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Bison No. 1 Belt in Burgundy Review – $100

With a strong line of leather wallets including the No. 2 Wallet in Navy and the iPhone 5 Wallet, Bison has made the next logical leap in leather good designs – equally strong belts. Starting out with just two belt designs, Bison has once again successfully blended tough American hides with smooth sophisticated construction. Today, we get to look at the No. 1 Belt in Burgundy.

CONSTRUCTION

Like all Bison goods, The No. 1 belt is constructed by hand in the U.S.A. This single prime strip of thick full-grain English bridle leather is sourced from the Hermann Oak tannery in St. Louis, Missouri. All metal is solid brass casting. A buckle and belt loop are fastened to the belt with solid brass Chicago screws so the belt may be disassembled to switch buckles. You can then pick a raw brass finishing option or brushed nickel plating. Sizing is according to the conventional fashion standard similar to buying jeans and not to true measured size. Belt width measures 3.5 cm.  This belt definitely feels tougher than it looks and you can feel the weight and strength of the leather in your hands when comparing it to those typical “fashion” belts you see at the mall.

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FUNCTION

I put this belt to the test. Both a coworker and I tried it on, sat down, stood up, and walked around, and it was able to hold back the leviathans that are our midsections without difficulty. Upon taking off the belt (yes, my coworker wanted to keep it for himself), there was no evidence of any permanent creasing, warping, or frayed edges, even after multiple wears. The Chicago screw features adds some versatility to the belt in case you want to switch up the buckle with your own selection not offered on the website.

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AESTHETIC

Bison goods have a simple, clean sophistication to them and this belt fits right in. The leather is uniformly dyed without any marks, blemishes, or uneven coloring even in harsh lighting conditions. The edges are unwaxed but have a nice smooth fully-dyed and burnished look to them. This allows the belt to work in both the casual and dress settings particularly with the raw brass option. The No. 1 belt also comes in golden tan, cognac, brown, and black color options all in Hermann Oak English bridle leather. For even more options, buyers can pick a more modern buckle style with the No. 2 Belt.

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No one will fault you for taking off your belt in the office and showing it off on your desk.

BESTLEATHER CONCLUSION

The Bison No. 1 Belt in Burgundy is a classy yet versatile belt with quality that you can see and feel. Stop wasting your time and money repeatedly buying cheap leather designer belts that fall apart on the clearance rack. At $100, the No. 1 Belt is a worthy investment that will put your other generic cowhide belts to shame.

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Neo Nouveau by Andrew Diba Sharkskin Belt Review – $450

As previously featured in the Neo Nouveau by Andrew Diba Geometric Wallet Review, Andrew Diba is a Canadian leather designer who prides himself on meticulous quality construction using the highest grade of materials. When an individual leathermaker is showcased along reputable companies such as Rolex, BMW, and LG in Sharp Magazine’s (the Canadian GQ) spring and summer fashion guide, he must be doing something right. This sharkskin belt is a fine example of an unexpected exotic leather put to good use. Continue reading “Neo Nouveau by Andrew Diba Sharkskin Belt Review – $450”

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Portel’s Innovative, Adjustable Belt – $149 each

A belt is another one of those items that is consistently under-appreciated. It serves such a mundane function that it is often overlooked. People notice your shoes or boots. They notice your briefcase, messenger bag, or backpack. And, they’re quick to notice your choice of smartphone case too. But, how often does someone notice your belt? Chances are not very often. Whether you choose to wear a belt made of fabric or leather, it’s just there…doing its thing…serving its purpose, going unnoticed.

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So, when you find a belt that is truly a unique standout, you jump on it. And, it changes things (unless you always wear your shirts un-tucked). These two belts from Portel shed new light on belts. They’re unique and people notice.

About Portel

I originally took notice of Portel on Etsy. When I’m looking at Etsy-based companies, I tend to gauge them by longevity (how long their store has been open), number of admirers, and number of sales. All of Portel’s numbers show that they’re a solid brand producing items that people are enjoying. And, they have a solid, five star review status that seems to confirm their dedication to quality creations.

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Portel defines itself as a “retro-modern collection” of leather goods. Their products are designed for “those who love superior comfort, refinement, style, and individualism, without compromising strength and durability.”

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Portel is based in Tallinn, Estonia on the shores of the Baltic Sea. They started their workshop in 2009 and continue to produce goods with the core idea of elegant simplicity – “for those who like to walk their own way.”

Their business card contains the phrase, “300% Pure: 100% Handmade, 100% Natural, 100% Love”. This does a great job of encapsulating everything that makes up Portel.

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Construction

I received two belts from Portel: light brown buffalo leather and aged light brown leather. Both belts arrived at the same time in nice, compact packages. There are 3 pieces to each belt: a nice, aged-looking gunmetal gray roller buckle and two pieces for the belt.Portel-Belt-Review-2

Once you have one of these belts in your hands, you can feel the quality. There is an investment not only in materials, but in build time too. Portel uses Italian-sourced, vegetable tanned, high quality leather for all of its products. Each of these belts is 1.5” wide (they’re working on narrower widths right now) and adjust to 30” – 46” in length with their unique, attractive connection system. The edges of the belts are hand burnished. There is a lot of attention to detail on these belts. On the back of the belt, you’ll find four things stamped in it: the Portel logo, “Patent Pending” (not sure where they are filing for patent protection), the phrase “Handmade PortelBelt”, and “For those who like to walk their own way”.Portel-Belt-Review-3

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Function

It takes a few minutes to insert the buckle and size the belt appropriately. The unique snap together system is easy to use though and creates a stylish look. Once you have it sized, you’re ready to go.

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One thing that I did initially find to be a minor annoyance is that due to the raised snap/stud system, it takes a little more time to insert the belt through the belt loops on your pants or shorts. But, I also attribute this to a little bit of a learning curve. It’s not a smooth belt, so you have to take that into consideration when putting it on. After a few times of putting it on and taking it off, it no longer was a complicated, frustrating issue.

Each belt performs admirably. To date, I have not lost my pants or shorts, so success has been achieved! Seriously though, each belt functions just as it should.

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Aesthetic

The roller buckle is nice and the belt, stiff at first, softens up quickly with use. The leather on both of these belts looks and feels fantastic. The aged, light brown version has a nice rugged appearance while the buffalo leather’s texture and feel exudes a little bit more luxury. I’ve been wearing both versions of the belt for the past 8-9 weeks. It’s difficult to choose a favorite. I seem to use the light brown buffalo leather version for those times when I’m “dressing up more” (I’m a pretty casual guy, so dressing up might be nice jeans or khakis). The light brown cow leather belt is now my all around go to belt: shorts or jeans.

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Either one of these belts would be a great choice for casual or semi-casual use. Portel also features their belt in other colors too: black, red (looks more like a chestnut color), dark brown, and more. Visit their Etsy store to view their current, available colors in both aged leather and buffalo leather.

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Conclusion

At $149, the Portel Belt, whether in aged leather or buffalo leather, is a bit more expensive than many of the other belts we’ve reviewed on BestLeather. However, given their unique design along with the high quality components, and hand crafted detail work, they are a solid buy.

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Just like Portel says, “superior comfort, refinement, and individualism, without compromising on strength and durability”…these two belts will just get better with age and will last for many decades, which makes them well worth the initial price point.

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Paul Evans Grey Belt Review – $149

Over the past few years, the online market for dress shoes has proliferated, but few companies produce anything that can stand toe-to-toe with the likes of Alden, Allen Edmonds, and Crockett and Jones. Paul Evans is one of the few. Frustrated with the limited offering of stylish and affordable shoes from traditional manufactures, Ben Earley and Evan Fript set out to design a well-constructed, stylish shoe for a reasonable price. All of their shoes are hand built in Italy using Italian calfskin and are finished with a sleek Blake construction. But, I’m not here to talk about their shoes. They also provide belts and I have to say, they are pretty slick.

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Construction

The belt is handmade from thick, fine Italian leather, uses heavy-duty thread for stitching and is finished with a solid brass buckle. Everything about the construction screams durability and style, but the craziest part is that the belt is cut-to-fit. When I heard this, I immediately had images of the dual sided belts from the discount store come to mind, but once I realized how it worked, I was pleasantly surprised.

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What Paul Evans does is very tasteful. The buckle is a separate assembly that connects to the rest of the belt with a hefty Chicago screw. The part that is cut off is hidden between the buckle assembly, which gives the belt a seamless unity. Of course, this means that the owner must cut his new belt and then punch a hole for the screw or take it to a shoe shop to have them fit it for you. Even though the build quality is top notch and the materials are excellent, for the price, I would like the belt to fit me before it comes to my door. The design is ingenious and definitely allows Paul Evans to provide customers with more selection, but having measured or made-to-order belts available instead would definitely increase the value.

Function

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The belt from Paul Evans held up my trousers with style. Outside of doing exactly what a belt is supposed to do, its surprising thickness gave me confidence that I will be wearing it for many years to come without much worry of the leather breaking down.

Aesthetic

Paul Evans did a great job with this belt. The color is rich and deep and the look can be dressed up or down with relative ease making it incredibly versatile. On mine, the Chicago screw is exposed and the stitching is very noticeable making it a little bit harder to wear in extremely formal settings, but adds class to an otherwise casual look. The only part of the belt that looks rough is on the backside where some dye has bled through the stitching. Both of these issues are minor and probably have been remedied since their newer offerings have covered the screws and down played the stitching for a sleeker look.
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Conclusion

Paul Evans makes one mean belt. By putting together great styling with quality materials, this is one is tempting, but for the price, I would like to have it ready to wear as soon as I got it. If you do not mind the extra work and your are looking for dress belt that stands out, check out the selection on their site. While you are at it, spend some time drooling over their shoes.

Check out Paul Evans at www.paulevansny.com

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Southwind Leather Bridle Leather Belt Review – $58

A belt or two, as many of us know, is an essential part of every man’s wardrobe. Whether it is a less expensive one for work to just hold up your jeans or a more casual/ dressier one for the office or outing, a belt adds a lot to the overall attire. When buying a belt there are a few factors most have in mind. The strength of the belt- to withstand the test of time and stretching. The color-to go with a chosen pair of pants or shirt. The style-to fit with the theme, dress, and look of person wearing it. Southwind Leather of England captures all three of these issues and makes beautiful hand crafted bridle leather belts from the finest and strongest materials ensuring a sturdy and stylish product thats not only built to last but meant to look better with age.

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 Construction

Owner Dan Mroz started working with leather in 2012. His hobby of making something tangible and useful turned into a business selling fine leather goods such as belts, cellphone cases, and wallets.

This belt is constructed with full grain leather sourced from J & FJ Baker and Co. tannery in England.  J & FJ Baker is the last known tannery in England that uses a traditional method of oak bark tanning. The addition of the oak bark in the tanning process makes way for a stronger fiber and leather grain while keeping the leather lighter in weight which makes it a fine leather for boots and belts.

The leather is thinner at the edges (4mm) and thicker in the center (5.5mm). The belt is one strip of leather and is smooth and shiny on the front side with a more rough and natural finish on the edges and back side. The sticking is hand stitched using waxed Irish linen cord. The hardware is solid brass.

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Aesthetic

This is a fine belt. The color, London Tan, is a light, warm and rich tone that looks great alongside denim and allows the belt to really pop. The simple yet elegant minimalist design showcases the leather and the beautiful color. Out of the box, I was surprised to find how light and less stiff it was compared to other full grain leather belts I have owned. The brass has a nice weathered and antique look and feel that complements the leather and the design without being to shiny or heavy. Lastly, the stitching was a nice touch as well. The white brings the leather color and the brass together nicely and is neither too much or too little. I really like how there is just a small amount of stitching near the buckle rather than the whole length of the belt. This really adds to the handmade feel of this piece and the art. there are a good amount of standard belts on the market that have similar color stitching that is less noticeable. It is clear that Dan chose these three colors and materials to compliment each other rather than one or two to be either unnoticeable or overdone.

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Sizing

When buying a belt obviously an key thing to note is the sizing. Here in the United States most are accustomed to buying a belt according to their pant waist size. Dan suggested that I use a tape measure to measure my waist in inches to get a more accurate fit. Upon receiving the belt, however, I was slightly disappointed that the belt was actually a tad too large for me. My suggestion would be to either go with a length of a belt you already own and are happy with or the measurement of your pant size.

BestLeather Conclusion

After using the belt for a solid month I can already see it wearing, stretching and getting some lovely aging marks. This is a belt that will look better with age for sure. At first I was concerned that the color wouldn’t go with anything since my belt buying habits have always been to lean towards darker brown and black. I was pleasantly surprised on how much I like this color and am now considering other leather goods in a similar tone. I appreciate the simple design as it is not overdone with too many stitches or rivets. It is simple and elegant and lets the materials and craftsmanship shine. Check it out here.

Dan was also kind enough to offer a 10% to BestLeather readers. Mention the code: ‘SPECIAL10’ when shopping on the Southwind Leather site.

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Who Makes A High Quality Men’s Leather Dress Belt?

There are a few good ones that we know of. Allen Edmonds belts are good. A Simple Leather Belt makes a very cool cinch belt. Paul Evan’s had a nice belt reviewed here. Most of what we have reviewed are heavy rugged belts so we haven’t seen many dress belts…

Send a postcard in the comments below. What is your favorite leather dress belt?

Update: The Thrux Lawrence 1.25″ Bulwark Belt. It’s not exactly a dress belt but certainly less rugged than the 1.5″.

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One Star Horween Chromexcel Leather Belt Review – $60

One Star Leather is a one-man (Keegan) and one-dog (Buzz Lightyear) operation out of Los Angeles, California.  He makes fantastic, thoughtful small leather goods, from key fobs to notebook holders to wallets (his Park Sloper series really put him on the map), and he also squeezes in time to make great looking belts.

One Star’s Horween Chromexcel belts are made from … um … Horween Chromexcel (which you can read more about here), and are available in black, brown, or natural leather.  Keegan will also let you choose from several different buckle styles, though he does caution that this is “not a dress belt,” which I agree with.  The ruggedness of the leather cannot be hidden, and this is a belt that was made to hold up a pair of jeans, not a fine pair of slacks.4

The buckle is secured with two rivets, and there is a date stamp as well.  It is a fun, playful detail, since this is a belt that will far outlast however long the time in your life is that you wear this size.  There is also a small star stamp on the end–the one touch of branding you’ll find on the belt.

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BestLeather conclusion

It is a belt.  It holds up my pants.  But, even in this crowded field, One Star Leather has made it stand out, with the little touches that come from a guy, just working in his shop, that really cares about creating and delivering the best stuff he can.  Highly recommended; pick one up here.

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Ended – A Simple Leather Belt Giveaway – Two $60 Belts – Ends June 15th, 12PM PST

A Simple Leather Belt Co., which shall henceforth be known as ASLB, has undertaken the noble task of supplying America with tough belts custom sized to our various burgeoning waistlines. To say that these belts will do a good job holding up your britches is an understatement. I think I could tow my car with one of these (not a wise thing to do!). Now you can get one for free with this giveaway.

Pssst…. I know you are wondering where to enter the giveaway… Keep scrolling… Continue reading “Ended – A Simple Leather Belt Giveaway – Two $60 Belts – Ends June 15th, 12PM PST”

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Basäder Handmade Leather Belt Review in Dark Blue – $55

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Based in the bustling streets of Brooklyn, it is very easy to see the motive for Philip and Elin Antonelli’s designs: life in the city. Philip and Elin began Basäder on Etsy (read more about that here), an online hub for local startups and people looking to buy cool things.

They began by making artisan leather bags, one of which had the honor of being the first bag reviewed by BestLeather, the Messer Messenger Bag, and they soon expanded their line of hand-crafted leather goods to include multiple briefcases and satchels, as well as totes, keychains, and belts.

The Basäder Shop in Brooklyn, NY
The Basäder Shop in Brooklyn, NY

construction

Basäder uses nylon thread in concordance with copper rivets to hold this strikingly beautiful blue belt together. The buckle is made of copper as well, and features an antique burnished look. The leather is 7oz vegetable tanned, which is then dyed blue (dark blue model). the rivets are tough solid hand hammered rivets which will excel hollow rivets by a wide margin. Solid rivets will break a weak pair of snips, that’s how tough they are.

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That blue color is very striking with denim.
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No doubt it would go well with a pair of chinos as well.

This belt is not dyed all the way through the leather. In other words, the blue will fade with time, which would give way for an interesting patina; however, if you are in search of a belt that will not fade, this belt, especially in this color, may not be for you.

function

A belt has a very simple purpose, one that may seem comical, but it is the truth. A belt is designed for the sole purpose of holding one’s pants up. Does the Basäder hold my pants up? Yes, it absolutely does. It is thin enough to fit through my belt loops and substantially thick enough to hold up to daily uses.

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That subtle scratch shows how the blue coating doesn’t permeate the vegetable tanned leather.

aesthetic

When a boutique leather company such as Basäder designs a belt, they go into it with an intent in addition to the purpose of holding the wearer’s pants up: uniqueness. There are thousands of belts out there and when you’re a cool but small company such as Basäder, you have to find a way to get your foot in the door with customers. In other words, you have to find a hook, a catch that draws customers and leather aficionados alike to the till. You have to make the belt stand out. And this belt definitely does.

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Jax Chemicals makes a very nice solution for antiquing brass pieces like this.

The blue dye is extremely striking. I’ve had people comment on the color. People commented on my belt. This belt really is unique. The blue combined with the copper rivets and buckle really creates a cool, striking, and extremely interesting accessory, one that is definitely unique. I mean, how many other blue belts with copper hardware have you seen?

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It’s a sharp looking belt.

BestLeather conclusion

This belt is, in a word, beautiful. I’m not really sure what it is, but I really like the way that it catches the light and how the light plays with the minor abnormalities in the leather. It’s very captivating. For $55, you’re getting a great piece of leatherwork. In this same price range, we also have the Woodnsteel vegetable tanned belt, which is a similar and sizeable comparison. I, personally, would take the Basäder over the Woodnsteel, as I prefer the copper hardware and the overall aesthetic. The Basäder is worth the money. As far as leather belts go, $55 is a great price and for it, you will be receiving a great product.