Belts

[kayaker4ever]

I've done a lot of backpacking and camping but most of my backpacking trips were short enough that I wasn't going to lose much weight so I wore shorts or pants that did not require a belt because the hip pads could cause wear. Now that I'm planning on doing 2,000 miles of the trail I'm sure to lose weight and I'm wondering what others have used to hold their pants up. Maybe just buy new pants with a smaller waist?? Just wondering.

[HiKen2011]

Most will disagree but I wear a small diameter bison belt with a clip type (climbers belt) connection. Does not interfere wirh my backpack belt. But again most will disagree.

[rhjanes]

I use a REI compression strap. Got one large enough, then trimmed the end down and melted it. As you loose weight, you can trim it back and melt it to keep it from unraveling. Preso, light and functional.

[clsvideo]

You could get a pair of pants with an integrated belt. That keeps weight down and is more comfy under your pack's hip pads. I have a pair of Mountain Hardwear pants with an integrated belt and love it. I also have a low profile Mountain Hardwear belt that I wear on a daily basis.

[jlb2012]

some years ago I had abelt with a plastic buckle which broke - I improvised a belt from gutted 550 cord (ie sheath only) and a cord lock - it worked so well that its what I use for all my backpacking pants to this day - made by doubling the cord and feeding the loop end through the place the belt normally goes (may be belt loops or may be a channel in the pants) - put the cord lock on the loop end and tie a knot in the other end where you want the belt to lock in - to attach feed the knotted end into the loop end and then move cord lock to lock the loop around the knot - as one loses weight use add another knot further along the line - another advantage of this approach is that it is rather lighter than the typical belt

[chiefiepoo]

1.5" web belt with friction lock. Infinitly adjustable. Multi functional if you need to fix a pack strap, hip belt, tourniquet, or strangle a zombie.

[HiKen2011]

Strangle a zombie? Hell you never know, good post!

[Smooth & Wasabi]

I use drawstrings and integrated belts hiking. A good belt is the campmor climbers belt. 4 bucks and lots of colors. Just webbing and a fastex. I work outside and use them all the time. I also use them for softshell pants and winter hard shell pants that require belts.

[Sarcasm the elf]

1.5" web belt with friction lock. Infinitly adjustable. Multi functional if you need to fix a pack strap, hip belt, tourniquet, or strangle a zombie.

I second this, mine is a little smaller than 1.5", uses two Drings as a friction lock. Don't try to strangle zombies though. Not all of them need to breath, depends what storyline they crawled out from.

[Tinker]

I use a REI compression strap. Got one large enough, then trimmed the end down and melted it. As you loose weight, you can trim it back and melt it to keep it from unraveling. Presto, light and functional.

I guess that's the same as a pack lashing strap. It's nice if the strap has a releasing buckle, but I've used the regular ones with the simpler adjustor as well. It works fine.

[Joker4ink]

I use a shoelace. Seriously.

[Kookork]

I recommend a belt that has holes but isnot a heavy buckled one. sometimes I have lost more weight in the woods to expect my adjusble waist pants can handle it. In 2000 miles it should be the same or worse. You can wear one pant the whole trip I guess (AT guys correct me if I am wrong) and having a belt helps you to keep that pants the whole trail.

[jlo]

I had to buy new shorts after only 100 miles. Fortunately the GoodWill in town had some that worked better than the fancy REI brand shorts I started with

[Trailbender]

Tie two belt loops together with 550 cord.