Best Gun Belt for Everyday Carry – IWB & OWB Belts Reviewed

When choosing your Everyday Carry items, the need for a reliable, light pistol and a sharp knife are self-evident. However, there are some pieces of gear that those new to concealed carrying sometimes overlook, such as a quality gun belt. If you purchased a pistol with the intent of daily carry, then you need to add the best gun belt available to provide a stable platform for your gear.

Our Roundup Of The 8 Best Gun Belts for Everyday Carry Reviewed

At face value, choosing a belt sounds pretty simple, right? While you certainly are not alone in this thinking, I can tell you that trusting that faux leather belt from the clearance rack to perform when it counts is a bad idea. That is why we have handpicked the 8 belts on our countdown, which are specifically designed to withstand the rigors of concealed carry and are built to last.

Guide to Buying Your EDC Gun Belt

Before making the final decision on which EDC belt you want, you should first have a pretty good idea of what gear you plan on carrying daily.

Your carry goals, your activity level, and your preferred wardrobe will also come into play. For example, if you live in a hot, humid climate, then you probably want to forego a belt that prevents you from wearing shorts.

What Makes a Good Gun Belt?

Simply put, a good gun belt is one that is durable and comfortable enough for your intended use. I’ve worn belts that were great when I was up and about, but not so comfortable if I was seated for long periods, such as when going for a long drive.

Striking the right balance with your belt choice is easier to achieve once you have picked your gun and decided what style of holster you want, but more on that in a bit. For now, we will look at two key factors that make a good gun belt, versatility, and quality of the material.

Versatility

No one wants to constantly swap out belts and or holsters for different settings or tasks. Doing so is not only tedious, but it can influence your effectiveness with your firearm in the event that you need to use it. By using the same gear setup and positioning all of the time, your draw and ability to get your weapon on target will be much smoother.

My favorite definition of the word versatility is the “ability to adapt or be adapted to many different functions”. With this definition in mind, a versatile EDC gun belt must be able to meet the needs of your lifestyle and allow you to freely transition between different settings or tasks.

Quality

Every single belt on our list is well made from quality materials. However, certain materials are better suited for some tasks than others. For example, a nylon belt is never going to blend in with those dress pants, no matter how cool the design may be. On the flip side, a leather belt cannot offer you the option of a quick disconnect buckle and will not be as rigid as a multi-layered nylon belt.

CCW Belt Considerations

Once you have a clear idea of what your goals are for your EDC Belt and have a clear idea of which holster style you would like to use, you can more easily choose a belt material and buckle style. The belt material and buckle will influence the versatility of your belt and how much gear you can attach to it.

Different Belt Material and Buckle Style

Making the right choice will give you a do-it-all belt while choosing wrong can leave you wanting a second belt. I don’t think that you can ever have too many options when it comes to guns, as long as you can maintain continuity in your carry configuration with both belt options. Not everyone shares my views though so we will help you narrow it down to the best pick for you, starting with the belt material.

Leather

There are a lot of great things to be said about a genuine leather EDC belt. As mentioned above in our look at the individual products, leather belts are extremely comfortable, and you are probably already accustomed to them since most people have been wearing belts their whole life anyway.

Leather EDC belts do not vary much from traditional leather belts, except that they typically include double stitching and may be slightly thicker to withstand the extra stress of carrying a holster. All of the leather belts on our list feature traditional brass buckles. I find that leather belts are best for OWB holsters, although they can be paired with IWB holsters also.

The main limitation of leather is the lack of a micro-adjustable quick-release buckle option, which can limit its usefulness for hiking and camping as it may shift somewhat when loaded with heavy amounts of gear. Since the notches on leather belts are fitted in 1″ increments, you could experience a less than ideal fit for these scenarios if you find yourself between notches.

Nylon

Nylon belts can be found in single-layered designs that are made for maximal comfort or multi-layered formats for an extra-rigid platform that can hold even the heaviest of equipment. Nylon belts with quick-release buckles are tough to beat in terms of fit because they allow for custom adjustments.

The simple slip-through style of buckles, such as the polymer one found on the Spec Ops belt, also allow for custom adjustments, they can gradually work themselves loose throughout your day. This generally happens when relatively heavy equipment is packed onto both sides of the belt as these items exert downward pressure on each side of the buckle. Spec Ops also added a knurled edge to the buckle to help overcome this common issue, but I would still recommend this belt be limited to one or two pieces of gear for ideal results.

The biggest drawback of nylon belts is that many have relatively large buckles compared to leather EDC belts. Smaller framed shooters rarely find this to be a problem. While I am a pretty active guy, I also like snacks. This means that the oversized buckles can jab into my abdomen when seated, which becomes uncomfortable throughout the day.

If you find yourself in the same boat, but prefer the benefits of a nylon gun belt, then I would recommend either the KORE or Jukmo belts. Both of these belts have buckles that are nearly flush to the band itself, which makes them extremely comfortable for all body types.

How to Get the Most Out of Your Gun Belt

A good EDC gun belt provides the foundation for all of your gear. Choosing the right belt will help you become more effective at carrying and deploying your pistol, but it will not suddenly make all of your other equipment better. To make the most out of your new belt, you need to pair it with other quality equipment.

Invest in a Solid Holster

One of the biggest mistakes that I see new gun owners make is with their choice of holster. Buying a junk holster can not only make carrying concealed uncomfortable, but it can be downright dangerous.

Holsters that are too large for your gun can allow them to slide down into the holster and make drawing difficult. They will also fail to retain your gun properly, potentially allowing it to slide out of the holster in certain positions. It is for these reasons that I recommend getting a genuine leather or Kydex holster that is the proper size for your EDC pistol.

When it comes to choosing a holster, you have the option between an IWB or OWB style for your new gun belt. Both can be great options and is largely a matter of personal preference. IWB holsters tend to be more low-profile and easier to conceal while OWB holsters have a fastening mechanism on either side of your pistol, making for a more secure fit.

How to Determine What Size Belt to Order

There are few things worse than receiving a new piece of gear, only to find out that you ordered the wrong size or style. While this is easily avoided with some items, such as selecting the handedness of your holster, you may be surprised to find out that many people botch their gun belt order by underestimating the extra length needed for their EDC gear.

The average OWB holster will only take up about 1-2″ of your belt, depending on what size pistol you are carrying. A full-sized pistol being carried in an IWB holster can require over 6″ of length, but smaller framed handguns should have plenty of room to spare with 6″ of excess belt length.

The easiest way to make sure you have the correct belt size is to simply add the needed length to your current pant size. For example, if your pants measurements are 34″, then you should get a belt that is at least 4″ bigger and up to 6″ bigger if you want to carry a full framed pistol on an IWB holster. This extra length should leave plenty of room for your equipment.

Built to Last

There are some great products featured on our list, but the Galco SB2 Sport Belt set itself apart by being more versatile and comfortable than its competitors. The SB2 can seamlessly blend with any clothing choice. Not only that, but the simple stitchwork and superb craftsmanship make it suitable for both IWB and OWB holster styles, giving you the flexibility to make changes to your EDC gear without needing a second belt.

It is rare that a gun belt outlasts your other equipment, but the SB2 has the potential to do just that. Chances are, you will be upgrading your pistol before you even need to think about replacing the SB2, which is one of many reasons that it is the best EDC gun belt on the market today.