The belt on my combins still holds up fine. It doesn't seem to slip looser as others complain. Looking at the ME website, it looks the same type of belt as the liskamms, so I'm not sure why the difference. The G2s seem to have the same type too. I suspect I have the only good buckle in existance, as everyone I know with combins or liskamms complains about the buckle.
In fact, I found it a pleasent difference to the normal cheap, crap ultra-light belts that come with so many expensive trousers now.
I can't remember what my G2s have got (they're 4 years old and in the loft at the moment as I only get them out when I get out the crampons and ice axe - work is intruding on my winter walking time too much right now). With braces on, it hardly matters anyway. And I do like braces on my winter trousers, to make sure the back stays up, covering my lower back.
Looking at the new G2s, I wonder how much of the lightening will mean "works less well in winter" and "lasts less time". For Scottish winters, I found the old G2s damn near perfect and only bothered with thermals underneath when it was really, really cold. Too damn hot if there is no snow on the ground though, which I guess is why ME has changed them. The new ones are supposed to weigh as much as my combins. Not sure I would like to wear them in a full on winter walk.
