Top pick
This 1.5-inch belt — handmade from Belgian vegetable-tanned leather — has a distinctive oval-shaped brass buckle. If you buy it from the brand’s site, it’s not returnable, so we recommend shopping elsewhere if you’re unsure of your size.
Made from the same high-quality leather, this 1-inch-wide handmade belt has a three-piece tipped buckle in brass with a silver finish. It straddles the casual/dressy line, and it’s a wearable take on the Western look, but it’s not for everyone.
You can find a cheaper belt than either of our picks from Maximum Henry, but you’d be hard-pressed to find a better one for around $150. The namesake designer, Maximum Henry Cohen (yes, his actual name), started making leather goods out of his Long Island City, New York, home in 2012; since then, the brand has built a devoted following for its craftsmanship and high-quality materials.
We tested multiple belts from Maximum Henry and loved them all. In particular, the casual Maximum Henry Wide Oval Belt and versatile Maximum Henry Slim 3 Piece Belt stood out for their distinctive (but not over-the-top) character.
The craftsmanship is on point. All Maximum Henry belts are cut, dyed, and stitched by hand from 100% vegetable-tanned Belgian leather. (Belgium has a rich tanning heritage.)
Because each belt is handmade, no two are exactly the same. For example, the black Maximum Henry Slim 3 Piece Belt that we tested is a slightly darker shade than a Maximum Henry Belt in the same color that I already own. (A fact that I love, since I know that my belt is uniquely mine.)
Both of our picks have buckles made from solid brass, a durable metal that doesn’t rust or corrode, and, like leather, develops a patina with wear.
These belts are built to last decades. While $150 isn’t cheap, in my experience it’s reasonable for an artisanal belt; comparable handmade belts can easily cost $200 or more. Since Maximum Henry belts are meticulously made from high-quality materials, our picks will only improve with age.
The Wide Oval Belt is an everyday belt with a quietly interesting buckle. At 1.5 inches wide, it’s a casual-leaning belt you can reach for while wearing pretty much any non-suit trousers. What really sets it apart is the buckle. In lieu of standard rectangular hardware, this 1.5-inch-wide brass buckle — more of a rectangle with curved edges than a literal oval — lends subtle character without looking flashy. As one tester said, “I quite like the big oval as a little accent.”
The Slim 3 Piece Belt has a touch of Western flair. Led by top-tier fashion houses and pop culture figures like Beyoncé and Pharrell, “cowboycore,” as the trend has been dubbed, has been firmly incorporated into the mainstream in recent years. But many brands lean too hard into the aesthetic. The Slim 3 Piece is a more understated option: The three-piece tipped buckle (meaning there’s a buckle, a “keeper” to hold the belt flat, and a tip at the end of the strap) nods to Western hardware without making you look like you’re on the way to a rodeo. “It’s a little bit of a fun pop — I wanna be a cowboy, baby!” one tester cooed.
At 1 inch wide, this is narrower than you’d expect from a jeans belt, but that’s actually what makes it so versatile. The Slim 3 Piece works well with dark denim and chinos, and it sits cleanly in dress trouser loops. It can even hold its own with the right suit (think black linen). I’m currently wearing it with a pair of brown Suitsupply trousers from our work pants guide. Black with silver hardware is a sharp combination; it’s also available in dark brown if you need it to work with warmer tones in your wardrobe.
Pay close attention to the size chart. Every belt brand employs different sizing conventions. Maximum Henry’s is particularly unique: To find your size, Maximum Henry suggests measuring your waist by fitting a soft measuring tape snugly over your pants, rounding to the nearest inch, and then subtracting 2. So if your waist measures 34 inches, your belt size should be 32.
Maximum Henry has a wide range of appealing styles. We also tested (and loved) two other belts from the brand: The Standard 1.25″ (the brand’s best seller) and the Braided Standard 1.25″, a woven leather belt. In general, Maximum Henry offers an impressive range of options; many of the belts come in different widths, from 1 to 1.75 inches, and a lot of them (including both of our picks) are available in up to 15 colors and two buckle finishes, silver and brass. That’s more options than most belts we tested, but the full range is available only on the brand’s website.
Flaws but not dealbreakers
Ordering directly from Maximum Henry has some drawbacks. If you shop from the Maximum Henry website, the belts are made to order and can take up to 14 days for delivery. In my experience, it usually takes about a week. Additionally, the brand does not offer returns — only exchanges, which incur a $10 restocking fee. (This is an especially risky route if it’s your first time buying a Maximum Henry belt, because the size may not be right.) Luckily, multiple styles — including our picks — are available at other retailers with more forgiving policies, such as Alex Mill and Wittmore.
You may run into stock issues. Finding a belt in the exact style, size, and color you want (from a retailer other than Maximum Henry) may require some hunting around on different sites. The brand’s belts are carried in Alex Mill stores and in other brick-and-mortar stores in the New York area, including Ven Space and Sorbara’s.
Key specs
Sizes: 28 to 40; the brand recommends ordering 2 inches down from your pant size
Material: Belgian vegetable-tanned leather
Buckle: solid brass (Wide Oval Belt); solid brass in silver finish (Slim 3 Piece)
Colors: three via Alex Mill (Wide Oval); two via Alex Mill (Slim 3 Piece); more options available through Maximum Henry
