Sporran Belt vs Chain

**bricelythgoe** · 18th March 09, 09:00 PM

I would like to get everyone's opinion out there on this. I currently have a chain belt for my sporran. It is a very nice chain belt, but it does get kind of heavy sometimes and it seems a little too flashy. I would like to get a sporran belt. I have a few questions for all of you:

1st: Are there times you would recommend a plain leather belt over a chain? Which do you prefer? (my only experience is what I read in SO YOUR GOING TO WEAR THE KILT)

2nd: Can I just buy a really long 3/4" black belt to use as a sporran belt?

Thanks for the help.

Brice

**ShaunMaxwell** · 18th March 09, 09:08 PM

Brice:

I much prefer a leather sporran strap over a chain. Chains can wear your kilt, plus I just prefer the way the leather looks. I'd recommend checking the Oconee Leather Works site (www.oconeeleatherworks.com). I recently purchased a belt and strap from them, after having read the very favorable reviews on this site. Steve Frazier is a pleasure to deal with and does great work.

That's my two cents...

SM

**Big Mikey** · 18th March 09, 09:09 PM

You will read lots of opinions about the pros and cons of using a chain. Here is mine.

If you choose to wear a chain, it is best reserved for more dressy or formal functions BUT that is not to say that a leather sporran belt can not be worn as part of a dress outfit.

A number of members do not like the chain as they feel it can be damaging to the kilt.

My practice is to wear a sporran belt when I dress up and I use sporran hangers on most other occasions.

Yes, you could use a store bought narrow belt or check our vendors for a purpose built piece. Steve at Oconee Leather makes some very nice sporran straps, belts and sporran hangers.

EDIT: I must have been typing at the same time as Shaun.

**Zardoz** · 18th March 09, 09:19 PM

1; I wear a sporran strap all the time, even with formal. I find it is more comfortable for me, and easier on the kilt.

2; I don't see why one couldn't run a narrow pants belt, I had the idea, but could not find any long enough.
I like the one piece strap as opposed to the kind with clips or hardware. The sporran can slide around on it if needed. L&M Highland makes a nice one, I think Stillwater has them as their 'priemium strap'

**Bugbear** · 18th March 09, 09:20 PM

I have two dog collar chains linked together for a chromed cantle leather sporran which I'm not sure I will ever wear. The dog collar, chain links are welded and polished so they don't hurt the dog. These are supposed to be non-dammaging to a kilt.

I do, though, use leather belts as straps with the sporrans I wear. They work fine if you find one that fits through the tab of the sporran, and that is long enough.

Chrome can be a bit... too shiney.

**KiltedBrewer** · 18th March 09, 09:31 PM

I have a narrow women's belt from WalMart that I found for $9. It's plain leather with a simple silver colored buckle and is long enough for me to use as a sporran strap. As a bonus, it's reversible to brown or black. I don't recall the size of the belt, but my hips are 44", so if you're in that size neighborhood, you should be able to find one.

David

**Twa_Corbies** · 18th March 09, 09:48 PM

As far as looks go, if the sporran has a metal cantle, then it looks best worn with a chain belt, whether for dressier day wear with one of the metal-cantled leather sporrans, or for evening-wear with the metal cantled fur sporrans. If the sporran is all leather, wearing it from a chain belt is a bad look IMHO. Both leather sporran straps and chain belts can be bought quite cheaply on ebay, so there is hardly any reason for improvising with dog-leashes, etc. The brass-link chain belts worn with brass-cantled metal sporrans can be somewhat harder to find at a discount for some reason...the cheap budget day-wear sporrans are usually black for some odd reason, someone must not have told the Pakistanis or Chinese that brown is the proper color for casual wear.