the 13mm single prong P2 is awesome! i have that as well as the 6.5mm version. if you want a belt for both squats and deadlifts get the 13mm belt. the 6.5 is more comfortable while deadlifting but you can definitely tell a difference in support.
as far as single prong vs lever i would go single prong. I love my lever belt, but it’s a pain in the ass to adjust. and every time my weight changes i have to readjust it. If you are a geared lifter, you have to adjust it every time you switch from raw to gear. so like i said, it would just be easier to go with the single prong P2 belt (13mm)
Good idea going with a single prong / non-lever belt. Double prong is a pain in the ass with little to no practical benefit. Lever belts are fine but are a pain in the ass to adjust and I’ve seen several of the levers break off.
With regards to the 6.5mm belt; I can’t say for certain because I’m unfamiliar with EliteFTS’ belt selection. But some people like thinner belts for deadlifting as it allows them to get in better position. Most likely those lifters will have a 10 or 13mm belt for squatting and a thinner belt for pulling.
13mm belts are great but can be tough to get on – especially when they are new. Not to discourage you from buying it because it’s probably a great option. Personally I’d go with a 10mm belt but that’s just my own preference.
In terms of sizing, there is a pretty big range (looks like 9") for that belt. Get something in the middle that you can grow or shrink into. I’ve used the same Inzer 10mm single prong for about 5 years. During this time I’ve fluctuated from being lifting raw ~220lbs to ~290lbs in multiply gear – no issues with the belt.
Bestbelts.net, 13 mm “athletic belt” with a single prong…best purchase I’ve ever made in my life. It came ready to wear right out of the box, didn’t need any breaking in. IMO it was reasonably priced ($85) and the owner is very easy to access if you have any problems. Plus it has a lifetime guarantee.
The biggest regret I have in training is not picking up a 13mm belt as soon as I started lifting. I use it for both squats and deads with no issue (along with a lot of strongman stuff). I cannot echo the sentiments of a lever belt being a pain in the ass to adjust. I have not personally had that experience, as mine can be adjusted with a quarter in a few minutes, but I am sure mileage will vary.
I cannot speak on the single prong aspect, as I’ve only ever had a double pronged and lever belt, but a definite vote from me on 13mm .
2nd for best belts. I’m not positive but I think the elitfts 13 is a double piece of leather which may not be as durable. Best belts is one piece, custom cut for your size and in a variety of colors.
I have the 13mm P2 Lever belt from EliteFTS I really like it and I don’t find it hard to adjust at all. Also its the first belt I’ve ever owned so I don’t have anything to compare it to.
13 MM Inzer lever. I can adjust it in under 90 seconds with a screw driver; faster when I have my Makita. I’ve had mine since 2007. The lever recently broke (after six years of use) but Inzer sent me new one under warranty for the price of shipping ($9.00). I also ordered an extra one just in case. I absolutely love the lever. If I had to go in an out of gear and needed to adjust more frequently and didn’t like using a screw driver I’d consider just buying two belts over going with a prong.
I swore I would not buy a belt until I could hit 1200 without one, but I want to have longevity (aka no more lower back strains). I am in the process of fixing my form as well, so I’m not just slapping a band-aid on a gunshot wound haha. Better form is more weight on the bar anyway, right?
I got caught up in the whole beltless thing. Perhaps it isn’t a big deal after all. It’s not like the belt lifts any of the weight, it just supports your abdomen.
I don’t have a lot of money for multiple belts in the near future, so I am going to buy nice instead of twice for sure. I’m gonna go with the prong because I plan on going from around 220 to eventually dieting down to where I could lift in the 198’s without cutting weight. I don’t want to have to fuss with the lever at all haha. I am just too lazy. Plus, the rattle of the belt attracts the fitness competitors…right?
I’m going to look into the other brand of belts as well tomorrow.
I measured my waist at its narrowest. It was 38 inches after a massive day of eating today. (I mean I got my bloat on today for sure.)
EliteFTS has one that is good for 35 to 44 inches. I figure I could drill some holes if I have to make it smaller for whatever reason. Can anyone speak to this? The medium belt is meant for 31 to 40 inch waists.
[quote]chobbs wrote: Bestbelts.net, 13 mm “athletic belt” with a single prong…best purchase I’ve ever made in my life. It came ready to wear right out of the box, didn’t need any breaking in. IMO it was reasonably priced ($85) and the owner is very easy to access if you have any problems. Plus it has a lifetime guarantee.[/quote]
Pretty sure the athlete belt is a 10mm, not a 13. That’s the one that I have and I love it. They also custom punch the holes based on where you tell them you want the center hole to be.
[quote]trivium wrote:
Thanks for the responses guys.
I swore I would not buy a belt until I could hit 1200 without one, but I want to have longevity (aka no more lower back strains). I am in the process of fixing my form as well, so I’m not just slapping a band-aid on a gunshot wound haha. Better form is more weight on the bar anyway, right?
I got caught up in the whole beltless thing. Perhaps it isn’t a big deal after all. It’s not like the belt lifts any of the weight, it just supports your abdomen.[/quote]
Exactly. There is no shame associated with wearing a belt. It is no band aid. Wearing a belt is NOT a crutch and it doesn’t magically ad 100# to your lifts. Compound lifts are a display of strength and NOT the time to be worried about your “core” and all that crap the no belt nazi’s preach. The belt is merely a silent partner that’s trying to help keep your spine in a better position for this activity we are doing. Having hundreds of pounds on your back is not natural so why not take a precaution or two in staying safe? Maybe it’s all these 20 year old “indestructible” people but when you get my age, you care not for this nonsense.
[quote]trivium wrote:
EliteFTS has one that is good for 35 to 44 inches. I figure I could drill some holes if I have to make it smaller for whatever reason. Can anyone speak to this? The medium belt is meant for 31 to 40 inch waists.[/quote]
That’s right. You can add holes but you cannot make the belt longer.
I made a youtube video on how to break in your belt in about 30 min. They come stiff as fk so if you are interested in this I can send you a link.
[quote]trivium wrote:
Thanks for the responses guys.
I swore I would not buy a belt until I could hit 1200 without one, but I want to have longevity (aka no more lower back strains). I am in the process of fixing my form as well, so I’m not just slapping a band-aid on a gunshot wound haha. Better form is more weight on the bar anyway, right?
I got caught up in the whole beltless thing. Perhaps it isn’t a big deal after all. It’s not like the belt lifts any of the weight, it just supports your abdomen.[/quote]
Exactly. There is no shame associated with wearing a belt. It is no band aid. Wearing a belt is NOT a crutch and it doesn’t magically ad 100# to your lifts. Compound lifts are a display of strength and NOT the time to be worried about your “core” and all that crap the no belt nazi’s preach. The belt is merely a silent partner that’s trying to help keep your spine in a better position for this activity we are doing. Having hundreds of pounds on your back is not natural so why not take a precaution or two in staying safe? Maybe it’s all these 20 year old “indestructible” people but when you get my age, you care not for this nonsense.
[quote]trivium wrote:
EliteFTS has one that is good for 35 to 44 inches. I figure I could drill some holes if I have to make it smaller for whatever reason. Can anyone speak to this? The medium belt is meant for 31 to 40 inch waists.[/quote]
That’s right. You can add holes but you cannot make the belt longer.
I made a youtube video on how to break in your belt in about 30 min. They come stiff as fk so if you are interested in this I can send you a link.
[/quote]
This morning I am back down to 35.5. So I fluctuate between 35.5 in the AM and 38 when I am pretty full of food from eating all day.
I would be interested in seeing the video. Any info on belts and how to properly take care of/use them would be awesome.
I already have a basic understanding of how to use it, but I am not opposed to learning or hearing the same information a few times to verify that what I have been told/learned/experienced is accurate.
Definitely go with a 13mm. I’ve had a lever break on me with my lever belt, not sure if I’m gonna bother replacing it or just get a prong belt, but the lever belt definitely is easier to get on/off quickly as long as you have it set right.
[quote]chobbs wrote: Bestbelts.net, 13 mm “athletic belt” with a single prong…best purchase I’ve ever made in my life. It came ready to wear right out of the box, didn’t need any breaking in. IMO it was reasonably priced ($85) and the owner is very easy to access if you have any problems. Plus it has a lifetime guarantee.[/quote]
Pretty sure the athlete belt is a 10mm, not a 13. That’s the one that I have and I love it. They also custom punch the holes based on where you tell them you want the center hole to be. [/quote]
You are correct, my fault. x2 on the custom holes, if you give them a correct middle measurement you should be well off unless you gain or lose literally tons
Well when I started lifting a few years ago I measured my waist fluctuating between 32 and 35. 70 lbs later I seem to be fluctuating between 35 and 38. I am thinking that if the belt goes up to 40, I should be good to go until I weigh like 240 some.
I really don’t see a problem with drilling 2 or 3 holes if I have to. I don’t think I will ever gain that extra 15 to 20 lbs to get to 240 either. The belt is supposed to be a bit snug as well, so I think that buying a bit big and potentially modifying it in a year or two sounds like the best idea.
[quote]trivium wrote:
I really don’t see a problem with drilling 2 or 3 holes if I have to. I don’t think I will ever gain that extra 15 to 20 lbs to get to 240 either.[/quote]
That’s what I said and here I currently sit at 240 lol ( I measure 39" around my waist FWIW)
I think you’d be G2G with that plan. Another thing to consider with going a tad larger is in the winter, you can belt up around a hoodie or something. I lift in my garage and it’s nice to be able to do that when it’s 40 deg in there.
AND should you get lured into the DARKSIDE of PL, and turn into a gear whore, you’ll have room for briefs / suit. lol
[quote]trivium wrote:
I really don’t see a problem with drilling 2 or 3 holes if I have to. I don’t think I will ever gain that extra 15 to 20 lbs to get to 240 either.[/quote]
That’s what I said and here I currently sit at 240 lol ( I measure 39" around my waist FWIW)
I think you’d be G2G with that plan. Another thing to consider with going a tad larger is in the winter, you can belt up around a hoodie or something. I lift in my garage and it’s nice to be able to do that when it’s 40 deg in there.
AND should you get lured into the DARKSIDE of PL, and turn into a gear whore, you’ll have room for briefs / suit. lol
[/quote]
[quote]trivium wrote:
Ok. Bob’s Belts burned down, and they aren’t taking orders anymore until summertime.
It is between the EliteFTS single prong P2, the Best Belts prime cut single prong, and the Inzer Forever Buckle single prong.
All are 13 mm.
Any last advice that you guys can provide?
I am tied between Elite and Best Belts. I fit right in the 32 to 41 range by my estimation. That leaves plenty of room on both sides of the fence.[/quote]
One more place to look, over at titansupport.com, they carry the texas powerlifting belts. To me they are the most bad ass looking belts. Never used one so cant speak to them but Brahma is the 13mm and Longhorn is the 10mm. Everything from snakeskin to bull shoulder.
I did have an exceptional experience with the guys from bestbelts though and I love the belt. It pretty much felt broken in when I got it, its about a year old now and still looks brand new. I got the 10mm though.
[quote]trivium wrote:
Ok. Bob’s Belts burned down, and they aren’t taking orders anymore until summertime.
It is between the EliteFTS single prong P2, the Best Belts prime cut single prong, and the Inzer Forever Buckle single prong.
All are 13 mm.
Any last advice that you guys can provide?
I am tied between Elite and Best Belts. I fit right in the 32 to 41 range by my estimation. That leaves plenty of room on both sides of the fence.[/quote]
One more place to look, over at titansupport.com, they carry the texas powerlifting belts. To me they are the most bad ass looking belts. Never used one so cant speak to them but Brahma is the 13mm and Longhorn is the 10mm. Everything from snakeskin to bull shoulder.
I did have an exceptional experience with the guys from bestbelts though and I love the belt. It pretty much felt broken in when I got it, its about a year old now and still looks brand new. I got the 10mm though.[/quote]
Those are awesome, but those are hugely expensive compared to the other brands haha. The logo with the bull squatting is pretty cool. I think I will hold off on one of those just yet though. I have to wait until I am strong enough to wear something that flashy haha. I am going to go a bit more utilitarian for now.
I am strongly leaning toward the Best Belt. I just can’t decide though. I do love EliteFTS’s customer service and products. I don’t know why this is such a hard decision haha.
