EDC Belt Co. – Foundation Belt : Incredible Balance of Comfort and Structure
I have been using the Foundation Belt from EDC Belto Company for nearly 5 months now. I'll let you know how it's holding up and if it is worth the $45.00 price tag.
You may not be familiar with the EDC Belt Company because they are relatively new to making gun belts. As a result, you may be skeptical about buying a belt from a fairly new company, but if you're in search of a gun belt, don't let that dissuade you from considering their Foundation Belt. I always provide honest feedback on the products I try out, and this belt is, hands down, a winner.
Why A Gun Belt?
If you're going to carry a gun, you need a belt that does more than just hold up your pants. One of the most significant differences between a regular belt and a gun belt is the rigidity the belt offers.
A gun belt needs to be rigid so it can support the weight of the gun and holster. A thin belt's support is related to how tight you cinch it around your waist. This isn't the case with a rigid gun belt.
Rigidity comes with some drawbacks, though. Sometimes this means the belt is super thick. I find this especially true with doubled-up leather belts. A thick belt is heavy, and I find them to be less comfortable than a lighter belt.
The other drawback of rigidity is that it can feel like you're wearing a hula-hoop around your waist. Not only can it be uncomfortable over time, but sometimes the belt's shape can be seen under your shirt. So it can look weird and also draw attention to your belt line.
Here is something interesting to consider. Have you ever looked at a leather belt that you have worn for a long time? You will see that its shape is different than it was when it was new. When it was new, it was straight; now, it has a bow to it.
This bend forms because the shape of our waist isn't a circle. It is an oval.
Over time the belt makes up for this by forming a slightly bent shape that allows the belt to lay flat when wrapped around our body.
Why the Foundation Belt is Different:
The foundation belt is the only belt I know of that balances the necessity of a rigid gun belt and the comfort of a flexible belt that conforms to the shape of your body and doesn't feel like a hula-hoop.
The Foundation Belt uses a double thickness reinforced nylon material in the areas where you would carry the gun (sides and front) and a single layer, softer nylon material in the back.
Bryan Eastridge, the founder of the EDC Belt Company, once described the foundation belt as
A nylon belt that wears like a leather belt
I think that is a terrific explanation of the Foundation Belt and why it is different than the many other gun belts I wear.
The Foundation belt is flexible in the back, so it can form comfortably around your waist. The rest of the belt is reinforced and stiff to support the gun.
The buckle:
Another feature of the Foundation Belt that I personally like is the low-profile buckle. The buckle isn't really even a buckle. It is more of just a metal loop. You feed one end of the belt through the buckle, then fold the belt back and fasten it to itself with velcro.
I appreciate this method of closure because it keeps the belt thin. The small, low-profile buckle also doesn't get in the way of my holster clips like so many other belt buckles do. This is an issue when you carry in the appendix position and won't affect you if you carry by a different method.
Considerations:
Here are a couple of considerations when deciding if a Foundation Belt is the right gun belt for you.
Nylon webbing is the material used in the Foundation Belt. I actually find the nylon fine for most of my clothing, although I am not in a business setting where I wear a suit or very formal dress.
The second consideration is that the belt comes in two colors, black which I have, and “desert sage.” The desert sage seems like a gray-tan color that looks like it would match most of your brown or green color clothing. And the black color belt fits everything else.
I have a couple of Kore Essentials belts and a Blue Alpha Belts, belt that I like a lot. However, I have found myself wearing the Foundation Belt almost exclusively because of the reasons I mentioned above. So, if you are wearing a plain old belt, or it's time for another everyday carry belt option, I highly recommend the Foundation Belt from EDC Belt Company.
I’m a Disabled Veteran in a power wheelchair and I’ve been looking and looking for something comfortable to fit around my 54in waist due to not being able to exercise. I’ve bought online several times just to waste my money. I have a Glock17 pistoil can you please recommend someone who can help a Veteran in need to conceal carry. I’m licensed in Texas so no worries there. Thank Y’all for your help and may God Bless. The holster must be soft because I’m chair bound.
Hi Jerry, thank you so much for your service and for reaching out. You may try the Brave Response Holster or a belly band holster from Crossbreed Holsters that includes a Kydex shell.
I hope this helps, good luck and God bless.
I use a SCCY CPX2 9mm because of its durability and lifetime warranty; however, it is hard for someone like me, who has hand arthritis, to rack it and have to use a Handi-Racker Slide Rack Assist Gun Tool. It isn’t always feasible to use one and I am interested in finding a CC weapon that is as durable as the SCCY but is easier to rack and doesn’t have a large price tag compared to some name brand hand guns.
Hi Julie, try heading out to a gun store with a Smith and Wesson Shield EZ. The SCCY CPX2 has a stiff recoil spring, like most micro-compacts. A larger gun will be easier to rack, but the shield EZ is a small gun designed to be easier to rack.