Introduction
In the golf website game, there’s a lot of leg work to be done to make sure you have a constant flow of content and relevant information. Obviously there are some major players in the game – PING, TaylorMade, Callaway, Nike – but every now and then a smaller company pops up and grabs your attention. This is exactly what happened when I saw an email from Mission Belt Co pop into my email box one day. I started an exchange with the company and they very quickly grabbed my interest not just with their belts, but the Mission Belt story as a whole. When Mission Belt Co asked us to do a review of their belt, I thought it made much more sense to tell their story rather than just review the quality of their belt.
The Mission
Before even getting into the Mission Belt product, it’s worth discussing the mission behind the company. The general principle behind their mission is that for every belt sold, the company donates $1 toward efforts to fight hunger. Mission Belt Co does this by making micro loans through a group called Kiva that is a non-for-profit organization that works with lending companies across the globe to provide financial assistance to areas where traditional banking systems may not be available. Kiva itself is a very interesting organization that’s worth reading about if you have a spare minute. As non-for-profit organization, Kiva is a great partner for Mission Belt Co because Kiva makes sure that 100% of the provided funds go directly toward funding loans. Since Kiva does not take a cut, Kiva doesn’t charge any interest to the Field Partners managing the loans.
Mission Belt Co feels they have a “corporate responsibility to give something back to hard working individuals that simply need a hand up” and the dollar they donate represents 20% or more of their profit from the sale. This is a significant portion of the profit from a company that is actually a for profit business and not a charity. Contributing to a cause is important to Mission Belt Co and they are happy to do their part in the global fight against hunger and poverty.
Product
The bread and butter of Mission Belt Co is their “no holes belts” but they also have a variety of hats and shirts to complete the lifestyle accessory package. These belts are interesting in that they are actually real leather, but they are as adjustable as a traditional “scout belt.” If you buy a belt that’s too big, or lose a few pounds, you don’t need to go out and buy a new belt. All you have to do is remove the belt buckle and trim the leather strap down to size. The no holes concept may seem gimmicky on paper, but it really is a nice feature. First, as Mission Belt Co states, there’s no issues of the holes stretching or wearing out over time. No matter your shape or size, this issue is unavoidable in a regular belt but won’t be a concern for you with Mission belt. Also, a traditional belt has holes about an inch apart whereas the Mission Belt Co belt is adjustable at every quarter inch. It’s like Goldilocks and the Three Bears; not too loose, not too tight, but just right…
The buckle has a clasping switch for easy removal and adjustment. Once you figure out how it works, the belt isn’t only easy to use, but it’s actually strangely fascinating. In addition to being interesting, these belts are just cool and there’s a wide range of options to fulfill anyone’s tastes. If you want a plain black belt with a silver buckle, no problem. If you want to get a bright orange belt with a purple buckle, that works too! There’s a wide range of colors and sizes that make the options close to limitless.
Quality
One of my favorite blurbs from Mission Belt Co is in regards to the leather not cracking:
The leather won’t crack. It’s made with a Crack Free guarantee. And if you wear a Mission Belt you won’t show your crack. Say goodbye to accidental moons.
So far, I can’t tell you that any of the genuine leather belts I’ve received from Mission Belt Co have cracked…and I don’t think I’ve had any accidental moons (come on, we’ve all been there). The leather straps are really nice quality and very affordable considering their quality. The buckles are well made and very mechanically sound which is a must given the nature of the no holes belt. As mentioned before, the belt is adjustable in quarter inch increments which is a breeze to do. It’s not uncommon for things like this to get too “over-mechanical” and become a hassle, but this is not the case with Mission Belt Co and their finely made buckles.
Final Thoughts
With the rise in popularity for brightly colored belts, the number of options has rapidly grown across most of the major apparel brands in the golf industry. What’s nice about Mission Belt Co is that they have introduced a handful of unique characteristics that make you feel like you’re not just buying another boring belt. You get to pick from an almost limitless color palette, but you also get the satisfaction of contributing to a positive cause just by buying something you were planning on buying anyway. Imagine going to the grocery store knowing that just by buying your regularly priced gallon of milk you were contributing to a charitable cause. This alone really grabbed my attention with Mission Belt Co and they will certainly be on my mind next time I need a new belt.
You can find Mission Belt Co at missionbelt.com, on Facebook, or on Twitter.
Bill plays Scott Readman Concepts putters and accessories.
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