Welcome back to another edition of Concealed Carry Corner. Last week, we talked about the realities of carrying concealed. If you happened to miss that article, be sure to click the link here to check it out. This week, I wanted to revisit some of the major problems an improper belt can cause for someone trying to carry a concealed handgun. While you carry, you may start to fatigue and not understand why. In most cases, it's a result of your belt either being too big or not sturdy enough to carry the weight of your handgun. Let's take a closer look at a concealed carry belt rundown. Belts Can Cause Real IssuesSo often, I see people tell me about their carry guns and how some of them are either too big or too heavy to comfortably carry. 95% of the time it's really an issue with your belt or pants fit rather than the gun being too heavy. For those who are losing weight or just getting started, it can be difficult to have a properly fitting belt and the result is having your handgun shift around or not sit properly on your waistline. A good gun belt should not be able to be folded or bent and if it does, you need to replace that belt with a sturdier alternative. If there's any flex or movement allowed with your gun's holster, it can certainly cause the firearm to move or, even worse, have the holster detach from your belt, allowing it to move completely unrestricted. Having your gun move around and be unsecured is the worst-case scenario but a fairly common issue most will eventually have. The other big issue is having an improperly fitting belt, either because it becomes old or you have a shift in your waistline. I have been losing weight over the past 6 months and trying to make do with my old belts, but as a result of my weight loss, every belt is way larger than I need it to be. This allows your carry gun to move since it's not securely tightened down onto your body. At a bare minimum, you should create another belt loop by punching a hole in your belt, but the best way to fix this issue is to purchase a new belt that fits your current body style. Your Belt Determines Your ComfortWhen I start talking about the issues with improper or worn-out belts, I can't tell you how many times I hear people say, "Well, what's the big deal?” There are a few different ways a loose or improper belt can accelerate your fatigue throughout the day through hot spotting and rubbing your body raw where it shouldn't. If you have a belt that's too large and doesn't distribute the weight evenly, you certainly can have hot spotting where one part of your waistline, like your left hip bone, can become rubbed and inflamed from improper pressure from your belt not balancing the weight properly. Almost every time the gun is blamed or even the holster takes the blame, saying it doesn't ride comfortably on the body, but the real culprit in the vast majority of cases is actually your carry belt. If you gave me a budget and said you have to cheap out on everything but one aspect of carrying concealed, I would choose a quality handgun, obviously, but the accessory I would choose to put money into would absolutely be the belt and not the holster or magazine carrier. While a quality holster and magazine carriers can be useful, they don't have near the influence of allowing you to be comfortable like a quality gun belt offers. What's Best? The million-dollar question I’m sure you're all asking is what kind of belt is best then? There are two ways of thinking here. You can go with a thick, sturdy leather construction belt. This will be the easiest way to have a quality carry belt without looking overly tactical. Quality leather belts are fairly universal and certainly don't have to be tactical in order to be effective. If you want something a bit more purpose-built with that tactical feel, the Blue Alpha line of belts is fantastic. I’ve worn their belts for a number of years. Their Velcro and cobra buckle design allows you to make fine adjustments to have a perfect fit. One of the biggest contributing factors to having a comfortable carry experience even with a large handgun is how well your belt supports your holster and whether it's properly sized or not. Nothing will ruin your carry experience faster than a belt that's too big for you or one that doesn't offer enough support. Overall Thoughts Belts are one of those items that oftentimes become an afterthought when people start carrying. They buy their carry gun, holster and accessories but use the same belt they've had for the last 7-8 years. The reality of the situation is that belts are one of the most important aspects to carry all day without anything like hot spots or general discomfort. Do you have a favorite type of belt to carry with? Let me know your thoughts in the comment section below. If you have questions about gun belts or firearms in general, feel free to shoot me a message on Instagram @fridgeoperator. Stay safe out there and we will see you next week for another edition of Concealed Carry Corner.TFB’s Concealed Carry Corner is brought to you by GLOCK