For several years I've been wearing a Nexbelt exclusively. They describe their product as a ratchet belt, or 'the belt with no holes.'

What this means is that rather than a belt with holes punched in it every inch or so, you end up with a ratchet system that adjusts quickly and more accurately in 1/4" increments and over a much longer range.

They make a number of different types of belts and buckles, all based on the same principle of operation. From every day belts to dress leather belts and buckles, there's something for everyone, and for every situation.

Most of my dress (at least when I leave the house) is jeans and an EDC carry belt. In addition to the superb ratchet mechanism, the belt itself is stiffened to support the weight of a holster and firearm.

As I mentioned, I've been using a Nexbelt for several years, but recently the company updated their design and I decided up update my belt. This would be version 4.0, and I think what I was using before was version 2.0.

Below are several pictures showing the old design vs. new, and I'll point out some of the many ways they have improved what I though was already a great product.

In this first image, we can see that the teeth and lever that grip the end of the belt were widened and are almost twice the size of the original. This will grip much better than the older design. Also, the finish on the buckle seems to have been improved. The old buckle's finish had a tendency to wear off as you can easily see in the photo, where the new finish seems to be a more durable powered coat textured finish that should be less prone to wear.



In this second image you'll notice that the area where the end of the belt is inserted into the buckle to be gripped by the lever we just described is longer, so more of the belt is contained inside. In addition, you'll see two holes in this area that will take a pair of set screws to provide yet another level of grip on that end of the belt. I never had a problem with the old  system, but I have seen cases where removing the buckle from the belt often resulted in fraying, which in turn led to a looser fit here. This new system should be extremely solid.



The front view shows a center "post" in what used to be an open center design. This should add strength to the buckle, and adds additional support to the ratchet mechanism. In the old design, you can see the ratchet lever right in the center. Without the center post, there was some flex with the belt, which could have allowed the belt to slip a little. With the center post directly in front of the belt and opposite the ratchet lever, this is no longer possible.



Lastly, the side view shows one of the other significant changes, and that is the replacement of pins with screws. While it never happened to me, I saw the pin on another belt break before. The replacement of the pins with the screws means that the connection will be stronger, and also that if something does happen, it will be easier to fix without having to replace the entire buckle.



So those are the main differences between what I already considered the best edc carry belt, and the new and improved version of it. I'm anxious to see how the new design holds up over time.

For those of you still using non-ratcheting belts, I'd definitely recommend trying one. There is a design to fit everyone and every level of dress. You can mix and match buckles, belts, and colors.

Check them out at www.nexbelt.com