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10 March 2010
Ask Mecha: Belt I would like to buy a belt. One belt, to last the rest of my life. What should I buy?→[More:]
If it were handmade in the US, or at least in a place with good labor standards and a living wage and stuff, that would be great.
What kind of belts do you like? I have recently purchased the following, both of which I can recommend, although I can't promise that you'll never need another one (these were both
made in the US):
2) I just ordered number 7203 (bottom of the page), manufactured by 3-D Belt Company. This is my casual belt. I've had a similar (simpler) belt from 3-D Belt Company for years, but needed a new one in a smaller size. The web retailer was just the first one Google turned up listing products from 3-D, so I can't really say that I recommend them, per se, but they seem to have been responsive so far.
As for danf's suggestion, I've purchased quite a few things through Duluth Trading Company, and I've always been happy with what I get, but be sure to read the reviews, sorted by least favorable first.
I mostly like understated belts--plain leather (undyed is a plus--I like patina), regular buckle (solid metal, brass might be ideal), relatively wide, like that.
I've had kinda mixed experiences w/Duluth Trading. Some things have been great, but others haven't lived up to their promises. That said, when it comes to something like a lifetime belt, I'd trust 'em a lot further than I'd trust boutiquey people like Tanner Goods or somebody.
Well, I was originally going to buy a belt from Duluth Trading, but saw too many people complaining about the stitching coming undone, which pretty much kills a multilayer belt. That's why I went with Moonshine Leather. The Gfeller belt looks solid. Their cases and tool holsters look good, too.