Consensus on Belts

[AR_Six]

Well, having just gone through a forum search for about an hour I am still left with a simple question:

Who makes the quintessential reasonably-priced, nice-looking, will-last-you-forever belt?

There is certainly some consensus on go-to shoe brands (AE, Alden etc) if one is looking for something basic and well made that can be had at a discount from ebay or elsewhere. But what about belts? It seems to me that more than any other accessory it's important to have a well made belt, having had more than a few fall apart on me while I was wearing them (which can be downright embarrassing). Geoffrey Beene, Buffalo, Kenneth Cole, and other similarly "mall brand" belts (as well as one Armani) have been permanently separated from their buckles or otherwise eviscerated through wear and tear.

I currently own only one solid "dressy" belt (Ted Baker) and one black Diesel belt I use for work (which has taken an absolute pounding and is still going strong, but isn't versatile like the Ted Baker, which I could wear with a pair of dark jeans and a shirt, or a suit). I figure I need at least two more ASAP, one black and one in a medium brown. And I would like longevity, by which I mean, for them to be dependable for more than a year or two.

Is there any consensus on the source for such a thing?

(PS - I'm in Vancouver, if I could buy them locally that would be good, so if anyone knows a retailer around here...)

 

[Deluks917]

I don't know about a consensus but I know many of people here have posted that they've had good experiences with belts from Banana Republic and its ilk. I think for a plain black belt they're a pretty decent place to go as stylistically there isn't much of a difference between BR and Hermes. I suggest BR for the black "dressy" one.

As for the casual brown I don't think they're gonna be a consensus as you can get some nice visual punch if your willing to spend the money. For what its worth I've had some luck with ebay sellers when it came to brown belts though; try the Amish made stuff. If you happen to wanna spend a fortune I'd look at samurai.

 

[AR_Six]

It's not stylistically I'm particularly worried about; most black belts look basically the same. Even my Diesel just looks like a wide black belt, and if anyone's going to screw up a belt with detailing, it's Diesel. My main concern is them not exploding on me, since so many have. That same Diesel belt would no longer exist had it been made by, say, Tommy Hilfiger. So is the durability on BR a point in its favour?

 

[Deluks917]

Originally Posted by JD_May

It's not stylistically I'm particularly worried about; most black belts look basically the same. Even my Diesel just looks like a wide black belt, and if anyone's going to screw up a belt with detailing, it's Diesel. My main concern is them not exploding on me, since so many have. That same Diesel belt would no longer exist had it been made by, say, Tommy Hilfiger. So is the durability on BR a point in its favour?

I think that outside of something ridiculous happening a BR belt would almost certainly be fine and I find them quite affordable. So yeah.

 

[xchen]

Blowouts usually happen on 2-ply belts. I'm not sure if this is a sign of a cheaper belt. I got a 1-ply leather Levi's belt that was really soft and it held up great. Right now I use a 1-ply Tanner belt and aside from the normal arcing it's held up great.

 

[cookieoflife]

If you've had genuine leather belts fall apart on you, I have no idea what to say, other than that strapping 100lb anvils to your belt is probably not healthy. Cheap belts are generally synthetic, and thus with enough wear and tear, will dry, crease, and eventually break. If you want a thick, cheapish belt, Carhartt makes some rather thick belts. On the slightly higher end, my LGC has been very good to me. I hear Tanner also makes a good belt.

Best of luck.

 

[j]

The belts I've gotten from BR have held up pretty well. I got one at a thrift shop that needed a fix to the stitching at the buckle, but I did that myself and it's fine now. I actually like the styling of it, it has a copper buckle with double prongs and copper grommeted double holes. A little industrial looking, but not OTT. They actually probably have better streetwear belts than most streetwear shops do IMO.

Anyway, my go to belts are the EG quick release ones in brown and navy, they go with almost anything but a suit.

Oh, a couple more suggestions to add to the pile, Filson, Red Wing, and do a search for some other ones.

 

[lost in va]

http://www.tannergoods.com/

While I have no personal experience (just haven't decided on what two colors I want) they seem to be of decent quality at a pretty low price point.

 

[drizzt3117]

I'm pretty sure it's nearly impossible to break one of those Red Wing belts from Working People...

 

[Sylvr]

another vote for red wing. looks great with very nice construction and material at $30-$50.

 

[AR_Six]

Originally Posted by cookieoflife

If you've had genuine leather belts fall apart on you, I have no idea what to say, other than that strapping 100lb anvils to your belt is probably not healthy.
Oh so that's what the problem is. Honestly it's usually not the quality of the leather so much as the buckle's integration with the belt being shoddily done. The leather on cheap belts does sometimes crack, but that's a "No worries, I can replace this sometime in the next couple weeks, I got it for 20 dollars anyway" problem. The buckle suddenly exploding / breaking free of the belt, meanwhile, is a "what am I going to do for the rest of the day" problem.

 

[Mbogo]

Second LGC. If a buckle breaks off one of those, it would only be because of TEOTWAWKI.

(I like the gruff LGC guy better than the slightly pompous Tanner/Hecklewood outfit. He offers a lot more choices, and for less money, too. He just seems more professional, and really knows his product.)

David

 

[brad-t]

Looking for a men's belt in size 28. Smallest I can ever find is 30/32. My waist is 27-28.

 

[headtotoe]

Originally Posted by lost in va

http://www.tannergoods.com/ While I have no personal experience (just haven't decided on what two colors I want) they seem to be of decent quality at a pretty low price point.
Do these belts stretch with repeated wearing? Mine are short - order long if you are wondering. Alslo, will they soften up over time so that the belt lays flat over the buckle? edit to post my findings - I onn 2 of these Tanner belts. Yes, they stretch slightly and are no longer short, but just right. Also, the material is beginning to lay flatter and nicely over the buckle. Super nice belts - I like 'em!

 

[j]

Originally Posted by Mbogo

Second LGC. If a buckle breaks off one of those, it would only be because of TEOTWAWKI.

(I like the gruff LGC guy better than the slightly pompous Tanner/Hecklewood outfit. He offers a lot more choices, and for less money, too. He just seems more professional, and really knows his product.)

David

to "TEOTWAWKI" + the avatar. You got an extra LGC in your BOB?