Spats McGee
Administrator
Caveats: First, the views expressed are mine, and mine alone. They do not reflect those of The Firing Line, SWAT magazine, or any other affiliated organization. Second, it's going to sound like I work for Beltman, but I don't. I have no affiliation with the company, aside from being a customer.
When I started carrying ~7 years ago, I bought an Aker B21. She has served me well, and got 3-5 days of wear per week, so I can’t complain. However, she was showing enough wear that I decided that it was time to replace her.
And so my quest began . . . . If you’ve followed many of my “gear threads,” you already know that I’m a voracious researcher. (As an aside, Mrs. McGee just about choked me when I wanted a pair of Timberland boots about 20 years ago. It took me 3 months to decide on the pair that I wanted, and another 3 months to find them. Those boots are still going strong, though.)
Why do I inflict this on myself and others? Because I loathe buyer’s remorse. I don’t dislike it. I don’t hate it. I loathe it, & with every fiber of my being. I work very hard for my money, and there are few things in the world that make my stomach churn as regretting having spent it on something that I don’t like. Don’t get me wrong. I’m not a cheapskate. I’m not looking to get the rock bottom price on flimsy 3rd-world products. I’ll shell out decent dollars for a product, but dagnabbit, I want a decent product in exchange for my hard-earned dollars.
So I started my research, oh, probably back in November. I hit just about every gunleather shop that has an online presence. Aker, Beltman, Bigfoot, Galco, A Better Belt, DeSantis, Theis, Alessi, Mean Gene, Hank’s, and the list goes on and on. I read dozens of threads across the internet. One by one, I eliminated various manufacturers for one reason or another. Too expensive. Didn’t offer a kydex lining. Got too many bad reviews. Reputed to be unresponsive in customer service.
Once I had it narrowed down to The Short List, I started one thread here on TFL and another on The High Road: Yet another belt thread. When I first started it, Beltman wasn’t even among the competitors. I had decided that they were just too expensive, and their website didn’t offer the color that I really wanted. And I really didn’t want to have to pay the premium for a custom belt.
But then someone just had to jump in there and say, “Get a Beltman belt.” I mentioned that they didn’t offer the color that I wanted, judging by the website. Then Beltman got in on my TFL thread, and said that they did, in his opinion, offer the color that I wanted. So I started emailing Beltman to find out about the color. I got a response from David at Beltman, who took a couple of belts out into the sunlight, shot a picture, and sent it to me. The color was exactly what I wanted and, moreover, I was impressed that he took the time to send me sunlight pictures of the belt. This is the point at which Beltman began to win me over as a repeat customer.
So I went back to the drawing board. I remembered all of those comments that I’d seen in the threads I’d read. Things like:
With that decided, it was on to the sizing phase. I measured my Aker B21 as recommended by several manufacturers. From the buckle end of the belt, from the end of the buckle, etc. After all of the trouble I’d gone through, I sure as hell didn’t want to have to deal with buying a second belt, and returning or selling the first one, etc. I sent all of the measurements off to Beltman and asked them for sizing recommendations. David at Beltman got back to me very quickly. I think it was the next day. Two, tops.
After several emails back and forth, David and I settled on a size. I placed my order for one of their quick ship belts, brown, kydex lined, with the brass roller buckle. It was in my hands in about a week. Given all of the work and research I’d put into this belt, I had high hopes for it. Unfortunately, when it arrived, it wasn’t the right size! I had to use the last or the second to last hole to wear it, particularly when carrying IWB. It should have fit such that I used the middle hole, but it didn’t. A mistake had been made somewhere. I know not whether it was on my end or theirs. It didn’t matter, though.
For whatever reason, I had it in my head that I couldn’t return except for a defect in materials or workmanship, so I didn’t try to return it. Mind you, this misunderstanding is entirely my fault. Nonetheless, when I posted something about the belt being the wrong size here on TFL, Beltman chimed in and said that I could return the belt. I had worn the belt for several weeks, and let him know that, but he stood by his offer to exchange the belt. So off went the first belt on a Monday and by Friday, I had a new belt in hand. In all honesty, the first belt had enough wear that they’ll never be able to sell it as new. My CBST has metal clips on it, and they had scraped the leather. I would not have blamed them if they hadn’t taken it back, but they did. I’m wearing the new belt as I write this. It is a dead-on-the-money perfect fit.
So, Beltman’s customer service in a nutshell: It’s world class. David was exceptionally responsive to emails, and took the time to answer every question I had. Taking the photo in the sunlight so that I could get a better idea of the color was extremely helpful. Taking the first belt in return, knowing that it had a few weeks of wear on it? Above and beyond any reasonable requirement. Had a mistake been made in sizing? Sure. Was it theirs or mine? I neither know nor care. They made it right.
And now on to the gear part of the review. My old Aker B21 was a good belt, but it doesn’t compare to the Beltman. While the Aker served me well, and I never had occasion to need to reach out to Aker for customer service. Accordingly, I don’t have anything bad to say about Aker, but that B21 just is not the belt that my Beltman belt is. It’s a fine belt for just over half the price of the Beltman belt, but I got what I paid for in both cases.
I’m not even a hobbyist in leather working, and I’ve never really gone in for expensive belts with my suits, but the quality of my Beltman belt is obviously head and shoulders above anything else I’ve ever owned. Overall, it is substantial without being heavy. As mentioned above, it is almost a Hershey’s milk chocolate in color. (Sorry, but I’m no good with posting pictures.) The dye is very evenly applied and the color is saturated and rich. The edges of the belt are smooth and even. The lining is smoother than my old Aker, making for a smoother slide into the belt loops. As advertised, you get to choose your buckle (I chose a brass roller), and Chicago screws. I’m beyond pleased with this belt.
With all of that said, we all know that the key question is: How does it carry? (After all, it’s a gun belt, for crying out loud!) Answer: Exceptionally well. I carry a G19 on the strong side with a spare magazine on the other side. I can carry all day with no sag, no need to hitch up my pants. My Aker B21 gave me good support, but the Beltman belts are markedly better. I have absolutely no doubt about whether I could comfortably carry a full-sized steel pistol on this belt. I could. Shy of a steel lining or a considerably bulkier & heavier belt, I'd have a hard time imagining a belt that carries better, and black basketweave duty belts just look silly with suits.
I have a black gun belt that I use with my black and gray suits. I hope to replace it in the next few months. You know what I’m not going to do? Research. My research in belts is over. There may be belts as nice as Beltman, but I’d be shocked if there were any better. And I’d be hard-pressed to switch companies after the service that I got from Beltman.
Yeah, my next belt will be from Beltman, too.
When I started carrying ~7 years ago, I bought an Aker B21. She has served me well, and got 3-5 days of wear per week, so I can’t complain. However, she was showing enough wear that I decided that it was time to replace her.
And so my quest began . . . . If you’ve followed many of my “gear threads,” you already know that I’m a voracious researcher. (As an aside, Mrs. McGee just about choked me when I wanted a pair of Timberland boots about 20 years ago. It took me 3 months to decide on the pair that I wanted, and another 3 months to find them. Those boots are still going strong, though.)
Why do I inflict this on myself and others? Because I loathe buyer’s remorse. I don’t dislike it. I don’t hate it. I loathe it, & with every fiber of my being. I work very hard for my money, and there are few things in the world that make my stomach churn as regretting having spent it on something that I don’t like. Don’t get me wrong. I’m not a cheapskate. I’m not looking to get the rock bottom price on flimsy 3rd-world products. I’ll shell out decent dollars for a product, but dagnabbit, I want a decent product in exchange for my hard-earned dollars.
So I started my research, oh, probably back in November. I hit just about every gunleather shop that has an online presence. Aker, Beltman, Bigfoot, Galco, A Better Belt, DeSantis, Theis, Alessi, Mean Gene, Hank’s, and the list goes on and on. I read dozens of threads across the internet. One by one, I eliminated various manufacturers for one reason or another. Too expensive. Didn’t offer a kydex lining. Got too many bad reviews. Reputed to be unresponsive in customer service.
Once I had it narrowed down to The Short List, I started one thread here on TFL and another on The High Road: Yet another belt thread. When I first started it, Beltman wasn’t even among the competitors. I had decided that they were just too expensive, and their website didn’t offer the color that I really wanted. And I really didn’t want to have to pay the premium for a custom belt.
But then someone just had to jump in there and say, “Get a Beltman belt.” I mentioned that they didn’t offer the color that I wanted, judging by the website. Then Beltman got in on my TFL thread, and said that they did, in his opinion, offer the color that I wanted. So I started emailing Beltman to find out about the color. I got a response from David at Beltman, who took a couple of belts out into the sunlight, shot a picture, and sent it to me. The color was exactly what I wanted and, moreover, I was impressed that he took the time to send me sunlight pictures of the belt. This is the point at which Beltman began to win me over as a repeat customer.
So I went back to the drawing board. I remembered all of those comments that I’d seen in the threads I’d read. Things like:
“Get a Beltman and be done.”
“Beltman. ‘Nuff said.”
“Just get a Beltman.”
“Nobody’s better than Beltman.”
So I finally decided that I’d bite the bullet and buy a Beltman belt. After all, if I was already going to spend $75 on a good belt, didn’t it make just as much sense to spend $100 for a great belt?“Beltman. ‘Nuff said.”
“Just get a Beltman.”
“Nobody’s better than Beltman.”
With that decided, it was on to the sizing phase. I measured my Aker B21 as recommended by several manufacturers. From the buckle end of the belt, from the end of the buckle, etc. After all of the trouble I’d gone through, I sure as hell didn’t want to have to deal with buying a second belt, and returning or selling the first one, etc. I sent all of the measurements off to Beltman and asked them for sizing recommendations. David at Beltman got back to me very quickly. I think it was the next day. Two, tops.
After several emails back and forth, David and I settled on a size. I placed my order for one of their quick ship belts, brown, kydex lined, with the brass roller buckle. It was in my hands in about a week. Given all of the work and research I’d put into this belt, I had high hopes for it. Unfortunately, when it arrived, it wasn’t the right size! I had to use the last or the second to last hole to wear it, particularly when carrying IWB. It should have fit such that I used the middle hole, but it didn’t. A mistake had been made somewhere. I know not whether it was on my end or theirs. It didn’t matter, though.
For whatever reason, I had it in my head that I couldn’t return except for a defect in materials or workmanship, so I didn’t try to return it. Mind you, this misunderstanding is entirely my fault. Nonetheless, when I posted something about the belt being the wrong size here on TFL, Beltman chimed in and said that I could return the belt. I had worn the belt for several weeks, and let him know that, but he stood by his offer to exchange the belt. So off went the first belt on a Monday and by Friday, I had a new belt in hand. In all honesty, the first belt had enough wear that they’ll never be able to sell it as new. My CBST has metal clips on it, and they had scraped the leather. I would not have blamed them if they hadn’t taken it back, but they did. I’m wearing the new belt as I write this. It is a dead-on-the-money perfect fit.
So, Beltman’s customer service in a nutshell: It’s world class. David was exceptionally responsive to emails, and took the time to answer every question I had. Taking the photo in the sunlight so that I could get a better idea of the color was extremely helpful. Taking the first belt in return, knowing that it had a few weeks of wear on it? Above and beyond any reasonable requirement. Had a mistake been made in sizing? Sure. Was it theirs or mine? I neither know nor care. They made it right.
And now on to the gear part of the review. My old Aker B21 was a good belt, but it doesn’t compare to the Beltman. While the Aker served me well, and I never had occasion to need to reach out to Aker for customer service. Accordingly, I don’t have anything bad to say about Aker, but that B21 just is not the belt that my Beltman belt is. It’s a fine belt for just over half the price of the Beltman belt, but I got what I paid for in both cases.
I’m not even a hobbyist in leather working, and I’ve never really gone in for expensive belts with my suits, but the quality of my Beltman belt is obviously head and shoulders above anything else I’ve ever owned. Overall, it is substantial without being heavy. As mentioned above, it is almost a Hershey’s milk chocolate in color. (Sorry, but I’m no good with posting pictures.) The dye is very evenly applied and the color is saturated and rich. The edges of the belt are smooth and even. The lining is smoother than my old Aker, making for a smoother slide into the belt loops. As advertised, you get to choose your buckle (I chose a brass roller), and Chicago screws. I’m beyond pleased with this belt.
With all of that said, we all know that the key question is: How does it carry? (After all, it’s a gun belt, for crying out loud!) Answer: Exceptionally well. I carry a G19 on the strong side with a spare magazine on the other side. I can carry all day with no sag, no need to hitch up my pants. My Aker B21 gave me good support, but the Beltman belts are markedly better. I have absolutely no doubt about whether I could comfortably carry a full-sized steel pistol on this belt. I could. Shy of a steel lining or a considerably bulkier & heavier belt, I'd have a hard time imagining a belt that carries better, and black basketweave duty belts just look silly with suits.
I have a black gun belt that I use with my black and gray suits. I hope to replace it in the next few months. You know what I’m not going to do? Research. My research in belts is over. There may be belts as nice as Beltman, but I’d be shocked if there were any better. And I’d be hard-pressed to switch companies after the service that I got from Beltman.
Yeah, my next belt will be from Beltman, too.