I bought this belt exactly six months ago. Since then I've been using it almost every day. Today the very thin, cheap leather on the top of the belt tears where the plastic ratchet strip on the bottom begins. The ratchet strap itself wears out with repeated use, and the metal used to make the buckle is very cheap. Mine is terribly dented and scratched, all because of the zipper on the winter coat. In view of the price, I'm really not surprised that the belt is almost unusable after half a year. You really do get what you pay for today.