For a good while, I have gone to a store like Sears or Kohl's and have paid no more than $20 for a belt. However, the lifespan of these belts has never been that great before they start falling apart in various ways: fasteners coming loose, bindings fraying, etc. I have a slim waist so I had been buying belts from the teenager sections and thought that might be the issue, but even after 'graduating' to the adult section and trying a few different brands, I've come to the conclusion that the problem is probably that I'm not paying enough for a decent belt that will last me for a long time. Which brought to mind the following Terry Pratchett quote
The reason that the rich were so rich, Vimes reasoned, was because they managed to spend less money.
Take boots, for example. He earned thirty-eight dollars a month plus allowances. A really good pair of leather boots cost fifty dollars. But an affordable pair of boots, which were sort of OK for a season or two and then leaked like hell when the cardboard gave out, cost about ten dollars. Those were the kind of boots Vimes always bought, and wore until the soles were so thin that he could tell where he was in Ankh-Morpork on a foggy night by the feel of the cobbles.
But the thing was that good boots lasted for years and years. A man who could afford fifty dollars had a pair of boots that'd still be keeping his feet dry in ten years' time, while the poor man who could only afford cheap boots would have spent a hundred dollars on boots in the same time and would still have wet feet.
This was the Captain Samuel Vimes 'Boots' theory of socioeconomic unfairness.
So, here I am looking to spend fifty (or a hundred) dollars on a high-quality, hand-crafted piece of leather that will last me for decades. I'd appreciate any recommendations.
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If it lasts, I'll be a happy camper
This is the first belt I got, and it's a 'natural' belt which means it comes super light colored but the color darkens over time to a standard light brown 'leather' color. It's more casual so I mostly wear it with jeans and not to my office. I have had to clean it a few times when it picked up some water/sweat stains, but saddle soap did the trick.
This is the second one which I generally wear to work, although mine has a brighter silver buckle. It's held up a bit better than the other one, probably because I just sit around in it as opposed to doing yard work and shit.
But yeah before I got these I was buying a new belt from Target or Kohls every year or so and they all eventually fell apart. Then I got these and haven't really had to think about belts since. Sounds like what you're looking for.
I still have 2 fancy looking dress belts that are from Kohls or somewhere like that, but they last forever now because I only need them when I'm actually dressing up for a wedding or something a few times a year.
I would recommend just finding a nice, thick leather belt with a minimum of moving parts since the metal bits will fail from wear long before the leather will. I also had to punch an extra hole in this belt when I first got it as I was a fair bit skinnier than I am now, so that is always an option if you find a good quality "adult" size belt that doesn't quite fit you.
I was thinking of giving bullhide belts a try.
Anyway any sign of wear on it seems minimal
https://bravestarselvage.com/products/the-raw-leather-belt
And I really like it
I own two of the Bull Belt, one in black one in Chestnut and plan to buy a third in brown soon. I also own their briefcase for traveling and I can give you a 100% guarantee you will die before that belt gives out.
I bought a Mission belt entirely due to this thread (canvas) as a casual jean belt and i am pretty damn happy with it.
I have placed an order for this Orion Leather belt, and am considering getting a belt from a couple other places recommended here, but I am not going to place any other orders for a couple weeks, because I'm, uh, moving cross-country soon.
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