I have used ratchet belts for years. This one costs about half as much as I have been paying for a faux leather belt. This one is real leather and is very attractive. The buckle functions as well as the more expensive one. I won't know about durability for a while, but it appears to be sturdy. Some reviewers describe buckles breaking, but I have had the same thing happen with the expensive one, so the difference will boil down to how long it lasts. I will update this review when the time comes.