Dominion Belts

[cshadyp]

Hi Rip,

I noticed that Dominion has just released some extra belts.

Is there any difference in performance with single ply vs double ply? There's a $90 single ply with your logo, and a new whopping $175 double ply with your logo. Jesus.

Product Page | Dominion Strength Training
Product Page | Dominion Strength Training

Also, do you prefer suede or all leather? I hear the suede (though it looks good) is stiffer and not "broken in" like the all leather belt. The leather belt should also age better over time and develop a patina.

[Mark Rippetoe]

There is obviously a difference in performance between a thicker and a thinner belt. I prefer to press in the one-ply, and a guy who's not used to a lot of belt might prefer to do everything in it. The two-ply belt is a very nice piece of workmanship, and I squat and pull in it. Both will age with the lifter into a very personal piece of equipment. If you haven't got the money, I understand. The two-ply is the nicest belt on the market, but it's not priced for everybody because it's made of very expensive leather.

I prefer a natural leather belt. That's why these are made they way they are.

[cshadyp]

Their suede belt ($115) looks to be the same thickness - at 10mm - as the all leather one ($175). The leather for both is top grain. Do you know why there's such a large difference in price?

[Mark Rippetoe]

Because

it's made of very expensive leather.

[Nick D'Agostino]

Are there plans to make 4 inch versions?

[cshadyp]

Because

I have good reading comprehension, Rip. They are both top grain leather. What is this difference in leather quality that you speak of that makes the other one "very expensive leather"?

[Mark Rippetoe]

Are there plans to make 4 inch versions?

No, there are plenty of 4-inch belts already.

I have good reading comprehension, Rip. They are both top grain leather. What is this difference in leather quality that you speak of that makes the other one "very expensive leather"?

Perhaps it comes from expensive cows?

[cshadyp]

No, there are plenty of 4-inch belts already.



Perhaps it comes from expensive cows?

Moo!

[Nockian]

I have good reading comprehension, Rip. They are both top grain leather. What is this difference in leather quality that you speak of that makes the other one "very expensive leather"?

Looking at it: two pieces of sole leather rather than a single piece of sole leather bonded to 2 skins of suede. From what I've read, the outer skin of a suede belt doesn't provide any additional strength, so, a suede/sole composite 10mm belt is, say effectively 8.5mm, whereas, two pieces of sole leather is a proper 10mm and therefore stronger and more expensive (suede being cheaper than sole leather, both from a material and a construction cost).

[Blake Wilson]

I can shed some light on the price difference between the single and double ply, as well as the suede belt.

The single ply and suede belt use the same piece of top grain sole leather. The suede belt then makes up the rest of its thickness with the two layers of suede. The relative manufacturing complexity of the suede belt with gluing and stitching makes up most of the cost difference there.

The double ply makes its thickness by starting with the same sole leather, which is mated to a higher grade of top grain leather. We chose to do this because the combination of the two lead to an exceptionally strong belt that is also very pliable right from the start. This layer also has a higher aesthetic grade and is the outer layer of the belt.

Because the double ply starts with two leather straps as opposed to just one on the other belts, the materials cost is very nearly doubled from the start (the suede is relatively inexpensive compared to the leather). It also has some unique manufacturing challenges.
When gluing two fairly thick straps of leather, it is impossible to have the seam line up perfectly. Some belts hide this behind edge paint. We decided to properly finish the edge by sanding and burnishing as necessary to get a perfect seam. Edge paint will eventually crack and flake off and we didn’t want that on a belt we’re claiming will last you forever. The labor involved in sanding and burnishing the entire length of a belt is substantial, and is a feature unique to this belt.

The layer mismatch can also happen on the suede belts. The difference there is that one pass with an edging tool removes any mismatch and rounds the edge at the same time. The double ply requires the above mentioned edge finishing before edge beveling.
Also, not just any piece of leather can be used for the double or single ply. On these belts, the leather’s natural surface must be aesthetic grade. Even quality leather will have various scratches, branding marks, or other blemishes that would not make it suitable as an aesthetic surface. It could be used for a suede belt, because there the only requirement is the structural integrity; anything superficial is covered by suede. This detail requires us to sort all the leather we receive, and only a certain percentage makes the cut for a single or double ply belt.

This may be more detail than you were looking for, but I did want to explain some of the details that are not obvious. It’s possible to take several raw leather straps and have them become several finished single ply belts by the end of a single day. The double ply requires a multi-day process that is vastly more complex. This added complexity plus the materials cost are what drive the large jump in price.

The double ply is intended to be the highest quality weightlifting belt on the market, and we’ve spared no expense in materials or labor to make it so.