).I've had several double-layer gun belts in the past and I've always been disappointed by how over-the-top stiff they were. I know you need a stiff belt for CC, but for IWB overkill can be just as uncomfortable as not-enough. I'll skip this discussion and just say.... IMO, YMMV.
I really like the CrossBreed Belt that my neighbor wears. For the $60 price tag, it's sturdy and looks good. I still may get one. But I needed something even more casual, and less cost wouldn't hurt my feelings, as long as it did the job well. I wound up ordering a belt from Hanks Clothing.
http://www.hanksclothing.com/amish_belts_brown_buy.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
Long story short, they tell a good story about their "Amish Quality", they had a bunch of good reviews on their web site (FWIW) and their product was positively reviewed on several other gun forums, the belt looked good (similar to my old worn out one) and it was affordably priced at $29, shipping included. I've been wearing it for three days now... Here's my initial impressions.
1. It's a very casual belt. I like it (IMO, it's exactly right), my wife thinks it's a bit too casual, but her concerns were about the bulkiness ("It's for a gun", I reminded her) and the buckle. When I showed her the Chicago screws (the buckle is easily swapped), she got that ..."I know what you're getting for your next gift"... look in her eyes. End result... appearance is nice, but it's clearly "Jeans and khakis" casual. Hanks offers this belt in two colors (Black and Brown) and two styles (Plain and Eagle Print), if that's more your style. I'm a plain brown guy.
Here's a better pic...
2. It's a solid belt. Plenty stiff enough for IWB without being over-the-top, and stiff enough for OWB without being droopy. It's made from a single thickness of stiff leather. The buckle feels solid. I'm not sure what it's made of (web site didn't say), but I have no qualms about it. A thicker double layer belt will be a bit better for OWB if you carry lots of weighty accessories. I'd describe this one as "more than adequate" for OWB. Measured thickness is just under a fifth of an inch. Thickness was consistent along the full length.
3. "Wearability". So it looks good and it's strong enough, but does it function well?. In a word, YES. It's plenty stiff if you're not carrying a ton of accessories. It has 8 holes punched about 1-inch apart, so it's plenty adjustable for OWB/IWB and gun-free (GASP!) wear. The only adjustment I might make is to add a few half-size holes. As you know, when carrying a gun, having a finely-adjustable belt makes life much more comfortable. I've taken to 5.11 tactical web belts recently for just this reason. Different clothing thicknesses, shirts tucked/untucked, etc.... I think half-inch hole spacing will be a necessary improvement. Easy enough to do it myself with a leather punch.
4. Sizing. These belts are available in 2-inch increments. I ordered 4 inches bigger than my jeans size. This was the same size as my current belt. For IWB I'm using the third hole, for OWB the fourth hole. If this was available one inch bigger (5 inches bigger than my jeans size) I would prefer it, but 6 sizes bigger would be too big for me. Too much extra leather sticking out when carrying OWB.... so... my suggestion is that if you always carry IWB, go 6 sizes, if you always carry OWB, 4. If you carry both, 4 is ok. If you go 4 and you like everything except the length for IWB, the belt is cheap enough that buying a second longer one won't break the bank. Of course this is all my OPINION. Please don't send me ugly PM's if you buy the wrong size for YOU.
5. Long term performance..... We'll see.
6. Shipping. I ordered it on Tuesday after Christmas and it was in my mailbox that Saturday. Lickety-split.
Never did get an email order confirmation. They could do a bit better communicating, but shipping was fast.
Summary: I like it. If I needed a casual belt I'd definitely buy it again. I wish it were 1 inch longer (not 2) with half-inch hole spacing.
For $29, it's two
I hope you found this useful.
Disclosure: I have no relationship with Hanks Clothing.
I've been looking for a good IWB belt and this may just fit the bill.