What is a Ratchet Belt & How Does It Work?
Investing in a ratchet belt could be exactly what you need when you want a gun belt that is highly effective and yet super comfortable. Regardless of if you conceal carry or open carry, one of the best things about these belts is that they are customizable to your body. Our stomach changes every day based on how much we eat and drink and the ratchet belt is the perfect solution to adapt to the growing and shrinking belly.
What is a Ratchet Belt?
Just think of the belt as a fashionable zip tie and that can be taken on and off repeatedly. It may be called an automatic belt or a click belt in some situations. For anyone that has had some trouble with gun belt sizing in the past, a ratchet belt could be the ideal choice because it provides ample security without having to pull it tight enough to get it into the right hole on the band.
While a typical belt may offer five options in sizing, a ratchet belt will offer much more, even up to over 40 sizes. That gives you the right fit every single time, no matter what you ate the night before or how many layers of clothing you have on.
How Does It Work?
How does this work, then? It sounds like a bit of trickery, but it is actually quite easy to use. These belts do not have holes. Each belt strap has a track of 40 teeth that is used to catch the pawl in the buckle.
You would wear the belt as a normal belt: Slide the strap through the belt loops on your pants, then, insert the strap through the buckle. Once the track with teeth makes a clicking sound, it means it is reacting to the pawl in the buckle. Push the strap through the buckle to reach the level of comfort that is right for you. You will notice you can push the belt forward but cannot pull it back because the teeth on the track are designed to resist this – which allows the belt to stay in place.
When you are ready to take it off, simply rotate the small lever located on the bottom of the buckle away from the body. To start, push the strap into the buckle. (Doing so releases the pressure created by your stomach on the pawl and the teeth on the track). Now pull the strap out of the buckle while you continue to hold the lever. After a few uses, it becomes second nature quickly We also have push button buckles. Instead of rotating the lever, you just push the button.
Benefits of a Ratchet Belt
There are several benefits to using a ratchet belt over other types of pin buckle belts. The first and most important is that it fits and fits really well! You can adjust it with ease no matter how much your weight or comfort level changes throughout the day or over a long period of time. Imagine after having a large dinner at a buffet, you can discreetly relax the fit of the belt and can be so much more comfortable.
Another key benefit of this type of belt is that it is just clean looking. If you are notorious for having a belt where the holes are frayed from being tugged on a bit too often, this type of belt can be right for you. It will look clean and neat while you wear it because it does not have the stress of a pin through the holes which gets oblonged.
Another nice benefit is that it gets sizing right. Most often, typical belts are available in one-inch intervals. That means that for people that need something in the middle, these are not very helpful. There are no extra punched holes to create a better fit because you’re stuck in between sizes.
However, with these belts, you have a lot more room to create a very customized fit. That often means they are super comfortable for you.
What Makes a Good Ratchet Belt for Every Day Carry?
Whether you are looking for men’s EDC belt or a women’s EDC belt, a good ratchet belt starts with a quality buckle that is cast and not made of stamped sheet metal. The construction should use screws and not pins because pins can back out over time. The strap needs to be reinforced to take on the extra weight of a firearm. Belt straps that are not reinforced will make the firearm tilt away from the body and flop. If you’re doing concealed carry, you maybe imprinting that you are carrying. Also, when you must draw your firearm, a floppy belt will slow the reaction time of the gun to release from the holster because there is little tension to keep the holster in place to allow the firearm to disengage quickly. Rigidity is important but at the same time you don’t want a belt that feels like you’re wearing a metal ring around your waist.
A quality ratchet gun belt will have a large clasp to clamp down on the strap securely and it must have set screws alongside acting as back-ups in case the clasp fails.
They Can Be Stylish Too
Don’t overlook the importance of picking up a belt that looks good, too. You want to be able to wear it wherever you desire (or have a few different styles to select from). When you are doing conceal carry, you should choose a belt to match your wardrobe. We specialize in designing gun belts that look like normal belts. This allows the surprise factor to be on your side. Nexbelt makes a varied line of gun belts based on your dressing style. From belts for special occasions that require a suit to casual dress or office days to lounging time, we have a belt that will meet your needs.
