Full Belts discussion

I’ve been getting ready to order a Neosteel system belt, and I’ve taken the measurements several times using the measuring kit. My current numbers feel solid, but I want to double-check them as much as possible.

The leather belt I use to determine the right length for the hipband has holes spaced in inches, whereas Neosteel offers precision down to 0.5 cm. The hole at 90 cm is comfortable enough for all-day wear, yet I can still fit a hand between my stomach and the strap. On the other end of the spectrum, the 87.5 cm hole feels quite snug—while there’s no sharp pain in my hipbones, it presses into the flesh more than I’d like (it starts to chafe and leaves red marks that linger for a day). I’m happy to punch extra holes if needed, though space is limited; once I add one or two more, I might need to replace the belt entirely.

So my main question is: how snug should the hipband actually be? Even with the looser setting, it won’t slide down over my hips, but there’s definitely some room left. I’m planning to go for the Masterpiece Hipband. Since that version is thicker than standard leather, do you think it will help reduce that digging-in effect when worn tighter?

I could probably lose about 10 pounds anyway, and since I’ll be getting the adjustable model of the hipband, there’s a margin for error built in. Just so you know, I’m looking at the She-Male System Sports model.

Thanks! -M