.
 
I have a dual layer bullhide belt without the stiffener from Beltman. After two of three years of daily use it still works great. For purely cosmetic reasons I am going to order another and I will get the stiffener just to see if it is any better. $80 to $100+ seems like a lot for a belt but I used to buy $25 belts locally that were uncomfortable and only lasted 2 or 3 months.
I carry G19 size or larger guns most often with both IWB and OWB holsters.
 
My thick Crossbreed belt developed a noticeable sag after less than a year. My beltman horsehide belts with internal stiffeners have been great for years — I have one for regular jeans, and the narrower dress belt.
 
I have carried a series 70 1911 for many years IWB. 1.75" gun belt from a holster maker.
I just bought a new belt also 1.75". A Galco SB5. It was quite a bit less expensive ($77.00) from Amazon than Galco.
The belt is exactly right for carry. Never saw a need for a metal lining.
 
I need a good gun belt for IWB holster to carry a full size(34oz) P226 Sig. I need advice as to whether to get the liner to stiffen it or not. With a good leather 1 1/2" regular belt now it almost works with the 3.5 cloak tuck Alien Gear IWB with two belt clips but sags some unless very tight.
The difference between "a good leather 1 1/2" regular belt" and a real gun belt, even without a stiffener, is night and day. If your only experience is with a regular belt, you'll be stunned by the difference with a real gun belt, stiffener or not.

A stiffener couldn't hurt, but the advantage is really for carrying full-size all steel guns like, 6" Model 29, Government Model 1911, Ruger Redhawk, etc. An aluminum frame P226 should be fine with a regular dual layer gun belt, but if you want the stiffener, that couldn't hurt.
 
I use Hanks Gun Belts. The ones I use are the Gunner Belts. The one I use does not have a stiffener and it works great. I use it for IWB and OWB. I have used it with a 4” 1911, Glock 19 and a Shield 9mm. Hanks makes great gun belts. Check them out. You won’t be sorry.
I also have an Ares Aegis belt. The belt is very stiff and offers awesome support but it is not overly comfortable to me because of the stiffness. It’s definitely a great range belt though.
 
I use Hanks Gun Belts. The ones I use are the Gunner Belts. The one I use does not have a stiffener and it works great.
Note Hank's belts (at least the model you listed) is a single layer, albeit a thick single layer, of leather. Most gun belts are two layers of leather glued and sewn together creating an even stiffer belt.
 
Note Hank's belts (at least the model you listed) is a single layer, albeit a thick single layer, of leather. Most gun belts are two layers of leather glued and sewn together creating an even stiffer belt.

You are correct. However, I do not prefer a very stiff belt for concealed carry. If I did, I would the Ares Aegis that I have. I’ve been caring concealed and on duty for 20+ years and over the years I’ve been a lot of holsters and belts. Just a personal preference.
 
I started out with a cheap leather 1 1/2" belt from Wally World and that was a terrible gun belt. Then I purchased a nylon 1 1/2" Wilderness Instructor belt (no stiffener) which was much better. My present gun belt is a leather 1 1/2" belt from Blade-Tech. It's a nice belt and I wouldn't want anything stiffer than this.

https://blade-tech.com/products/ucb
 
I have a Bigfoot 18oz leather belt with a spring steel core. For open carry and the full-size service pistols I favour, it works well for me. A plus is it was very reasonably priced.
 
I've owned 4 "gun" belts so far. All the leather ones have a stiffener (2 kydex, 1 spring steel) and I'll only buy them that way. My Daltech Force SuperBio doesn't have a stiffener persay, but it is formed around some kind of mesh as a base IIRC, and by design it doesn't NEED a stiffener to perform well.
 
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What's the price difference? In 5 years, will you remember the price difference? Get the belt with a stiffener in it, it's worth the small difference in price.
 
I have been using a Bullhide Belt for years, carrying a Glock 34 in a strong side pancake holster on my right hand side, and an iPhone and extra mag pouch on my left. For IWB this belt works great with the LCP or LC9.

Stay safe!

www.bullhidebelts.com
 
I agree get one with the stiffener. You'll appreciate it as time goes on.

I have a thick leather one right now with no stiffener. No way could this be double thick as the leather is so think it would not go through belt loops. It works right now, but I'm afraid in a year or so I'll need to get something else.

Buy once cry once....

-Jeff
 
Any downside to liner other than $10 more
If you have lots of excess mass hanging over your belt, a stiffener will be less comfortable than a more pliable belt. On the other hand, a stiffer belt is very much A Good Thing if you intend to hang a holster off the belt. Most belts that I have used for carry purposes have an internal plastic liner (not metal) which is very much appreciated.
 
I've been wearing a Don Hume dress uniform belt now for over 25 years and it's never let me down even back when I carried a Colt Python.
 
I've several High Noon gun belts with stiffeners that have seen pretty constant use for a quarter century or more now and still look and work great.

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If they offer horse hide as an option that will also be stiffer.

I make double thickness belts and horsehide, especially from the butts which are readily available, is really stiff. So stiff in fact that it is uncomfortable to wear for over a month of daily wear. It’s like wearing a weight belt sometimes.

After break in it is fine though and for myself personally, I only wear horse hide unstiffened. I don’t carry full size guns anymore but when I carried a Hi Power daily I never felt any of my hose hide belts were sagging unacceptably.
 
I have been carrying various guns for a very long time. I have a pretty straight body 6'3" 200#
I have a lot of double thick gunbelts from a few different makers. All of them work but if I had to choose which belt worked the best with a heavy gun, it would be the Ultimate Gun Belt from A Better Belt USA. I have two, and their reinforced belt will give you the support you need for any weight handgun. I have the Buffalo belt in black and it is as good as it gets.
A_Better_Belt_USA.jpg
 
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