How exactly does a gunbelt help?

[My870inVT]

This is a serious question. I have been carrying for a few months now. I have a galco IWB holster (outside belt clip type) that sits low in my waistband at almost exactly 6 O'clock. It's not comfy anywhere else. I usually wear jeans, not as high up (belly button) and by no means gangster. I wear a belt that is about 1 1/2 inches wide and fairly thick leather. For the most part I like my set up and I can live with it, but I'm stuck in between two styles of dress/carry.

If I want my holster to feel 100% secure and pressed tight enough against my body to be concealed in any dress attire, I have to tichten my belt really tight and pull my pants up uncomfortably high. I'll usually fo this when wearing lighter clothes to make sure that the handle of my SIGMA is pressed nice and tight into the small of my back at 6 oclock.

BUT, If I dont want a dang gun poking me in the back and feeling like my pants are way too tight, I'll loosen up my belt and let my pants sit comfortably just below my hips. the only problem with this is that the handle of my gun will print REALLY bad when i lean forward.

My question is, Does a real gunblelt relieve these problems by keeping the gun closer to my body while still being comfortable? Or is the problem actually my holster?

 

[Kyo]

could be both.
a gun belt helps because it stays in its form even after you have a 2lb+ gun on it all day long every day for ever. Could be your holster as well. Never know. A gun belt made all the difference for me. Still comfortable for casual wear, but great for the gun added to it through the holster

 

[Huevos]

I agree with Kyo. A (good) holster is only half of a carry system. A good gun belt is paramount if you carry all day. I've only owned Milt Sparks gun belts. I wear it all the time, gun or not, they are as or more comfortable as any belt I've ever had, even when brand new. Besides the fact that they can make a 5" 1911 feel as light as a Kahr. Sparks makes a pretty good holster too....

 

[Sarge43]

A good gun belt will resist twisting and also won't "sag" as most of your average normal belts will. I was reminded of this over the holiday break when I threw my VMII holster carrying my Bill Wilson Carry on in a hurry to make a supply run. I was in my shop jeans and belt and just put the rig on the went. I was almost instantly reminded of how a wimpy belt is not good for carry. I was constantly adjusting the rig from getting in the car, to getting out, to walking. It just didn't feel right or solid. Funny, as I carried on that very belt for a few months before getting my current dedicated belt, and it never seemed to bother me before. It's not that you CAN'T carry with a regular belt, it's just that carrying with a true dedicated gun belt is so much better.
Good luck!
Sarge

 

[AK103K]

Could be you too. You may need to experiment more and let your body adjust to the gun being there. That shouldnt take "months" though.

A couple of things thing about belts. The traditional leather type are very nice, and good ones offer good support, but their downside is those little holes in the front that force you to pick one or the other, which very often gives you a fit thats either to tight on one, or to loose on another, and really doesnt give you any leeway when your weight and/or clothing cause you to need to make minor adjustments. A belt like The Widerness "Instructors" belt is adjustable through its entire size range, and lets you get just the right tension. The only real downside to them is, they are not as dressy, and tend to stand out more as a gun belt, than some of the leather ones, although some of the leather ones are pretty obvious too.

Width of the belt also can make a big difference. I find the 1 3/4" belts to be more comfortable and do a better job. Downside to them though can be finding pants with the right size loops, and again, they tend to add to the gun belt look.

The most comfortable IWB type holsters I've found so far, are the ones set up like the Milt Sparks VMII's. The spread the bulk out, which also helps reduce the bulge, as well as make the holster very solid on your belt and you generally dont get any movement. Next would be the Blade Tech IWB type with the pull dot loops, similar to the Galco Royal Guard. I find the Blade Tech works better though, as you can change the angle on the loops and it helps stop shifting. You cant do that on the Galco type that are not movable. The clip in type holsters generally dont give the support, stability, or security the other two do.

If your just starting out, I think you're going to find this is going to be a long and ever changing trip, with lots of side stops, and you may never ever find exactly what your looking for.

EBay is a good place to sell what doesnt work for you, and find "good" things others had the same problem with that you might want to try, for less money to boot. You can always sell them again if they dont work out. At least this way you can recover some money, and they dont sit unused in a "holster" box.

 

[CWPinSC]

Sounds like you might need another holster and/or carry position. Figure out what is uncomfortable and why - and then fix it. A gun belt may not be really thick or wide, but it WILL be vegetable-cured and VERY stiff so as to not let the holster/gun sag away from the body. It doesn't need to be tight to do this. I have a belly and like to wear my belt tight under it, so it didn't take long for me to decide that OWB strong side was my preferred method of carry. I experimented with belt slide and paddle and settled on paddle for the ease of on/off. I keep a belt slide handy for those days I'm wearing from sunup to sundown and don't need to take it off. I like Kydex, and also the yaqui-type leather. For me, the smaller the holster is, the better.

Try different things until you hit on what works for you.

 

[peejman]

I used to carry at 6:00 and had all the problems you describe. I read lots of info here and other places and made the following changes...

I bought a Beltman belt, a better holster (Crossbreed), pants 2" bigger in the waist, and moved my carry position to 4:00. All day comfort and printing is minimal.

If you want to carry at 6:00, you have to learn to squat. Printing while bending over is inevitable.

 

[cz223]

The holster

is a big part of the problem, probably bigger than the belt. With the combo of holster and belt that you have got now I am sure that the gun moves around on you especially if you go from sitting to walking etc. The problem with a single clip holster like that is that that the only thing that determines the angle at which the gun sits is gravity. A good holster with two loops or clips in conjuction with a good sturdy belt holds the gun at a more comfortable angle and distributes the weight more evenly.

 

[output]

Gun belts make a huge difference. The problem with using regular belts is that they were designed for regular duty which is basically to hold clothing up that is not weighed down with gear. Regular belts do fine if your pockets are empty or you are just carrying around your wallet and such. Most are also single ply or made of thin material…both of which usually stretch, especially when weighed down with a pistol, mags, wallet, phone, keys, etc… A gun belt is designed to support weight. Gun belts are thicker, stronger, and usually are very hard to stretch (which is important for proper fit) all of which makes carrying easier. Your belt should not have a lot of movement it in at all or stretch. I don’t carry often since I can’t carry in my home state but I always wear my gun belt and I am not an expert by any means. I hope that helped a little.