Yes, cutting the band to length is thought provoking, but there's an upside to it. You can trim from either end, so the natural fit of the buckle and band on one side of your arm works with the natural fit of the watch on the other with the result that the watch stays in your chosen place and you don't have to whip your wrist around every time you want to check your watch. I ended up using the first hole on one side of the band and the last hole on the other. Plus there are three closely spaced holes to fit the band's spring pin on one side of the clasp, so you can easily fine tune or change the tightness -- much better than a regular buckle.

The band is surprisingly comfortable. The tire tread pattern is attractive and manly, but I fear it will be a dirt magnet. The price you pay. And the buckle does have some pointy corners, but so far I have not gouged myself or anyone else. The buckle itself is well-designed, with about a dozen individual pieces. It has two anti-release features, which builds confidence.

And the band was the first item of a large order to arrive. I'd definitely buy another.