I bought this belt to replace a Wal-Mart $12 belt that was coming apart. This belt is noticeably nicer quality and the buckle does not rattle as much as the other one, but still rattles some. I had a nice belt from Men's Warehouse that lasted me years, and I would say the quality of this belt is comparable to that one.
The brown is a little lighter than I wanted, but still nice. I think it's lighter than the picture makes it look. Most reversible belts have the buckle screws and the imprinting on the brown side, but this one has it on the black side. But really it makes no difference since the belt covers it. The buckle finish looks very nice (my favorite part of the belt) and it doesn't look like it will peel or flake. The belt material itself is soft but firm. The picture looks like the brown side might be a course leather, but it's very smooth and the stitching is not very thick.
I bought the 38" and the length of this belt is about the same as the 38" Wal-Mart belt, if you are looking for comparison. I am about a 34" waist and the 38" belt wraps maybe 20% around my waist past the buckle, which is perfect for me.
Update March 7, 2011: I have been wearing this belt nearly every day for a year now, utilizing both sides. I think it still looks as good as the day it arrived. The leather looks perfect. The buckle finish is great. The mechanics are flawless. Seriously, I'm amazed at the durability of this belt. The buckle has not shown any signs of breakdown due to reversing it. I have had belts in the past where the buckle has come loose from the belt due to the pressure involved in reversing it, but this belt has no such issue. I would buy another one in a heartbeat, but it doesn't seem like it will ever wear out. Nautica Men's Reversible Belt,Brown/Black,38
I was hoping this would be a much softer leather. It's not. This is a very rigid belt with not a lot of flexibility. The photo makes it look like this belt bends easily; it doesn't. If you like a more sturdy belt then this might be really nice.
i also think the sizing is a bit off. I would rather have gone with a smaller size and used one of the last 2 holes instead of my size belt on the 4th hole.
I was not pleased with this belt. I bought it for my husband since he wanted both a black and a brown belt in one, and when he reversed it to the black color the material started to open up on the edges on his second use. I was disappointed and so was he. I was really hoping this was a nice product.
I'm holding the belt I received right here next to my non-calibrated LCD monitor at work, with the same impression that I had at home: the belt I received is darker that what's pictured, and has a purple hue to it (my wife came to a similar conclusion, saying "a bit of blue").
I also can't help but notice that the light-colored stitching in the Amazon photo is dark on the actual belt. Not black, mind you, just a dark brown punctuated by black stitching holes.
I was really hoping that this belt was true to what I see on my monitors, or even a touch lighter as one of the reviewers noted (though, in fairness, another reviewer said "darker!"). I suspect both could be correct, and there's just some color natural variations over successive production runs.
Between this and a recent jacket purchase on Amazon, I'm learning my lesson that I need to see these colors in person to judge accurately (in my defense, that supposedly blue coat I ordered was most definitely grey!!).
The belt is a bit more than 1/8" thick, and though it appears supple in the tightly wrapped coil as pictured, it actually quite rigid and even springy when squeezed while wrapped into a more typical 6" coil. The edges are completely black, with the exception of the brown stitches being slightly proud of the brown face and therefore being visible when viewed from the side, and the black side is entirely without visible stitching. The buckle is of good but not great weight (I've seen better, I've seen worse), and the "keeper loop" that the free end of the belt is tucked into is just a tiny bit thin with a bit of a sharp interior edge to it (that could eventually scrape the finish of the belt).
If I was purchasing this belt to wear with jeans or casual clothes, I'd probably keep it. But trying to match the hue of a pair of shoes I wear to work, I'm afraid, missed the mark by a good amount -- probably due as much to the color accuracy of my monitor as anything else. I hope Amazon doesn't think I'm abusing their return policy! I'm going to have to go pay extra at the store for this purchase, just to ensure I get the color I want.
...and just a quick that my 3-star rating is not based on the color disparity, but on my impressions of the overall quality of the belt & buckle compared to other belts I own.
High quality, durable leather make this nautical belt a classic and permanent addition to your wardrobe. Reversible from medium brown to black adds extra versatility. The brown side, which is shown in the picture, has an elegant stitching pattern that adds some class. The black side is stamped with the size near the buckle, not a feature I liked much, but when the belt is on, the extra that goes through the buckle and metal ring cover any unsightliness. I wear this everyday to a variety of free lance jobs that I do, from class rooms to board rooms, paired with jeans or a suit, this is a classic and versatile look that won't fade with time.
I purchased this belt for my husband for Christmas, so he hasn't worn it yet but it is well made and with the added bonus of it being reversible, I know he'll love it. He had one years ago and wore it out. I'm sure he'll do the same with this one. - Leather Tow Sides Belt - Kenneth Cole Reaction Belts'
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