I have been using military style belts with metal buckles for years. They tend to wear out within 6 months to a year. Metal buckles bend and nylon webbing wears out. They are about twice the width of military belts and the buckle is much more secure. They've never slipped for me. I don't think the webbing wears out at all because it is very secure in the buckle. The band is not as soft as military belts and seems to last a long time. The plastic buckles may have become a weak link over time, but they've held up for a few months now.