Keep Your Tools on You At All Times with the Best Tool Belt
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Dewalt Pro Framer's Combo Apron DG5617 Tool Belt -
Klein Tools 4-Piece Electrician's Combo Set 5710L Tool Belt -
Dead On DO-FR Framers Rig Tool Belt -
BucketBoss Leather Carpenter's Apron 88427 Tool Belt -
McGuire Nicholas 5-Pocket Handyman's Tool Pouch 72489SBT -
Buyer's Guide
Tradesmen in pretty much all the building trades use tool belts on the job, especially carpenters and electricians. The best tool belts in 2022 gives the worker a convenient way of carrying their most common tools with them, without having to have their hands tied up carrying a tool box. With the tools on their belt, they are easily reached while working, saving time and providing the worker with the ability to grab the tool with one hand, while holding what they are working on in the other hand.
Carpenters tool belts also serve as a nail pouch to hold the most common sizes of nails. While most carpentry today is done with pneumatic or cordless nailers, there are always a few nails that seem to need to be driven by hand. Having nails in your tool pouch keeps them ready at hand for those times when they are needed. The same pouches can be used to hold strips of nails for the power nailers, so that the carpenter doesn't have to go running back to get more.
While all quality tool belts used to be made of leather, this is being replaced by heavy nylon materials. The advantage of the nylon tool belts is that they breathe, allowing the worker’s perspiration to wick away from their body, instead of being trapped under the belt. This helps prevent rashes and infections.
Regardless of the material chosen, it’s important to pick a belt that is made of heavy-duty material which is well stitched. A poorly made belt won’t last the rigors of surviving on a construction site, especially when weighed down with several pounds of tools and nails. Having a tool belt’s seam split open in the middle of a work day is worse than not having a tool belt at all.
The second important consideration when choosing a tool belt is that it has enough spaces to hold all the tools. A carpenter usually doesn't carry all that many tools with him, other than a hammer, tape measure and a pencil. At times, they might add other tools, such as a chalk line or a nail set, but you’ll never see a carpenter with a lot of tools in their belt. An electrician, on the other hand, needs a wide variety of tools for his work. To compensate for this, electricians’ tool belts have a lot more pockets to hold tools, but don’t have a place to hold nails.
You want to be sure that the tool belt will hold everything even when you bend over or move in unusual ways. If you have to stop to pick up nails off the floor every time you stoop over, it’s going to make a long day of it. Better to have less space on the tool belt and have it keep everything stay where it belongs.
Finally, you want to make sure that you buy a tool belt which will be comfortable to wear. Remember, you’re going to be wearing it for 40 or more hours per week, with several pounds of tools and nails in the pockets. If it’s not comfortable, you’re going to end up being miserable. Some come with built-in suspenders, which help distribute the weight better, making it more comfortable for long periods of time. However, those shoulder straps could get uncomfortable as well, so you want to make sure that it will be comfortable for you, not for your buddy.
Here are the best tool belts of 2022
Dewalt Pro Framer's Combo Apron DG5617 Tool Belt - Best Tool Belt Overall
While DeWalt is best known for their power tools, they haven’t skimped a bit on the design of this tool belt. If I was in the market for one, I would definitely take a good close look at it. The belt and shoulder harness is made of padded Dri-Lex for comfort. The dual pouches have a total of 20 tool pockets, plus nine main pockets and a separate metal loop for your hammer. A carabineer allows you to hang your keys on the pouch, getting them out of your pocket. Zippered pouches on the shoulder straps allow storage of your cell phone and other valuables away from your tools.
Klein Tools 4-Piece Electrician's Combo Set 5710L Tool Belt - Runner Up
Klein specializes in tools for electricians and electronic technicians. This tool belt, from them, shows that in every detail. The belt is designed to provide a maximum amount of tool storage, with 8 pockets in one pouch and 19 in the other. A separate metal hammer holder provides a secure, easy access place for your hammer, with webbed straps for clipping a tape measure onto. This belt is made of 100 percent Cordura-Nylon, which will probably outlast anyone who tries to use it. They make sure of that with a lifetime warranty.
Dead On DO-FR Framers Rig Tool Belt - Honorable Mention
For those that like leather, we had to get a nice leather belt in here. This one might look a little cheesy, with the skull and crossbones logo, but its construction definitely isn't cheesy. This is a quality belt, made of double-stitched heavy-duty leather, with rivets backing up the stitches in all the critical places. Being leather, it doesn't have as many pockets as the nylon ones do, but the pockets it does have are nice and deep. The hammer holders are leather straps, rather than a metal loop, so you might want to consider adding a metal loop hammer holder to your rig. Being oiled leather, it will resist water somewhat, but you should clean and oil it from time to time.
BucketBoss Leather Carpenter's Apron 88427 Tool Belt - Consider
Bucket Boss is actually better known for their tool organizers that are designed to go on a five gallon bucket. I guess that it’s a natural step to go from that to making tool belts. This is a soft leather belt, similar to the Dead-On 401-773. Large pouches provide plenty of room, but without a lot of individual tool pockets. Like most leather tool pouches, this one has a strap for a hammer holder, so you will probably want to add a metal ring holder. A special leather holder provides a place for your tape measure, but don’t plan on putting a big tape measure in it.
McGuire Nicholas 5-Pocket Handyman's Tool Pouch 72489SBT - Best Tool Belt
Those that only need a tool belt once in a while may have trouble paying the high prices for professional-grade tool belts, and understandably so. Nevertheless, we all have times when a tool belt would be handy, even if it’s just for repairs around the home. For those people, a smaller tool belt like this one is ideal. Make of durable polyester, it’s puncture, tear and water resistant. A steel ring hammer holder is included, rather than a strap. It also has a side loop for a cat’s paw.
Buyer's Guide
Handypersons who are all about comfort and functionality need tool belts. You can choose a strap around the waist tool belt or go with shoulder suspenders. Whichever style you opt for, you should know that these belts are useful for holding most if not all the tools you need, thereby preventing you from moving around the work shed or Jobsite with your toolbox all the time. In addition, the best tool belts also organize your working tools and prevent time wasted searching for the right tools for the job. Here, we will discuss everything that will help you purchase the best tool belt; this would also include insights on how we selected the best tools belts in the review section above.
What are the Benefits of Wearing a Tool Belt?
Although, when worn by professionals, they seem unnecessary, after all, there is always the toolbox for keeping your tools. However, there are advantages to wearing a tool belt and here are some of them.
Added Safety to you and Protection of your Tools
A tool belt has pockets for holding different tools. These pockets keep your tools safe, free from scratches and reduce their tendency to rub against one another. In addition, when you have a tool belt, you will eliminate the need to put your tools in your trouser or shirt pocket, as this can lead to poking or piercing your skin.
Saves Time and Energy
With a properly strapped and organized tool belt, you no longer need to waste time searching for tools. Also, with a tool belt, you wouldn’t need to carry your toolbox around every time or engage in frequent trips to your toolbox. This doesn’t only save you time but also saves your energy.
What are the Different Types of Tool Belts?
There are different types of tool belts. In this buying guide, we would be categorizing these types into three broad classes.
Classification based on the material used to manufacture the belt
1. Leather Tool Belt
2. Nylon Tool Belt
3. Fabric Tool Belt
4. Polyester Tool Belt
Classification based on the wearing pattern
1. Waist Tool Belt
2. Suspender Tool Belt
3. Holster Tool Belt
4. Center Aprons
Classification based on the user's profession
1. Electricians Tool Belt
2. Plumbers Tool Belt
3. Roofers Tool Belt
4. Carpenters Tool Belt
5. Painters Tool Belt.
How to Choose the Best Tool Belt?
These factors and features will help you choose the best tool belt that will suit your needs and serve you for a long time.
Comfort
Comfort is a priority when it comes to choosing a tool belt. The tool belt should be easy and comfortable to wear. However, you should also know that a perfect fitting tool belt doesn't guarantee comfort, so choose tool belts made from comfortable materials. The best tool belts feature breathable materials with paddings or cushions.
Durability
Your tool belt should be able to take a beating. This means it should withstand puncture, ripping and slashing since the tools kept inside the pockets have sharp edges.
The Size
It is important to choose a tool belt that fits perfectly. Since these tool belts are manufactured using a one-size-fits-all approach, we suggest you opt for belts with adjustable straps. The straps should be held together by quality fasteners that will not wear easily. Also, avoid making your straps too tight when you wear your tool belt. It is advisable to leave a small amount of space around your waist so that the weight of the tools will be adequately distributed.
The Weight
When choosing a tool belt, you need to consider its weight as the weight of your tool belt will affect your working speed and mobility. It is also important to consider how heavy the tool belt will become once you attach all the necessary tools. People who work at heights like roofers should opt for lightweight tool belts.
The Tool Belt Material
Tool belts can be made from a variety of materials. Let's take a look at some of the most common ones.
- A leather tool belt is the common choice for professionals. It is durable and suitable for carrying sharp and pointy tools. It will also last longer and can withstand everyday use. However, they have the disadvantage of being slightly heavier than most other materials.
- Polyester and nylon are lightweight; this makes them suitable for people who require tool belts that are functional, durable but won't weigh them down. They are, however, not as durable as leather tool belts. To cover up for this deficiency, many manufacturers have designed multilayered tool belts to enhance the durability of polyester and nylon
- Canvas is another material that is thick and durable but not as heavy as leather. The raw materials for canvas are also cheap, making it the preferred option for many manufacturers. They might, however, not look fashionable when worn.
The Tool Holding Capacity of the Tool Belt
The tool holding capacity of your tool belt refers to the number of pockets designed into the tool belt by the manufacturer. We advise that you opt for tool belts with a wide variety of pockets for carrying small, medium and large tools if the job entails you carrying tools of different sizes. However, if the job doesn't, you can opt for a tool belt with similar-sized pockets.
FAQs
Q: What do electricians carry in their tool belts?
A: An electrician tool belt should include the following tools, a multi screwdriver, utility knife, tape measure, claw hammer, electric tester, stripper and wire cutters.
Q: How do I choose a tool belt?
A: When choosing a tool belt, ensure the tool belt is comfortable and functional. Also, ensure that the tool belt will be able to carry the tools you need with ease. Lastly, make sure the tool belt is made from durable materials.
Q: Are tool belts with suspenders better than around the waist tool belts?
A: Tool belts with suspenders are the best option for people with lower back pain; they take away the discomfort a holster or waist tool belt will cause. They are also won't slip down the waist when loaded with many tools.
