Jacket belt loops with snap closures

[Guppy]

A lot of motorcycle jackets have belt loops, and a lot of those belt loops have snaps. I have yet to see a pair of pants that has belt loops that aren't solid. I can't for the life of me see what the purpose of the snaps is on a jacket's belt loops. They tend to twist when fastened, resulting in belt loops that aren't straight, and end up ruining the lines of the jacket. But they seem to be quite common, particularly on classic and high end motorcycle jackets. I much prefer solid belt loops, but they seem to be fairly hard to find.

What does everyone else think about them?

 

[Monitor]

I think... I've no idea, really. Good question. It would make more sense if the loops had a few extra snaps for regulating the width to accommodate for different belts, which, I would imagine, they ought to have predicted people would use since no jacket-dedicated belts actually exist.

I too prefer solid belt loops.

 

[IXL]

I believe the snaps were to allow for the removal of a belt which featured it's own loops, intended to have the jacket's loops snapped through them. Done in this way, the belt would be prevented from rotating about the wearer.

 

[Guppy]

I believe the snaps were to allow for the removal of a belt which featured it's own loops, intended to have the jacket's loops snapped through them. Done in this way, the belt would be prevented from rotating about the wearer.

Good point; I have seen this on the rear of the jacket, but they always have snaps on the jacket's front loops, too. I've never seen a belt that connected to the front loops, though. I've never had a problem with a full belt shifting, either. Mine have always had no problem staying put.

 

[Monitor]

I believe the snaps were to allow for the removal of a belt which featured it's own loops, intended to have the jacket's loops snapped through them. Done in this way, the belt would be prevented from rotating about the wearer.

Riiiight!! I actually knew this, I did, before I forgot it.

 

[IXL]

The belts can more likely shift around when they are worn unbuckled and with the ends just hanging down in that so-rock-and-roll way. It just wouldn't be cool to have someone notice that your belt had one end about 18 inches longer that the other and dangling down past your knees.

 

[pawineguy]

Police belts with equipment on them are a big reason, as they can't be slid through straps but need something strong to hold them up.

 

[shadowrider]

I second what pawineguy wrote. Pretty sure it came from police jackets, which are made to hold bulky police duty belts.
One way to prevent the belt loops from twisting around, is to have two snaps instead of one on each belt loop.

 

[Monitor]

I could be wrong but I don't think police officers actually wear any of their equipment on their jacket belts.

 

[Guppy]

I could be wrong but I don't think police officers actually wear any of their equipment on their jacket belts.

That's a good point I'm not sure that I've ever seen equipment worn on a jacket belt. I'll have to look for it.

 

[pawineguy]

I could be wrong but I don't think police officers actually wear any of their equipment on their jacket belts.

That's a good point I'm not sure that I've ever seen equipment worn on a jacket belt. I'll have to look for it.

They absolutely wear the belt right on the jacket, more out of necessity than anything else, as gear needs to be right at hand. Modern police jacket makers typically offer two options, for wearing the belt on the jacket, or a very short jacket to wear above the gun belt but not cover anything. That's why even their winter cloth jackets are of a very short length. Can't have anything covering up your gun... at least in most agencies.

 

[Monitor]

Huh, I stand corrected.

Though, it would still depend on the length of the jacket, like you've said, as motorcycle units will in CHP jackets would wear all the gear on their pants belts below the jacket.

Another picture of an officer wearing gear on the jacket belt.
https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipe...e_Motorcycle_motion_blur_in_Manhattan_NYC.jpg

 

[shadowrider]

For anyone who is interested, I posted a thread three days ago with a video about how these jacket are made:
http://thefedoralounge.com/threads/need-advice-with-fur-collar-on-leather-jacket.85501/

They call the belt loops a "gun belt holder" in the video.

 

[IXL]

It occurred to me last night that old-time motor officers wore these jackets and required snaps for the reason mentioned. I have never seen anyone actually do this this, though. Modern jackets with which I'm familiar all have non-gusseted vertical zips on the sides, allowing one's duty belt to be worn anchored to the pants. The zips allow the side of the jacket to flow around the sidearm and then there is a snap to hold the halves together , beneath and under the holster. This is how all of my jackets have been styled.