Trimming a ratchet belt to your waist

Check that your belt is trimmable

Only cut a belt marked trims to fit on its card and product page. The True-to-Size ratchet belt has a fixed length, and the eyelet, braided and reversible belts without that mark are sized by their range and should not be cut.

Find the length before you cut

Put the belt through your belt loops with the buckle attached and fasten it at a comfortable fit. Note where the tip of the strap ends, then take the belt off.

The strap needs enough length past the buckle to tuck into the first loop and to let you loosen it after a meal. Leave a few inches beyond the point where the buckle locks rather than cutting right at it.

Take the buckle off and cut

Detach the buckle from the strap. Cut the strap straight across at the buckle end, not the tip, so the finished tip stays as it came.

Use sharp scissors or a utility knife against a ruler for a clean edge on leather. Stretch nylon cuts easily with scissors.

Put the buckle back and test

Fit the cut end back into the buckle the same way it came out and check that it holds before you wear it out of the house. Cut a little at a time if you are unsure: a strap can always get shorter, never longer.

Belts marked trims to fit

• Ratchet Leather Belt 2-Pack, 1 3/8 in
• Eyelet Leather Belt 2-Pack
• Flip Top Stretch Rigger Belt, 1 1/2 in
• Lever Buckle Ratchet Leather Belt, 1 3/8 in
• Two-Tone Buckle Ratchet Leather Belt, 1 3/8 in
• Classic Ratchet Leather Belt 2-Pack, 1 3/8 in
• Metal Hole Leather Belt 2-Pack, 1 1/2 in
• Seven Eyelet Leather Belt, 1 1/2 in
• Stretch Web Ratchet Golf Belt, 1 3/8 in
• Boys Ratchet Leather Belt, 1.1 in
• Stretch Work Belt with Bottle Opener
• Rotating Buckle Reversible Leather Belt, 1 3/8 in
• Boys Reversible Leather Belt, 1 in
• Bottom Lever Stretch Web Ratchet Belt, 1 3/8 in
• Side Button Ratchet Leather Belt, 1 3/8 in
• Side Lever Stretch Web Ratchet Belt, 1 3/8 in