Buyer's Guide: Durable, Long-Lasting Belts for Everyday Wear

Origin Reddit Post

r/buyitforlife

LL Bean Essential Belt, Wal-Mart quality

Posted by u/IgnorantCynic•05/31/2025

Purchased 5/16/25. I placed a review on the website and they hid it from the public it is entirely gone. I started out using the 3rd/4th hole in and the thing just refuses to stop stretching.

Top Comments

u/angle58

Genuine gluleather?

u/ninjasays

I should also note that I still have a Beans belt from the mid 90's. Only thing wrong with it is I'm not the twig I was in my teens. My kid wears it now.

u/Total-Tea6561

I'll only ever buy full grain leather products. They last forever. Check out Lost Dutchman or Popov Leather.

u/newuser92

Get a custom made belt from an Etsy store or, better yet, a local place. Good quality leather is easy to find, just more expensive.

u/CrouchingGinger

Quality has decreased greatly in the past 15/20 years and I’ll die on that hill. My grandfather used to outfit himself in head to toe Bean’s gear and back then it was considered top of the li

u/ninjasays

I'm currently wearing a polar fleece my parents bought for me 20+ years ago. Everything is great! 4 years ago, they bought me a wool/fleece pullover thing for Christmas. Within 2 months the

u/fattsoo

That's my experience as well! Found a few high rated sellers and bought 4 full grain only belts. Have mine for the past 4 years and holding up very well with minimum stretching and creasing.

u/Daxos157

Or Beltman. I’ve got two of his belts and they’ll survive the apocalypse.

u/ninjasays

I'm currently wearing a polar fleece my parents bought for me 20+ years ago. Everything is great! 4 years ago, they bought me a wool/fleece pullover thing for Christmas. Within 2 months the

u/yParticle

This is called "resting on your laurels" and means a company is on its way out, but the folks in charge don't care because that can be a 10-year timeline before it fully catches up with them.

u/Qui8gon4jinn

Find a local leather worker

u/No-Box4563

Hey, former bean worker here. The warranty still exists for merchandise purchased within a year. I'd return it and get a belt elsewhere. To all saying how bean declined, you are right and wr

u/SorryForPartying6T9

I bought a basic leather belt from Walmart for work as a carpenter about 7 years ago and it still is as good as new lol. Wear it at least 50 hours a week

u/JPBillingsgate

Aker leather belts. I have always been pretty happy with the quality of L.L. Bean clothes, but it is unsurprising that all of their accessories might not be so great.

u/Jaalan

They don't make a lot of their products in Maine anymore.

u/Trash_Grape

Wow, that is terrible for 2 weeks of use. Buy a Groove Belt if you want something a little stretchy (its supposed to stretch a bit), very adjustable, excellent quality, and free lifetime exch

u/Qui8gon4jinn

Find a local leather worker

u/NakedSnakeEyes

I tried to find a good leather belt for a while, to replace my old one. Eventually I got an adjustable cotton belt by Columbia instead, and I love it. I bought a second one in a different col

u/ninjasays

I should also note that I still have a Beans belt from the mid 90's. Only thing wrong with it is I'm not the twig I was in my teens. My kid wears it now.

u/Romu1us1408

Any recommendations for good belts?

u/Tempestzl1

Same that was a quality belt

u/Geltez

Go on Etsy and buy full grain leather belt. I bought mine a year and a half ago for $40, use it every day, still looks new.

u/CrouchingGinger

I’m an expat and I feel you there. ❤️ I have a fleece cardigan I bought at the store probably early 2009 and I wear it when we have cold snaps in FL. It’s held up perfectly. I think old Leon

u/SpicyTunaMelts

I got the Premier and two more for my dad and brother. They are fantastic—but I noticed quality drop on the last one and they changed the leather in the description too. I would first warn

u/iBody

Their stuff from back was so well made for the most part. I feel like everything lasted at least 5 years, even the underwear.

u/TheSlipweasel

They used to honor a lifetime guarantee on most products because the products were top of the line. This practice cannot be used when you prize profits over quality. LLBean was a quality name

u/yParticle

This is called "resting on your laurels" and means a company is on its way out, but the folks in charge don't care because that can be a 10-year timeline before it fully catches up with them.

u/Qui8gon4jinn

People really need to go back to our roots. If you want but it for life. Find local craftsmen's and artisans. And you don't have to support corrupt corporations. Win win

u/angle58

Genuine gluleather?

u/Model_27

This is the answer. Get a quality product and support a local craftsman, in a dying trade. Thirty years ago, there were three men that made quality leather belts, wallets, saddles, holsters

u/cantaloupe_daydreams

Not from this guy apparently

u/PhilosopherGlum3025

Hanks Belts.

u/WellOKyeah

I hate to be that guy, but the leather belt I bought from Walmart 20 years ago when I was in high school is the belt I wear daily. Looks pretty beat up but kind of love how long it’s lasted.

u/baldguyontheblock

I have been buying Beans second hand and find the older stuff all the time. It is way better than the new crud that they are passing off as rugged stuff.

u/Nearby-Quantity-625

LL beans essential belt is made of full grain leather, thats what their website says

u/slugboat

I did this last year and I'm SO happy I did. The guy had a local leather workshop, I walked up and he made my belt right there while I waited. He explained what leathers he had available, I p

u/TheDangerist

Carhartt makes a surprisingly good belt.

u/CrouchingGinger

Quality has decreased greatly in the past 15/20 years and I’ll die on that hill. My grandfather used to outfit himself in head to toe Bean’s gear and back then it was considered top of the li

u/sowedkooned

Kinda wild to see this when I still own a leather American Eagle belt I bought like 25 years ago that’s still kicking.

u/Far-Champion6505

Still have the receipt? Those wrinkles in the leather are making me second guess this is actually after just two weeks

u/Lazer_beam_Tiger

You've got to do your homework with most of their products. They've got a few decent offerings that are mostly made in America, but anything outside those aren't great. Also got the inside sc

u/Far-Champion6505

Still have the receipt? Those wrinkles in the leather are making me second guess this is actually after just two weeks

u/All_Hail_Space_Cat

I'd search your area for a leather goods store. There is always one closer than you realize. They will usually have locally made belts. For example, I'm in NH so about a decade ago I brought

u/PhilosopherGlum3025

Hanks Belts.

u/ThePerfectBreeze

That's shitty. I would recommend a nice stretchy belt instead for your line of work. I have an Arcade Belt that I would highly recommend, but I'm sure there are plenty of other options.

u/TheSlipweasel

They used to honor a lifetime guarantee on most products because the products were top of the line. This practice cannot be used when you prize profits over quality. LLBean was a quality name

u/Bake_Bike-9456

impressive under 2 weeks

u/sowedkooned

Kinda wild to see this when I still own a leather American Eagle belt I bought like 25 years ago that’s still kicking.

u/Geltez

Go on Etsy and buy full grain leather belt. I bought mine a year and a half ago for $40, use it every day, still looks new.

u/Total-Tea6561

I'll only ever buy full grain leather products. They last forever. Check out Lost Dutchman or Popov Leather.

Origin Reddit Post

r/buyitforlife

LL Bean Essential Belt, Wal-Mart quality

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