
Gun belts are one of the most underrated parts of any carry setup. It doesn’t matter if you’re concealed carry, open carry, inside the waist, or outside the waist…it all starts with having a proper gun belt.
But belts and fat guys don’t always get along and a gun belt for bigger guys has a lot of work to do. It needs to be comfortable enough that it doesn’t dig into a bigger belly but still sturdy enough to keep our pants and our firearm in place.
As with anyone else, we also need a belt that looks good, especially for concealed carry situations where we may not want to draw extra attention to ourselves by wearing an over-the-top tactical belt. Of course, it has to fit too which means we need sizing that’s large enough for bigger guys.
That’s a lot to consider which is why we did the research to round up the best gun belts for fat, heavy, or just plain big guys. We’re going to dive deep into the criteria we used to make these picks but if you just want to skip ahead and see which gun belts made the list you can check out them out here:
- Longest Length: Drizzte Tactical Gun Belt Up To 83 Inches
- Best Leather Gun Belt: Relentless Tactical Ultimate CCW Gun Belt
- Best Leather Gun Belt On A Budget: POYOLEE Top Grain Leather Gun Belt
- Best on a Budget: Fairwin Tactical Nylon Gun Belt
- Best Hybrid Style: JUKMO Ratchet Gun Belt
Now let’s get into it!
Why A Gun Belt Is So Important…Especially For Fat Guys
We’ve already established that a gun belt is the foundation when it comes to safe, comfortable, and successful carrying. If you’re using a low-quality gun belt or a belt that’s not made for carrying then you already know the problems. Without a belt that’s strong enough to carry your weapon, not only are your pants going to be falling down but your gun is also going with it.
Okay, so while your pants are unlikely to completely fall down, a sagging belt and pants are still going to expose your firearm to the wider world. Sometimes that’s not a problem, other times it could be a big deal. Either way, it’s something you want to be in control of, and it’s called concealed carry for a reason.
As if all that wasn’t enough, you also need to consider your ability to quickly unholster your firearm, and if your belt is constantly shifting the position of your piece you may not be as quick on the draw when it really matters.
But things are worse for fat guys who already have a lot of problems with belts. When you’ve got a big belly you’re constantly dealing with belts that are digging into your gut every time you sit down.
We’ve looked at some of the best belts for fat guys to manage this uncomfortable problem, but many of those belts are made from softer materials that aren’t ready to support your pants and a weapon. Heck, some fat guys are so fed up with belts that they just shift to suspenders instead but that’s not a great option if you need a belt for your concealed carry.
All that means that big, fat, and heavy guys are in a tougher spot when it comes to finding a proper gun belt. That’s exactly why we wrote this article so that big guys didn’t have to spend an entire day researching what they need to properly and safely carry.
What To Look For In A Proper Gun Belt For Fat Guys
You know you need a gun belt but it can be confusing to figure out what makes one gun belt good and another bad.
Well, that’s what we’re here for.
We’re going to break down what fat guys should look for in a good gun belt and this is the same criteria we used to build this list.
Strong, Sturdy, and Comfortable Material
This is one of the biggest factors that separate a gun belt from a typical belt. It’s not that gun belts are made from different materials compared to a regular belt but instead, they’re made from higher quality stuff. Usually, that means stiffer material which can be a bit of a mixed bag for a fat guy’s belly.
Leather is the go-to choice here since it’s stiff enough to support your weapon (and your pants) without being so stiff that it doesn’t flex with your movements.
Synthetic materials can work too, especially if they’re combined with a strong clasp to keep everything tight.
For the most part, if you’re buying a quality gun belt you shouldn’t need to be worried about low-quality materials but instead, you’ll need to consider your personal preferences. If you’re especially against any discomfort from your belt, then a nylon gun belt is probably best.
You’ll also need to consider the price and leather gun belts are going to be more expensive than nylon every single time.
Doesn’t Have To Look Like A Gun Belt
If you’re an everyday or concealed carrier, you might not want your gun belt to look like a tactical gun belt. Instead, you want it to blend into everyday life so that you’re not constantly advertising your firearm.
We have several gun belts on this list that will blend into just about any style without drawing attention to you. Of course, we’ve got a few that aren’t quite as subtle since some blending in isn’t always necessary or everyone’s priority.
Big Enough For Big Guys
This one should be obvious but we of course want a gun belt that can fit a fat guy. We’re going to have a handful of sizes to pick from here but none are smaller than 52-inches in length.
If you already know you need to go big, then check out the 83-inch option from Drizzte which you can see on Amazon by clicking here.
What we do not want to do is play the new notch game where we add a new hole to our belt. While that can work with a normal belt, it can be an unnecessary risk when you’re dealing with a gun belt since any sag is bad.
We also shouldn’t have to go this route. Sure, we’re big dudes but that doesn’t mean it should be impossible to find a belt that fits! So adjust your expectations and don’t even worry about adding extra holes.
Remember to consider how you’re going to carry. If you’re going the IWB route then you’ll of course need some extra room on your belt. But if you’re able to carry OWB then you can get away with different sizing options that are closer to your actual pant size.
I recommend that fat guys go for a belt that can work in both situations since there are situations that call for both and ideally you don’t need to change out your gunbelt between running errands and going to the range.
Powerful Latch
It doesn’t matter how the belt is kept closed, it just needs to be strong and secure. We’ve already talked about the problems with a sagging belt but that’s nothing compared to a belt completely falling off.
While a complete failure of a latch is unlikely to happen with most belts, you still need a strong latch that won’t weaken over time. There’s nothing wrong with the classic prong and hole set up for belts as long as the material of the belt is strong enough to not warp over time.
Clips, buckles, and other mechanisms can also be good options too but I typically prefer the low-tech and almost bombproof system of a hole and prong.
Safety
You might not consider the safety factors of a gun belt at first. After all, isn’t that the job of the holster?
Yes, but a holster is only as good as a belt. Safety is really a factor of everything we’ve already looked at and a sturdy, well-fitting gun belt that doesn’t sag will immediately improve safety because you’ll always know where your gun is in relation to your body.
Best Gun Belts For Fat Guys
With the background information out of the way, let’s take a look at our favorite gun belts for big dudes.
Longest Length Gun Belt: Drizzte Tactical Gun Belt Up To 75 Inches
- Extra long length available up to 75 inches with plenty of room for big bellies and big guns
- Easy on the budget
- Small enough to be comfortable but still strong enough to hold your weapon or gear
If you’re a big guy, then you already know the struggle with finding a proper gun belt.
Sure, the length may be “long” for most folks at around 50 inches but when you combine your weapon and your belly that’s just not enough. To be fair, I have included several belts in the high 50″ range because there just aren’t other options if you’re looking for specific materials or styles.
But if you need a truly big gun belt, then this 75″ nylon gun belt from Drizzte is the way to go. Not only is it long, but you can proudly see the guys at Drizzte driving over the buckle with a car (among other things) just to show off how strong this belt is.
While the length alone is enough to make this a great option for heavy, fat, or big guys the width is a huge benefit as well. Coming in at 1.5 inches it isn’t especially small but it’s also not large when you compare it to other gun belts. A thinner belt means there’s less material to dig into your gut which is a constant problem when you combine big bellies and belts.
Additionally, the nylon material will shift more with your body, without compromising your carry. Combined with the width, the nylon material makes this a pretty darn comfortable belt.
There are also just under 800 reviews on Amazon from plenty of big dudes that are backing up this particular belt, though Drizzte offers several others with the similar sizing in different styles. Just keep in mind, that part of the reason Drizzte is able to offer a belt of this length is that the customer has to trim the belt to their size. The process is dead simple and just requires a blade and a lighter but I don’t want any to be surprised when they find out that this belt isn’t completely ready right out of the box.
While this Drizzte belt may not have the formal look of some of the leather belts on this list, the simple black nylon is perfect for everyday wear. The buckle is subtle enough to not look too much like a tactical belt which means you can still keep your conceal carry status subtle.
Of course, comfort and style are great but if that belt can’t do its job then what’s the point?
Well, if this belt couldn’t function as an exceptional gun belt then it wouldn’t be on the list! The sturdy nylon is lightweight but is more than strong enough to keep your pants and weapon in place for several years to come.
Overall, it’s hard to go wrong with this belt, and if you’re a big man that needs a belt to match this is a great option. You can read more reviews and check out the latest price on Amazon by clicking here.
Best Leather Gun Belt: Relentless Tactical Ultimate CCW Gun Belt
- Sizing up to 52 inches which equates to a size 48 pants
- Subtle, simple, and stylish leather design
- More than 8,000 five star reviews on Amazon
If you’ve already done research on gun belts for guys of any size, you’ve probably seen the brand Relentless Tactical show up more than once.
These guys are the real deal and not only are their gun belts exceptional for concealed or open carry, but with sizing up to 52″ they’re great for big guys too. These belts are made from full-grain leather and are stiff enough to handle even the heaviest pants and firearm combinations.
Now terms like “full-grain leather” might just feel like buzzwords but this actually means something. The folks at Buffalo Jackson Trading Co. explain that “Full grain leather is the highest quality grade of leather that money can buy. It comes from the top layer of the hide and includes all of the natural grain. It is more expensive for manufacturers to buy and more difficult for them to work with.”
This is a big difference from “genuine leather” which is really just a catch-all name for anything that could remotely be called leather.
So why do we care about the type of leather?
Because we want to prevent any sagging in a gun belt. Highly quality leather is stiff, stronger, and more durable. That means less sag over time.
And yes, that also means this belt is stiff, and it needs to be in order to do its job. But it’s still thin enough that it can work well even with bigger bodies. In other words, this belt strikes a great balance between the stiffness you need for a highly functional gun belt and the flexibility that fat guys need in a good belt.
When it comes to appearance, there’s nothing visually tactical about this belt and that’s a good thing. If you’re typically going the concealed carry route, you may not want to wear something that looks at home in an Army Ranger’s tool kit.
Instead, this gun belt has a simple, elegant, and stylish design that will fit in with just about any style.
Overall, this gun belt does everything and does it well. Big enough for most fat guys, strong enough for a heavy firearm, and all with a great clean look. I’m also not the only one that loves this belt and it’s worth reading some of the other online reviews, too.
You can check out those reviews and see today’s price on Amazon by clicking here.
Best Leather Gun Belt On A Budget: POYOLEE Top Grain Leather Gun Belt
- 【Durable Gun Belt】Made from 100% Italian top grain vegetable tanned leather. this concealed carry...
- 【Thick & Comfortable】0.2" thickness and 1.5" width. No Sag, No Rollover, No Stretching! Two layers of...
- 【Heavy Duty Buckle & Thread】You can easily cinch down your belt with our heavy duty roller buckle....
Our runner up comes from Poyolee which may not be as big a name as Relentless Tactical but they’re still a contender in their own right. Plus, they have more than 1,200 5-star reviews to back up the quality of this gun belt.
They have a very comparable product to our best overall pick with one significant difference: where Relentless Tactical uses full-grain leather this gun belt uses top grain leather.
Now that’s still much better than your typical $10 off-the-shelf genuine leather belt. Turning back to the folks at Buffalo Jackson Trading Co we learn that “Top grain leather is the second highest grade of leather and has the outermost layer of hide removed. This difference makes the leather thinner and more workable for the manufacturer, which is reflected in the price compared to full grain leather. But don’t be mistaken, top grain leather bags are still very durable and reliable.”
Just as with our best overall, this belt comes in sizes up to 52 inches and is plenty stiff for just about any belt and pant combination. If you’re not exactly a connoisseur of quality and instead just want something that works then you can’t go wrong with this option.
You’ll also get a stylish design that looks like any other quality leather belt. That’s perfect for keeping your concealed carry actually concealed.
You can read more reviews and check the latest price on Amazon by clicking here.
Best on a Budget: Fairwin Tactical Nylon Gun Belt
- Fat guy friendly sizing up to 58 inches
- Easy on the budget
- More than 10,000 five star reviews on Amazon
If you’re looking for a budget option, then a quality nylon tactical belt is what you need. Leather is almost always going to be more expensive than nylon and most other synthetic materials.
That’s where this clean, simple and highly functional gun belt from Fairwin Tactical comes in. Here’s a quick look at it.
This belt does have a more tactical look compared to our previous leather picks but it’s far from over the top so you don’t need to worry about looking tactical. Granted, sometimes that doesn’t matter but ideally, you have a belt that lets you carry in just about every situation and not just when you go to the range.
If you’re going for a more subtle look, the solid black design is the way to go. Gray is a good choice as well but the other olive, tan and brown colors do have more of a tactical feel.
I really like that this belt has a movable belt loop too. This isn’t a feature you always see, but it’s great for these longer belts if you don’t want to have to trim them to size, especially since they are longer. While the length is great for bigger guys, you might not need all of it. By placing this anywhere on the belt, you can hold that extra length down and keep the belt from looking sloppy. Check it out in this video.
Nylon just gives more and will shift with your body a bit better than stiff leather. Still, this belt has a job to do it and thanks to the super-sturdy clasp and thick webbing it has the power you need from a gun belt. Check out how much power the ratchet buckle has in this video.
You can read more reviews on Amazon and check out today’s price by clicking here.
Best Hybrid Style: JUKMO Ratchet Gun Belt
- Belt length available up to 61 inches
- Combines lightweight nylon with the look of a more traditional buckle
- More than 37,000 five star reviews on Amazon
This gun belt from JUKMO does a little bit of everything really well. Here’s a quick look at the overall design of the belt.
First, it’s made of lightweight nylon which we’ve already established is a great starting point for most fat guys. Nylon bends with the belly and while a stiff gun belt shouldn’t fold over, nylon will be more comfortable than a stiff leather gun belt.
This holds in place really well. Part of this is due to the way that you attach the buckle to the belt to get the perfect fit. You can see the attention to detail and how well the buckle holds onto the nylon in this video.
Second, it’s available at a length of 61″ which isn’t as long as the 75″ monster that is the Drizzte belt but it’s longer than your average gun belt. This is perfect for guys with big bellies.
Third, it’s pretty darn easy on the budget.
But what really made me add this belt to the list was the combination of a standard looking clasp with nylon which is where this belt starts to stand out. Most nylon gun belts use a buckle system that’s secure but gives the belt a very distinct look.
JUKMO has a ratchet buckle that locks into place, which is exactly what you need in a gun belt, but has the look of a traditional prong and hole belt. Plus, their system is really easy to use and lets you adjust the length of your belt. Here’s a video that shows how quick and easy set up is.
It’s not very noticeable with the black-on-black option but when you start combining the black buckle with Coyote Gray or Coffee Brown you can end up with some cool combinations. Leather belts are still going to be a better option for formal wear but the JUKMO belt will let you mix things up a bit.
Finally, I also love how durable this is designed. In addition to the high-quality hardware, this gun belt has detailed stitching and a design that isn’t going to fray. Notice how smooth the edges of this belt are compared to the Fairwin belt from above.
You can check out more reviews along with today’s price on Amazon by clicking here.
Closing Thoughts
Not only can fat guys comfortably carry inside the waist at almost any size but they can also look good doing it.
If you’re on the smaller side of big, you have the most options including some great leather belts.
But if you’re on the fat side of big there are still some great gun belts for you with the Dizzte belt being the best option.
What do you think? Which belt works best for you?