Rogue Pioneer belt vs US Nylon belt
This is a comparison of the Rogue Pioneer belt and the US Nylon belt including pros, cons, and alternatives. Follow the links for more details
Rogue US Nylon Lifting Belt
The Rogue Nylon USA belt can be had for $45. This is the best version of the Nylon belt Rogue has to offer. If you want to learn more about Rogue's belt portfolio read my article "Which belt to buy from Rogue" in which this overview has been originally published.
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Overview of the US Nylon belt
The
Rogue USA Nylon lifting belt is fully manufactured in the USA and was created together with CrossFit champion Matt Fraser. The back panel is 5'' in width and tapers down in steps to 4'' and 3'' for the Nylon support strap. The velcro closing system comes with a smooth buckle and roller for quick and easy adjustments.
This belt comes in three color variations; black, camo and gray/red. It can also be further customized with velcro patched near to the buckle. The inner foam frame has a ripstop exterior and antimicrobial inner material.
Pros of the US Nylon belt
This is the upper range option for Nylon belts. You will still be buying out of the USA and support the production in Columbus Ohio.
This belt also gives you more options to make the belt look cool and fit your overall appearance. Especially for Crossfit WODs which go not that heavy on the movement, but require support, this can be a good belt. For many reps, the nylon will not be as aggressive as a leather belt on your body and it is easier to run around in it.
Cons of the US Nylon belt
A
nylon belt that closes with Velcro gives a lot less support than a
13mm string of leather that might even hold up a bullet. I would not recommend squatting one repetition maximum attempts with a nylon belt on. In addition, you will need to replace these belts more often when the Velcro gives in.
Alternatives to the US Nylon belt
If you are more into strength than overall conditioning you might want to consider the
Rogue Echo belt instead. This is the cheapest rogue branded leather belt in the arsenal. If you don't care where the belt is manufactured you can also look int the
Nylon belts in 5'' and 4'' width. They are only half the price of the US version.
Rogue Faded 4 Pioneer Lifting belt
The Rogue faded 4'' Pioneer lifting belt delivers a unique cut which enables lifters to adjust in smaller increments. You can get this belt from Rogue at 135$. This review was originally published in my article "Which belt to buy from Rogue" which runs through all options.
Overview of the faded belt
This
Rogue branded belt from Pioneer is made in the US and comes in brown. At the edges, the brown fades to a black. The leather belt is 8.5mm thick and made of vegetable tanned leather. It closes with a buckle. The loop is Rogue branded. What is
special about this belt is the Pioneer Cut. The holes on
this belt run in two parallel lines which enables the lifter to adjust the belt in 0.5'' increments instead of 1.0''. This makes getting it on and off a lot easier. The buckle itself is a single prong.
Pros of the faded belt
This belt is a great option for smaller lifters who have struggled with adjusting belts to their ideal size. It can also be a great option for bigger lifters who change their weight a lot and go on cuts. Bodybuilders might also like the challenge of trying to get to the next whole down in their squat sessions when preparing for a meet.
With 8.5mm thickness this belt is less aggressive than the 13mm alternatives and can there also be used for Olympic weightlifting.
Cons of the faded belt
The price is still on the higher end for a belt. Special ideas like the double holes usually come at a special price. This belt is also somewhere in the middle between an
Olympic weightlifting belt and a
powerlifting belt. You will pay a high price and be left with an all-purpose belt which you could also have gotten for $20 less. If you see no value in the double holes for you, you might want to pick up something else. The inside of this belt is also a bit more slippy than other options.
Alternatives to the faded belt
A very good alternative to the faded belt is the
Rogue Ohio lifting belt. This is the middle of the range and middle priced option that fits all purposes. If you are a Crossfitter you might also want to consider the
Ohio Oly belt. This belt has a bit of leather cut out in the front to make the snatch and clean and jerk easier to perform.