What is a Polo Belt?

Polo belts are the most popular and most iconic product we offer here at pampeano, and it’s what we’re known for worldwide.

But what exactly is a polo belt?

A polo belt, also known as a gaucho belt, is a type of leather belt decorated with intricately hand stitched patterns, with roots in the polo culture of South America.

They are made in many different vibrant colour combinations, with many variations in their designs, usually featuring some form of the traditional pampa diamond motif, reflecting the peaks and valleys of the Andes mountain range which overlooks the polo fields of Argentina.

 

Polo is a traditional horseback ball game, and one of the oldest team sports in the world. Two teams compete to score by hitting a ball with a wooden mallet from the back of the horse into the opponent’s goal.

Polo is also known as the sport of kings, because it is a common spectator sport for high society and even royalty. The name could have also originated due to the Kings of Manipur being very fond of playing the game when the modern sport was created in India in the 19th century.

The British brought it back from India and spread it across the globe. It was the British who first brought polo to Argentina, back in the late 19th Century. Polo quickly became incredibly popular in Argentina, as it was played by every class of people, and is still incredibly important to Argentine culture.

Today, polo is most popular in Argentina, the USA and the UK. Argentina is considered the best polo team in the world, having won five World Polo Championships.

Polo belts were first created when the gauchos (Argentine cowboys) were introduced to the sport, and created belts to wear during the games, partly to identify their teams by their colours. Polo belts are still used by polo players in the same way now, with some of the top polo teams in the UK sourcing their belts right here with pampeano.

Polo belts aren’t just made for polo players - today, they are a great accessory for anybody, complementing many styles from smart to casual.

You can wear a polo belt with anything: a suit, some chinos, some light shorts in the summer, around the waist of a maxi dress - the only limit is your imagination. We also make other leather accessories in the polo belt style, from dog collars to bracelets, so your whole look can be coordinated.

We want our polo belts to be easy to wear, and to choose which size is best for you. Our belts are measured from the start of the leather at the buckle to the middle hole. To measure your belt size, just measure your waist size as normal, or measure the length of your existing belt (to the hole you use). Then, use our handy size guide to find the right polo belt for you.

Looking for custom belts for your own sports team or club? Let us help - we supply teams, clubs and regiments all over the world. Learn more here.