The Nexbelt provides a comfortable feel with just the right amount of support.
Bob Frye/Everybody Adventures
So maybe flashy isn’t your style, on the gun range or anywhere else.
Incognito, that’s how you roll.
Well, try blending in when, at the firing line, your pants fall down around your ankles, weighed down by your handgun and holster. That’s hard to do.
A good, functional gun belt is the answer.
Finding one that fits, offers the right amount of support and still looks good enough to actually wear is tricky, though. I’ve cycled through more than a few over the years.
One I’ve tried lately, with good results, is the new offering from Nexbelt. The California-based company makes everyday carry belts that are both attractive and functional.
There’s one thing that really makes them unique, however. They have no holes.
The belt tightens and stays in place using a ratchet system.
The Nexbelt uses a ratchet system instead of holes.
Bob Frye/Everybody Adventures
I know what you’re thinking. That sounds almost, well, industrial. And truth be told, the belt clicks when you tighten it, as the metal tooth on the clasp runs over the plastic ridges on the belt’s underside.
But the no-holes design ultimately it lets you adjust your belt more precisely than probably ever before. Instead of holes one inch apart, the ratchet lets you tweak the fit in increments of one quarter inch.
That especially comes in handy if, say, you are switching from an outside the waistband to an inside the waistband holster. There’s less chance your gun will sag or your pants will cut off your air.
And these belts are made for those who carry a gun at least sometimes.
They’re not obviously tool belts, though, and not too obviously tactical. The company makes leather and fabric versions, both just shy of 1.5 inches wide. I wore a leather one for a few weeks.
It’s sturdy, certainly, but looks like any casual to slightly dressy belt does. It’s something you could wear, and carry a handgun, while still melting into the crowd, looks-wise, so to speak.
And that’s the goal most of the time, isn’t it?
When you get yours, cut it to fit. The company advises adding 4 inches to your pants size.
To be safe, though – like my old shop teacher advised – be conservative when cutting. You can always trim more off later, but you can’t add it back on.
That cut end goes into the buckle, hiding the trimmed edge. Meanwhile, as for the buckle itself, two stainless steel socket screws hold it in place, an upgrade over the original pins.
The belt clicks as you tighten it. To loosen it, or take it off, you use the knob — shaped sort of like a mini peanut — on the bottom edge. You lift up on that to raise the clasp’s tooth, then slide the belt out of the buckle.
It took a minute to get the feel of that. But once you do it a time or two, it’s quick and easy.
So all in all, this is a nice belt. It’s comfortable, does the job it’s meant to do and does it well, all while looking food. .
And that’s pretty good, right? If people said the same about me, well, that would be alright.
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