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By Monica Newman | Pinot+Pistols

Building a solid foundation for effective, comfortable, and safe concealment is absolutely essential, both in regards to your skillset and your gear! In this article, we’re going to talk about one very important piece of gear that can make or break your concealed carry game: the belt.

Beginners and experienced concealed carriers alike have been known to carry with a standard belt from their favorite clothing store, or even no belt at all, not realizing the benefits that come along with using a belt specifically made for concealed carry. All belts are not created equal! 

There are literally thousands of belts out there and many “beltless” concealed carry options, so why should you consider adding a belt to your everyday carry and what should you look for? What factors come into play when it comes to your everyday carry (EDC) belt?

What to Look for in an EDC belt

Narrowing down your search for an EDC belt can be quite a task with so many options on the market. Specific requirements will make your search easier and will allow you to easily rule out inadequate options. Here are a few things to look for and why.

1. A belt specifically made for concealed carry

Most standard belts are made simply to look nice and maybe to help keep your pants up. They are not designed to support the weight of your concealed carry setup, and the waistband of your pants probably isn’t designed to do so either. With a standard belt, you may struggle to achieve effective concealment simply because your belt can’t hold up your gear.

The most common complaint I hear is wearing a belt while concealed carrying can be very uncomfortable, and this complaint usually comes from those not wearing a belt intended for concealed carry. With a belt not designed to support the weight of your EDC, you’ll have to crank the belt down super tight in order to keep your EDC in place and achieve mildly effective concealment. That can be pretty darn uncomfortable!

A belt made for concealed carry secured in place by belt loops will provide the most effective, safe, and comfortable concealment possible. Belts that are designed to support the weight of your everyday carry won’t sag, twist, or stretch with the extra weight. It will also enable your holster’s concealment and attachment features to be effective. You’ll achieve more effective concealment and more comfortable concealment and a proper concealed carry belt.

A concealed carry belt, like Blue Alpha’s Hybrid or Low Profile EDC belt, paired with a proper attachment system on your holster also ensures that your concealed carry setup stays put as you go about your day. This is critical from a safety and concealment perspective! If your firearm is flopping around, shifting or tilting thanks to an inadequate or nonexistent belt, not only will you struggle with effective concealment, but you may be faced with potential safety hazards as well. Keep your entire setup secure with a quality belt made for concealed carry.

2. Thick, sturdy material that won’t twist, stretch, or sag

Flimsy or stretchy materials won’t do you any favors when it comes to concealment. If the belt can easily twist or stretch, chances are that belt won’t be strong enough to support your EDC and won’t enable your holster’s concealment features to be effective—most concealment features, such as a wing or wedge, rely on a sturdy substrate to be effective. Flimsy or stretchy materials simply can’t and won’t enable effective concealment. In addition, stretchy and flimsy materials will break down quickly under the stress of your EDC, and you’ll have to replace those belts often as a result.

Your best bet will be to look for a concealed carry belt made with a thick, sturdy material, such as the double-layered nylon webbing of Blue Alpha’s Hybrid and Low Profile EDC belts. Material that won’t twist, stretch, or sag will provide the most effective and safe concealment, and will save you money in the long run!

3. Color and style that seamlessly blends in with your wardrobe

Like anything when it comes to concealed carry, the goal is to blend in and make your EDC undetectable. A flashy belt, massive belt buckles, or bedazzling will only draw attention to the area where your EDC is hiding. Avoid drawing the eye to this area by choosing a belt in a color and style that seamlessly blends in with your wardrobe. The Blue Alpha Hybrid and Low Profile EDC belts are offered in neutral colors that will easily blend in, including black, coyote brown, OD green, and wolf gray.

4. A buckle that can fit through your belt loops and is easy for you to operate

There is nothing more frustrating than a belt buckle that doesn’t fit through your belt loops. It makes the whole process of getting your EDC on, going to the bathroom, or taking your EDC off at the end of the day a major pain. Make your everyday carry simple and remove unnecessary complications with a belt and buckle that can easily fit through your belt loops! 

You’ll also want to make sure your belt buckle is easy for you to operate. If you can’t easily operate your buckle, it will just add another layer of frustration to your concealed carry routine. Go easy on yourself and reduce any unnecessary complications with one of Blue Alpha’s EDC belts, which offer two different types of closures and a 1.5” belt that will fit through the loops on most pants.

Overview of Blue Alpha’s EDC Belts

There is nothing more frustrating than a belt buckle that doesn’t fit through your belt loops. It makes the whole process of getting your EDC on, going to the bathroom, or taking your EDC off at the end of the day a major pain. Make your everyday carry simple and remove unnecessary complications with a belt and buckle that can easily fit through your belt loops! 

You’ll also want to make sure your belt buckle is easy for you to operate. If you can’t easily operate your buckle, it will just add another layer of frustration to your concealed carry routine. Go easy on yourself and reduce any unnecessary complications with one of Blue Alpha’s EDC belts, which offer two different types of closures and a 1.5” belt that will fit through the loops on most pants.

Now that you know what to look for (and what to avoid), let’s dig into the specifics on Blue Alpha’s EDC belts.

Hybrid EDC Belt

The Hybrid EDC Belt is a 1.5” inch belt made of double-layered, high quality nylon webbing, resulting in a thick (but not too thick), sturdy belt—a solid backbone to support all your concealed carry gear. This belt is offered in four discrete colors: black, coyote brown, OD green, and wolf gray. The belt includes a velcro strap to allow for sizing adjustments.

This belt is called “Hybrid” because it features a unique Hybrid COBRA® buckle. Unlike a standard COBRA® buckle, the hybrid version has a smaller female buckle that can easily fit through your belt loops. The COBRA® buckle is designed to support load—a great option to support your EDC— and has a locking system to prevent any accidental unbuckling. The male buckle locks into place within the female buckle and cannot be released with outward tension on the belt. To unbuckle the belt, relieve the outward tension by pressing the two sides of the buckle together and then pinch the clips to release.

Low Profile EDC Belt

Similar to the Hybrid EDC belt, the Low Profile EDC belt is a 1.5” inch belt made of double-layered, high quality nylon webbing, also offered in four discrete colors: black, coyote brown, OD green, and wolf gray. This belt includes a low profile polymer buckle. The end of the belt will feed through the buckle and hook and loop onto itself, offering easy size adjustments and easy operation, particularly for those that may have a hard time operating a COBRA® buckle.

The Low Profile EDC belt is a fantastic option for those that experience fluctuations in their body throughout the day or month, or who wear different rises of pants that require different belt sizes (ladies, you know what I’m talking about!). Its minimalist design blends in well and keeps your EDC super simple!

All Blue Alpha belts are American made in Newnan, Georgia, and are backed up by a lifetime warranty! They also offer custom sizing if you require a belt larger or smaller than the standard options on their site. Got questions? Email Blue Alpha at info@BlueAlpha.us or call customer service at (678) 961-3304.

About the author

Hi, I’m Monica! Pinot+Pistols is about two of my favorite hobbies: wine and guns. I started Pinot+Pistols as a way to share my journey through Oregon’s Willamette Valley (known for Pinot Noir), as well as my journey into gun ownership, concealed carrying, and self reliance.  My goal is to make the topics of wine and guns as approachable as possible. Both of these worlds can be quite intimidating—there are so many experts out there and so much to learn! By sharing my journey with you and what I learn along the way, I hope that I can encourage you to expand your knowledge and capabilities in a way that is attainable, fun, and safe.

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