8 ms·

I had a really awesome leather belt that I got when I was 15. I stopped wearing it when I was 30 because my weight finally out outgrew the belt. Still have it.

• ghaff 7y ago
  The last time I got a couple of new belts it was from a little craft-type belt place in one of the London markets. They're great. You might also have luck checking out cobblers. Some of them make belts and other leather goods on the side.
• deelowe 7y ago
  Check out Tanner goods. Definitely buy it for life belts, wallets, etc.
  • benj111 7y ago
    Life belts? https://www.amazon.co.uk/Life-belts/s?k=Life+belts https://www.amazon.co.uk/Life-belts/s?k=Life+belts Belts for life??
    • seltzered_ 7y ago
      The person's referring to the general term "buy it for life" - products that last a lifetime or longer. (https://www.reddit.com/r/BuyItForLife/ https://www.reddit.com/r/BuyItForLife/)
  • Izkata 7y ago
    Just FYI, if you do mean what the sibling replies say, a "life belt" is a flotation device in the shape of a belt. Refers to a "life jacket".
    • deelowe 7y ago
      "buy it for life", belt. Not buy it for, "life belt."
      • Izkata 7y ago
        The list makes it really hard to read that way with parens. It parses like this to me: Definitely buy it for (life belts, wallets, etc).
        • deelowe 7y ago
          Hah! That never occurred to me until you pointed it out.
• amdanil 7y ago
  Could just order some from China(1). Have to read the description carefully tho. Usually anything under 15USD not worth buying and over 30USD you're overpaying. (1) https://www.aliexpress.com/item/32816882257.html?spm=a2g0o.productlist.0.0.13f91fe3G1AsoI https://www.aliexpress.com/item/32816882257.html?spm=a2g0o.p...
  • amiga_500 7y ago
    Wearing one now. Good quality at a fair price as I haven’t had to pay western landlords and bankers via land rent.
    • qwsc 7y ago
      On the other hand, if you're in the US, your belt's shipping from China was paid for entirely, or at least heavily subsidized, by American taxpayers. (Not sure how this varies across other non-US western countries)
      • mistermann 7y ago
        What about Canadians, based on our close proximity and depending on the specific logistics, might you guys be subsidising us as well?
        • redis_mlc 7y ago
          qwsc was referring to the almost-free international postal rates for parcels that China received from USPS when it was a struggling exporter decades ago. As in, lower than domestic parcel rates inside the USA, typically in the range of $1 - $2. I believe Trump mentioned considering re-negotiating that deal recently, which nobody has objected to.
          • jjeaff 7y ago
            It's not a subsidy specific to China. It's an international agreement to charge certain international rates for postage. It applies only to packages under a certain size and weight. But it probably should go away. It creates this weird imbalance where shipping things from China to the US can be cheaper than shipping something to your next door neighbor. NPR's planet money had an informative and fun episode on the topic. https://www.npr.org/sections/money/2018/08/01/634737852/episode-857-the-postal-illuminati https://www.npr.org/sections/money/2018/08/01/634737852/epis...
• Fezzik 7y ago
  I’m in the same boat - I have a Nautica belt that I bought in 8th grade (37 now) that I still wear daily, though it is getting tighter it works like new. The buckle holes are not even noticeably stretched. As a tangent, Vivobarefoot is a shoe company that makes very high quality leather shoes. I bought a pair of their brown low-tops and have worn them everyday for work for 4(+) years. Other than looking slightly worn they function as new. No affiliation, just impressed with the craftsmanship. Good leather is good.
  • ValentineC 7y ago
    > As a tangent, Vivobarefoot is a shoe company that makes very high quality leather shoes. I bought a pair of their brown low-tops and have worn them everyday for work for 4(+) years. Other than looking slightly worn they function as new. No affiliation, just impressed with the craftsmanship. I've bought Vivobarefoot (mostly when they're on sale) for over 7 years now, and the build quality of their shoes are really hit-or-miss — while the leather doesn't wear, some of their soles tend to puncture or flake within months. The pair I'm currently wearing daily, their Soul of Africa Gobi, has been going strong for over a year now. Their Stealth and Evo series of running shoes (not leather) are rubbish. My Evo died after 131 km/81 miles of running — normal running shoes should last at least 2-3 times of that. I wonder if the country of production plays a part in build quality.
    • Marsymars 7y ago
      My guess has been that their small scale makes designing for long-term durability challenging. My Evo also got trashed pretty quickly, but I had a pair of Neo that lasted around seven years before I finally wore through the sole. Have a couple from their Primus line for the past year or so that seem to be holding up well so far.
• throw7 7y ago
  Yes. I have a leather belt from highschool (buckle is stamped spain, have no idea how i got it and my parents can't remember)... it has a weathered look to it, but is perfectly fine (i use it today still). After getting fed up of of cloth like deteriorating "leather" belts, recently i looked closely and ended up with a timberland (stamped india) "genuine leather" (means not leather again) belt. In comparison, the timberland used stitching to attach the buckle while my old spanish belt used two hefty rivets to attach the buckle. I think we do still make things excellently... it's just for the 1% (maybe when i was young in the u.s. i was the 1% in the world at the time).
  • Zhenya 7y ago
    As you sorted, geniune leather is one of the lowest rung of material that is legally able to be called leather. Here is a quick overview of leather grades: https://www.heddels.com/2014/06/overview-guide-leather-grades/ https://www.heddels.com/2014/06/overview-guide-leather-grade...
• cbsks 7y ago
  I have a couple of leather belts (one brown and one black) that I got from https://simpleleatherbelt.com/ https://simpleleatherbelt.com/ I highly recommend them. These belts will last a lifetime.
  • giardini 7y ago
    Simple Leather Belts' prices are too high too! I've been in the market for new belts for a year now, so the glut of hides is good news. Time to stock up for another century! I've had very good full grain leather belts in the past. Now that I know the market situation I'm going to search for a big (cheap) piece of full-grain cowhide and cut my own damn belts out of it. Belts aren't hi-tech. It isn't as if we're talking about making a 5-nm chip here; more like "cow chip" tech. I'm in Texas now so there are probably cowhides all over the local flea markets and wholesale shops.
    • lyjackal 7y ago
      There's more that goes into production than material costs. Seems like a deal compared to crap that will fall into disrepair after a year or two
      • giardini 7y ago
        Most anyone can make a nice good-looking belt. With the material price down to zero, now is a good time to learn: "How to Make a $90 Belt for Only $23": https://www.primermagazine.com/2012/learn/how-to-make-a-90-belt-for-only-23 https://www.primermagazine.com/2012/learn/how-to-make-a-90-b... discusses where to buy leather and tools (that will last the rest of your life) and how to make the belt. Also... "How to make a $100 belt on the cheap": https://www.reddit.com/r/malefashionadvice/comments/k6uro/how_to_make_a_100_belt_on_the_cheap/ https://www.reddit.com/r/malefashionadvice/comments/k6uro/ho... where you'll find tips on finishing the leather too.
  • andrewl 7y ago
    I second the recommendation of A Simple Leather Belt Co. I have a brown and a black from them, and they're extremely well made. The user interface for designing your belt is also quite clear.
• jbboehr 7y ago
  It's funny, I have a similar story: my mother bought me a leather belt as a child around 1995. It finally bit the dust a few years ago. I bought a belt from the same company (Land's End) and it barely lasted a year. Then my aunt got me one from Duluth Trading Company for Christmas. That was about two years ago and it's shown no signs of stopping yet.
  • ghaff 7y ago
    Lands End used to be pretty much a go to for me. After all the Sears and private equity stuff that went on I became increasingly disillusioned with their quality. I still get clothing from them now and then but quality generally has gone downhill.
• anon_cow1111 7y ago
  lifeProtip- Goodwill prices all belts the same in every store I've been to. They're like 1-3 dollars and there's usually a couple real leather ones on the rack. I have several just hanging around now.
• robohoe 7y ago
  I recommend Hank’s Belts online. I bought two. First one with a blemish (that I can’t find) for half price and a regular one for full price. Both have lasted me 3+ years now.
  • giardini 7y ago
    $60 is a stiff price for a belt when the value of leather is apparently $0. Hank's Belts hasn't heard the news yet, I suppose.
    • robotresearcher 7y ago
      When the price of materials is low enough, like leather, you are paying for the decisions the creator made, use of their time, tools and facilities, and distribution convenience. As an extreme example, a napkin sketch by Picasso is not valued relative to napkins. If the creator makes a belt just the way I want it, that’s worth a couple hours pay to me.
    • jjeaff 7y ago
      That's why charging for software is crazy. Electrons are free, you can get them literally anywhere.
• war1025 7y ago
  You could always just buy a belt blank [1] and a buckle. Not a terrible lot to a belt. [1] https://theleatherguy.org/collections/leather-belt-blanks https://theleatherguy.org/collections/leather-belt-blanks
• jhawk28 7y ago
  I get American made leather belts from here: https://www.facebook.com/pages/Dan-Freemans-Leatherworks/361288517295129 https://www.facebook.com/pages/Dan-Freemans-Leatherworks/361... costs about $30-35. They last forever.
• mensetmanusman 7y ago
  I didn’t appreciate how durable leather was until four years ago when I was recommended some quality men’s dress shoes on eBay. The shoes were $100, because they retail for $400-$500, but when I purchased them they were 10 years old and in good condition. I have since been wearing them quite regularly, and they still look as new as the day I got them. I used to spend $100 a year on typical men’s shoes, not realizing how wasteful it all was. Leather is an amazing material when it is cared for, and it can be a very eco-friendly clothing solution to our throwaway culture of petroleum products. I am now sold on quality leather shoes, because they are in fact cheaper and better for the environment than any petroleum shoes when properly cared for (for the simple fact that they can last 10 to 20 years).
  • johntash 7y ago
    What brand of shoes did you get? I don't have any good dress shoes that don't feel cheap.
    • mensetmanusman 7y ago
      Allen Edmonds. You have to make sure to get your feet sized properly. I.e. after a not-cold day of work with a lot of standing/walking, use a Brannock device to find your #-letter combo, e.g. 10D. (This is the same advice for getting your proper ring size :)) The cork soles and the leather will slowly morph to your foot shape as you use them, so they get more comfortable as you use them. My most comfortable pair had its last manufacturing run in ~2005 (“lauderdale”).
  • lowdose 7y ago
    Suitsupply also has a very nice shoe collection made from italian calf leather for a reasonable price. Sneakers for $179 and dress shoes are priced at $249. Like you said amazing quality shoes last for several years when given proper maintenance. Business attire is also top notch from this brand competing with similar Brioni suits for a 1/3 of the price. https://us.suitsupply.com/en_US/shoes https://us.suitsupply.com/en_US/shoes
    • 7y ago
• xeromal 7y ago
  If you happen to live in SoCal, Wil Leather of Abbot Kenny is legit leather. They're expensive, but I have a few of their things and I love them dearly.
• Guest0918231 7y ago
  Go to Etsy.com. It's great for leather products. I bought lots of belts from brand names growing up, and they all quickly fell apart. Then I learned about full grain leather. I talked with a local person I found on Etsy, provided the measurements to the center hole, chose a solid stainless steel buckle from their selection, gave them the measurements for the width of the belt, and they cut one from some black, full grain, vegetable tanned leather. I've had the belt for years, wear it all the time, and it's like new, but just keeps looking better and getting softer. Once again, go to Etsy and search for full grain leather belts. I spent about $70 on mine. This is one of the markets where you'll get a much better product working with a local craftsman than shopping with a brand name.
  • delfinom 7y ago
    The problem with Etsy is these days it's flooded with Chinese sellers hawking the same products they would on Amazon but at a markup.
    • dandelany 7y ago
      I hear this all the time, and I'm sure it's true in some product categories, but it has not been my experience at all, at least not lately. Go search "full grain leather belt" on Etsy, do the tiniest bit of research on the sellers on the first-page of results, and tell me I'm wrong...
• NeedMoreTea 7y ago
  Try searching leather goods on Amazon or Ebay. 95% of the results aren't - they're leathercloth, fake leather, bonded leather, PVC, but use "leather" as a headline keyword anyway. Amazon don't care despite it being borderline fraudulent. Then you see a quality brand you remember from 40 years ago who once sold proper thick hide belts. Comes for a similar premium price that has you thinking it's the real thing still. You can have something that looks the same - for a couple of years. Except it's bonded leather, with a cheaply plated buckle, made in China or Vietnam. The leather goods shop, that sold only pukka items, in town is long gone. As is the shopkeeper who could advise which leather would suit your need best, and order in special niche items. There might be a real maker somewhere online, selling at artisan (ie absurd) prices. You may never know it as everyone else is trying to imply their crap is that too.
  • DoctorOetker 7y ago
    So how do we solve this problem of uninformed decision (even when the customer tries his best to make an informed choice around choosing actual leather)? Something like a site with "leather teardowns" on products? Alternatively, what would be a good non-invasive non-destructive method to detect its actual leathernness? Something like Atomic Dielectric Resonance scanning? It may sound absurd to construct an ADR scanner to buy a leather item on a sporadic basis, but the device could be rented (for a miniscule price, with a deposit in escrow to ensure return) say at a bio-shop... Or somehow build it into a phone, using its radio spectrum?
• AcerbicZero 7y ago
  I had a similar experience although the cheap cast zinc on the buckle finally failed. The leather is still in pretty decent shape, despite ~15 years of abuse.