FAQs
1) Are Vanguard Belts made of leather?
2) Are Vanguard Belts made of cheap plastic "pleather"?
3) Are Vanguard Belts available in brown, or any other colors?
4) Why are Vanguard Belts so expensive?
5) How long will a Vanguard Belt last?
6) What makes a Vanguard Belt better than leather?
7) Are Vanguard Belts made in the USA, or of American-made materials and components?
8) Are Vanguard Belts rigid enough to support a holstered firearm?
10) Are Vanguard Belts vulnerable to damage from water or sweat?
11) Do Vanguard Belts stretch or deform over time?
12) Are Vanguard Belts cut-resistant?
13) Are Vanguard Belts resistant to abrasion?
14) What is TPU?
No. Vanguard Belts are made with nylon or polyester webbing material that is coated with thermoplastic polyurethane (TPU). This combination of synthetic materials is superior to leather for durability and tensile strength.
2) Are Vanguard Belts made of cheap plastic "pleather"?
No. TPU-coated webbing material is a much more durable and resilient material than the cheap department store pleather with which you might be familiar. Vanguard Belts will far outlast and outperform any cheap pleather, as well as outperforming actual leather.
3) Are Vanguard Belts available in brown, or any other colors?
Vanguard Belts is happy to announce that the Original Belt and the TC Belt will now be available in Black or Brown! The TS Belt will soon be phased out and removed from the product offerings, so there will be no TS Belt in Brown -- only Black.
4) Why are Vanguard Belts so expensive?
Vanguard Belts are considered a premium belt product. This is a belt that may quite possibly last you a lifetime with reasonable care. At anywhere from $20 to $30 and up for leather belts that will surely need replacement every few years, how much money will you spend replacing leather belts in your lifetime? If you are particular about the appearance of your belts and replace them often, consider switching to a Vanguard Belt. It might just be the last belt you will ever need.
5) How long will a Vanguard Belt last?
I personally have only around two years' experience with wearing a TPU-coated webbing belt. I can tell you from my experience with it that I have no reason to doubt that a Vanguard Belt should be able to last many, many years with reasonable care. If the belt should be subjected to significant unnatural stresses, abrasions, or cuts, its life may obviously be shortened, but under normal daily wear there is no reason to doubt that a Vanguard Belt should be able to last a lifetime.
6) What makes a Vanguard Belt better than leather?
The TPU-coated webbing material used in Vanguard Belts is better then leather because it is water resistant, sweat resistant, odor proof, colorfast, and incredibly strong. The material will not deform over time, and will not develop the all-too-common "V" bend in the center of the belt that is typical of leather. Stretch out any of your well-worn (or even slightly-worn) leather belts onto a flat surface and study the shape and wear pattern. Vanguard Belts will not look like that over time. They will retain their shape.
7) Are Vanguard Belts made in the USA, or of American-made materials and components?
The TPU-coated webbing material used in Vanguard Belts is made in the USA by a manufacturer in Ohio. The keeper loop material is also made by the same manufacturer. The buckles and Chicago screws, however, may be made overseas -- I admittedly do not know their origin. As Vanguard Belts scales up, I may seek American-made buckles and screw hardware, but for now to keep costs down, I will continue to use the hardware that is most cost effective. The belts are cut, punched, and assembled by the CEO of Vanguard Belts himself in Portage, Indiana.
8) Are Vanguard Belts rigid enough to support a holstered firearm?
Yes, two of our three models of belts are suitable for carrying a holstered firearm, either inside or outside the waistband: The Original and The TC Belt are best suited for concealed carry. The TS Belt is thin and may not have the rigidity needed to properly support a holstered firearm.
10) Are Vanguard Belts vulnerable to damage from water or sweat?
No, Vanguard Belts are water resistant and hence sweat resistant. They can even be cleaned off with a wet cloth or soap and water if need be.
Vanguard Belts will not stretch or deform anywhere close to the extent that leather belts do. The belt will bend a bit near the belt hole that is used most often as it engages the buckle, but the rest of the belt should retain its shape without warping or deformation.
12) Are Vanguard Belts cut-resistant?
Vanguard Belts are certainly more robust and durable than leather, but a cut or scratch to the material will certainly remain at least somewhat visible. Having said that, the TPU material's color is continuous throughout the material, so a cut or scratch will still reveal the black color regardless of depth. Many leathers are only colored at the surface, and a cut or scratch will reveal the leather's natural color beneath. While Vanguard Belts are tough, they will not likely hold up to deep cuts or scratches without some level of compromise to the integrity of the TPU. Vanguard Belts are not indestructible, but they are incredibly durable.
13) Are Vanguard Belts resistant to abrasion?
Vanguard Belts will endure minor amounts of abrasion without much effect in overall strength, but the finish will certainly suffer the more it is subjected to abrasive contact. It would take some significant abrasion to completely compromise a Vanguard Belt.
TPU is thermoplastic polyurethane. According to Wikipedia, TPU is a thermoplastic elastomer consisting of linear segmented block copolymers composed of hard and soft segments. You might be more familiar with TPU in the form of some inexpensive smartphone cases and covers. TPU is tough stuff, and makes for an incredibly durable coating for the webbing material that lives deep inside the core of each Vanguard Belt. To learn more about TPU, you can read about it on Wikipedia at: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thermoplastic_polyurethane