Best Tool Belt Reviews 2018

A tool belt is a very important accessory for any worker, professional or amateur. It helps save time, energy and effort spent in scrambling around looking for tools while working. It keeps tools organized on your person, to leave your hands free to work. There are quite a number of tool belts out there, and that might make shopping for one a chore. We are here to make the process easier. After extensive research, we have come up with a list of products from five top brands, and we shall feature one product from each brand. These brands also have other products. Feel free to check them out if the featured ones don’t suit you.

Overview

PROS

CONS

SPECS

Size

Material

Design

Holders

Comfort

Our Top Choice

TradeGear Electrician's Tool Belt and Bag Combo

TradeGear is an online firm that supplies quality and innovative products to customers at very reasonable prices.

Its back is designed for maximum support. It has two bags with 27 compartments, and it’s reinforced with metal pins and bartack stitching.

The suspender straps may dig into one's neck at some angles. Some consider the outside pockets small.

24 x 14 x 6 in; 4.2 lbs; S to 2XL

250 denier duratek fabric

Black nylon webbing

15 pockets, 2 pouches

Carry handles

Best Value

Task Tools Weekend Warrior Apron

Task Tools has become an industry leader with a reputation for providing solutions that get the job done more efficiently, at affordable prices.

It's made with durable split leather material. It has five pockets with upturned curved corner pockets for easy access, and has adjustable waist fit.

It isn’t suitable for heavy-duty items.

21 x 8.9 x 2.5 in, 1.2 lbs

Durable split leather

Black polyweb design

5 pockets

Adjustable waist fit

Occidental Leather Adjust-to-Fit Tool Belt

Since 1980, Occidental Leather has been manufacturing the highest-quality tool bags and accessories in the USA.

Adjustable waist fit for seasonal clothing changes, hardy viable nylon and leather components, a large bag opening to accommodate big hands, and various tool holders.

There are complaints that it’s bulky.

16 x 16 x 10 inches, 5 lbs

Leather buscadero

Brown Fat Lip™ bag design

24 pockets

Adjustable for waist size

Custom Leathercraft Construction Apron

CLC takes pride in making practical and affordable work gear. It thinks creatively to give its customers the best value for their money.

It has easily accessible pockets and a loop for a swinging hammer. It’s also adjustable to fit even small waists.

The inner stitching of the pockets wears out with time.

24.5 x 20 x 19 in; 2.2 lbs

Reversed top grain leather

Black polyweb design

12 pockets

Leather reinforced roller buckle

TR Industrial Belt Tool Holder

TR Industrial makes power tools that meet and even surpass industry standards without breaking your budget. It combines top quality with affordability.

It has three pieces that can be used separately, and a belt strap that’s made of durable material.

No covers for the pockets.

12 x 10 x 2.4 in; 1.4 lbs

Info not provided

12 pockets

2-inch belt strap

(Updated October 27, 2017)

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Watch Our Tool Belt Review

How Do I Choose the Best Tool Belt?

Many stories abound of workers or DIYers (Do It Yourself folks) who have met with accidents in the course of construction, repairs and such work because they had to hold tools in their hands while working from or climbing a ladder. In less dire circumstances, time and effort have been wasted either searching for tools or scrambling up and down ladders to get needed tools. To avoid unnecessary accidents and waste of time and effort, every worker needs a tool belt. Moving your whole tool box from one point to another just to pick several tools you use repeatedly isn’t an efficient way of doing things.

A tool belt is a work wear accessory with portable pockets or pouches that help to keep tools on one's person, for easy accessibility and faster and less stressful rhythm of work. You spend more time working and less time searching for tools in the course of work when you are wearing a tool belt. There are belts that are more suited to particular tradespersons, such as electricians, and others that construction workers or carpenters like to use.

A well-arranged tool belt gives you room to work faster, and climb and work from step ladders or step stools more safely. The best tool belt for you is the one that holds every tool you need. This differs from one person to another, because each person has different tools for different purposes. Before buying a tool belt, look at various types. Take into consideration the number and type of tools they can hold, and what you have in your inventory.

Price

There are a number of factors that affect the pricing of any tool belt. These include the material, the number of features it has, the utility and fitting, how much weight it can carry (in tools), convenience, comfort and durability.

You should expect to pay more for high-end tool belts. Though their features may not be more practical than others, you can be sure that their materials will be of a higher quality, and they'll have more features. This also applies to more durable tool belts. As a rule of thumb, prices for tool belts range from $9.99 to $274.50, depending on the criteria we stated before.

In the course of our research, we saw many cheap tool belts, but we decided to ignore them in this review because they aren’t top-quality and wouldn’t last long. We have focused on brands that make top-quality tool belts, regardless of the price. You have nothing to fear, because whatever the price, you are sure to get a great bargain from any of our reviewed products. Go through the review, and you'll be glad you did.

Features

Tool belts come in various sizes and designs, with a number of different features that appeal to different individuals.
The size and design are very important factors to note, because they affect a tool belt’s functionality. Here are some other factors to consider:

Texture, fitting and surface design
Durability
Quality of fabric/material used, joining, stitching and rivets
Hammer holsters and location on the belt
Adjustability of belt and buckle
Material and comfort
Pouches and tool holders
Facility and functionality
Ambidexterity (Can it be used by both right- and left-handed people?)
Fixed or adjustable
Number of pouches, depth and accessibility

Construction and Design

There are a number of factors that determine tool belt quality, including the kind of fabric or material it is made of, how the seams are joined, what kind of stitching is used, and the rivets. The stitching and rivets determine a belt’s durability. The ones with double stitching and rivets last longer than those without. Some belts have different sizes, while some claim to be “one-size-fits-all.” With such a tool belt, you’d have to be sure that you’d be able to adjust it (especially if your waist size is less than 34").

Many people agree that the oil-tanned leather belts are usually the highest quality belts and come with the best designs. Many also agree that those with sturdy rivets and easy-to-air padding are the most durable and functional.

Performance and Ease of Use

A tool belt is supposed to make work faster, safer and more efficient. What’s the use of having one if it doesn’t achieve that? The issues of whether the belt and buckle can be adjusted to fit the wearer, and how comfortable it is, are very important. Some tool belts are uncomfortable for long wear, because the weight of the tools sags the belt and it weighs on the waist. Some others seriously limit the options of individual customization.

You have to also consider the accessibility of the openings to the pockets or pouches. Can you easily put in and retrieve tools? Remember, tool belts are to save you the stress of scrambling around looking for your tools when working.

Regardless of the material used (leather or canvas), the tool belt you choose will be used for a long time. You need it to hold all the tools you use regularly. It’s therefore key that you buy a high-quality product that is strong enough to withstand the wear and tear of manual labor, and has enough storage for your tools.

What is the Best Tool Belt?

The choice of the right tool belt rests on many factors. These include the user’s trade and budget, versatility and adjustability of the belt, durability, design and quality, functionality, fit and finish and individual preferences. With these in mind, we hope you’ll find the best tool belt for you as you read through our selection of five great products below.

Our Top Choice

The TradeGear Electrician's Tool Belt and Bag Combo is easy to take on and off. It has padded handles that aerate easily to reduce sweating, and 27 compartments in two bags for holding both big and small tools. Need a tool belt and bag combo that makes it easy for you to measure your waist with clothing in order to get a more accurately fitting belt? Check out TradeGear’s Large Carpenter's Combo Belt & Bags.

TradeGear Electrician's Tool Belt & Bag Combo - Partnered with Gatorback Contractor Pro– Available in 5 Sizes

TradeGear Tool Belt 9889807 - Large

Features

TradeGear employs a team of committed individuals, who understand what it means to provide quality service to customers at very reasonable prices.

The TradeGear Electrician's Tool Belt and Bag Combo ($109.99) is designed to help keep tools organized and handy. The sizing is the measurement of one's actual waist, not one's pants size. As the name implies, it was designed with the electrician in mind, and has great features that will make most electricians fall in love with it:

Padding on carry-on belt - designed to circulate air to help reduce sweating
Handles make it easier to carry
Easy to take on and off because of the handles
Two bags with 27 compartments to hold tools
One bag is designed with 18 compartments for smaller tools, and the second with nine compartments for larger tools
Back support that’s shaped for maximum comfort
Inner nylon web-core
Strong metal pins and bartack stitching to ensure durability
250 denier DuraTek fabric with very thick nylon webbing around the pocket opening

If you want something different from this, TradeGear has other tool belts that you can check out.

Best Value

The Task Tools Weekend Warrior Apron with Polyweb Belt helps organize tools on the worker’s person for easy access. It has five different pockets to store different tools. Do you prefer a higher-end tool belt? We recommend you check out the Task Tools Carpenter's Apron with Leather Belt.

Task Tools Weekend Warrior 5 Pocket Carpenter Apron with Polyweb Belt

Task Tools Tool Belt T77250

Features

Task Tools is a Canadian company that was founded in 1968, and is known for making efficient top-quality tools. It has received several awards for environmentally sustainable packaging, with useful product designs. It also takes pride in ensuring customer satisfaction, and supporting products with some of the best guarantees in the industry. Its products are available worldwide, to give customers (especially construction workers) the right tools that they need to get their jobs done well, at affordable prices.

The Task Tools Weekend Warrior Apron with Tool Belt ($28.99) is a great solution for workers that have to use a number of tools as they work. Since the hands are already occupied, this helps to organize the tools on the person of the worker. It makes the work easier and is useful when one is climbing ladders, because it prevents things like hammers from hitting one's legs or thighs as they climb. Following are some of its other features:

Weighs about 1.2Ibs - this helps it hold a good number of tools
Metal tool loop for tools like hammers
Five pockets in different sizes
Two rust-proof hammer holders
Upturned, curved corner pockets for easy access
Durable split leather material
Adjustable waist fit
Strong metal brackets
Two-inch wide polymer belt with an easy fast-release buckle
Durable pockets that are not easily ripped by nails and sharp tools
Strong belt that is still useful even when broken

Not yet decided? Consider the other high-quality tool belts from Task Tools.

The Occidental Leather Adjust-to-Fit Tool Belt is a comfortable belt for workers. It’s a one-piece, fully adjustable design that prevents pouches from moving around. It can be worn to work all day comfortably. Do you want something less expensive without losing the Occidental goodness? Try the Occidental Leather OxyLights 7 Bag Framer Set.

Occidental Leather Adjust-to-Fit Fatlip Tool Bag Set – Available as Right or Left-Handed Belt

Occidental Leather Tool Belt 9855 – Right Hand

Features

Since 1980, Occidental Leather has been manufacturing the highest-quality tool bags and accessories in the USA. Every Occidental Leather product is hand-crafted in Sonoma County, California under very strict quality control standards. This company has also been distributing tool bags, tool belts, and tool pouches since 1982. It has a simple policy of delivering great products to its customers at the best prices. It also makes products ranging from pro electrical to left-handed tool belt systems.

The Occidental Leather Adjust-to-Fit Tool Belt ($274.50) is a comfortable belt for production carpenters and DIYers. It is a one-piece, fully adjustable design that prevents pouches from moving around, and it can be worn to work all day comfortably (even with all your tools in it). It can be made to serve better with the suspenders that hook to it to take the weight off the hips. It has a number of other features, including the following:

Large bag opening design to accommodate big hands
10-inch deep industrial nylon bags strengthened with leather at the bottom and corners
Various tool holders and a 5020 2-in-1 tool and hammer holder at the back
Tool holders that are hand-specific, helping to maintain smooth work rhythms
Adjustable to fit from waist size 32 to 40 inches
The adjustable fit allows for seasonal clothing changes
Pre-installed rings for use with suspension systems
Hardy viable nylon and leather components for durability
Belt section is made with high-density neoprene

Not sure on this one? Look at the other great tool belts by Occidental Leather.

The Custom Leathercraft Construction Work Apron is made with top-grain leather. It has a two-inch wide web belt, with a strong roller buckle that won’t collapse with use. Are twelve pockets too many for you, but you still want the CLC quality? Consider the Custom Leathercraft Suede Nail and Tool Bag. It has three pockets and is less expensive.

Custom Leathercraft Pocket Work Apron – Available in 4 Styles

Custom Leathercraft Tool Belt 175274 – 2" Leather Reinforced Roller Buckle

Features

CLC takes pride in making practical and affordable work gear. Through research and years of experience, it has come to understand what makes a great product, and it knows how little details can make a great difference.

The Custom Leathercraft Construction Work Apron ($72.95) is made with top-grain leather and has a two-inch-wide web belt with a roller buckle. It is well made with durable materials and sturdy fasteners that won't collapse with use. It holds tools well and makes work easier. It has features that make it a worthwhile tool for every worker. They include the following:

Adjustable for even small waists - ranges from 29 to 49 inches
Swinging hammer loop
Durable plastic fasteners
Thick but flexible leather
Easily accessible pockets
Four major pockets with eight smaller ones and sleeves
Center pocket for tape measure, nails or other tools

We recommend that you check out the other tool belts from CLC if you are not satisfied with this one.

The TR Industrial 12 Multi-Function Belt Tool Holder keeps your tools around your waist, so that your hands are free to work. The 12 handy pockets for various items can be removed and replaced wherever you need them. Would you like a drill holster in addition to (or instead of) a tool belt? We recommend the TR Industrial Durable Cordless Drill Holster.

TR Industrial 12 Multi-Function Belt Tool Holder with a 1-Year Warranty

TR Industrial Tool Belt 88021

Features

TR Industrial produces tools with the highest possible quality by paying close and careful attention to the entire manufacturing process. Full attention is paid to all the factors and materials that go into the process. The finished products are then tested by experienced and knowledgeable industry professionals, thus ensuring consistency in quality. Its major goal is making great tools at affordable prices.

The TR Industrial 12 Multi-Function Belt Tool Holder ($19.99) keeps your tools and accessories around your waist, so that your hands are free to work. It is a great tool for people like field service reps that need something with fast release. The 12 handy pockets can be removed and replaced wherever you need them. It also has three pieces that can be used separately and is comfortable to use. The belt strap is two inches high and is made of durable material. It comes with a one-year warranty.

Free your hands and work more efficiently. Get this affordable multi-function tool belt holder by TR Industrial.

Get the Best Tool Belt of 2018!

Now that you have come to the end of this review, we are optimistic that you are well-equipped to make an informed choice. Pick out the right tool belt for you.

Our Top Choice

TradeGear Electrician's Tool Belt and Bag Combo

Best Value

Task Tools Weekend Warrior Apron

Occidental Leather Adjust-to-Fit Tool Belt

Custom Leathercraft Construction Apron

TR Industrial Belt Tool Holder