I’m seeing a need to buy suspenders. A job in January will keep me outside regardless of temperature/ precipitation for quite a few days. Got my rain pants. Got my snowpants.
Both are elastic waist and ( given my sadly prodigious belly ) slide down a bit. They get caught under my heels, will get filthy and torn up etc.
Any guidance? Thoughts on how to measure? Thoughts on types to try? I have to guesstimate how this will work from online shopping. Not my preference but time/ COVID-19 kinda forces my hand.
Will be mighty grateful for any Doper thoughts regarding choosing and using suspenders !!!
I never thought of looking to a tool company for suspenders, but somehow it makes perfect sense. I believe Kobalt is the Lowe’s house brand. I gotta see if they have them in stock at the one near me.
(What happens if I wear Lowe’s straps with a Home Depot belt?)
I just checked, and mine are actually CLC, which is what Ace Hardware carries. They look identical to the Kobalt ones, so maybe CLC makes the Kobalt ones for Lowes. CLC are also $10, and come in some additional colors. They are 2" wide straps, by the way, rather than the1.5" the OP linked to.
As an aside, we call these items “braces” in the U.K. And we have an expression “belt and braces” for adopting multiple independent strategies to be absolutely certain of an outcome. Is there a similarly colloquial expression “belt and suspenders” in the U.S.? I get google hits for it, but I get the impression that maybe it’s a bit more obscure?
I grew up in Philadelphia- hotbed of rebellion against The Crown and seat of ( theoretical ) democracy around these parts. I’ve never heard it- that said, I like it !!
I found a good pair at a work wear store for $11. Blue with tools printed on. I bought an extra long pair and they work great. I quit wearing a belt. I wear sweatshirts most of the time so I wear mine over my t-shirt and under the sweatshirt. My only issue is having to sit in a public restroom. I either have to almost undress from the waist up to slide the suspenders off or unclip the suspenders. Unclipping means 5 minutes of wrestling with the suspenders to put them back on. And don’t stand with your back to the toilet if you slide them off your shoulder. Did this a few weeks ago, the suspenders landed in the toilet water. Now it’s slide off the suspenders, drop trou and back up to the toilet.
I’ve tried several different types, and have bad luck with the metal grip kind. I’ve been using a plastic grip with velcro adjustments called “Holdup” and they’re my favorite so far. Nothing slips, and nothing lets go (so far). The velcro is the type that’s extremely hard to pry apart, and so far hasn’t needed adjusting once set.
[quote=“racer72, post:9, topic:928358, full:true”]My only issue is having to sit in a public restroom. I either have to almost undress from the waist up to slide the suspenders off or unclip the suspenders. Unclipping means 5 minutes of wrestling with the suspenders to put them back on. And don’t stand with your back to the toilet if you slide them off your shoulder. Did this a few weeks ago, the suspenders landed in the toilet water. Now it’s slide off the suspenders, drop trou and back up to the toilet.
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I mean, my god. Thank you for this. When using them, I will be visiting VERY tightly designed " HoneY Wagons" - the type usually rented for location film work. Snug quarters in the stalls to be sure. I will actually practice HOW to do this before this gig.
So- what appeared to be the smart choice sounds not so good, pullin. Metal clips slip but plastic clips hold firmly?
Non-stretch or heavy-duty elastic, this page. I own the button loggers, low stretch elastic, no sagging much better than everything else out there. No stretrch needs to be adjusted properly, a little loose, works best with a belt or elastic waistband pants.
Buttons, doesn’t damage the pant and doesn’t unexpectantly pop open. My prefered choice for over 20 years.
Clips eat though fabric, slip, and pop open. Stay away from them!
Pin clips only benefit is they don’t slide, never tried them.
Perry clips are another option, if you wear a belt. I haven’t tried them. They are easier to unfasten and fasten when you need to “sit”.
Y backs are only OK if they actually fit you . . . they won’t. There’s nothing worse than the ‘Y’ hitting you too low (won’t stay up on your shoulders), or worse, too high (hits to close to the neck).
X backs, after you get rid of the stitching that holds the two straps together, will automatically cross over at the right height and move with you.
I’m an occasional wearer and personally strongly prefer the belt and suspender combo. The suspenders I wear come from the same link that crowmanyclouds offered and are Y-backed with belt loop ends. Once you get them adjusted then they’re very comfortable and secure IMHO.
There’s very little I can add to the above post other than to stress that you don’t want clips.
Trucker suspenders have the clips in the side so they are not pressed into your back, and front while driving. I found the side clips a little easier to work with as well.
I have been wearing them for over 5 decades. I like the slightly stretchy type. The ones you buy at the hardware store have almost no stretch. This type will need to be adjusted to each pair of pants. they are designed to hold up tool belts not pants. They do work for pants, they just need more adjustment than the slightly stretchy ones. Just be careful to not get them too tight, you may end up singing soprano! Looser is better.
IMHO, The wider the better. The loop ends and the plastic clip ones work well for me. IME, They do not slip. I have never had a clip cut the waistband of my jeans or slacks. I do not use them on sweatpants so I can not say about those. I have had the buttons on the pants pull out after many years of use though.
When I work out on the ranch or farm, I often click the seat belt before I get in the truck. It is a major Payne to remove & replace it every 100 feet or so for gates & such. I drive at less then 10 MPH on these roads/trails. The seat belt sometimes pulls the clip handle into the off position. To remedy this, I slip the shoulder harness over the seat adjustment lever. Problem solved. I do not sit in any seat that has webbing on the back for the same reason.
As far as sitting down to “take care of business”, I pull the suspenders off before backing up. I wear the suspenders outside of the outer shirt. When I wear a coat or a jacket, it has to be removed first. A “Duster” is a bit of a hassle as it is almost floor length. I only use it in very bad weather & I always have at least a jacket under it.
Brace & belt, or suspenders & belt are synonymous and common phrases around here. Many “Conservative Loggers” wear both. I often will use both. The suspenders for my pants & the belt for my tools. I have seen suspenders that have loops to fit over the belt. I have never tried those.
Yes. The plastic clips on the ones I linked to are thick, and the actuator (?) rotates in such a way the pants are firmly anchored. The metal ones eventually weaken and start letting go. The ones in the link are also stretchy, so no need to adjust for each pants pair.
As far as bathrooms, I undo all 4 clips, conduct business leaving the suspenders dangling in their original* position, and then re-attach them after standing up. After a few tries it becomes second nature and takes only 30 secs to finish.
I drive fairly long distances with these (700 miles last weekend) and find no discomfort in my back. However, I position the back clips fairly close to “center”.
*This also allows me to forego removing coats or sweaters, should the situation warrant.