REVIEW – For many years, I’ve worn a belt almost daily, as part of both my office as well as casual attire, and the vast majority of my belts have been the traditional leather with standard buckle type. However, when I was a kid, I went through a period where I was somewhat obsessed with military-style web belts. That interest waned over the years until I stumbled upon the Grip6 Web Belt, which appeared to be more than a modern take on the classic version.
What is it?
GRIP6 Web Belt is an updated version of the classic web belt featuring a low-profile, lay-flat buckle with no moving parts.
Hardware specs & options
- Buckles in various materials, widths, colors, and designs so you can pick one that you like best:
- Anodized Aluminum
- Carbon Fiber
- Wood Grain
- Webbing Straps in high-tensile nylon fiber weave materials and in various widths, colors, and lengths to fit just about any taste and body size:
- Standard – 2000+pounds break strength
- Workbelt – 3000+ pounds break strength
What’s in the box?
The GRIP6 Belt arrived in a recyclable cardboard box.
Design and features
Right out of the box, I was impressed with the GRIP6 Belt. It looked and felt high quality. GRIP6 Belts are available in several options of buckle materials and finishes, as well as a few options of straps. I bought a Classic Series belt with Gunmetal buckle and Black strap.
The machining of the buckle is excellent, with precise lines and a slight curvature to better fit your body. All edges are slightly rounded to prevent them from being sharp. The brushed finish and anodizing are very consistent and uniform throughout, and although I’ve worn this belt for a few years now, there still isn’t a visible scratch on it the buckle.
The web address, logo, and “USA MADE” indicator are stamped into the back of the buckle.
The strap webbing material is very high quality and feels like it has enough strength to lift a car (full disclosure: GRIP6 claims this style of webbing has a 2000+ break strength). It has tiny grooves running across its surface which are part of the secret to how the buckle grips the strap so securely (“no-slip” as GRIP6 refers to it). The free end of the strap has been very uniformly melted to prevent the material from fraying. The straps can be ordered by waist size, but if you the strap you select is a bit long, it is possible to carefully cut off some of the excess strap and carefully use a lighter to melt the cut end similar to what is shown above, to keep the cut end from fraying. WARNING: Do this at your own risk and ONLY do so carefully—GRIP6 provides a resizing tutorial on how to do this.
The opposite end of the strap has been melted into a sort of “T” shape that provides a stop that keeps that end of the strap retained in the buckle’s slot.
The GRIP6 Belt’s locking mechanism is based on friction, and in fact GRIP6 refers to it as their “Badger Bite Friction Lock.” The free end of the strap is placed through the open slot and the excess strap is cinched down and tucks behind the buckle and the other end of the strap. With the buckle lying flat against the strap, the buckle slot’s edge grips the small ridges in the belt’s fabric. This allows for near-infinite adjustability, a solid locking mechanism, and the ability to hide the excess strap for a clean look. I did find that it took a few times to get used to cinching it down, but after that, it was second nature.
The photo above shows a top view of the GRIP6 Belt’s with its excess strap tucked behind its buckle. This buckle and strap design is also quite low-profile.
The buckle and strap design give the GRIP6 a clean look: no holes and no excess strap that sticks out. I’ve worn my GRIP6 Belt with all sorts of casual attire and even it even looks sharp enough to wear with business casual clothing; just about the only thing I wouldn’t wear it with is a suit.
The one drawback I found to the GRIP6 Belt was that, due to the way in which the buckle secures the strap in place, the strap itself frays over time, as can be seen in the photo above and the next few below.
While this fraying is a bit disappointing, it doesn’t seem to affect the function or performance of the GRIP6 Belt in any way, and in fact, is not visible from externally.
What I like
- The way the excess strap tucks behind the buckle provides a clean look
- Lots of buckle and strap options for mix-and-match customization
- Tough, durable, high-quality materials
What needs to be improved
- Strap fraying over time is a bit disappointing, though doesn’t seem to affect appearance or function
Final thoughts
I really like my GRIP6 Belt. It lives up to its billing as a tough, durable, low-profile belt, and I like the way the excess webbing strap can be tucked behind, which gives the GRIP6 Belt a very clean look. I also like the ability to mix-and-match buckles and straps, which reminds me that I need to buy a few more of each. Finally, GRIP6 belts are very affordable as well.
Price: The price range of GRIP6 Belts varies from $24.00 for Kids Series Belts up to $90.00 for the Dark Matter Belt with carbon fiber buckle, but most of GRIP6’s belts are in the $35-$40 range. Additionally, buckles and webbing straps can be purchased separately for added customization.
Where to buy: GRIP6.com and Amazon
Source: The product sample for this review was purchased with the reviewer’s own funds.
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It was a fb ad I clicked. I was never able to put on/take off this belt as smoothly and effortlessly as any other belt I’ve ever owned. I liked the design enough to buy one, but I just couldn’t master its op.
I know what you mean. Something about having to pull the excess strap out from behind the buckle to tighten it had always been a bit awkward for me. Like I can never quite get it adjusted right.
Just for comparison, Andy, try COLUMBIA SPORTSWEAR’S version of the ‘ratcheted’ belt @ 1/4 inch increments, patented buckle,,, but the excess does show .
E~mail me, Andy, if you get the opportunity or if I can answer any question.
fyi:: not ‘webbing’,,,but a leather/synthetic composite.
Conrad
I agree, it was tricky and they now have a video on their web page that clarified things. It took me about a month for it to become second nature. I have upgraded my belt style and am wearing it with a work uniform. On the waitlist for the airport friendly version buckle.
Switch out the buckle?
Can you use a standard web belt, say a military web with the buckle? Or are you stuck with their belt material.
I don’t know, I didn’t try this. I’d recommend contacting GRIP6.
They have a wide variety of belt designs. You cannot use the standard military web belt as it does not have the melted end. Normally that end of the military belt style goes into a claw grip closure. This has a melted end. That said you can wear the belt with other buckles depending on the style.
Grip6’s website claims that their products are made in the USA. However, my recent order (November 2021) appears to be shipping out of China. What’s up with that?
All GRIP6 products, including the belts, are made and shipped, in the USA. Specifically the buckles are made almost entirely in our Utah factory. The straps come from North Carolina. We ship all our products from our Utah factory too. We also make a really cool wallet and amazing merino wool socks that are made entirely in our Utah factory using US sourced materials. Our packaging is also sourced locally as well. This is very important to us.
I noticed that Jimmy didn’t get an answer to his question, why was his package shipped from China, no answer, strange.
Jimmy, where did you purchase the belt from? Was it directly from Grip6? Might want to contact them and send photo evidence of this as they may have a copyright issue.
Ask GRIP6.
Andy, I know Grip6 has a lifetime guarantee and warranty with their products. Did you send it back because of fraying? What was the result?
No, I did not send it back due to the fraying. Honestly, I figured the fraying phenomenon was a byproduct of the design and materials, and therefore would be present with all GRIP6 belts.