This belt is solid. I lift regularly for general fitness but plan to start focusing on more strength training and I am optimistic that this belt will help me do so for a long time. I was concerned mostly with all the reviews that spoke of sizing issues; I found my measurement as instructed (around the belly, slightly above the belly button) which turned out to be 38 inches. I was almost going to take the various "pointers" to get one size larger which would've been an xtra large.....would've been way toooo much belt. The large size belt fits perfectly. The buckle prong is right about the middle of the belt holes provided and it will allow me to adjust up or down as needed. I don't understand how so many consumers bought this belt using their waist size since the belt doesn't sit there to begin with. The construction of the belt is solid looking and should last many years. The leather is double stitched throughout, even around the middle where the holes are at. The logo is actually stitched as well- I expected it to be some stamping that would wear off. The dye may bleed a bit but whatever. Yes, it's a stiff belt out the box, can be a bit tough removing the buckle prong at first, but I rolled the belt some at the house and put it on and took it off several times to get the belt a bit softer so to speak. In the gym, it does exactly what its needed for. I would not be discouraged by the few rogue reviews about the "poor belt quality" or numerous bad reviews due to sizing as it appears most of those were due to user error in getting the right sized belt to begin with. For the money, a solid belt brand name or not. It's certainly better than a soft padded Velcro job or a tapered belt you will get at your local fitness/ sporting goods store.

My initial review was written in October and It is below. A day after my review, a person from the company contacted me and asked how they could make things right. They sent me a new belt, that I received two days later and I have been using it since for about 6 months. I am happy with the replacement belt. It has formed easily to my waist and is quite comfortable considering how strong and stable the material is. I have had zero issues with the new belt. So I have improved their score from 1 star to 4 stars. Customer service was attentive and friendly and genuinely wanted to make thinks right...so major props for that.

So in less than 6 uses, one rivit has completely busted off. The thin felt like backing is piling up and causes dimples of some sort. It just looks cheap and feels cheap. The stitching is only single layer so not sure how long that will hold up.

I bought this because Amazon sent me here. This Stoic belt was supposed to be the replacement for the great Evolutionize belt I bought a few years ago. The only reason I even need a new belt is because I went down in size and needed a smaller belt.

Long story short this Stoic belt is nowhere near the same quality as my Evolutionize belt despite being equal in price.

Maybe I'll update if I get feedback or replacement from seller.

I've been using this 3x weekly for about six months for back squats and deadlifts. The quality is excellent, all rivets and stitching remain in great shape, the buckle/pin/roller are great, and the belt hole I've been using is still sound. The belt is two functional layers of high quality leather, with a thin suede layer on the outside. It's sturdy as hell, and beautifully made. The support from this thing is exceptional. Absolutely worth the money.

I'm between sizes. If you're gaining and putting on fat as well as muscle, size up. If you're stable, cutting, or staying lean while gaining, size down since there's room to add another hole if needed. Keep in mind it needs to be *tight* while you're going through the exercise. I'm in the last hole, and had to wear it under my shirt for a couple months while I cut.

It can be difficult to get the tongue through the belt loop. Trust me, it'll go.

You can probably get stuck in it, if you tighten too far. Putting it on can be a struggle at first, since the belt is so stiff. I brace my fingers against the buckle and hold the edges of the belt while I crank it down.

I would absolutely buy it again, though I'll be amazed if it wears out. So glad I decided to get a solid belt worth working in to, rather than a cheapo "starter" belt for my beginner gains.

I used this belt for 3.5 years: deadlift 585, Squat 500, OHP 240lbs. It was a great belt. Nothing wore out. All rivets intact etc. I recently converted this belt to a Pioneer PAL Lever belt using their PAL lever and this Stoic belt. Check out my video on youtube: "Convert any Lifting belt into the BEST lever Belt -SAVE $120- PAL Lever Belt Conversion 4 Stoic Belt" Channel name TopLift.

About Sizing for this Stoic belt I had a 38" waist at the narrowest part and I bought a Large and returned it for an XL. Now I am at a 36" waist (narrowest part, not the upper belly where i wear the belt) and I was using this belt at its tightest notch. So That's why I upgraded this belt to a lever belt for convenience and because the PAL lever allows half inch vs 1 inch increments.

This DIY mod was easy and fun, and saved me 80 dollars. My Stoic belt was $60 in 2017 and has worked well, and the "Discount PAL Lever" was $41. for a total of $101. I would have had to have spent $120 vs $45 for a whole new belt. Reduce reuse recycle lol :)

I am a 49 year old man who is in the first week of the "Starting Strength" program and decided that even though my loads are relatively small (Today's deadlift was 225 X 5 X 1) I thought a belt would be a good idea for a cue if nothing else. As weights progress it will likely become more critical. The belt fit the bill for what I was looking for exactly. I hired a personal trainer at my local YMCA to help with form and when he saw the belt he was pretty impressed. So much so that he told me he would be ordering one for himself and possibly several to replace the worn out belts at the gym.

Some folks mentioned that the belt is quite stiff, to the point of being almost unusable. I simply rolled mine backwards tightly the night before I took it to the gym and secured it with zip ties. On my way out the door (At 4:30 AM) I cut the zip ties and tossed it in my bag. I had no problem getting it on and off. I am 5'11" with an average length torso and never felt any pinching doing both low bar back squats and deadlifts. My waist measures 42" at it's widest (Measured just above the belly button) and the XL belt fits perfectly with the buckle just about centered across the holes.

I would highly recommend this belt for anyone who is serious about training with weights. You could certainly spend more, but you won't find a better belt unless you just want to throw money around.

Now go squat. More.