Review on 📦 Pack of 5 - 1" Contoured Aluminum Side Release Buckles for Enhanced SEO by Dawn Fischer

****Update (4/7/2015) ****Well almost a year later my buckle is still doing its job. If anyone reads my full review, this app works mostly outdoors and sometimes at over 100mph (yes I live a little). There are scratches as expected but the chrome hasn't chipped which means it's a lot stronger than I expected as the inside of the buckles are still PINK as if it didn't have a nice layer of chrome on it. The buckle still holds up pretty well too - almost 365 days later (and it snaps on and off about 4 times a day) the metal is pretty much broken and feels really nice. No snags or snags. I would definitely buy more of these but I still haven't used up all the buckles. I've attached a photo of a heavily used buckle, almost 365 days later. ************************** First off, they just arrived at my office and I haven't tested them yet, but that's my first impression . . So that everyone understands my particular application which is quite extreme but I'm sure not the most extreme like the others. I ride sport bikes to and from work and everywhere, so I'm pretty big. With full protection, it's quite difficult to remove the backpack when I get off the bike. My backpack usually contains a laptop, an iPad and a Nikon DSLR with a 300mm zoom lens. If that doesn't describe an extreme, let's just say I trust a $20/$5 buckle with about $5000-$6000 worth of gear multiple times a day. So I usually cut off one of the shoulder straps and sew on a buckle to easily open the backpack instead of making the "leaps of life". I just got a new backpack so I'm just making the jump. This is also my first metal buckle as I carry a lot more $$$ in my backpack now. At the fair. I work in metallurgy, so this is my lead. I mainly machine 6061 aluminum and these parts are obviously cast. They don't typically cast alloy 6061, so these buckles are most likely not 6061. So don't expect auto part quality or premium materials here. However, if there was a stainless steel version, I'd happily trade it in. In addition, it is not polished aluminum, as you might suspect from the product image. These are chrome. I have not removed the chrome plating to identify it 100% but you can see that the inside of the buckle has a pink tint. Copper is needed for proper chrome plating, so this is a telltale sign. Aluminum does not yellow when polished. Another reviewer mentioned the "sticky" part so it will scratch over time. As I mentioned I haven't tested these buckles but as I said they are chrome plated so the chrome will definitely come off first. Once the chrome plate is compromised it will go down. So know this fact. I'm not worried about this as my application requires a lot of outdoor wear so I already have to expect a lot of scratches and peeling. The buckle is sticking in a few places, mainly because the edges weren't sanded properly after casting. What do you expect from a $5 piece? After the keys go through you get a very positive SNAP. It gives you a good feeling that it is INSIDE. Also, pulling on the two ends evokes a sense of solidity. There are 5 in the package so I can only test one of them. To be honest I would have really preferred something like this in stainless steel but having previously done this mod with standard plastic buckles this is a real upgrade. Of course, I didn't have $6,000 worth of gear in my backpack before. I was actually expecting a $20 buckle until the reviewer mentioned they only received three buckles. I'd happily pay $20 for one so that's a real bonus for me!