Easy, Cheap, and Quick DIY sporran strap...

**Joshua** · 31st March 11, 03:27 AM

For those of us "Gentlemen of Substance" we are normally lacking in basic accouterment to our kilts due to our size.

I absolutely hate wearing a belt with my kilt, and therefor hate wearing sporran hangers. I also hate sporran chains. Alas, custom-made sporran straps are very expensive for the big man as well.

While buying clothes for my son, I noted there were child's belts under 1" wide... and that a pair of them, joined together, would fashion itself as a sporran strap (if the loop on the back of the sporran happened to be large enough to fit a whole buckle). I've tested this out with my nylon nightstalker and the results are very awesome... enough so that I will take the extra belts purchased (I bought brown and black) and fit them to my brown leather and rabbit-fur sporran.

Here is the result...

Yes, I understand I'm wearing the sporran high. Without getting into detail beyond "I've lost over 100lbs recently", I'll just say until I have surgery this is the only way I can wear a sporran.

This is using a pair of small children's belts from walmart. Since this is no "light duty" sporran but the one I use for long, casual, high-activity events it has held my wallet, keys, digital camera, wife's purse, and cell phone... and the strap has held quite well. It's also much faster to get on/off when you have to check bags at places like Disney. And honestly, it looks like it was purpose-built to be a sporran strap. All for the low, low price of $16 ($8 for each belt).

**Dale-of-Cedars** · 31st March 11, 04:45 AM

Great idea!

On my recent trip I used the black leather shoulder-strap from my carry-on bag as my casual sporran strap instead of the chains. It worked quite well, but I was looking for something better. I need to check that kids belt section out.

**Spartan Tartan** · 31st March 11, 05:40 AM

That's a great idea!

**SlackerDrummer** · 31st March 11, 06:14 AM

Originally Posted by Joshua

Here is the result...

Yes, I understand I'm wearing the sporran high.

It looks to be a good height to me. I hate to see sporrans "under the ledge" so to speak.

**jgcunningham** · 31st March 11, 08:09 AM

Not saying that I've bought one, but you might also look in the ladies belts also. There are some rather nice looking belts made of chain, some with double or triple strands and some mixed with leather. I've been tempted but have yet to pull the trigger.

**Harold Cannon** · 31st March 11, 09:58 AM

That is how I made my black strap and it works great! I used one inch men's belts though, because I like a wider strap! PROPORTION IS EVERYTHING!!!!!! LOL!!!

**Kiltboy** · 31st March 11, 10:48 AM

Don't forget a visit to the local tack shop. You can get pre-made straps, or have simple custom belts made for little money.

**Whidbey78** · 31st March 11, 10:54 AM

Narrow dress belts work for sporran straps, as do leather dog leashes. I bought one on clearance and a pet store for two dollars and it gave me enough material to make a strap and then some. I added another snap-hook to the other end and an adjustment buckle in the middle--both of which I had already. Had I measured instead of simply cutting it in two to make each side I could have gotten two straps from it!

**madman79764** · 31st March 11, 11:05 AM

Though I'm not "Gentlemen of Substance" I have been using a regular belt on my sporrans for a while. My everyday sporran is a brown leather nightstalker from Stillwater and I just pulled the d ring belt out and slid regular belt through the wide loop on the back and it works just fine. For me it has also cut down on the wear and tear on my kilts as I have been kilted fulltime for 3 years.