- Best OverallReinforced Power Core keeps both nylon and leather belts rigid and compatible with other tactical gear.
- Best Value for PriceStainless steel buckle and ripstop strap fabric stand up to intensive everyday use.
- Best VersatileAerospace aluminum buckle and foam padded strap perfect for intensive and extended operational use.
- Best for DutySynthetic LCS strap and extensive MOLLE and scuba webbing suitable for a full tactical setup.
- Best Battle BeltNon-traditionally designed with ease of use and carrying capacity at the forefront.
- Best for Dress UpDurable and wear-resistant leather strap with limited real-world tactical functionality.
- Best BudgetConstructed with tough nylon and hardy plastic buckle going at an affordable price.
If you have a gun as an everyday carry (EDC), you know that a good gun belt becomes an essential gear. You need something that will not only allow you to conceal-carry your sidearm, but also the other tactical equipment that you need to get the job done. Run-of-the-mill belts just don’t cut it.
There are many different gun belts out there, and they’re all fairly inexpensive. However, the cheaper options may need regular replacements.
To help you decide on the best gun belt, here is a list of the premium products available on the market today.
Best Overall: Kore Tactical Gun Belt
- Bundle option saves money
- Excellent materials
- Different buckle options
- Carries a heavy load
- Spring-loaded design
- Garrison buckle option is slightly too wide
Purpose of Use
The two belts in this bundle are meant for separate uses; don’t worry if you don’t worry if you do not need both at the same time. The nylon Kore 2.0 is a cutting-edge tactical belt meant for use in the field and tandem with other tactical equipment.
The leather belt, on the other hand, is ideal for everyday casual use. It’s still fully functional, but we don’t recommend it if you plan to use it to an operational capacity.
Material & Durability
Depending on which option you choose, you can have this belt in either nylon or leather. Both are high-quality. However, the leather belt is not designed for use in the field. If you’re a police officer or require an EDC tactical belt for your job, then you should probably go for the nylon option.
Both belts feature a Reinforced Power-Core Center, which does a good job of supporting the maximum carrying capacity (four pounds for the leather option and eight pounds for the nylon). You won’t have to worry about the bad boys dropping and your weapon being out of reach.
Buckle Types
While the Kore 2.0 belts don’t share the same strap material, they do have the same options of incredibly durable belt buckles. The ratcheting gun buckle is 4.5 x 6cm, big enough to carry the weight, yet small enough not to get in the way of a quick draw of your sidearm.
These buckles are unique in the patented Kore design, spring-loaded to ensure the fastening system doesn’t jam up. It features teeth that hold the buckle securely in place while giving it the flexibility to adjust the size quickly. Depending on the model, you can have it made with a highly durable zinc alloy or stainless steel.
Max Capacity
The Kore 2.0’s interchangeable design allows you to clip any 1.5” wide EDC holsters and buckles, meaning you can play around with what feels right for you. You can comfortably fit up to two firearms and other tactical gear on the nylon belt, but the leather won’t stand up to as much extra equipment.
Additionally, these belts give you a ton of room to adjust your EDC fit. The hidden track located under the strap comes with more than forty sizing options, an incredible feat for a length of only 10”.
Best Value for Price: 5.11 Trainer Belt
- Ripstop material
- Highly durable and flexible nylon
- Inexpensive
- Sizing runs small
- Velcro is quite loud
- Limited carry capacity
Purpose of Use
The 5.11 Trainer Belt is a fantastic EDC option designed to be both functional and casual. You can wear it comfortably on the job or at home. It also converts into a carry strap, tie-down, or emergency harness in a pinch.
If you’re a police officer, you might be worried about the functionality aspect. To put your fears to rest, we loaded it up with the standard police issue equipment you might carry and it performed beautifully.
Material & Durability
In terms of materials, the nearly impervious nylon mesh is ripstop, featuring heavy stitch reinforcements that prevent cuts from penetrating the fabric. It’s also incredibly comfortable, holding everything you need without sagging or cutting into your waist.
Buckle Types
The belt buckle is similarly high-quality, made from strong stainless steel forged from a single billet, meaning it keeps its form and strength longer than many of its competitors. It features a standard tactical hook and loop closure system, while incorporating velcro to keep the belt from moving or coming out.
Max Capacity
Realistically, you’ll only be able to carry your sidearm and standard police gear with this tactical gun belt. However, if you’re looking to use it for casual shooting or dress-up, you can easily forgo the other gear and strap on a second gun holster. However, the gun belt might start to sag a bit as it will probably be beyond its 5.11-pound weight capacity.
Best Versatile: Helikon-Tex Cobra Range Belt
- Very durable
- Plenty of customization options
- Small but great buckle
- MOLLE-compatible
- Sizing runs big for standard belts
- Too thick for certain brands of tactical gear
- Not strong enough for emergency climbing
Purpose of Use
This is an all-purpose tactical gun belt. If you need to use it on the job, either as a law enforcement officer or private contractor, you can fit all the tactical gear you need and then some.
However, you can also use it for competition shooting or casual wear if you so choose. Additionally, being an incredibly subtle belt, you can wear it casually if you choose not to bring your sidearm with you.
Material & Durability
Made from laser-cut 500D Cordura nylon, this belt can take a beating. It will bend but it won’t stay bent. This means if you are using some gear that would damage a lesser belt, this one remains fully operational.
Buckle Types
Featuring the seminal Cobra buckle, The Helkon-Tex Modular Range Belt uses a quick release system to get your gear on and off quickly and efficiently.
The belt also features a non-slip comfort pad, competition inner belt, and suspenders so you can compensate for any sag, especially if you load it up with a ton of gear.
Max Capacity
What makes this tactical gun belt stand out from the rest of the pack is the unique PALS/MOLLE-compatible external layer. You can incorporate any modular pouches or clip-on relatively easily and you can adjust their positions as you deem fit.
However, the gun belt is fairly thin, so we recommend loading only one sidearm onto it. Otherwise, you run the risk of the belt sagging or scraping your side.
Best for Duty: Condor LCS Cobra Gun Belt
- Interlaced MOLLE webbing
- Heavy-load capacity
- Sleek design
- Durable buckle
- Scuba webbing vulnerable to ripping and slashing
- Does too much to warrant casual use
Purpose of Use
The Condor Outdoor LCS Cobra Tactical Belt is designed with a specific purpose in mind: tactical and survival operations. We found the MOLLE-laced strap incredibly appealing, featuring laser-cut edges completely compatible with all of our modular pouches.
As such, this is a belt for law enforcement, military personnel, or private defense contractors. However, if you don’t plan to use it in the field, then you might find the customization a bit excessive for your purposes.
Material & Durability
Manufactured using the same 7075 military-grade aluminum alloy used in ships and airplanes, you can be sure that this belt performs under pressure. Adding to its overall durability, the synthetic LCS material strap is slightly stretchy and flexible while remaining sturdy around the waist.
Despite its strength, it’s incredibly lightweight, allowing you to load up with some of the heavier side arms and tactical gear.
Buckle Types
The centerpiece of the LCS Cobra Tactical belt is the Cobra belt buckle, specially designed for quick-release functions in tactical settings. The two clasps at either end slide perfectly into place every time and, surprisingly, don’t pose a risk of snapping your finger now and then.
Max Capacity
Since this gun belt has both MOLLE tactical webbing plus an added layer of scuba webbing, it’s not surprising that it can carry more than its weight. For most tactical gun belts, that’s a double-edged sword. While a higher max capacity is good, it can also cause sagging and hip pain. The Condor solves this with a removable rubber pad which helps take some of the pressure off your waist.
Best Battle Belt: Elite Survival Systems Battle Belt
- Very easy to strap on
- Great storage capacity
- Comfortable and durable material
- MOLLE system
- CopLok buckle can be tricky to remove
- Sizing is inexact
- Smooth material tends to slide
Purpose of Use
This is a tactical gun belt almost exclusively serving its purpose in the field. It won’t be used for competitions or dress-ups, in most cases. The MOLLE system is designed for integrated use with other tactical gear, and as such, this is a gun belt meant to be taken to a gunfight.
Material & Durability
Made of a comfortable 1000 denier nylon material, this gun belt is almost entirely resistant to slashing and stretching. After pushing it to its limits, we found that the nylon had zero fraying at the seams and almost no fading after exposure to the elements and certain chemicals.
Buckle Types
What makes the Elite Survival Systems Sidewinder Battle Belt unique is the fact that from the outside, it doesn’t seem like it has a belt buckle. However, the truth is that the “buckle” is made up of various external and internal parts. The internal waist belt features a durable three-point CopLok locking buckle, while the external strap is secured by a sophisticated velcro tracking system.
Max Capacity
Fantastic PALS panels give you the ability to attach both MOLLE and belt-clip storage pouches, giving you a range of options to customize your setup. It can carry two standard magazines, one sidearm, and a few pieces of tactical gear without suffering any impairment to its functionality. Also, the foam padding on the internal and external layers makes it extremely comfortable to load up.
Best for Dress Up: Poyolee Leather Gun Belt
- High-quality leather material
- Excellent daily use
- Inexpensive
- Not nearly as durable as competitors
- Fairly low maximum capacity
- Sizing runs large
Purpose of Use
To be fair, not many leather belts are used in the field nowadays. If you want to show off your sidearm and some extra gear, or plan to have a role-playing session for airsoft, then this is the belt for you.
Material & Durability
Since this gun belt is made from two layers of full-grain leather, you can guess that it’s quite comfortable. However, leather isn’t nearly as durable as nylon or a similar synthetic material. As such, this belt is definitely prone to wear and tear over time. If it’s taken a beating, then it won’t last as long as you would expect.
Buckle Types
This is the only gun belt on this ranking to feature a standard hold belt buckle. It’s perfectly functional and looks like you could use it as an average belt if you didn’t want to bring your sidearm that day. However, it won’t be as functional as cobra or belt and loop buckles, but will still serve its purpose.
Max Capacity
The leather material of this gun belt means that it isn’t necessarily a tactical belt. It doesn’t have MOLLE webbing that would increase its carry capacity. However, in terms of everyday wear belts capacity, it can hold more than average. You can load up two sidearms or a single sidearm and a few clips, and the belt won’t sag or bend.
Best Budget: 5.11 TDU Belt
- High-quality fabric
- Ripstop qualities
- Compatible with various tactical gear
- Very Affordable
- Plastic belt buckle
- Not as comfortable as others
- Below average weight capacity
Purpose of Use
As with most 5.11 products, this budget gun belt is a fairly standard patrol or tactical belt. Because the comfort and ease of use aren’t up to the standards set by more expensive gun belts, we wouldn’t recommend using this one for shooting competitions or proper tactical operations.
Material & Durability
Made from highly durable nylon webbing, the 5.11 TDU is surprisingly sturdy for a budget gun belt. The fabric has ripstop qualities that prevent excessive fraying at the ends of the threading, a problem many gun belts have to face eventually.
Buckle Types
This gun belt features a fairly average loop and rod-style buckle, with a tension rod securing the strap in place. It’s easy to use and keep the belt from moving around adequately enough to warrant daily use.
However, one drawback is the fact that the belt buckle is made from hard plastic. While it’s durable enough for everyday use, it won’t stand up to the damage it might take from a combat or survival situation.
Max Capacity
The belt strap is a standard 1.5” width, compatible with most tactical gear storage pouches and clips that you may wish to carry along. However, it is a budget gun belt, so it’s not surprising that it can’t hold as much as some of its competitors. You’ll be able to comfortably carry your sidearm and two or three pieces of light tactical equipment, but not much more than that.
The Ultimate Gun Belt Buying Guide
Before you strap on a new gun belt, there are a few things to keep in mind while you’re shopping around. Here, we’ve outlined the key features you need to consider before making a purchase.
Purpose of Use
One of the most important factors to consider when buying a gun belt is what you’re going to use it for. While you might think that everyone uses gun belts for concealed carry, there are actually more specific activities that many gun belts cater towards.
Let’s talk about concealed carry. If you have a license to carry a concealed sidearm, you’re going to need a gun belt, no questions asked. As such, you need a belt that’s comfortable and fits your personal style, concealing your sidearm under whatever clothes you wear.
However, if you’re looking for a gun belt for something like competitive shooting, then the level of concealment isn’t going to matter as much. You’ll mostly need to think about the ergonomics of reaching for your sidearm, as well as the speed and efficiency at which you can do it.
Many of you may need a gun belt for the line of duty. Whether you’re a cop, military personnel, or private contractor, your gun belt needs to match the requirements of your job and uniform.
On the other hand, some people only want a gun belt for show. That means that the practicality of using the belt or concealing their sidearm might not matter as much. It could be that you only care about the aesthetic of the gun belt, so you should think about the material and design more than the practicality of using it.
Material & Durability
Your potential gun belt’s material will obviously determine how comfortable and durable it might be. Poor-quality material can lead to chafing and quick degradation of the belt’s integrity. Thus, you should buy a belt made from high-quality materials that will last over time.
While you can find gun belts made from exotic or specialist materials such as crocodile or snakeskin, most belts aren’t made from such fancy stuff. A majority of the gun belts you will find are made from either leather, nylon, or a mix of both.
Leather belts are typically more comfortable. They’re more malleable to the user’s waist and accessories, molding to fit the ideal shape as you continuously wear it. However, leather is also extremely susceptible to the elements. Too much water damages and the glue and seams might come apart, leaving you without a gun holster when you may need it most.
Nylon, on the other hand, is a much more durable material than leather. It’s designed to withstand slashing and cutting damage, as well as sustain a beating from the elements. However, it’s not usually as comfortable as leather might be. Try to strike a balance between comfort and durability, and you should be happy with your gun belt for years to come.
Another big qualifier for gun belts is whether or not they have a steel core. Steel core gun belts have a thin layer of steel between the two pieces of leather or nylon laminate that keeps the belt stiff and secure. While belts with no steel core are perfectly serviceable for most sidearms, you’ll need a steel core belt if you have a heavier firearm or more equipment. The steel core will keep the equipment stable, and also support the weight more than the average belt.
Buckle Types
While you might think that all belts have similar buckle types, the reality is that there are several different types of belt buckles available today, especially for tactical and gun belts. The gun belt buckle types below are the most common in the market:
- Standard Hole – These are the types of buckles you’ll find on the standard, run-of-the-mill belt buckle. It has a series of holes located horizontally along the belt strap that you can use to adjust the waistband size to fit you accordingly.
- Military Slide – This type of buckle uses a roller that the unfinished end of the belt strap slides under, which secures the strap as necessary. You can make more incremental or minor adjustments to a military slide buckle than a standard hole, however, it might become undone more easily if the friction bar comes loose.
- Quick Release – Also known as a Cobra buckle named after the company that first made them, quick-release buckles use an intricate system of clasps and loops to keep the strap as secure as possible. It’s nearly impossible for it to come loose once it’s been secured. Also, tabs allow you to quickly undo the belt with just a touch, hence the name “quick-release.”
- V-Ring – Essentially a mix between the military slide and quick-release buckle, a V-ring buckle uses a tension rod to secure the belt strap in place. Generally, these tend to slide with heavier equipment than other buckle types.
Max Capacity
Quite often, especially for cops and military contractors, one sidearm isn’t enough. Your gun belt has to be able to carry everything you need for the task at hand, including an extra sidearm and additional tactical equipment. In this way, your typical gun belt won’t be enough to handle what you need.
Some gun belts might have MOLLE compatibility, meaning they have tactical storage options for various pieces of equipment. You can weave specialized straps into the belt to allow easy access to the tools you need to complete the job, including things like a flashlight, tactical knife, gloves, or multi-tools.
While MOLLE-weaving might allow you to strap on an additional gun holster to your belt, some gun belts already have an extra holster incorporated into the design. You won’t have to purchase another storage pouch for the backup sidearm, as it’s already included with the belt.
Even if you have another holster or good MOLLE for your gun belt, it might not be enough to carry more sidearms or equipment. This is because the belt’s materials lack enough sturdiness or durability to carry more than the standard sidearm. Steel core belts might solve this problem but always look for a belt with a higher weight capacity than average if you plan on carrying more than one sidearm.