I have seen now numerous comments about slings being worn around the waist as "belts" - often jokingly here on the forums. Is there much historical documentation for this? Cervantes refers to shepherds "ungirding" their slings, and Strabo also mentions slingers "girdled with a rush-rope... of black-tufted rush, I say, or of hair or of sinews..."

So, clearly it was done, but how were they secured? Were the ends simply tied together? Or to something else? Does anyone here go about with a sling as a belt? I could see it being a great opportunity to show off some braiding, but to make it a practical belt would probably make it an impractical sling.

On second thoughts, if you make a sling long enough to go round your middle, just pull the end through the loop and tie of with a slipped half hitch, (that is just pull a loop through and not the whole end so that when you pull on the end it will come undone.)
If your sling is long enough to go round your middle twice, fold it, wrap it round yourself, pull one end through the pouch and tie as above. If you use a big release knot you may not even have to tie the end, it can work as a toggle with the retention loop.
Or fold it besides the pouch and tie the ends on the loop. Many posebilities.

Almost any female friend can help you to find a style which will stay and show of well.
Willeke

I must say, Johnny is quite an artist. That piece is certainly exceptional - I thought it had come from an Osprey book, but then, perhaps he has contributed to them? If not, he probably should!

I hadn't considered the tying methods mentioned here, so thank you. I suppose they didn't seem obvious because my sling isn't nearly long enough to tie that way, only to overlap slightly around my waist. And no, I don't have a large waist, just a short sling...

The sling I use most is only fingertop to elbow (folded), so I do understand the problem. (No, I am not a wasp waist, never have been, never will be, thanks to chocolate.)

If you use a middle size sling, wear it as necklace, as the sling this slinger holds in his hand would be worn. If you use wool you can even pretend it is a shawl.

Willeke

I actually made some of my braided slings to look like very decorative or plain belts, and I've even slipped them around my waist and as an experiment, wore one at work as a belt, under my shirt but around my waist with a large pair of pants, and they stayed up, no problems.  I simply tuck the retention knot through the finger loop, tuck the hanging end into a pocket or slip through some belt loops and voila! It's a belt, a sash across my chest, or, wrapped multiple times, a head or armband. Though I have a large waist, all of my slings are at least 4 feet long, which is more than ample to fit around my waist with cord to spare. Mostly though, I wear them across my chest, and all  I have to do to deploy it is whip it off my chest, put my fingers in the loop, grab the knot, load and fire.

When at a Late Roman re-enactment show, I often use my favourite sling as a belt to hitch up my tunic before I put on my ringmail. I think of the Balaeric slingers everytime I do it!

the pouch wont hold enough 'soft tissue'

...the family jewels...he he, I'm so immature