If you’re like me, you never really thought twice about your belt. It was more of “Oh sh*t, did I remember to put it in my bag?” and not a piece of individualized gear. Like so many other gear items in the WPW age, things could not be more different today thanks to the Nokona ShowBelt.
The Nokona ShowBelt is worn by so many Big Leaguers, it could be considered the unofficial belt of Major League Baseball. Like everything from the tried-and-true American Heritage brand, these belts are made from high quality leathers here in the US. The custom belts start at $75 and climb from there depending on options.
The ShowBelt customization options are off the charts. From leather type, to color, to number and even your name, Nokona has turned a simple piece of your uniform into yet another way to express yourself on the diamond.
The customization process begins by choosing from an all leather belt or a leather/elastic combo more similar to the baseball belt everyone is used to. From there, the fun begins. There are 50+ leather options ranging from classic steerhide, to a wide array of American Kip colors, to chrome and patented leather, and even more exotic options like gator.
After you choose your leather and hardware, small details like the edge color and the stitching color are next. From there, after every color is perfect, you move on to the personalization. This can include your number/initials, adding a flag to the belt or the keeper, and adding up to 30 characters of personalized stamping around the inside band of the belt.
At that point, all that’s left is the sizing and your custom 1 of 1 ShowBelt is complete. The amount of customization Nokona has empowered players with on a belt is astounding.
The ShowBelt is the icing on the cake for a swagged-out ball player on the field. Nokona didn’t stop there, however. They realized style off the field is just as important as on it.
Lifestyle ShowBelts
In addition to the game belts, Nokona tweaked a few minor details to give us a lifestyle-focused option. These changes include a smaller keeper, logo, and more neutral color options meant for daily wear. You can go crazy with the customization of the streetwear belts as well, but Nokona also has classic black and brown options that will be more universal. These belts fall in the $145-$300 price range; not a cheap option but around what you’d expect for high quality leather goods.
A ballplayer can customize just about every piece of equipment that they take the field with. It’s only fitting that belts follow that trend. While ShowBelts aren’t going to be for everyone, they certainly take your on-field swag to the next level in a Big League way.