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Tool Belt Recommendation

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APEowner

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Sunny, New Mexico
I'm thinking that it's time for a new tool belt. My current one occasionally unbuckles on it's own which is inconvenient and thanks to the fact that I've been watching what I eat and exercising it pulls my pants down which is embarrassing.

I tend to carry a lot in my belt and I often have a cordless driver hanging on it as well so I'm thinking I want something with built in suspenders.

Any recommendations or ones that I should avoid?
 
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sparky 1971

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Central Iowa
Occidental Leather is by far the best. I also use their suspenders, but they are kind of a ***** at first. You have to wear them for awhile to get everything broken in. After about a week of fooking around with mine, I wound up using machine screws and nuts to bolt the suspender loops to the belt. I also figured out where the ideal place for the "X" patch on the back was and glued it in place with epoxy. Everything is fine now, but it was an exercise in frustration at first.
 
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619DioFan

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Apr 9, 2013
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San Diego , Ca.
I have the husky framers rig from HD. did come with the suspenders. I'm 6'4'' so it took some messing with to get it to sit right. I am just a serious DIYer and only use it on my personal projects or helping friends , family with theirs. the quality is just fine for my needs.
 
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tarbellb

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Oregon
Other brands to look into, specially if you like the idea of customizing your belt layout-

Old school brand Diamond Belts, cult like following

New guys Atlas46, a more modern system.

Both USA made, both $.

Or if your budget is a bit more anemic, try used Klein.
 
OP
A

APEowner

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I appreciate all the input.

I have to admit to having a not insignificant amount of sticker shock after looking at the recommendations. It appears that what I want is more expensive than what I'm willing to spend on an impulse buy. It's not that I don't have the coin but yikes!

I'm also surprised by all of the options available. This is clearly going to require more thought than I expected when my belt fell off yesterday and convinced me that it's time to replace it.

At the moment I'm leaning towards doing a custom layout with Klein but I'm still thinking.

Thanks again for all of the input so far and if anyone else has any suggestions I'm still interested in them.
 
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mc4life27

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Jul 2, 2014
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404
Occidental bags are awesome and I use one of there vests and like it. I also have some
Klein bags I use I really like there smaller 9 pocket one keeps secure and not to big. I try to carry and little amount as possible. Less weight and I don’t ache at the end of a long g day lugging around a 50-60 pound belt. Not worth it.


Sent from my iPhone using Garage Journal
 
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cjarvis

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Aug 30, 2017
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Another vote for Occidental Leather. I bought mine in '98 when I was working my way through college doing construction. 22 years later and they're still in great shape. They were spendy, but worth it and I'd buy again if I needed new bags.
 
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speed bump

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Butte Montana
I have Occidental bags because they make left handed bags. They are bulletproof and nicely laid out but they are overkill for my homeowner use.

If I wasn't left handed I would have probably mixed and matched out of various stores until I found what I liked.
 
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KnurledNut

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APEowner said:
I have to admit to having a not insignificant amount of sticker shock after looking at the recommendations. It appears that what I want is more expensive than what I'm willing to spend on an impulse buy. It's not that I don't have the coin but yikes!
Click to expand...

I better not mention Buckaroo then...

:lol_hitti
 
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Downwindtracker 2

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Jun 13, 2019
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BC
I started as a carpenter, I changed trades to millwright, and my belt hung on the wall. I went to do some work around the place and the leather belt had seriously shrunk . Odd it was just the belt. It was locally made Cadillac brand. I picked up an Kuny, made in Alberta. Well made, heavy leather. It's a pretty common one around here. I don't like it, it too big, it sticks out too far. Bigger isn't always better. I got a longer belt for the Cadillac.

Any brand you buy, you will at some point, need some harness rivets . The machine stapled ones will come out. There was a time when you could buy a box at a hardware store , now, I got my last box of Amazon or if there is a Tandy Leather near you, they should have them. I struck out at a Tack store !
 
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lardy1

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I've been away from carpentry as a way of earning a living for almost 20 years now. Cordura was hitting the market hard at the time and I was impressed with them. Maybe they weren't good long term? Just not popular? I never had any because I had recently bought new leathers at that time.
 
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Rarified27

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Jan 22, 2010
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Between PA and NJ
As noted by many others, Occidental is top dollar, but insanely nice. The only non-leather comparable I've seen is Diamondback, which is equally as expensive. The Akiribis stuff out of Canada is also high quality, but it's a small operation and all custom, so there's a wait.
 
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Downwindtracker 2

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How much bag do you want or need. Here is a list of Kuny products https://federatedtool.com/kunys-leather/?search_query=&page=1&limit=100&sort=featured These prices are in Canadian 75 cent dollars but the range of products would be the same for other leather manufactures. I bought the $107 one. It would have been a top of the line professional one back in the day . But look at the $449 one.

Make sure you get suspenders, they really save your back. Unless you are framing for a living, ordinary 2" good enough.

Excuse an old timer's reminiscing. When I started as a apprentice, I bought a cheap split grain leather belt. That lasted a a few months . For a homeowner these would be fine. I was told to get the replacement from a shoe repairman who made very good ones, sadly urban renewal got his shop in downtown Vancouver. I was almost able to buy from the guy making them !
 
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dscheidt

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lardy1 said:
I've been away from carpentry as a way of earning a living for almost 20 years now. Cordura was hitting the market hard at the time and I was impressed with them. Maybe they weren't good long term? Just not popular? I never had any because I had recently bought new leathers at that time.
Click to expand...

I see lots of carpenters wearing nylon bags. They're cheaper, they're lighter, but they don't last as long. most of the big brands sell nylon versions of their leather stuff. They don't have the bling factor either.
 
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AeneasWalks

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Dec 11, 2016
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Queens, NY
I'm looking into Buckaroo as well but not so sure about the lead time. I may get a Buckaroo belt and outfit it with Occidental pouches. Need to convert several dozen fluorescent lights to LED and this will save me a lot of running up and down the ladder.
 
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nadogail

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Jan 23, 2009
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Coronado, CA
Maybe you, like me, kept eating like you were burning lots of calories during the day.

It took a while but as of the last couple of years my pants quit shrinking; in fact they are beginning to stretch a tiny bit.
 
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ecotec

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Oct 5, 2010
Messages
5,426
I love my occidental bags.

I would strongly suggest not overdoing it. The more space you have, in your bags, the more likely that you will overload them.

I would buy the smallest fastener bag that you can get away with.
 
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loganb

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Dec 29, 2011
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Omaha, NE
I personally have and like the Atlas46 Saratoga vest and gear. It's another brand that will induce sticker shock and overkill for what I'm doing now but was great as I was doing the work flipping our last house. I'll probably end up with one of their apron style vests for garage woodworking time as it'll be better suited for that...but probably won't sell the vest.
 
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FTG-05

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Oct 11, 2012
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Location
TN
As a retired and part time weekend warrior, I couldn't stomach the $$$ for the Klein or Occidental belts. I just Amazon'd this Dewalt tool belt and suspenders. It was very easy to configure for me and I use it when I'm building my deer shooting houses in my shop:

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B001P30BTG/?tag=atomicindus08-20

718ANHdHbAL._AC_SL1500_.jpg
 
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