I’m going on a mini vacation in a couple weeks and wanted to share some packing tips I’ve discovered over the years that have really helped me out!

1 – Make a list! This is my #1 rule, I love to be as organized and prepared as possible. There’s nothing worse than going on your trip and leaving something super important behind. Plus, it’s a good idea to have this list when you’re leaving to make sure you grabbed everything you came with!

2 – Bring extra baggies in all sizes! I love bringing extra bags with me, these are great to keep your items organized. I usually bring a few grocery bags, that way I have a place to store my dirty clothes. Small sandwich bags are great for jewelry and medication! (Remember to also put liquids in bags. I’ve had hair care products explode in my suitcase before, not fun at all!)

3 – Rolling clothes. I saw someone rolling their clothes instead of folding them once and thought it was so bizarre. I just had to try this the next time I packed and when I did, I was pleasantly surprised. I noticed a little more room available in my suitcase, and my clothes were a lot less wrinkled. Give it a try next time you pack!

4 – Be conservative. This one’s a toughie for me. If I’m going on a 4 day vacation, I usually over pack and bring way more than what I need. If you have space it’s fine, but if not, try to just bring the essentials. You know those shoes that you’re probably not going to wear anyway? Just leave those bad boys at home.

5 – Be prepared for TSA. If you’re going through the airport, be cautious of what you bring. Make sure to also keep an eye out for the size of your bag, weigh and measure it to make sure that you’re good to go!

Have fun!

With so many ratchet belts out there, it is hard to know which one is right for you and your unique style. With options from canvas to full-grain leather, it can be difficult to know which belt to start with. Here are a few quick tips to help guide you on your journey of belt discovery!

SlideBelts offers a wide range of strap and buckle options to make sure they complement every outfit. It doesn’t matter if you're rocking some skinny jeans at the skate park or a dress on a first date, there’s a SlideBelt for you!

The base unit that they offer is their animal-friendly ratchet belt. This 1 ¼ inch wide belt looks good on your jeans, but can also be worn to the office every day. With buckle options like the classy silver, gunmetal, and gold to the subtler matte black, these combinations are a must have.

Recently, SlideBelts redesigned and upgraded their 7/8 inch wide skinny belt collection. Now offering the most #ontrend strap colors and four new buckles, these will be an instant classic for any wardrobe!

Last but definitely not least, is SlideBelts Survival Belt. Seeing as they just released the Survival Belt 2.0, this would be a great opportunity to “out belt” all your friends. This bad boy comes with a heavy-duty face plate, knife with blade lock, flash light, fire starter, and bottle opener. Match that with a weather resistant, 1 ½ inch wide strap that can offer almost 1500 psi of tensile strength and this is a belt that will work as hard as you do.

Now I know it's hard to choose which SlideBelt to start out with, as there are many options. The best part about having a SlideBelt is the interchangeability of the straps and buckles. You can always buy a simple strap and just change out your buckles for different events, or you could have a favorite buckle and just change leather straps to get that perfect match with your outfit. No matter which ratchet belt you choose, you’ll be happy that you went with SlideBelts!

What a very good question! A Ratchet Belt is just a type of belt with no holes, where you have a ratchet system that locks into place using a mechanism inside the buckle. These belts maintain their position by using a metal latch inside the buckle to hold onto the teeth along the leather strap. This gives the user the freedom of having thirty ¼” adjustments in size, as apposed to a traditional belt with only five to seven 1” adjustments. This means no more punching holes in leather, as a SlideBelts Ratchet Belt will always be a perfect fit!

Ratchet belts can be handy throughout the day with any fluctuation in weight, or if you are just looking for a clean look without any ragged traditional holes. These perfect-fit belts can be easily adjusted to loosen after a meal or tighten up before you leave the office. SlideBelts use a patented buckle system, where our dual-lever ratchet allows for an easy release of the buckle. Compared to the other, hard-to-reach release buttons of most ratchet belt companies, SlideBelts has the easiest and most intuitive design. Without those holes in the leather, SlideBelts can even last much longer than traditional belts.

Now that you know the basics, its time to see which SlideBelt is right for you! With options in Animal-Friendly, Canvas, Top-Grain Leather, Full-Grain Leather, and weather resistant Survival Strap, the choice is purely based on personal style and what you want this ratchet belt for. SlideBelts offers smooth full-grain leather that would pair well with any job interview, as well as a Survival Belt that comes with a knife, flashlight, fire starter, and bottle opener for every hiker or outdoor enthusiast. Take a look at our website, at SlideBelts.com, to find your match today!