My ratchet belt that I had purchased fell apart after only a few months of use. The ratchet mechanism on the buckle just chewed it apart making it a frayed mess. Very disappointing!I tried this as an alternative and I'm thrilled with what I got. After using it almost 8 months, it still looks brand new. The ratchet notches on the inside are completely not necessary: the belt buckle holds the nylon webbing just fine, so I don't have to worry about anything falling apart.It's also not so stiff as the other belts as well: that might be useful if I was using it for concealed carry and needed something stiffer, but for the purpose of just keeping my pants up, yeah, the nylon webbing works just fine.It's less expensive, higher quality, more durable, and more comfortable. I can't say enough nice things about this belt and plan on buying a few more in different styles for my collection.