Be it a hunting trip into the mountains, or a simple trip to the grocery store, there is a real need for a stout, reliable and comfortable belt for concealed carry work. Such a belt should adequately support the holster and weight of the handgun, and also at times be stylish enough to be worn with semi-professional clothing. There are a host of concealed carry belts out there, ranging from rugged and functional nylon to fine leather to pure garbage.
These are the 4 we liked the most. They’re, in our humble opinion, the best CCW belts on the market.
The Ultimate Concealed Carry Belt
This is an absurdly high-rated product, which speaks volumes for the quality of this leather concealed carry belt. Made of top grade cowhide and built to look good and work hard, this belt (see full specs) will not sag or collapse under the weight of your concealed carry piece, mag pouches, or whatever other gear you might carry. When was the last time you saw a belt with a lifetime warranty? Yeah, me neither. Short of finding a custom leather worker who makes belts for the Pope or something (does the Pope wear belts?), you probably won’t find a better concealed carry belt, let alone one that is so dang affordable.
Blackhawk! Rigger’s Belt
This is as tacticool as it is practical. Perfect for casual wear or for your favorite set of door-kicking tactical pants, this nylon concealed carry belt is built for extreme performance and comfort. Leather is nice, but leather needs more care and upkeep than nylon. This 1.75” wide belt (see full specs) will firmly support all manner of gear, is fitted with parachute grade buckles, and comes in a number of sizes and popular colors like black and coyote tan. If you are after a high grade, high strength concealed carry belt that fits your active lifestyle, you would be well suited to consider this one. It’s one of the best CCW belts period.
Yisibo Tactical Belt
Yes, this is coming in at the bottom end of the price range for a good concealed carry belt, but it is a pretty decent little import. Similar in spirit to the Blackhawk belt, this one offers all the advantages of a nylon concealed carry belt, with the added function of MOLLE straps, pushing this into the realm of tactical if you wanted it to be.
Readily adaptable for any sort of mission or use, this will do the job for concealed carry use if you are pinching pennies or want to use common tactical accessories or military surplus pouches; it’s especially handy for a long hike or hunting trip. Either way, it’s affordable, functional, and will easily carry the weight of a concealed pistol. What’s not to love? It’s, bar none, one of the best CCW belts.
Mission Elite Web Belt
I just ordered one of these for two reasons. It’s inexpensive. It has no metal. The last time I had jury duty I went nuts taking my belt off several times a day. Something like this would have saved me a lot of aggravation. Honestly, I think that is the big advantage of this concealed carry belt.
The idea of a stout nylon strap is difficult to improve on, and we’ve already seen a couple. This is no different, except it hits the bottom end of a price point, while still being useful. But if you fly a lot or have to pass through metal detectors on a regular basis, pair this belt with a good paddle holster, and you can save yourself a lot of time and energy. Or heck, it’s a cheap belt that will last years—that alone is worth the bother isn’t it?
Picking the Right Belt
Choosing the best concealed carry belt is like choosing the best pair of shoes. Subjective, difficult at times and maybe ultimately requires two or three different ones. Obviously the first thing a good belt must be is wide. A 1” belt is just too narrow for all but the smallest handguns. You want something broad that can distribute the load across a larger area without sagging or warping the belt over time. 1.5 to 2 inches is pretty standard in that regard.
Most everyone loves a nice leather belt, and you should get one that is made of two layers of leather, with a top grain leather for the upper half; this provides both strength and good looks. Leather belts are traditional, but will wear in time and are not the best choice for heavy duty, unless you start investing in really high end belts, at which point you have as much of a status symbol as you do a top quality belt. This is fine for those who wish to invest the money, but not everyone does.
This brings us to nylon belts. Simple, strangely durable, rot proof and water resistant, these belts are the choice of professionals everywhere. A great many configurations for such a simple device exist, and choosing one is as much a matter of taste as it is budget. Their greatest advantage is the ability to make a very good belt at a very low price, as well as to custom fit any number of different buckles to them, which can increase wearer comfort, as well as enhance their utility.
Ultimately you may find yourself with a leather belt for days you need or want something nice, and a nylon belt for more casual or duty use, depending on your needs. Just as there is no one right way to conceal carry a pistol, there is no one right concealed carry belt. The market is flooded with choices, but some stand out so clearly as to be obviously some of the best CCW belts on the market today.
