I'm not an outdoor enthusiast and unfamiliar with these types of buckles so it took me a very long time to experiment and try to figure out how to use them. There were no instructions included with the strap so I ended up going back to the original list and scrolling down to a couple of posted videos to figure out how to thread it. However, I was very disappointed in the belt. Thing is, I have to tuck it in every time I take it off or pull it down my pants. The buckles are too big on either side to fit through the belt loops so I have to take them apart every time I change my pants. This is a particular problem as I can't find the "perfect" length and leave it at that I have to readjust everything. it is reliable enough in my opinion, and it seems to me that my pants constantly fall off. I will definitely never buy a belt with this type of buckle again, although it would be fine for other purposes other than pulling up your pants.