I know a little bit about belts. I don't like the design, the look, or the fit. My last elastic band had stretched, so I was looking for something wider and a little stiffer, but still with elasticity. These straps hit the spot. They don't roll over, stretch great and look great. The locking mechanism bothered me, but I never got around to using them. Also, I haven't trimmed them to fit yet and they work great with the extra 8 inches because they have a loop to hold them in place, but the trimming procedure is easy so I plan on doing that when i will have it a free moment.