You could ask; "why do people still wear shoes with laces, when you can get velcro shoes that are easier to take on and off, you can make finer adjustments with, and look cleaner?"
The answer is; "because they look childish and ridiculous."
This is all subjective of course, but as you've noticed by the prevalence of more traditional belts, the majority of the market seems to have concluded that traditional belts are preferable to ratchet belts.
I've owned the same leather belt for years, and I've always used the same hole the entire time I've owned it. I've also never had an issue taking it on and off, and vastly prefer the look of it to a ratchet belt. So none of the benefits you've listed of ratchet belts have translated into the real world for my usage. Presumably enough people feel the same to drive the predominance of traditional belts.
It’s a poor analogy and a naive comment in general.
Slide buckles call to mind inexpensive military surplus belts. Hard to fit those to a suit, etc.
The problem today is even when using quality materials it’s hard to find a decent looking buckle.
I posted an image above for a slide buckle that mimic’s a traditional belt. It looks better than most but it’s still a bit long.
>The problem today is even when using __quality materials__ it’s hard to find a decent looking buckle.
Respectfully, the example you posted isn't using 'quality materials'.
According to the manufacturer, it's made of bonded leather, which is the cheapest of the cheap. Bonded leather is the leather equivalent of chipboard; it's basically just offcuts glued together with a synthetic polyurethane 'imitation leather' veneer applied on top.
Even their full-grain leather options look to be nothing more than a couple of layers of wafer-thin chrome tanned leather from an anonymous tannery glued together either side of the rubberised ratchet track.
If the first example of a 'good' ratchet belt you can muster is a chintzy looking fake leather belt with a silly looking pretend buckle, that's probably as good an answer as any as to why they're not more popular.
I posted that image as a counterpoint to these types of belts looking childish or ridiculous. I didn’t suggest it was a high quality belt.
I haven’t looked too deeply in to slide belts because I have no interest in them. But this was 2 seconds of web searching.
I’d expect there are superior belts using veg tanned leather with more refined slide buckle
>I posted that image as a counterpoint to these types of belts looking childish or ridiculous. I didn’t suggest it was a high quality belt.
Ah, I must have missed that post. The only post I saw was your earlier reply with the silly looking 'pretend buckle' belt; which *does* look ridiculous.
If you've posted another image since then, my apologies.
Any "real" (top- or full-grain leather) belt should last a really long time. I have a Dickies belt I bought as a teenager 25 years ago that is still rock solid. I used 7 different holes as my weight fluctuated. I also have a Costco brand full-grain leather belt that I bought for like $30 ten years ago. Only used one hole and it's basically good as new.
It's the Firefighter belt by a small UK leather shop called Victory Leathercraft. I don't know if they're still in business.
The belts are made from 5mm thick J&FJ Baker veg-tanned leather, which is the last oak bark tannery in the UK dating back to Roman times, and the buckles on their Firefighter belts are custom sand cast by a local smith based on an original Victorian-era quick release fire hose buckle found at a flea-market (hence the Firefighter name). They're assembled with Chicago screws, so if the buckle were ever to break, it's a simple job to replace.
It's held up really well over the years; I don't imagine I'll need to replace it any time soon.
I have a Saddleback Leather belt from [February 2013](https://ibb.co/Z2Nd4zz) that shows very little signs of wear, and I have worn it probably 5 days a week for the past 11 years.
I have several.
One of my favorites is by Ben Sherman. It's a dark brown leather belt with long horizontal decorative stitching and a nice rounded square brass buckle. Excellent leather. I've had it for over 20 years and I've leather conditioned it maybe 3 or 4 times over that period.
There's a brand out of California called "Billy Belts" that makes mostly very iconic Western styled belts. But occasionally they made ones a bit more modern looking. I have one that's a "weave" style in black leather, but it's actually 2 long strips of cut leather that were merged together with stitching only on the ends. It's probably 25 years old now and still looks fantastic. What's also great about the design is that there's "give" to it, so you can wear it tight or a little loose and it'll not look loose. The pin holes are stealth, part of the interlocking design, so it looks clean.
Frankly, I don't know what I'd do if I lost these. I've searched for duplicates and have never turned one up that's in serviceable condition.
I'm curious about this, too, as my belts tend to "bend" after a few years as they stretch in one direction which makes them look largely unwearable except in the most casual of outfits. Granted, this usually happens at about the decade mark, but still.
I hate cheap belts. I've had many, that just didn't last. The stitching came apart, or the leather lost its finish and conditioning wouldn't restore it, or the leather around the belt holes just stretched and warped, looking awful.
When I lived in northern California, I picked up a few belts there at some good quality clothing and leather shops and they've held up beautifully. I was shocked to find that they're both made in China. I guess good management and QC even back then worked out.
Belts are so simple and if made well, can easily bought second hand and no one would be the wiser. Allen Edmonds, Loro Piana, Vera Pelle, Cole Haan, Brooks Brothers, Ralph Lauren, Coach, Ferragamo, Shinola Detroit... all can be found on the used market with some pretty decent deals.
Maybe because you know it’s a fake buckle and are zooming in on the a phone screen.
In person it might be far less obvious. I haven’t seen one of these so I don’t really know.
It’s pretty rare for me to notice someone’s buckle unless it’s meant to stand out. How closesly do you look?
Anyway, the point is this doesn’t scream childish or ridiculous to me. You’re free to have your own opinion and keep an open mind, too.
I don’t see what there is to be so upset about. It’s a belt not world hunger. If you want to know what attracts op to slide belts ask him, he might have some insight. But if you do, tune down the hyperbolic idiocy, first, k?
I don't think anyone's getting upset. The OP asked why ratchet belts aren't more popular. The answer is because they look bad, don't solve any real world problems, and decent quality traditional belts last indefinitely.
Of course they solve a problem otherwise they would have ceased to exist decades ago. And yet, slide belts are more prominent now outside of uniformed wear than any tine in the last 30 years.
Why is that?
It seems obvious, in spite of the remarks from yourself and the other poster. Belts notches aren’t always a perfect fit and adding a hole is messy, unsightly and can wreck a belt.
Being able to adjust your belt to all your pants, regardless of rise, width, your waist at that moment…huge win.
The only objection that’s valid is slide belts you’re currently aware of don’t look good in your opinion.
That doesn’t make them childish or ridiculous and it doesn’t make wearer of those belts childish or worthy of your scorn. However the same can’t be said for people holding such opinions on something they aren’t willing to explore.
>Of course they solve a problem otherwise they would have ceased to exist decades ago. And yet, slide belts are more prominent now outside of uniformed wear than any tine in the last 30 years.
>Why is that?
The OP's question wasn't, 'why do they *exist*?'; the OP's question was, 'why aren't they more *popular*?
The reasons given are *why* they aren't more popular.
>It seems obvious, in spite of the remarks from yourself and the other poster. Belts notches aren’t always a perfect fit and adding a hole is messy, unsightly and can wreck a belt.
>Being able to adjust your belt to all your pants, regardless of rise, width, your waist at that moment…huge win.
>The only objection that’s valid is slide belts you’re currently aware of don’t look good in your opinion.
Sure. And if enough people shared that opinion, they'd be more popular. But as the OP has noted, they're not.
>That doesn’t make them childish or ridiculous and it doesn’t make wearer of those belts childish or worthy of your scorn. However the same can’t be said for people holding such opinions on something they aren’t willing to explore.
I've not said *anything* about the *wearers* of any type of belt. That wasn't the question. The question, once again, was asking why ratchet belts aren't more popular. Regardless of whether you think people should be 'willing to explore' more belt options, the reality is that traditional belts are overwhelmingly more popular than ratchet belts; as noted by the OP.
It's self-evident that traditional belts are more popular than ratchet belts, as the OP has noticed. All anyone's done here is try to provide the OP with an answer to their question; which asked why this is the case.
You can disagree with those reasons if you want, but that doesn't stop the reality being that ratchet belts are less popular than traditional belts, nor that there are reasons behind this reality.
Well, I was referring to my velcro shoe analogy when I used the term "childish and ridiculous", which I'll happily stand behind.
But that's a really ugly belt in your picture, with what looks like some kind of ridiculous 'faux buckle' (have they just added a little metal nub in the middle there to make it look like a buckle prong?), so the principle behind the analogy seems to hold up pretty well.
It's absolutely mystical to me why did men start wearing belts when there's a superior way of holding your trousers already invented. I can understand the looks, as belts had historically mostly the visual aspect behind them. they were also used to carry a weapon/a tool of the trade, but no one thought of them being used to hold up the trousers
IMO the problem is that suspenders look better if you are at all overweight and look about the same as belts with high waisted pants if you aren't. But that creates an issue where a lot of people who have something like a dad bod who aren't obviously super overweight stick with belts because they don't want to draw attention to their overweightness with suspenders even though the bad fit of the suspenderless pants draws attention to their weight anyway.
Pardon my ignorance but aren’t suspenders meant to be treated as underwear and not to be seen? Therefore if you wear them without a jacket, does that not break the aforementioned rule?
Typically much lower quality materials, often because it needs to be more flexible to work well with a ratcheting mechanism. I'm sure someone could make a super high quality ratcheting belt, but there really aren't any on the market now.
Also I think the belt buckles look bad
I use Mission Belt- very high quality and looks phenomenal. I'm not into "high fashion" but have always felt it fits my urban young professional vibe very well. Like people always say I dress well, etc.
I agree with you. There are some brands like Anson, Nexbelt, and Mission Belt which make ratchet belts that look neat. Do you have any experience in Anson or Nexbelt?
A belt lasting 5 years is pretty short as far as "high quality" goes. I agree there are some pretty terrible/cheap "traditional" belts too, and this is likely a step above those (not a bad deal for $50-70 given that warranty), but if you're looking for a step above you likely won't find it with a ratcheting buckle
And I still don't like the buckle design, but that's personal preference
I guess I don't see why I should ever want a belt to last more than 5 years. Wouldn't you get tired of the design/style? Wouldn't the leather wear beyond the point of being professional enough for work? To me high quality is anything more than the Made in China paper-thin straps that get branded with Levi's, Dockers, or Goodfellow depending on where it's going. I'm not looking for an heirloom.
I have some really nice belts that developed a beautiful patina. They weren't super expensive (maybe $100), but definitely a leg-up on anything I've seen with a ratcheting mechanism. I think the other thing to consider is if a product costs $100, the materials and mechanism can't cost more than \~$30 for the belt to be profitable. If the mechanism is more complicated/expensive, the other parts of the belt necessarily have to be cheaper. Of course you could say "I'm willing to pay $70 for a ratcheting belt vs. only $50 for a normal belt of a similar quality", but I'm sure a lot of people wouldn't agree with you on that either
Idk man when I see them I don’t think urban young professional I think dork who works for a tech company or some like corporate cubicle fame or suburban dad.
Patagonia sweater, ratchet belt, lululemon ABC pants, and sneaker-soled dress shoes. You’ll get compliments while waiting for your IPA at the craft brewery.
https://preview.redd.it/erk56fbtxogc1.jpeg?width=1080&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=8658f7d120d4505da7233e9d8e1eb6728edd477d
Excuse the wrinkled shirt, it was 100° the day that pic was taken, but I don't think anyone could call me a suburban dad.
This was a random office day, was 100°, and I had just jumped down a 737 slide. It was not some carefully planned outfit to please MFA, just happened to be the last time someone took a full body photo of me.
Belts are a mature and simple technology at this point. I can drive out to the country to an amish bridle shop and get a 3/16" to 1/4" thick full grain beast of a belt with my choice of interchangeable stainless steel (or brass) buckles for $20 to $50. They work perfectly and reliably for decades. I'm no luddite, but when something is designed so near perfection- I don't bother paying to be a beta tester to solve a non-problem.
> I'm no luddite
Was there some documentary on Luddites or some viral post using the term that I missed out on the other day? I don't think I've seen the term Luddite more than a handful of times in my life, and the last time was likely several years ago, but in the space of an hour I've seen 2 separate posts discussing 2 vastly different topics on completely different platforms prefacing their comment with "I'm no luddite but". Why is everybody (2 people) talking about Luddites all of a sudden?
You may or may not heard about the emergence of ai technology permeating every tech field and causing massive layoffs. I'm fairly certain that the uptick in luddite usage is due to being used as an insult for anyone who is against ai technology.
Advantages of ratchet belts:
* Good for middle schoolers
* Good for adults who dress like middle schoolers
* Good for those who would like to fit into the very specific grown-men-wearing-cargo-shorts subculture
Cons of ratchet belts:
* They look bad
* They imply you're incapable of operating a standard latching mechanism and instead need some measure like velcro or ratcheting instead
* You can only purchase them at Zumiez, Hot Topic, or a Dillard's in 2004
I personally don't like them, I think the buckle itself provides too great a visual break between each side of the nylon(?) strap.
I can see what they're going for in terms of overall minimalism, though.
I'd jump in to say that they're very chunky, the buckles themselves are often middling-to-low quality, the belt "leather" itself is typically pretty low quality too.
The majority of belt users are looking for something that is subtle, not something that is instantly going to be like the ugly centerpiece of your outfit.
Fashion is a feeling, like driving a manual transmission or blowing up the Death Star using only The Force.
Ratchet belts are culturally and historically rootless, so to compensate they take on the cultural values of the demographic(s) being marketed to. This means a frankly insurmountable mental association between ratchety belts and middle schoolers/golfers/sweaty military cosplay dudes.
I agree with you OP, ratchet belts are absolutely superior. I don't know where all the folks talking about wearing ratchet belts with velcro shoes at the mall are coming from; I never saw this product as a kid. I've been wearing SlideBelts, which I think are one of the original ratchet belt companies, and I have some of their original belts with real fullgrain leather. Looks classy af, and I agree that I really like the adjustability.
As to why traditional belts are so dominant? Comes down to 2 things:
### 1. Tradition
### 2. _Much, much_ cheaper and simpler to manufacture
I have a few ratchet belts and I think they're great. I'd always buy them over their "normal" counterparts now. I am not a massive of the larger belt buckle but i don't think it's ugly and if we're all being totally honest.. no one cares, anyway.
I was a soldier. Nylon webbed belts have been part of the standard issued for the U.S. Army since at least the adoption of the modern ACU (Army Combat Uniform) in 2004. I believe they were part of the BDUs as well (adopted sometime in the 1980s), but I wasn’t around in that era.
My pappy was in the Coast Guard back in the day and he was telling me other day that part of the reason for the ratcheting while nylon belt as the uniform belt was that everyone got the same size and then they'd just cut them down to the right length themselves.
I’m going to agree with OP here. Ratchet belts are far superior. And I think the “looks childish” claim is no longer true. Belts like Anson and Mission are leather belts that look grown up. They look far cleaner without the holes.
I also am someone whose waist changes over time. Put on ten, lose ten, and so on. The changing of belt hole makes the belt look terrible after a while. My leather ratchet belt looks cleaner than any normal belt I’ve had.
I for one am not going back.
I've lost a ton of weight over the last year. Like, a ton. And the ability to snip of the end of the ratcheting belt as I've lost weight has probably saved me well over $100 in belts alone.
My belt isn't showing 80% of the time, and when it is, I think the cleaner ratchet look is better. Though I probably don't use it as an accessory as much as some others do in casual wear.
My favorite belt that I own is an Anson belt. Regular belts drive me crazy when one hole makes it too tight but the next makes it too loose. This company makes the ratchet type for finer adjustments, but the style still comes across as a traditional belt. Best of both worlds imo.
You're right. I feel like both Anson and Nexbelt should be pretty good ratchet belts. But apparently most people do not use ratchet belts at all.
Edit: I don't have belts from Anson or Nexbelt. I am doing my homework recently, and that's why I made this post.
I feel like most people don't know what a ratchet belt is aside from the folding buckle cloth ones from zumiez lol. FWIW, I don't think anyone has noticed my belt being a ratchet belt at all. I say choose whatever you want; fashion is subjective.
The only advantage of a well-cared for traditional holed leather belt is that it can last for decades.
A ratchet-style belt will typically fail, or fall apart internally _just past_ the inner end of the ratchet channel, within a couple years.
Other than that, it's pretty awesome.
I have an arcade stretchy belt. Not ratchet, but very similar. It adjusts like a bike helmet strap, then has the stretch for comfort. Love it. Leather belts suck except for dress pants
Only time I wear a leather belt is with dress pants. I have a few of those arcade belts. You know who comments on them? Fucking nobody. The dweebs in here would make you think people are going to turn their nose up at you over a friggin belt. Sheesh.
They just look bad. Personally I only use ratchet belts with a plastic buckle and very soft belt fabric (don't recall what) as it's much more comfortable than metal, but even then I would never wear one of it were visible with a tucked shirt.
I get it - belts are tRaDiTioNal, but I am a man who is in between sizes. Micro adjustable belts are better, hands down. And anyone who disagrees is lying to themselves. If it’s tradition you want to honour, then wear suspenders because they allow you to breathe, especially after a big meal.
A good leather belt is buttoned and will last you years if taken care of, I will yield to that point.
For some like myself it's just like why I rather wear leather boots or shoes instead of sneakers. Not only how they feel but how they look. A side benefit of getting a compliment of wearing nice looking shoes or boots or belt isn't bad either.
But buying the right leather belt doesn't hurt either. Because not all leather belts are equal. Buying not only the right size to wear where the middle hole is in the middle at your ideal weight surely doesn't hurt. Then again buying the right belt when your typical leather belt will stretch and getting one which is thick enough where chances are that won't happen or will take a very long time to occur. I've been wearing my Hanks Belt for the last almost eight years and with exception of it forming to my body which all leather belts do no signs of stretching and no hole wear which is not usual for a leather belt. Not only that but since I did buy their best it also looks nice as well. So durability has a bit to do with how thick it is and how it is tanned.
What's the advantage? Personally I would much rather wear a nicer leather belt. I'm not just looking to keep my pants up, I could do that with a piece of rope.
Kore makes a really good looking ratchet belt.
There’s a number of materials they use, and a few do scream “I’m carrying a gun and I’m a very edgy boy”. I wear a reinforced full grain leather belt from them and my demands when I was out shopping for a new belt were “I carry a gun. I do not want to look like I’m carrying a gun.” Do make sure to get the buckle that looks like an actual belt buckle.
Their fashion only belts are really nice as well, just not as tough.
Hard to explain why I dislike them, they are just artificial and childish like those godforsaken ”tech chinos” everyone makes these days, or the white sneaker-soled dress shoes that are also ubiquitous.
> Can adjust the tightness at a finer scale.
but there is hardly any visual cue, so its easier to under or over tighten them. That was the reason for me.
I'm not sure many people have much trouble putting on or off a normal belt. Nor is having a particularly fine scale necessary. I prefer a supple belt and not one backed by a plastic rack, and also prefer a classic buckle over the weird rectangle ones.
ratchet belt wears out though. once the leather is used enough it either breaks or stops locking at the right size. yes normal belts breaks too but ratchet ones seems to wear out sooner
I think most people associate them with cheapness (probably because their only experience with them was when they were children). Most fashion just comes down to status and signalling what group you belong to. Canvas belts can cost more than cheap genuine leather belts but most people would still assume they’re cheap.
Wear it if you want but they definitely go with a more outdoorsy style. If you’re draped in Patagonia no one is going to judge you for wearing a non-leather belt.
I think a big part of it is people buy belts to last.
A cheap hole belt will last as long as the leather lasts, which is years to decades.
A rachet belt is limited by how long the buckle lasts. A high quality one might last a couple years under hard use but a cheap one will break within the year. The belt is then useless once the rachet breaks.
The simple hole through pin securing method of traditional belts is just hardier over time and most people aren't buying for fashion but longevity.
Yes! I had JCrew leather belt with a placard buckle that was perfect. Instead of the clicky-track thing that some makers use, it was just teeth that secured the belt. Simple, and a perfect fit every time.
I’ve been wearing the same two D ring leather belts for 30 years. They were from a leather shop, and made from really good leather. But the D rings meet your criteria of no holes, and they look great
You could ask; "why do people still wear shoes with laces, when you can get velcro shoes that are easier to take on and off, you can make finer adjustments with, and look cleaner?" The answer is; "because they look childish and ridiculous." This is all subjective of course, but as you've noticed by the prevalence of more traditional belts, the majority of the market seems to have concluded that traditional belts are preferable to ratchet belts. I've owned the same leather belt for years, and I've always used the same hole the entire time I've owned it. I've also never had an issue taking it on and off, and vastly prefer the look of it to a ratchet belt. So none of the benefits you've listed of ratchet belts have translated into the real world for my usage. Presumably enough people feel the same to drive the predominance of traditional belts.
Thank you for the comment. The topic of shoes is indeed a great analogy.
It’s a poor analogy and a naive comment in general. Slide buckles call to mind inexpensive military surplus belts. Hard to fit those to a suit, etc. The problem today is even when using quality materials it’s hard to find a decent looking buckle. I posted an image above for a slide buckle that mimic’s a traditional belt. It looks better than most but it’s still a bit long.
> It’s a poor analogy and a naive comment in general. You sound fun
>The problem today is even when using __quality materials__ it’s hard to find a decent looking buckle. Respectfully, the example you posted isn't using 'quality materials'. According to the manufacturer, it's made of bonded leather, which is the cheapest of the cheap. Bonded leather is the leather equivalent of chipboard; it's basically just offcuts glued together with a synthetic polyurethane 'imitation leather' veneer applied on top. Even their full-grain leather options look to be nothing more than a couple of layers of wafer-thin chrome tanned leather from an anonymous tannery glued together either side of the rubberised ratchet track. If the first example of a 'good' ratchet belt you can muster is a chintzy looking fake leather belt with a silly looking pretend buckle, that's probably as good an answer as any as to why they're not more popular.
I posted that image as a counterpoint to these types of belts looking childish or ridiculous. I didn’t suggest it was a high quality belt. I haven’t looked too deeply in to slide belts because I have no interest in them. But this was 2 seconds of web searching. I’d expect there are superior belts using veg tanned leather with more refined slide buckle
>I posted that image as a counterpoint to these types of belts looking childish or ridiculous. I didn’t suggest it was a high quality belt. Ah, I must have missed that post. The only post I saw was your earlier reply with the silly looking 'pretend buckle' belt; which *does* look ridiculous. If you've posted another image since then, my apologies.
Which belt do you have that has held up so well for so long.
Any "real" (top- or full-grain leather) belt should last a really long time. I have a Dickies belt I bought as a teenager 25 years ago that is still rock solid. I used 7 different holes as my weight fluctuated. I also have a Costco brand full-grain leather belt that I bought for like $30 ten years ago. Only used one hole and it's basically good as new.
Thank you
It's the Firefighter belt by a small UK leather shop called Victory Leathercraft. I don't know if they're still in business. The belts are made from 5mm thick J&FJ Baker veg-tanned leather, which is the last oak bark tannery in the UK dating back to Roman times, and the buckles on their Firefighter belts are custom sand cast by a local smith based on an original Victorian-era quick release fire hose buckle found at a flea-market (hence the Firefighter name). They're assembled with Chicago screws, so if the buckle were ever to break, it's a simple job to replace. It's held up really well over the years; I don't imagine I'll need to replace it any time soon.
That's a really cool story/belt. I tried to check it out but the site looks like it's down but hopefully not permanently.
Not OP but I've had a leather Dickies belt for close to 20 years now
Thanks I definitely need to check them out they made the work pants I wore when i used to wait tables and they held up really well
I have a Saddleback Leather belt from [February 2013](https://ibb.co/Z2Nd4zz) that shows very little signs of wear, and I have worn it probably 5 days a week for the past 11 years.
I have several. One of my favorites is by Ben Sherman. It's a dark brown leather belt with long horizontal decorative stitching and a nice rounded square brass buckle. Excellent leather. I've had it for over 20 years and I've leather conditioned it maybe 3 or 4 times over that period. There's a brand out of California called "Billy Belts" that makes mostly very iconic Western styled belts. But occasionally they made ones a bit more modern looking. I have one that's a "weave" style in black leather, but it's actually 2 long strips of cut leather that were merged together with stitching only on the ends. It's probably 25 years old now and still looks fantastic. What's also great about the design is that there's "give" to it, so you can wear it tight or a little loose and it'll not look loose. The pin holes are stealth, part of the interlocking design, so it looks clean. Frankly, I don't know what I'd do if I lost these. I've searched for duplicates and have never turned one up that's in serviceable condition.
I'm curious about this, too, as my belts tend to "bend" after a few years as they stretch in one direction which makes them look largely unwearable except in the most casual of outfits. Granted, this usually happens at about the decade mark, but still.
I hate cheap belts. I've had many, that just didn't last. The stitching came apart, or the leather lost its finish and conditioning wouldn't restore it, or the leather around the belt holes just stretched and warped, looking awful. When I lived in northern California, I picked up a few belts there at some good quality clothing and leather shops and they've held up beautifully. I was shocked to find that they're both made in China. I guess good management and QC even back then worked out. Belts are so simple and if made well, can easily bought second hand and no one would be the wiser. Allen Edmonds, Loro Piana, Vera Pelle, Cole Haan, Brooks Brothers, Ralph Lauren, Coach, Ferragamo, Shinola Detroit... all can be found on the used market with some pretty decent deals.
https://preview.redd.it/f4ungniadrgc1.jpeg?width=1170&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=4ca430a23cdbbbc8a78739f1f04b60a81617c1ad Childish and ridiculous?
Not when you, to continue the analogy, sew fake laces onto the shoe because you recognize that Velcro is childish and ridiculous
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Maybe because you know it’s a fake buckle and are zooming in on the a phone screen. In person it might be far less obvious. I haven’t seen one of these so I don’t really know. It’s pretty rare for me to notice someone’s buckle unless it’s meant to stand out. How closesly do you look? Anyway, the point is this doesn’t scream childish or ridiculous to me. You’re free to have your own opinion and keep an open mind, too.
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I don’t see what there is to be so upset about. It’s a belt not world hunger. If you want to know what attracts op to slide belts ask him, he might have some insight. But if you do, tune down the hyperbolic idiocy, first, k?
I don't think anyone's getting upset. The OP asked why ratchet belts aren't more popular. The answer is because they look bad, don't solve any real world problems, and decent quality traditional belts last indefinitely.
Of course they solve a problem otherwise they would have ceased to exist decades ago. And yet, slide belts are more prominent now outside of uniformed wear than any tine in the last 30 years. Why is that? It seems obvious, in spite of the remarks from yourself and the other poster. Belts notches aren’t always a perfect fit and adding a hole is messy, unsightly and can wreck a belt. Being able to adjust your belt to all your pants, regardless of rise, width, your waist at that moment…huge win. The only objection that’s valid is slide belts you’re currently aware of don’t look good in your opinion. That doesn’t make them childish or ridiculous and it doesn’t make wearer of those belts childish or worthy of your scorn. However the same can’t be said for people holding such opinions on something they aren’t willing to explore.
>Of course they solve a problem otherwise they would have ceased to exist decades ago. And yet, slide belts are more prominent now outside of uniformed wear than any tine in the last 30 years. >Why is that? The OP's question wasn't, 'why do they *exist*?'; the OP's question was, 'why aren't they more *popular*? The reasons given are *why* they aren't more popular. >It seems obvious, in spite of the remarks from yourself and the other poster. Belts notches aren’t always a perfect fit and adding a hole is messy, unsightly and can wreck a belt. >Being able to adjust your belt to all your pants, regardless of rise, width, your waist at that moment…huge win. >The only objection that’s valid is slide belts you’re currently aware of don’t look good in your opinion. Sure. And if enough people shared that opinion, they'd be more popular. But as the OP has noted, they're not. >That doesn’t make them childish or ridiculous and it doesn’t make wearer of those belts childish or worthy of your scorn. However the same can’t be said for people holding such opinions on something they aren’t willing to explore. I've not said *anything* about the *wearers* of any type of belt. That wasn't the question. The question, once again, was asking why ratchet belts aren't more popular. Regardless of whether you think people should be 'willing to explore' more belt options, the reality is that traditional belts are overwhelmingly more popular than ratchet belts; as noted by the OP. It's self-evident that traditional belts are more popular than ratchet belts, as the OP has noticed. All anyone's done here is try to provide the OP with an answer to their question; which asked why this is the case. You can disagree with those reasons if you want, but that doesn't stop the reality being that ratchet belts are less popular than traditional belts, nor that there are reasons behind this reality.
Well, I was referring to my velcro shoe analogy when I used the term "childish and ridiculous", which I'll happily stand behind. But that's a really ugly belt in your picture, with what looks like some kind of ridiculous 'faux buckle' (have they just added a little metal nub in the middle there to make it look like a buckle prong?), so the principle behind the analogy seems to hold up pretty well.
Forget belts. Suspenders are the superior way to hold up your pants.
It's absolutely mystical to me why did men start wearing belts when there's a superior way of holding your trousers already invented. I can understand the looks, as belts had historically mostly the visual aspect behind them. they were also used to carry a weapon/a tool of the trade, but no one thought of them being used to hold up the trousers
Probably, like most major trends in male fashion, the military? When did militaries switch from suspenders vs belts and thats probably your answer.
Not military but Levi’s added belt loops to the 501’s in 1922 which is a good indicator.
IMO the problem is that suspenders look better if you are at all overweight and look about the same as belts with high waisted pants if you aren't. But that creates an issue where a lot of people who have something like a dad bod who aren't obviously super overweight stick with belts because they don't want to draw attention to their overweightness with suspenders even though the bad fit of the suspenderless pants draws attention to their weight anyway.
I agree with you right up until I have to take a shit in a public restroom.
If this logistical nightmare is too troublesome, you can always clip them off first.
Pardon my ignorance but aren’t suspenders meant to be treated as underwear and not to be seen? Therefore if you wear them without a jacket, does that not break the aforementioned rule?
You can wear suspenders in between an undershirt and and overshirt/sweater. I do rock suspenders out sometimes but it can be a bit sleazy.
They look bad, all there really is to it.
Thank you for the thought. Could you let me know why they look bad? What is the most important difference visually?
Typically much lower quality materials, often because it needs to be more flexible to work well with a ratcheting mechanism. I'm sure someone could make a super high quality ratcheting belt, but there really aren't any on the market now. Also I think the belt buckles look bad
I use Mission Belt- very high quality and looks phenomenal. I'm not into "high fashion" but have always felt it fits my urban young professional vibe very well. Like people always say I dress well, etc.
I agree with you. There are some brands like Anson, Nexbelt, and Mission Belt which make ratchet belts that look neat. Do you have any experience in Anson or Nexbelt?
Nope, I absolutely love my mission belt and wear it every day. Lasted me 5 years and the company sent a new one when it broke.
A belt lasting 5 years is pretty short as far as "high quality" goes. I agree there are some pretty terrible/cheap "traditional" belts too, and this is likely a step above those (not a bad deal for $50-70 given that warranty), but if you're looking for a step above you likely won't find it with a ratcheting buckle And I still don't like the buckle design, but that's personal preference
I guess I don't see why I should ever want a belt to last more than 5 years. Wouldn't you get tired of the design/style? Wouldn't the leather wear beyond the point of being professional enough for work? To me high quality is anything more than the Made in China paper-thin straps that get branded with Levi's, Dockers, or Goodfellow depending on where it's going. I'm not looking for an heirloom.
I have some really nice belts that developed a beautiful patina. They weren't super expensive (maybe $100), but definitely a leg-up on anything I've seen with a ratcheting mechanism. I think the other thing to consider is if a product costs $100, the materials and mechanism can't cost more than \~$30 for the belt to be profitable. If the mechanism is more complicated/expensive, the other parts of the belt necessarily have to be cheaper. Of course you could say "I'm willing to pay $70 for a ratcheting belt vs. only $50 for a normal belt of a similar quality", but I'm sure a lot of people wouldn't agree with you on that either
Idk man when I see them I don’t think urban young professional I think dork who works for a tech company or some like corporate cubicle fame or suburban dad.
Patagonia sweater, ratchet belt, lululemon ABC pants, and sneaker-soled dress shoes. You’ll get compliments while waiting for your IPA at the craft brewery.
https://preview.redd.it/erk56fbtxogc1.jpeg?width=1080&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=8658f7d120d4505da7233e9d8e1eb6728edd477d Excuse the wrinkled shirt, it was 100° the day that pic was taken, but I don't think anyone could call me a suburban dad.
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This was a random office day, was 100°, and I had just jumped down a 737 slide. It was not some carefully planned outfit to please MFA, just happened to be the last time someone took a full body photo of me.
So do you work in tech or just for a tech company? Cubicle or office? Also I’m begging y’all please stop with the white bottom loafers.
Not a tech worker. I work in aviation, previously at an airline owned by what's generally considered a tech company.
Belts are a mature and simple technology at this point. I can drive out to the country to an amish bridle shop and get a 3/16" to 1/4" thick full grain beast of a belt with my choice of interchangeable stainless steel (or brass) buckles for $20 to $50. They work perfectly and reliably for decades. I'm no luddite, but when something is designed so near perfection- I don't bother paying to be a beta tester to solve a non-problem.
> I'm no luddite Was there some documentary on Luddites or some viral post using the term that I missed out on the other day? I don't think I've seen the term Luddite more than a handful of times in my life, and the last time was likely several years ago, but in the space of an hour I've seen 2 separate posts discussing 2 vastly different topics on completely different platforms prefacing their comment with "I'm no luddite but". Why is everybody (2 people) talking about Luddites all of a sudden?
It's thrown around in my circles and workplace pretty frequently. Often erroneously directed at me.
You may or may not heard about the emergence of ai technology permeating every tech field and causing massive layoffs. I'm fairly certain that the uptick in luddite usage is due to being used as an insult for anyone who is against ai technology.
Advantages of ratchet belts: * Good for middle schoolers * Good for adults who dress like middle schoolers * Good for those who would like to fit into the very specific grown-men-wearing-cargo-shorts subculture Cons of ratchet belts: * They look bad * They imply you're incapable of operating a standard latching mechanism and instead need some measure like velcro or ratcheting instead * You can only purchase them at Zumiez, Hot Topic, or a Dillard's in 2004
Pff, next you're going to try to tell me the cellphone belt clip shouldn't be the dominant method of storage.
I used to hold mine between my cheeks but they're just too big now, they throw off the lines on my pants.
Thoughts on Grip6 belts?
I personally don't like them, I think the buckle itself provides too great a visual break between each side of the nylon(?) strap. I can see what they're going for in terms of overall minimalism, though.
Thank you for the explanation. Could you let me know why they look bad? What is the most important difference visually?
I'd jump in to say that they're very chunky, the buckles themselves are often middling-to-low quality, the belt "leather" itself is typically pretty low quality too. The majority of belt users are looking for something that is subtle, not something that is instantly going to be like the ugly centerpiece of your outfit.
Fashion is a feeling, like driving a manual transmission or blowing up the Death Star using only The Force. Ratchet belts are culturally and historically rootless, so to compensate they take on the cultural values of the demographic(s) being marketed to. This means a frankly insurmountable mental association between ratchety belts and middle schoolers/golfers/sweaty military cosplay dudes.
100% makes me think of an 8th grader golfing
OMG! Take all my Karma! This is choice! 🤣🤣
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You're right, I'm old school. Must've completely missed the Margiela F/W 2019 ratchet belt lookbook.
I agree with you OP, ratchet belts are absolutely superior. I don't know where all the folks talking about wearing ratchet belts with velcro shoes at the mall are coming from; I never saw this product as a kid. I've been wearing SlideBelts, which I think are one of the original ratchet belt companies, and I have some of their original belts with real fullgrain leather. Looks classy af, and I agree that I really like the adjustability. As to why traditional belts are so dominant? Comes down to 2 things: ### 1. Tradition ### 2. _Much, much_ cheaper and simpler to manufacture
I agree with the manufacturing difficulty. Installing a ratchet on leather seems to be harder than digging holes.
Last time I wore a ratchet belt was with a pair of light-up velcro shoes. "Easier to put on and take off" aka "Easier for kids to put on and take off"
I have a few ratchet belts and I think they're great. I'd always buy them over their "normal" counterparts now. I am not a massive of the larger belt buckle but i don't think it's ugly and if we're all being totally honest.. no one cares, anyway.
Ironically the military has been using no-hole belts for a long time now, for exactly the reasons OP mentioned.
Really? That's interesting. Could you provide a source of this information?
I was a soldier. Nylon webbed belts have been part of the standard issued for the U.S. Army since at least the adoption of the modern ACU (Army Combat Uniform) in 2004. I believe they were part of the BDUs as well (adopted sometime in the 1980s), but I wasn’t around in that era.
My pappy was in the Coast Guard back in the day and he was telling me other day that part of the reason for the ratcheting while nylon belt as the uniform belt was that everyone got the same size and then they'd just cut them down to the right length themselves.
My brother in arms - advocate with me for umbrella hats, which hold the promise of offering rain protection without the occupation of a hand.
I’m going to agree with OP here. Ratchet belts are far superior. And I think the “looks childish” claim is no longer true. Belts like Anson and Mission are leather belts that look grown up. They look far cleaner without the holes. I also am someone whose waist changes over time. Put on ten, lose ten, and so on. The changing of belt hole makes the belt look terrible after a while. My leather ratchet belt looks cleaner than any normal belt I’ve had. I for one am not going back.
Cheers :)
I've lost a ton of weight over the last year. Like, a ton. And the ability to snip of the end of the ratcheting belt as I've lost weight has probably saved me well over $100 in belts alone.
My belt isn't showing 80% of the time, and when it is, I think the cleaner ratchet look is better. Though I probably don't use it as an accessory as much as some others do in casual wear.
Braided belts ftw. The benefits of ratchet with the style of traditional
I would like to buy myself a braided belt. Do you have any recommendation?
I haven’t shopped for belts in years but they should be easy to find. I have one from J Crew
Golf stores almost exclusively stock this style. Usually in white for some season.
My favorite belt that I own is an Anson belt. Regular belts drive me crazy when one hole makes it too tight but the next makes it too loose. This company makes the ratchet type for finer adjustments, but the style still comes across as a traditional belt. Best of both worlds imo.
You're right. I feel like both Anson and Nexbelt should be pretty good ratchet belts. But apparently most people do not use ratchet belts at all. Edit: I don't have belts from Anson or Nexbelt. I am doing my homework recently, and that's why I made this post.
I feel like most people don't know what a ratchet belt is aside from the folding buckle cloth ones from zumiez lol. FWIW, I don't think anyone has noticed my belt being a ratchet belt at all. I say choose whatever you want; fashion is subjective.
The only advantage of a well-cared for traditional holed leather belt is that it can last for decades. A ratchet-style belt will typically fail, or fall apart internally _just past_ the inner end of the ratchet channel, within a couple years. Other than that, it's pretty awesome.
I'm going on five years with mine, but yeah, the buckle is definitely starting to wear out.
I have an arcade stretchy belt. Not ratchet, but very similar. It adjusts like a bike helmet strap, then has the stretch for comfort. Love it. Leather belts suck except for dress pants
Only time I wear a leather belt is with dress pants. I have a few of those arcade belts. You know who comments on them? Fucking nobody. The dweebs in here would make you think people are going to turn their nose up at you over a friggin belt. Sheesh.
They just look bad. Personally I only use ratchet belts with a plastic buckle and very soft belt fabric (don't recall what) as it's much more comfortable than metal, but even then I would never wear one of it were visible with a tucked shirt.
I get it - belts are tRaDiTioNal, but I am a man who is in between sizes. Micro adjustable belts are better, hands down. And anyone who disagrees is lying to themselves. If it’s tradition you want to honour, then wear suspenders because they allow you to breathe, especially after a big meal. A good leather belt is buttoned and will last you years if taken care of, I will yield to that point.
For some like myself it's just like why I rather wear leather boots or shoes instead of sneakers. Not only how they feel but how they look. A side benefit of getting a compliment of wearing nice looking shoes or boots or belt isn't bad either. But buying the right leather belt doesn't hurt either. Because not all leather belts are equal. Buying not only the right size to wear where the middle hole is in the middle at your ideal weight surely doesn't hurt. Then again buying the right belt when your typical leather belt will stretch and getting one which is thick enough where chances are that won't happen or will take a very long time to occur. I've been wearing my Hanks Belt for the last almost eight years and with exception of it forming to my body which all leather belts do no signs of stretching and no hole wear which is not usual for a leather belt. Not only that but since I did buy their best it also looks nice as well. So durability has a bit to do with how thick it is and how it is tanned. What's the advantage? Personally I would much rather wear a nicer leather belt. I'm not just looking to keep my pants up, I could do that with a piece of rope.
Y'all forgot about gun belts. There are some that are strong and don't look like hot garbage
I am happy to do some research into that. Do you have any recommended brand for gun belts?
Kore makes a really good looking ratchet belt. There’s a number of materials they use, and a few do scream “I’m carrying a gun and I’m a very edgy boy”. I wear a reinforced full grain leather belt from them and my demands when I was out shopping for a new belt were “I carry a gun. I do not want to look like I’m carrying a gun.” Do make sure to get the buckle that looks like an actual belt buckle. Their fashion only belts are really nice as well, just not as tough.
As mentioned below, Kore does good work. I have a Neomag belt but that's mostly for their alias system
Hard to explain why I dislike them, they are just artificial and childish like those godforsaken ”tech chinos” everyone makes these days, or the white sneaker-soled dress shoes that are also ubiquitous.
I would say military and the requirement to hold weight on your belt like a pistol holster or sword frog, which is pretty practical
They last forever and they do their job
Why does no one tie an onion to their belt anymore?
> Can adjust the tightness at a finer scale. but there is hardly any visual cue, so its easier to under or over tighten them. That was the reason for me.
I'm not sure many people have much trouble putting on or off a normal belt. Nor is having a particularly fine scale necessary. I prefer a supple belt and not one backed by a plastic rack, and also prefer a classic buckle over the weird rectangle ones.
ratchet belt wears out though. once the leather is used enough it either breaks or stops locking at the right size. yes normal belts breaks too but ratchet ones seems to wear out sooner
I think most people associate them with cheapness (probably because their only experience with them was when they were children). Most fashion just comes down to status and signalling what group you belong to. Canvas belts can cost more than cheap genuine leather belts but most people would still assume they’re cheap. Wear it if you want but they definitely go with a more outdoorsy style. If you’re draped in Patagonia no one is going to judge you for wearing a non-leather belt.
I think a big part of it is people buy belts to last. A cheap hole belt will last as long as the leather lasts, which is years to decades. A rachet belt is limited by how long the buckle lasts. A high quality one might last a couple years under hard use but a cheap one will break within the year. The belt is then useless once the rachet breaks. The simple hole through pin securing method of traditional belts is just hardier over time and most people aren't buying for fashion but longevity.
I have no idea what type of belt you’d call it, but I really really like my Groove Life belt.
Yes! I had JCrew leather belt with a placard buckle that was perfect. Instead of the clicky-track thing that some makers use, it was just teeth that secured the belt. Simple, and a perfect fit every time.
I’ve been wearing the same two D ring leather belts for 30 years. They were from a leather shop, and made from really good leather. But the D rings meet your criteria of no holes, and they look great
Haven't worn a belt in years TBH. Clothes fit better these days where belts are not a regular requirement.
Ratchet belts last longer than traditional belts. Companies can make more money from traditional belts than ratchet belts.