I recently ordered and received a new CSM instructor’s belt from the Wilderness, which is the version with the polymer insert to make the belt stiffer. I already own two of these belts, but both of them are about five inches too big for me now, so I needed a new belt.
The problem is that the new belt is nowhere near as stiff and sturdy as my first two. It’s noticeably lighter in weight and not as thick as the first two. I wore both ofthem daily for years (in succession) and although they’re a little frayed on the surface, both of them are just as sturdy and supportive as when they were new. They’re just too big.
The new belt is downright flimsy by comparison. I can twist and bend it easily, and I don’t believe it’s going to be adequate tosupport all of the gear I carry. As manyof you know, I’m a big, squishy guy who carries a lot of stuff on his belt. I’m as hard on a belt as probably anyone else on the planet, yet my two original Wilderness belts are still going strong.
I sent email to the Wilderness about it (three times). I explained that the new belt is very flexible and nowhere near as stiff and sturdy as my other two belts. Iasked if it were possible that they sent a belt without the polymer insert orif they had changed the way they’re making the belts. I didn’t get a response in a few days, so I called them yesterday. The first thing the woman who answered said was that they’d received my email. I choked-back my “So why didn’t you acknowledge it or respond?” in order to get better results. After discussing the belt, she was unwillingto believe that it was possible that they had shipped a belt without the polymer insert since it had been “checked twice.” She did not address whether or not they have changed how the belts are made. She said they’d have to see the belt before making any decisions, so she agreed to send a shipping label to return the belt.
So . . . for those of you who have been long time customers of the Wilderness as have I, have any of you noticed a difference in the construction or stiffness of the belts over time, especially if you use the CSM version? If it’s just a matter of them sending me a belt without the insert, this problem goes away. If what they sent me is the best they can do, however, I have a big problem. The belt they sent to me isn’t going to be adequate for my needs.
The problem is that the new belt is nowhere near as stiff and sturdy as my first two. It’s noticeably lighter in weight and not as thick as the first two. I wore both ofthem daily for years (in succession) and although they’re a little frayed on the surface, both of them are just as sturdy and supportive as when they were new. They’re just too big.
The new belt is downright flimsy by comparison. I can twist and bend it easily, and I don’t believe it’s going to be adequate tosupport all of the gear I carry. As manyof you know, I’m a big, squishy guy who carries a lot of stuff on his belt. I’m as hard on a belt as probably anyone else on the planet, yet my two original Wilderness belts are still going strong.
I sent email to the Wilderness about it (three times). I explained that the new belt is very flexible and nowhere near as stiff and sturdy as my other two belts. Iasked if it were possible that they sent a belt without the polymer insert orif they had changed the way they’re making the belts. I didn’t get a response in a few days, so I called them yesterday. The first thing the woman who answered said was that they’d received my email. I choked-back my “So why didn’t you acknowledge it or respond?” in order to get better results. After discussing the belt, she was unwillingto believe that it was possible that they had shipped a belt without the polymer insert since it had been “checked twice.” She did not address whether or not they have changed how the belts are made. She said they’d have to see the belt before making any decisions, so she agreed to send a shipping label to return the belt.
So . . . for those of you who have been long time customers of the Wilderness as have I, have any of you noticed a difference in the construction or stiffness of the belts over time, especially if you use the CSM version? If it’s just a matter of them sending me a belt without the insert, this problem goes away. If what they sent me is the best they can do, however, I have a big problem. The belt they sent to me isn’t going to be adequate for my needs.
