ValeoVRL4 4" Padded Leather Contoured Weightlifting Lifting Belt with Suede Lining

For the price, this is an absolutely excellent beginner belt. I'm not sure what product others were getting, because I just got mine a week ago from Amazon for $15, and this absolutely worked great this week.Just some background, I used to be a powerlifter/bodybuilder years ago, but went soft and flabby after a back injury many years ago. I'm starting to get back in the game, and finally since I started hitting the 400lb squats I figured I should probably pay up for a belt. I've used several belts in the past, but have too much bulk in my stomach area to use any of the ones I still own. Since I'm planning on dropping weight fairly quickly (already dropped 4 inches in a 12 weeks), I didn't want to pony up for an expensive belt. After seeing the price on this one and knowing I didn't have anything anyways, I figured I had nothing to lose.This belt works great. The leather is not as nice as more expensive belts, probably some sort of bonded product; it's more stiff than others (not in a good way), makes it dig into your intestines a little bit more than others, but still its really not that bad. However, its very strong, can handle quite a bit of intra-abdominal pressure pushed against it. Squatting with 400 left my back without any soreness in the least (again, I know how to lift so that's part of it). The 'padding' in the back isn't so much for comfort, as it is to help make contact/compression against your mid-section. This makse the belt excellent for building up intra-abdominal pressure, as the padding helps fill in all the crevices in your back area (particularly your spine).Also, the sizing is not off. I'm sorry that others really can't think for a second and realize that a back belt isn't going to use your pant belt measurement. First, most people don't wear their pans at their actual waist, instead they wear them at their hips, which has a far different measurement on most people. Second, pants are often 'vanity' measured. I ordered the XL, but I wear a 40-42inch pant. However, I actually have measured my actual waist, right at the belly-button, and have a 48in waist. This belt is actually on the larger-side for me, I'm on the second to last (smallest) belt loop, so those saying it runs small obviously didn't actually measure their waist. This is not the fault of the product, but is instead user-error, and shouldn't be held against it in a review.Like I said, there are better belts out there, but for someone who's looking for a budget option, this one should fit the bill perfectly.

I have been lifting for a couple years and finally decided to purchase my own belt instead of hoping the gym has one that fits. The best belts the gym had on loan were Valeo, and I was always happy to get to use one. I couldn't believe that this belt was under $20 and made of real leather! But sure enough, when it came in, it was exactly as advertised, made of real leather and very sturdily made.Obviously everyone's needs are different, and different athletes perform different exercises, but I use this to help support my back and core when doing dead lifts and barbell squats. I also did some online research to find out exactly where the belt should be worn and how tightly it should be cinched. After reading some good articles online, I realized that there are a lot of people using the belts incorrectly.Make sure that you aren't cinching the belt too tightly, but that there is room for your core to expand and push against the belt when lifting. Perhaps some of the reviews saying the belt isn't sturdy enough may have been wearing the belt overly tightly.I've been using the belt on weekly lifts for a few months now, and it still feels brand new. It's given me the support I need and helps me feel safer about making more athletic lifts.Overall I don't think you can beat the price for a belt that IS made of real leather and is sturdy enough to aid support for most lifts and most athletes.Highly recommend.

Great belt....much better than many I have used like Gold Gym and many others. Leather is like real leather not that cheap hard stuff. Belt is firm and supportive but the leather is not sharp on the edges or digs into your body. It had just the right amount of flex to comfortably move with your body without losing support or feeling the belt move or lose it effectiveness when working out. The cushioning pad inside goes to the very edge of the belts inside sewing seem, when many others stop way short allowing the leather to dig into your body. And the padding is DOUBLE and DURABLE to so many other belts. Many of my fronds and others have ditched there other belts and bought this one.Remember, all bodies are different....if you have one that works for you that you forget you have it on, stay with it. If your not happy or feel your getting what you should from your belt. Give this one a try......worst case, your not out a fortune and you can return it.

Does what's it's supposed to do. I looked at a variety of weightlifting belts on Amazon and ended up picking this one both because the price was excellent and the size range will cover me even if I gain or lose a few pounds. Some of the other belts went from medium to large right at my waist size with little overlap so if gained or lost weight they wouldn't fit depending on which size I got. The leather is not the best quality. It's made in Pakistan and has that dryness that some leather goods can have. So far so good with this one but I did notice that others have commented on the durability (or lack thereof) so I left that blank for this review until I spend some more time with it.