The belt itself is excellent and very high quality, very similar to the military. The thickness is excellent and compared to the army belt I have there is little difference. The buckle is metal, but that's certainly not military grade. The metal is a bit flimsy and I'm having a hard time opening it as the latch doesn't go down like it should. Luckily I have had many military brass buckles in the past and I will be replacing these. My buckle may be an exception to what other people have received. I will say that the clasp holds and does not come loose. The clip that holds the belt to the buckle is excellent and very durable. As with military belts, it takes some effort to ensure it clips into the actual belt and the clip will hold it 100% like a brass army belt. Overall I am very happy with the belt. If you're ex-military, you probably have these buckles at home somewhere and can replace these. But on the other hand, as an ex-military you simply expect more from a buckle.