Marino Avenue Ratchet Belt for Men. Adjustable Leather Dress Belt with 38 Easy to Click Into Place Ratchet Closures.

The company has a range of styles and colors of belt/buckle combinations to choose from (They actually sell a bunch of men’s and women’s accessories and gifts, but I’m only reviewing the belt I bought). For the money, it seemed like a reasonable purchase, but I was unsure about the ratchet mechanism for the belt. This item arrived quickly after I ordered it and I had no issues at all with the shipping or delivery.The packaging of this item promised high quality. The company could easily have just wrapped the belt up in a rubber band or a cheap twisty tie, thrown the buckle in a plastic bag then dumped the whole thing in a nondescript box filled with packing peanuts and sent it on its way. Instead, the packaging was, well, kind of elegant. The cardboard box was decorated inside and out with a tasteful nautical theme. The belt, buckle, and even the bonus key chain were all secured in hard, smooth styrofoam organizer fittings inside the box that kept them secure in transit but also gave a presentation that was simple but also made me feel like I had been given a to-go box from the haberdashery in the Kingsman movie. I’m kind of old-fashioned and I like a company that goes the extra mile for things like this. To me, it speaks to the company’s commitment to excellence, not just for the product, but for every aspect of the consumer experience. So, from ordering to opening, high marks all around.Delving inside the box I was impressed with the quality of the items. The buckle was made from sturdy metal and the pattern on the face of it demonstrated quality craftsmanship. The belt itself was real leather too with subdued but hearty stitching around the edges and also anchoring the belt’s half of the LiNXX™ ratcheting mechanism. Both looked just as good as the pictures online.The buckle and belt need to be assembled before being worn, so it could be adjusted to the waist size of the wearer. The company tries to make this process as painless as possible by putting size reference markers on the inside of the belt, clearly showing where someone should cut (The belt I bought had markers from 30 inches up to 44 inches). I had to get a heavy duty set of cutting shears for this job because, as I said, this material is tough. That being said, I appreciated that the belt did not flake or crumble during the cutting process, which would indicate a poor material. Some other belts I’ve purchased in the past that also said they were made with “genuine leather” were poorly made leather/plastic hybrids that just cracked and peel from normal use after as little as a few weeks. This material stood up to being cut directly into it and either side of the cut looked just as out of the box perfect as before I cut it. All that being said, it made the next step a little tricky.Once the belt had been cut to the appropriate length, it had to be inserted into the buckle and attached via a spiked pedal that had to be pressed firmly to push the spikes into the leather of the belt. The pedal has to become flush with the rear side of the buckle in order for the spikes to completely penetrate the leather, for the belt to be worn comfortably, and so the belt will be completely secured to the buckle. Like most men, I fall squarely between the extremes of “manly man” and “wimp”, and pushing the pedal’s spikes through the leather belt is hard to do, especially without scratching up the front part of the buckle. I found it helpful to wear some workman’s gloves to add some extra purchasing leverage for my hands. Once I got the spikes fully seated, I was convinced the belt wouldn’t fall apart while holding up my pants.The LiNXX™ mechanism for the buckle that ratchets the desired tightness of the belt onto the wearer seems to work as promised. Inside the belt, there is a plastic strip sewn into the leather that’s approximately 6 inches long and 1/3 of an inch wide. The strip has a series of wedges on it that friction lock against a clip on the buckle which creates the ratcheting mechanism that enables the belt to not need holes in it. Upon first trying it, I was a little apprehensive. I have a concealed weapon permit and sometimes I carry a firearm with me. I was concerned that LiNXX™ wouldn’t be robust enough to support the weight of a firearm, but it locks in very securely and I have no issues carrying the extra weight on my hip. My only concern so far is that the buckler can be a little sensitive to unlocking. So far, I have had two occasions where I was adjusting the waistband of my pants and the mechanism unlocked, loosening my waistband for a moment. It locked into place on the next notch and my pants were never at risk of falling down, it was just surprising. This has only happened when I was adjusting my waistband near the buckle, and never when just casually moving around or bumping into things. So, it seems that as long as I only put my hand on the buckle when I intend to loosen my pants, there isn’t an issue.This isn’t necessarily a knock against the belt, it just makes me concerned about long term wear on this mechanism. I’ve got an old school belt, the kind with holes notched into it, that I’ve had for almost 20 years now and it still works great. The only reason why I needed to replace it was that the buckle has become (out)dated, or so it has been explained to me. I just wonder if the mechanism on the Mio Marino belt will endure as well as my former belt. After I’ve worn the belt for a while, I’ll provide an updated review in regard to its endurance.The belt also came with a leather key chain set that appears to be made with the same high-quality materials and workmanship as the belt and buckle. It’s essentially a 2-inch leather strap with 3 small snap clip hooks on one end for keys and a larger snap clip hook on the other to attach to a belt loop. While I didn’t need this item, it was a nice bonus and I can include reviews of this item later if anything noteworthy is observed.I can’t speak directly to the company’s customer service yet. They reached out to me by email to see if I had any questions, problems, suggestions, or concerns with my purchase and encouraged me to write a review for the product. It seemed like a form letter but it’s still encouraging to see a business actively seeking feedback.Overall, the product seems to be a well-built item sold for a fair price by a company that takes itself and its prospective customers seriously. Before, I was skeptical but curious. But since I had such a positive buying experience, now I think I’ll be going back for another belt in a different color.

It is with great pleaser that I write this review. I first came across this style belt in a truck stop. I bought it and the belt failed. Really liking the idea behind it I got on Amazon and found another like it. It was worse then the first one. I was at thanksgiving and my brother-in-law had one like mine. I told him how much I like the design but mine have all broken. They can’t handle the stress. He told me he got these and had no problems with them. I bought this one and 2 other designs. They have held up great. I have only worn the one so far. It has not stretched, has not broke, has not worn out. It has been almost a year now with no problems what so ever. So if you are like me and like the adjustable belt like this but had others fail you. This is the one you want. Much better quality. I loosen my belt and put my conceal carry in and tighten it back up easily. Or reverse. Take it out and tighten my belt back up.

This belt is of high quality and the locking mechanism is far superior to those of other belts of this nature. It looks really good and the first one I brought as lasted over 3 years with no sign of wear or tear. I just had to purchase a new one because of weight gain. If you dont cut it to short to begin with, this belt is great for people who experience weight fluctuations. I dont do a lot of reviews except when a product is really bad or really good. This one is great!!!!!

This was my third Marino ratchet belt. One failed due to the leather, and the other failed due to the mechanism. Between those two, I formed a working belt and bought another in a new color. Why?Well, they lasted more than a year each. The cost was quite a bit lower than most traditional belts, wlbut the ratchet is so much more comfortable because the finer adjustments. The durability isn't the best, but the price/value is fantastix

Belt buckle is amazing, this style is SO much better than the ones with the little handle that just dig into you. The belt itself; however, is extremely thin and results in an extremely small window of actual hold. If you tighten the belt how you're supposed to in order to hold your pants up, it will almost immediately release on its own until it doesn't have any tension left between the teeth and latch mechanism. I solved this with a clamp, I just closed the gap between the latch and the housing around it so there wasn't as big of a window for such a thin belt. After doing this I've had no more problems but this really should've been caught by the manufacturer, not the customer.

It is somewhat a slim fit about an inch wide instead of 1 1/2 in like most belts But it is great quality and strong.

I prefer this buckle mechanism over both the spring and magnet lever release. This belt is a little narrower than I'd prefer, but otherwise very nice.

No me agrado la falta del pasador auxiliar. DE resto todo me gusto

Initially, my husband loved this belt. He normally uses a high-end leather belt with traditional buckle. Once he got used to this buckle, this became his go-to belt. Unfortunately, after about 4 months of actual wear, the “leather” began to crack and finally simply snapped at a hidden join in the back part of the belt. This is NOT a leather belt, and I’m extremely disappointed. Expected MYCH more from the maker. Would not recommend this brand.

This is a very good, understated ratchet style belt. It is slightly narrower than similar belts and the matching buckle centrepiece being leather too give the belt a classy but understated look.The belt is made of a good grain leather and is smooth on the underside. Helpfully it comes marked at waist sizes to allow accurate measurement. You will need to tuck the end piece into a trouser belt loop, so my advice is don't cut this exactly first time. Give your self a little to spare and trim down until you get it just right. the ratchet mechanism is of the 'buckle lift' variety and I think is better than the small buckle button found on similar belts. The price/quality ratio is fantastic. Best belt I have ownedComes with a little key ring attachment of the variety to hook unto a belt look and let the keys dangle.UPDATE July 2017 These belts are so good that I've bought two more. Classy on both a suit and on casual clothes.

A very good quality leather belt at a very reasonable price. The buckle is heavy but it is solid and well made. The ratchet system is great for small adjustments that can be made very quickly and easily, I'm amazed I've not seen this system used before now. It can make a slightly embarrassing noise when you do adjust it (no one is going to assume it's the belt that made it!) but if you raise the buckle slightly you can adjust it silently too! It's very easy to cut to length and put together (it comes in separate pieces with a length of belt and the buckle). You cut the leather to length using a large pair of scissors as I did (there are markings on it to guide you) then attach the buckle using the toothed clamp that is an integrated part of it. It's a very easy and effective way of attaching the two together. It's straightforward to remove the buckle too if you need to make the belt shorter, as I did initially (and hope to do again - diet and exercise permitting!). I would definitely recommend it.

When it arrived I was fairly pleased and initially it worked as I would have expected. I have a similar belt that has been faultless since day one so I was able to make direct comparisons. However, this belt has steadily developed a habit of unlatching all by itself. The latching mechanism seems to have weakened to the point where the slightest pressure on the buckle causes it to loose it grip and the belt then goes slack. I can no longer use this belt which is a shame given its excellent overall appearance.

This company’s products are excellent. I’ve just purchased a second time, in two years. The ratchet belts, generally speaking, are an insanely good idea; making being ‘caught between two holes’ a thing of the past, due to tiny incremental adjustments. Traditional belts now make about as much sense, to me, as a manual gearbox and a clutch pedal.However, customer service is always a concern, when purchasing online. My son inadvertently ruined his first belt, when he (somehow) tore it. The leather is so sturdy and well-constructed, it’s even impossible to do this on purpose, without a knife; trust me, we tried! Unfortunately, after two years, it was out of guarantee and so I contacted Marino to see if I could purchase a strap, without the buckle. Whilst this wasn’t possible, I was offered a generous discount, to achieve a similar outcome. Moreover, the attentiveness and customer driven service of this company was of the highest order.Whether the belts are right for you is a subjective opinion. That aside, if you have any concerns about the vendor, Marino, I believe you can rest easy on that score. I would go out of my way to buy from them, after my experience.