Review Gym Equipment Lifting Belts

Harbinger Lifting Belt Review 2024

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To better understand the value of the Harbinger Lifting Belt, this Harbinger belt review will focus on some of the intricate features of the belt. We will look at the leather and nylon version to unpack some of the best features and why they could be great for you.

athlete with harbinger lifting belt

Harbinger Lifting Belts Review

If you are looking for a unique and stable belt for weightlifting, Harbinger is one of the many top brands to have you covered. No matter your level of expertise or skill level, you should find incredible use for these belts and we aim to show you why with these Harbinger belt reviews:

Weightlifting BeltTotalPrice/QualitySupportComfortMaterial and StitchingPackage
Harbinger Leather Weightlifting Belt4891091010
Harbinger Nylon Lifting Belt4810910910

Harbinger Padded Leather Contoured Weightlifting Belt Review

When lifting weights, a comfortable belt is always something you will be looking for. The Harbinger Padded Leather Contoured Weightlifting Belt features an ergonomic design that would wrap around your torso and provide unrivaled stability.

Harbinger lifting Padded Belt
  • Closure Type: Steel roller buckle
  • Size: Small – Extra Large
  • Waist Size Range: 23-inches to 42-inches
  • Material: Leather/ Suede
  • Width: 4/6-inches
  • Colors: Black

1. Price/Quality

When buying a Harbinger leather belt, you can expect it to be a bit more expensive than the nylon alternatives. This belt is slightly more expensive than some competitors, but the durable leather would offer you years of usage.

New Straps V2 - WBCM

2. Support

The main purpose of this belt is to provide you with adequate support and ensure that you have a solid wrap around your torso. Once buckled, the belt does not move and ensures stability.

3. Comfort

The interior foam cushioning would prevent the hard leather from pressing against your body, which would ultimately provide you with comfort for prolonged use. However, it might lead to a buildup of sweat.

4. Material and Stitching

The stitching is integrated within the design and only holds the cushioning in place. Due to the double stitching, it tends to provide additional durability. We should mention the suede lining covers the stitching to prevent abrasions.

5. Package

Upon receiving the package, you would only receive the belt in the right size that you have ordered. No fuss or frills.

Positives:

  • Durable leather construction
  • Comfortable interior foam 
  • Abrasion-resistant
  • Numerous sizes available
  • Exceptional support whilst training

Could be better:

  • Due to the leather, it tends to be more expensive than nylon alternatives
  • Mobility might be an issues due to the stiffness of the leather

Harbinger Nylon Lifting Belt Review

The Harbinger Nylon Lifting Belt is an alternative to the leather version, while still offering the good value for money. The belt contours to the shape of your body and would stay in place to assist you with weightlifting. However, it tends to offer more mobility to the user.

Harbinger Belt Nylon
  • Closure Type: Steel roller buckle
  • Size: Small – Extra Large
  • Waist Size Range: 24-inches to 42-inches
  • Material: Nylon
  • Width: 4-inches
  • Colors: Black

1. Price/Quality

In terms of nylon belts, this belt would offer you a durable design, which easily wraps around your body when you have the right size. It is slightly cheaper than the leather alternatives, but would still give you value for money.

2. Support 

Aside from the normal support, the belt also includes an additional 3-inches of strapping. The additional 3-inches would wrap around your lower back for additional support.

3. Comfort

You will have a slight foam cushion on the inside of the belt, which tends to break the hardness of the materials and make the belt more comfortable.

4. Material and Stitching

Nylon is a great wicking material away from moisture and this is certainly one of the strong points of this belt. The stitching is done on the outside of the belt, which helps to prevent chafing.

5. Package

Inside the package, you would find a weightlifting belt of the same size that you ordered and all the basic components.

Positives:

  • Flexible nylon design
  • Inexpensive
  • Features an additional 3-inches of strapping for lower back support
  • Ensures muscle warmth

Could be better:

  • Lacks the durability of leather 

What Is The Harbinger Lifting Belt For?

1. Weightlifting

As the name would suggest the Harbinger lifting belt is predominantly used for weightlifting exercises. It can be used by beginners and experienced lifters due to the various sizes and the stability provided by the belt.

For lifters, it would help prevent possible injuries when lifting weights, while it would also help beginners engage the core to perfect the weightlifting movements. Experienced lifters would benefit from the comfortable stitching and inner cushioning of the belt, which could reduce any possible pinching or chaffing.

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2. Lifting Exercises

Certain exercises allow us to go heavier than others and it is often necessary to push ourselves for the benefits of progressive overload. This might mean you are lifting more weight than you would normally do. The lifting belt would help stabilize your core and improve engagement. Here are a few exercises where it works best:

  • Deadlift
  • Squat
  • Clean & Jerk
  • Barbell Row
  • Overhead Press
  • Snatch

Keep in mind that the weightlifting belt can be used for almost any exercise. The above-mentioned workouts are commonly workouts where you would be increasing the weight exponentially.

harbinger lifting belt review

Harbinger Lifting Belt Alternatives

Harbinger Lifting Belt Vs Warm Body Cold Mind Lifting Belt

Both the Harbinger weight belt and WBCM belt will offer you a leather design, which provides exceptional durability. They both have a width of around 4-inches, with the optional 6-inch option being available from Harbinger.

The Warm Body Cold Mind belt has been approved for both IPF and USAPL, while the double pronged buckle and middle stitching tends to add more durability.

The WBCM belt is available in more sizes, ranging up to XXXL (52-inches), and does not offer the same interior cushioning that Harbinger provides. It is also worth noting that the WBCM belt is more expensive when we compare it to both the leather and the nylon version.

Overall, both these belts would offer you exceptional value for your money and provide a durable belt that you could probably use for numerous years and throughout numerous exercises.

WBCM leather weightlifting belt

Harbinger Lifting Belt Vs Element 26

The most easily noticed difference between the Harbinger weightlifting belt and the Element 26 is the self-locking system present on the Element 26 belt. If you mistakenly unlock the belt whilst working out, it would preserve the locking mechanism and ensure the belt does not spring free whilst lifting weights.

It features a similar design to most other belts on the market today, but it is more expensive than the Harbinger nylon belt if we compare the prices of nylon lifting belts. Fortunately, the manufacturer makes up for this by providing you with a limited lifetime warranty, which should give you plenty of value for money.

Overall, both of these belts would ensure stability and allow you to work out without hassle. They are also heavily relied on by weightlifters and both have a great following amongst hardcore weightlifters.

Element 26 Weight Lifting Belt

FAQs

What Size Harbinger Belt Should I Get?

The Harbinger lifting belts are available in numerous sizes, which makes them an excellent buy for lifters. You can find them in multiple sizes, which range from Small to Extra Large. However, the standard sizes only stop at XL and if you have a larger waist, you might need something slightly bigger. Keep in mind that it is possible to directly contact the manufacturer and order a custom belt of a bigger size.

However, this would inevitably cost more and it might take slightly longer for the belt to be delivered.

How Does The Harbinger Lifting Belt Work?

Much like other lifting belts, the Harbinger lifting belt would offer you a roller bar enclosure system, which gives you more stability. Instead of the belt coming loose, you would have to release the roller bar for the belt to be loosened.

Ideally, you would want to wrap the belt around your waist and lock the buckle. Once this is locked, you can engage your core, whilst expanding it into the cushioning of the belt. This would provide you with stability and the perfect size. It should allow you to understand how to wear a Harbinger lifting belt correctly.

Keep in mind that the nylon version also incorporates the additional 3-inch strap. The strap can be wrapped around your lower back and should provide some additional stability to engage the lower back muscles.

Conclusion

If you are looking for one of the best weightlifting belts on the market today, the Harbinger Padded Leather Contoured Weightlifting Belt is one of the ideal options that should not only give you comfort but help to stabilize and engage your core at the same time. We should mention that for only $5 extra, you can look at the WBCM belt, which is more durable as a whole.

The belt is incredible for stability and due to the additional cushioning; it provides a comfortable fit for most users. The ergonomic design would contour around your waist and when you have the right size, it should offer numerous benefits.

With so many weightlifting belts on the market today, we would love to see some of your comments and discuss which belts are the best or how tight you prefer your belt to be in the comment section below.

Also Read:

References:

  1. Lifting Belts. Friend Or Foe? A Literature Review. // Rangeofmotion:
    https://rangeofmotion.net.au/lifting-belts-friend-or-foe-a-literature-review/
  2. The effectiveness of weight-belts during the squat exercise // PubMed:
    https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/2304406/

Why Trust Us?

With over 20 years in Olympic Weightlifting, our team does its best to provide the audience with ultimate support and meet the needs and requirements of advanced athletes and professional lifters, as well as people who strive to open new opportunities and develop their physical capabilities with us.

All products we select are primarily approved and tested by the Olympic Weightlifting Champion Oleksii Torokhtiy. Under his guidance, our team provides honest and reasonable assessments of the products we review by checking their characteristics, packaging, design, comfort and durability features, and general product rating. We select products from only high-quality and trusted sports brands, thus vouching for their quality.

The product testing process is described in more detail here

Ihor Shymechko

Author: Ihor Shymechko
Pro Olympic Weightlifter, Coach

Experience: 26 years
Best Results: Snatch – 208 kg,
C&J – 240 kg

Ihor has been a professional weightlifter since 1996, boasting over two decades of competition experience. His notable achievements include clinching the European Championship in 2009 and securing a silver medal in the 105kg division at the Senior World Championships in 2011. Ihor represented his country in the 2008, 2012, and 2016 Summer Olympics. After retiring from competitive weightlifting, he transitioned to coaching, leveraging his vast experience to guide athletes who now compete on both national and international stages.

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