The smell was overwhelming. I can't pinpoint it exactly, but it's some kind of chemical industrial smell mixed with smoke. I had to take this strap off after less than an hour because I couldn't stand the smell. It's been a few days now and the smell is gone. The smell is still there but a lot less strong (I can actually wear it now). I think the smell will go away after a few weeks. So definitely don't buy this for someone as a gift (unless you really care about them). The belt looks great and fits great. I'll probably wear it often once the smell is gone. I really wanted to like this belt more, but my nose said otherwise.