Safariland Sizing

[Swanny10]

So I'm ordering a Safariland ELS belt. On some websites I see people complaining about the sizing not being accurate. I have a 32" waist. So what length belt should I order?

Thanks in advance.

[Swanny10]

Nothing?

[attakmint]

I wear a 32"-33" pants, and got a 34" inner and a 36" outer on Safariland's suggestions. The hook side Velcro on the inner overlaps with no spare room (I tend to wear my belt right on the top of my hips) and I've got 5 extra holes on my outer belt.

[jjlefty51]

I usually tell folks to size up on the outer belt. The inner you typically can run true to your size but it wont hurt you if you size up there as well

[Swanny10]

I just got a response from safari. She said to measure your waist with a seamstress tape. That number is your inner belt. Up one size for the outer belt.

Thanks for the input atak and jefty.

[JWil]

I probably have a 33-34" waist but I wear 36" pants. I went with a 36" inner and 36" outer belt. I have probably 4-5 inch overlap on my inner belt, and my outer belt is in the 4th or 5th hole. Very happy with my setup

[BiggenF15]

I ordered my pants size for the inner and outer belt. The inner is fine but I am only on the 2nd or 3rd hole on the outer belt. It works well enough so I didn't sent it back for a larger size but I would rather have more overlap on the outer. There are holes all the away around the belt so that doesn't matter, however, it's a pain to put the belt on because it's hard to move the keeper loop. If I had more overlap, I could insert the end of the outer belt through the keeper and press the belt down to push the buttons through the holes on the belt. Most people I see with the ELS have about 6 inches of overlap so they are going up by at least 2 or 3 sizes.

[Swanny10]

Thanks for the input JWil and Biggen.

[Braxton1]

The reason why they told you to use the seamstress tape is that menswear manufacturers have finally started doing what womenswear makers have been doing for years: lying to you. Your 36" pants are really 38's, but you feel so slim in them that you feel better about yourself. Industrial Psych 101.

If you are a TRUE 32" waist, I'd go with a 36 belt, just to give some overlap. The ELS doesn't NEED it, because it is secured by those two studs instead of a bunch of Velcro, but it does allow for a little growing room, if you know what I mean. Because of the holes that run all the way around the belt, it is infinitely adjustable smaller, but if you need to go bigger and you run out of holes on the tip, you're sorta screwed....

As far as "complaining about the sizing not being accurate", we need to answer "how does Safariland measure their belts?" It's easy on the ELS belt: If you order a 32" belt, 32 inches is the distance between the studs and a point six inches in from the end. So you SHOULD have six inches of overlap if it is on a true 32" waist. Here's the rub though: Once you put an underbelt on, your waist circumference gets bigger. Then you're gonna put the belt loops for six mag pouches and the belt loop for the holster inside that belt. That increases the circumference again, making the belt "think" that it's going around a bigger person. Hence the recommendation for a 4-inch "fudge factor".

Yeah, I'm a Safariland guy.....

Edited May 22, 2015 by Braxton1

[attakmint]

I ordered my pants size for the inner and outer belt. The inner is fine but I am only on the 2nd or 3rd hole on the outer belt. It works well enough so I didn't sent it back for a larger size but I would rather have more overlap on the outer. There are holes all the away around the belt so that doesn't matter, however, it's a pain to put the belt on because it's hard to move the keeper loop. If I had more overlap, I could insert the end of the outer belt through the keeper and press the belt down to push the buttons through the holes on the belt. Most people I see with the ELS have about 6 inches of overlap so they are going up by at least 2 or 3 sizes.

Try the Arredondo 1.75" keeper. The one on my ELS broke pretty quickly (within days of getting it). The Arredondo slides a lot better since there's no velcro, and it's one piece of plastic without any buttons to fall apart (where mine failed), so it should be sturdier.

Edited May 22, 2015 by attakmint

[JWil]

To add to the belt keeper part, I purchased a CR Speed belt keeper, as pictured below and it works great. I read of some stories, when I got my belt, of guys having their belts come off. Also heard people say it will be fine with the one that is provided. For how cheap the CR speed belt keeper was, and for what it would protect against, I figured it was worth it and was cheap insurance.

I also bought the Arredondo one at the same time, but I didnt see different sizes, and the one I got, does not fit.

Also read on here about removing the velcro from the inside of the Safariland belt keeper, and it makes it a lot easier to slide on. Although I havent done that to mine.

[BiggenF15]

]

I ordered my pants size for the inner and outer belt. The inner is fine but I am only on the 2nd or 3rd hole on the outer belt. It works well enough so I didn't sent it back for a larger size but I would rather have more overlap on the outer. There are holes all the away around the belt so that doesn't matter, however, it's a pain to put the belt on because it's hard to move the keeper loop. If I had more overlap, I could insert the end of the outer belt through the keeper and press the belt down to push the buttons through the holes on the belt. Most people I see with the ELS have about 6 inches of overlap so they are going up by at least 2 or 3 sizes.

Try the Arredondo 1.75" keeper. The one on my ELS broke pretty quickly (within days of getting it). The Arredondo slides a lot better since there's no velcro, and it's one piece of plastic without any buttons to fall apart (where mine failed), so it should be sturdier.

Thanks, that sounds like a good idea. I may get one just in case something happens to the original keeper. I have read other posts about people having trouble with them.