. Except for one or two reviews where the buckle actually snapped (sometimes happens with mass produced products). The rest of the bad reviews just come from people who foolishly work with this belt. Although it may seem strange at first, many belts work this way. This gives the large buckle a beautiful appearance and makes the buckle thicker and stronger. Some people have gotten halfway there by taking the buckle apart, but all you have to do is click the lock and pull the strap out. really just to get a wizz or a quickie from that pretty girl in accounting. To be honest it exceeded my expectations, the band is very thick and stretches a bit (maybe 3/4 inch) but not as much as I would like. will lose tightness over time. I love the fast shutdown and it works great! Looks great but scratches like any other belt. Not sure why one person said it can't be used as a tactical sling which is great for me including construction tool and it's great that I already have it fit my hips and add a holster or two instead can because it stretches This or adjusting every time I add something to my belt!