Powerlifting Belt – 4 Options For Any Budget
Powerlifting Belts have come a long way over the past few years. The options are seemingly endless from nylon and leather, prong or lever, federation accepted or not. It can be difficult finding one that is right for you. Today we’ll help guide you through the belt buying challenge with 4 Powerlifting Belt options for any budget.
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To Powerlifting Belt or Not To Powerlifting Belt
Before we continue on this journey, we should talk about the purpose of a weight belt. A weight belt is meant to be a tool to increase intra-abdominal pressure by giving your core something to brace against. It can increase stability, help with proprioception (the body’s ability to sense its position and movement), and help cue better positioning and posture.
Should belts be used all the time? Not necessarily. They can help as you chase those big, heavy PR’s or nasty sets of 8 reps at an RPE of 10. But training without a belt is also important in helping make sure you are bracing properly and have correct movement patterns. But right now our focus is on Belts = Good!
What Makes a Quality Belt?
A common phrase in the home gym community is “Buy once, cry once.” While quality is important, I understand maybe you are not sold on using a belt in your training, or you’re still trying to figure out what kind of belt is best for you. Money can also be tight, which is understandable these days. What to look for in a quality belt is pretty simple.
You want to invest in high quality materials like heavy duty nylon and real, top grain leather if possible. You also want to be sure the belt has reinforced and/or multi-row stitching to prevent fraying and breakdown. Lastly, be sure the locking mechanism is solid whether it’s a lever, single or double prong, or self locking. Does a higher price tag mean better quality? Yes, to an extent. There are plenty of high priced belts out there that work just as well as a low to medium priced belt.
$20-49 Range
If you are just starting out your lifting journey and are looking for a basic belt, there are a couple options. One of the first options, and probably the cheapest, would be to go with a nylon belt. These tend to be less rigid than leather belts and give decent support. I’ve seen beginners to Olympic medalists use nylon belts in all sorts of lifting environments. One option would be Rogue’s 4” Nylon belt.
This nylon belt only comes in black, and at $25 it will get the job done as a basic belt option. If you’re more into the leather belt option, which is more rigid, you can find some under or at that $49 mark. The quality might not be the best, but does that mean you should avoid it? Not at all. I pulled my lifetime deadlift PR in my $49 belt from the local athletic store. Did it explode after a year of use? Absolutely. But it did help me understand what I was looking for in a better belt.
$50-79 Range
As you get into this low-mid price range there are a few options. There are some nylon belts available here such as from 2Pood which is the official belt of USA Weightlifting and is readily used by Crossfit competitors. You can also start finding solid quality leather belts in this range. Pioneer Fit offers several training belts in different thicknesses in this range. Keep in mind: the thicker the belt, the more support. But also, the thicker the belt, the more stiff it will be.
$80-200 Range
At this range, you can find a great quality stock leather belt. Belts here will have quality materials, locking mechanisms, and craftsmanship. Pioneer Fit has several belt options at this level from their stock lever belt to their single prong “Pioneer Cut”. These would be a minimum of 10mm of thickness giving you ample support for those big lifts and intense training sessions.
$201+ Range
Will belts at this price point immediately make you hit a PR? Maybe? But at this price point you will find federation accepted belts from SBD as well as A7. While Pioneer Fit is accepted in most federations, they are not accepted in IPF so be aware of that. A7 belts range around $230 while SBD lever belts are in the low to upper $300’s. Does Pioneer Fit make belts in this range?
Very much so. But what makes the price go up is the customization factor. The belts I have seen Pioneer produce are works of functional art. Hand painted, embroidered, custom leather work. They even have exotic leather options like elephant and snake skin upon request and are very limited. My custom Pioneer Cut belt was just a little over $200, but I have had it for over 7 years with heavy use. While it shows its wear, structurally it is still very sound, showing no signs of failing any time soon.
Breath Belt
An honorable mention for our belt series is the Breath Belt. While most powerlifting belts are rigid to offer a good amount of support, the Breath Belt is made specifically for proprioception (the body’s ability to sense its position and movement). This means the Breath Belt moves with the breath helping engage your core musculature correctly.
While this might not be for everyone, it definitely earns a spot in the belt conversation as it can help get your breathing patterns and engagement rock solid. The Breath Belt runs about $160 but can be a valuable tool in helping properly train your breathing muscles and therefore help you create a better brace. If you want a deeper dive into the Beath Belt, check out this article.
Pioneer Fit for Life
Where should you look for purchasing a belt? We recommend Pioneer Fit. They are a family owned business with all their production and work done in Central Texas. Pioneer Fit is not only affordable, but the quality is unmatched. They have been the Official Belt Sponsor of the Garage Gym Competition for the past 6 years. They continue to support charities and non-profits without hesitation. Their customer service and support is above and beyond. They are down to earth people who genuinely care about what they do and the customers they serve. You cannot go wrong with Pioneer Fit.
Weight belts are available for just about any budget. They can range from basic to amazing works of art. In the end, it is the user’s preference what they want to spend on their weight belts. Weight belts are a valuable tool for powerlifters and can really help push their training to the next level. Hopefully, looking for a belt is less daunting with our 4 belt options for any budget.
This article was written by our contributor, Christian Ernst.
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