Belts, wrist wraps, straps, hooks, chalk and bar pads: aids for heavy lifting that help performance or comfort a little, but aren't injury insurance.
Belts are stiff bands, usually 10–13 mm leather or nylon with a lever or prong buckle, that you brace your trunk against. Wrist wraps stiffen the wrist under heavy pressing. Straps and hooks connect your hands to the bar so your grip isn't the limit on heavy pulls, and chalk keeps hands dry. Bar pads make hip thrusts more comfortable.
You don't need any of these to start. They matter once loads get heavy, and each solves a specific problem: a failing grip, a wrist that bends back under the bar, or a trunk you want to brace harder.
Small lab studies show lifting belts raise pressure inside the abdomen and let people squat more reps, a little faster. A small study found straps kept deadlift bar speed up and reduced grip fatigue. No trials show any of these prevent injury, and the largest study of back belts (13,873 retail workers) found no fewer back injuries or less back pain. Evidence for wraps and chalk is thin.
In 13,873 material-handling employees at 160 retail stores, neither frequent back-belt use nor a store policy requiring belts was associated with fewer back injury claims or less low back pain.
49 men and women squatted to exhaustion at their beltless 6-rep max, with and without a belt. They did more reps with the belt (about 8.1 vs 6.5) and moved faster. Balance measured on force plates didn't improve, although the belt made them feel more stable.
Five lifters did squats at their 8-rep max with and without a belt. Intra-abdominal pressure was 25–40% higher with the belt, and reps were slightly faster. A very small study.
16 men did deadlift sets with and without straps. Straps kept bar speed higher, reduced grip fatigue, improved perceived grip security and lowered perceived effort.