Fun question! I too am not a fan of pantyhose. I much prefer thigh high stockings. In my experience, the most comfortable, utilitarian, and durable garter belt I have ever seen is model 520 made by Crepe Suzette (I have many of them). This model of garter belt has 3 straps per leg and a nice wide band that encircles and hugs the hips for all day comfort and a nice low profile under clothes.
As far as the thigh highs that are designed to stay up with the help of a sticky silicone band, I simply cannot wear those. By the end of the day my legs are raw and burning where the sticky silicone has been pulling on my skin all day. If I wear them a few days in a row, I end up with raw, angry wounds on my thighs.
I have found a thigh high alternative to garter belts and to silicone banded stay ups. There is an online hosiery store called Sock Dreams that carries a brand of opaque thigh highs made by Foot Traffic. The model is Foot Traffic (FT) 930TH and they cost $7. I am 5' 7" and these thigh highs reach all the way to the middle of my thighs. They look and feel great. And by some miracle that I cannot explain they stay up on me all day long without the aid of either sticky stuff or garters. Last year I weighed 190 pounds, and they fit me fine. This year I am down to 140 pounds and they still fit me fine (though they pull up a bit higher on my leg now.) I am wearing a pair right now. So far I have not had a pair of these thigh highs rip, snag or run on me. They come in about 15 or more colors. The pair I am wearing today is coffee brown. They look good, feel good, and I've probably worn and washed them at least a dozen times or more. Some of the colors I personally own are coffee, black, hot pink, neon red, charcoal pinstripe, green/black horizontal stripes, and purple/black horizontal stripes. For 7 bucks I'd recommend getting a pair or 2 just in case they turn out to work for you as well as they work for me. Indeed, I have 5 or 6 of the Crepe Suzette garter belts, but I have not worn any of them in quite some time. I just don't feel the need with my foot traffic opaques. (By the way, they are definitely opaque; if you need sheer stockings, these will not work for you.)
Happy shopping!
Love,
Miharu