Victor, Author at BestLeather.org

July 23, 2014December 19, 2017

Backcast Outfitters Fly Fishing Gear Review

Many of us have had the experience of a product giving out on us. You are walking to class and realize that your backpack strap has broken. You pull out your wallet and the threading has started to unravel. You reach for your belt to pull it on and it has almost completely broken where you cinch it.

Eric Rice with Backcast Outfitters had similar experiences with fishing gear that continued to fail him. When Dave Munson of Saddleback Leather approached Eric to design fly fishing gear for some friends, Eric leapt on the chance to design some heirloom quality fly fishing gear, something he felt passionate about. He wanted to “create natural, amazing products so well constructed that fathers would pass them to sons along with hand drawn maps of secret fishing holes, sweet spots in the river and techniques so subtle, they could only be shown, not told”. With that desire and a great opportunity, Backcast Outfitters was born.

Backcast Outfitters designs the highest quality fly fishing gear, using the highest quality raw materials, made by the best craftsman. It’s a fairly simple recipe that produces outstanding results. BestLeather had the opportunity of reviewing a few of Backcast Outfitters fly fishing gear. We reviewed their 5 Pocket Leader Wallet, their Floatant Holder, and their Fly Dryer and Leader Straightener.

5 Pocket Leader Wallet – $84

Designing high quality leather gear is not an easy task. It took a lot of trial and error, testing, and a commitment to designing the best possible product. In Eric’s analogy, “A poorly dressed fly won’t fool a fish and a poorly constructed product won’t fool your discriminating tastes”. One of Backcast’s signature products is their 5 Pocket Leader Wallet. Like all of Backcast’s products, the leather used is four to five ounce full grain leather. If you want a durable good, full grain leather is what you want. It is the outermost layer of leather that has the tightest grain pattern and is therefore the most durable. The Leader Wallet is also lined with super durable pigskin and the pockets are connected, accordion style, with deerskin. The Wallet is 2.5″ by 5″, which is just the right size to fit inside a vest pocket or hip pack.

Like all of Backcast Outfitter’s products, the Leader Wallet is made to last a lifetime. Their “until the cows come home” warranty means that if you ever have a problem with one of their products, they will fix or repair it for free, for your entire life. To be able to offer a warranty like that, a product has to be built right. The Leader Wallet does not have any zippers or clips that can break. Instead, you fasten the wallet by slipping the top flap through a strip of leather and connecting it to a solid brass collar button. The result is that you have no worries that your Leaders will go missing and no worries that the Leader Wallet will fail you.

Floatant Holder – $26

In speaking to Eric about some of his products he related how he was frustrated with previous floatant holders that he owned. He would head out on a fishing expedition and upon reaching his spot he would find that his floatant holder didn’t make it with him. He decided to design a floatant holder that would be virtually indestructible and that would make it with him to that special spot every time.

Backcast’s Floatant Holder is made with two pieces of full grain leather sewn together with polyester thread. Polyester thread is know for its super durability; three to four times stronger than nylon thread, it can take a beating and keep on going. Polyester is also UV resistant, a major positive for fishing gear. You can connect the Floatant Holder to your vest with the solid brass swivel clip. Like the Leader Wallet, you can get the Floatant Holder in Backcast’s Hopper Tan (a light brown) or Badger Brown (a dark chocolate brown).

Fly Dryer and Leader Straightener – $24

Another issue Eric had with his previous fly gear was the lack of absorbency in fly dryers. Necessity being the mother of invention that it is, he designed his own fly dryer that has three layers of super absorbent New Zealand chamois. It is not treated with any oils or chemicals and it works like advertised, place a wet fly in, fold over the second flap, squeeze and voila! — dry fly. The Fly Dryer was also designed with a dual purpose, so that it could be used as a Leader Straightener as well.

Leader’s generally come in packages wound in a circle, which doesn’t always straighten on its own when you pull it out. With the Fly Dryer and Leader Straightener, you simply reverse the Dryer so that you have leather on leather, simply pinch the leader and run it all of the way through. The result is a nice straight line that’s ready for some fishing. You can get the Fly Dryer and Leader Straightener in the same Hopper Tan or Badger Brown as the rest of Backcast’s products.

BestLeather Conclusion

Full grain leather. Polyester thread. No breakable parts. Excellent, tested design. A true lifetime warranty. These are the components of a high quality leather product and this is what you will get with each of Backcast Outfitter’s products. The 5 Pocket Leader Wallet, the Floatant Holder, and the Fly Dryer and Leader Straightener are all high quality goods that any fly fisherman would be proud to carry and use. All of these goods are premium to the feel, smell great, and are priced right. In fact, I found that the price is relatively low for the quality of product that Backcast produces. You certainly will not be disappointed if you lay down some of your hard earned money for one of their premium goods. To boot, you will find their super cool fly fisherman stamp on some of their goods, like the back of their 5 Pocket Leader Wallet (see below).

July 18, 2014December 19, 2017

Libero Ferrero Money Bag – $264 – Made with Horween’s Essex Leather

Many of us have a cherished item that was handed down from a grandparent that we love to use, or wear, or display. I have a really cool leather jacket that belonged to my grandpa, and though it is a bit small for my frame nowadays, I’m holding onto it for my son when he’s older. Sometimes these heirloom items provide inspiration for different aspects of our lives.

LIBERO FERRERO – THE MAN

One such item was carried by Libero Ferrero, commonly called Lee, on his way to and from work everyday. He carried with him a leather work bag that was passed on to his grandkids, Matt Adam and Pete Lafferty. That bag inspired more than just a little inspiration for Matt and Pete and led to their creating Libero Ferrero, a leather company based in New York that designs and creates fabulous leather goods.

Libero Ferrero sells a number of fine leather goods, from various types of bags, duffel bags, and card cases to a money bag or tablet sleeve. BestLeather had the opportunity of reviewing their Money Bag, a throwback to the mid-century’s teller bag, which was used for safety deposits and carrying cash more conveniently. We did this review in conjunction with an article we published a couple of weeks ago on the Horween Leather Company’s Essex line of leather. You can read that article here. Horween specifically recognizes Libero Ferrero on their website as a company that uses the Essex leather in a unique and professional way.

MATERIAL

The Money Bag is 10.1″ in length and 8.4″ in width. It is finished in a hickory color, which is basically a beautiful light brown. Horween’s Essex leather is a straight vegetable tanned leather and is finished with the same processes as their famous shell cordovan leather. The result is a leather that is supple, durable, and has a terrific finish.

The Essex that Libero Ferrero uses is approximately three ounces in weight. On its own this might be a little thin, but Libero combines the leather with their signature Holland and Sherry wool lining. Holland and Sherry is a 170-year old company that began its story in London as a wool merchants and has since produced some of the finest cloths available. The use of this wool is an indication of commitment to the finest quality. The use of Horween Leather is certainly another.

THE HORWEEN LEATHER COMPANY

Matt and Pete visited Horween’s factory in Chicago during the design phase to ensure that they picked the most appropriate leather for their products. They fell in love with the Essex line of leather, which they use on all of their products. Horween has been in business for over 100 years, producing some of the finest leathers available. Many of the goods we review at BestLeather are made from Horween leather, so it is no surprise that you’ll find it in the premium goods that Libero uses.

CONSTRUCTION

The Money Bag is constructed from one piece of leather folded over and connected to another piece of leather by a small strip of Essex. This connection forms their signature shallow V shape. The Bag is sewn together using rugged nylon thread and is sewn along the bottom so that just the top and side open. Libero uses a RIRI zipper, which is a high quality, metal zipper. The bag opens from the top down the side, giving you ample space to slide in your tablet or cash.

Libero also included a small pocket made of the same Holland and Sherry wool to stash your headphones or charger. The pocket is sewn into the inner back of the bag and is approximately 2.5″ by 4″, just big enough for a number of goodies.

The combination of the supple Essex leather, and the Holland and Sherry wool provides a perfect complement to not just your cash, but to your IPad or other tablet as well. The wool is soft and will keep your IPad well protected. The combination of the wool and leather also provides a little bit of padding, which is nice when carrying a $500 tablet.

BESTLEATHER CONCLUSION

It is hard to go wrong with a product when you perfectly marry fine materials into a functional good. The Money Bag from Libero Ferrero is a perfect example of just such a union. It is expertly crafted in the United States by a company committed to producing unique, premium goods and the result is a bag that has more than one use and is beautiful. The use of the Essex leather from Horween will ensure years of use and will be a product that may provide inspiration for some of your future posterity.

July 17, 2014December 19, 2017

Traveling Through Europe With The Thrux Lawrence Thrux Pack

Taking a trip to Europe has always been a plan my wife and I had. This past month my wife and I finally got the chance to go. Our plan was Paris for three days, from there we would fly from Beauvais to Pisa. From Pisa we would take a train to Cinque Terre and stay in La Spezia. And we would end our adventure in Florence, for another three days.

Because we were going to be traveling so much we decided to pack light. Our goal was to be as simplistic as we could when we traveled. This meant we both needed a sturdy, quality, and durable bag, that could carry our clothes, toothbrushes, and copies of St. Augustine’s ‘Confessions’ (a must read for any true renaissance man). Our permanent solution to this temporary problem were two Thrux Packs, built in the USA by Thrux Lawrence. The packs fit everything we cared to bring with a bit of room to spare.

These packs ended up serving us very well. They made for great conversation pieces on every plane ride, they transformed into incredibly comfortable stools when waiting to catch the train, and they even had enough room to carry a baguette or two.

Our first leg of the trip brought us to Paris. My wife and I were most excited about this because we got to see my sister and her family and we also got to be in the most romantic city in the world (I’m not kidding, people were making out everywhere, it was a freaking epidemic). We entered the city by going through the doors of the metro station, my wife’s pack got stuck in the doors as they closed, I had to pry her out but the Thrux pack held true, not a scratch on it. We walked up the steps and onto a very quiet street near the Notre Dame (which was our rendezvous point). Before us lay an empty cobble stoned, scooter scattered road, littered with cafes and bakeries, and a heavy smell of tobacco in the air. It was marvelous. We walked to the end of the road and found where all the people were. Everyone seemed to be gathered on the side of the road, next to the Seine, waiting in anticipation for someone. We found out from some American woman that the Queen of England was about to drive by (she had been visiting Paris that weekend). Showing how truly American we were, we shrugged our shoulders and kept walking, “I’ve already seen the queen on my 5 dollar bill from the Toronto airport”, my wife said. I love her.

We found my sister and her family in front of the Notre Dame as planned, and spent the next 72 hours eating way too many pastries, seeing way too many beautiful buildings and works of art, and all-in-all enjoying ourselves way too much. Our packs were used minimally while we were in Paris, mostly because we were staying in one place the entire time we were there. However, our packs became much more essential to us as we left France and headed to Italy.

We landed in Pisa at about 8 pm. The nice thing about Pisa is that you can literally walk from the airport into town. The bad thing about Pisa is that all of the street signs are carved in marble on the sides of old buildings, and half of them aren’t even there. Needless to say, finding our airbNb house for the evening was quite the challenge. We ended up roaming around Pisa for about two hours before we found our place, but the entire time our packs did not present us with much trouble. After finding our hosts house, we ditched our packs, went to the nearest pizza shop and bought a margherita pizza and two beers. From there we roamed the street of Pisa until about one in the morning, talking and eating, seeing the Leaning Tower, and eating the best gelato I have ever tasted.

The next day my wife and I found ourselves eating Wheaties with our host’s lover. The one thing all cultures have in common is the sense of awkwardness. We left Pisa extremely excited to see Cinque Terre. Our plan was to hike as far as we could with our packs and take a train to La Spezia to stay at an olive farm. We got to Cinque Terre around noon and were immediately blown away. The streets are speckled with row boats from local fishermen, and nearly half of everyone there was American, which was really comforting for us. We began to hike around the first hill when we came to a blocked off trail, the road had been washed away by rain the week before. So we decided to hike up to the top of the hill. It was the most beautiful hike I have ever been on. Imagine climbing a staircase and on either side of you are vineyards terraced into the Mediterranean sea. And every direction you look is a feast of colors and flowers. Beauty aside, this trail was wicked hard. Our packs seems to grow heavier and heavier and we started to feel like Christian from ‘Pilgrims Progress’. One thing I will say about the Thrux Pack is that when they are stuffed as full as you can get them, they don’t form as well to your body, making them a bit awkward to carry. This was normally not a problem for us, but when we began our hike up the long trail we started to feel the discomfort. The sun began to bake us like gingerbread men, and we were sweating so hard our sun glasses wouldn’t even stay on. If any of you readers are going to hike Cinque Terre with a Thrux Pack, make sure to pack very lightly. This was the only time in our trip where we weren’t thrilled to have packs strapped to us, in hindsight though, there were not very many hikers with backpacks. We on the other hand had every one of our possessions along with us (big mistake). We got to the top of the hill and decided that swimming was more fun. We worked our way down the hill and spent the rest of the day swimming in the sea and watching fire flies. There was a positive side to this mishap though. Our backpacks became much more supple and less stiff when we got done with our hike. I think the sun and the sweat of our backs actually made them more comfortable. I know this sounds gross but it’s true, if you want to truly break in your Thrux Pack, just load it with as much stuff as you can and go hike the closest mountain to you. Works like a charm.

From there we moved on to Florence. Neither of us really knew why we were going to Florence, but we heard it was great, so we went. We got there and were not enthused. I think by this point our morale was incredibly low. we were sweaty, dirty, and the architect we were staying with was frustrated that we could not speak Italian. This is where our packs really started to show their strength. Every day we were in Florence we got dumped on by rain. We are talking Florida sized alligator tear drops raining from the heavens. Our packs were exposed to the rain the first day, I was worried because I thought the bread I just bought was going to be soaked, but when we got back to the house, our bread was warm and dry, and everything else in our packs was dry as well. The only thing that even looked wet was the leather, which even though had not been treated for rain, had remained a beautiful brown. This happened two more times, in front of the Academia, and the next day when we snuck in the Bomboli Gardens.

The first thing most people notice when they buy a Thrux Pack is how stiff the straps are. They are incredibly tough, Horween leather on leather stitched to the nines. If a nuclear bomb went off the only two things left standing would be cockroaches and the world’s Thrux Packs. This made me a bit nervous for our trip. I was afraid the straps would be a bit too uncomfortable and too stiff, but by the time we left Florence, the straps of our bags were well broken in, and had lost none of their strength. In fact they seemed to grow even stronger from all of the use.

We left Florence much happier, we had seen the most amazing pieces of art in the world and all the while looked awesome in our packs. My wife and I got countless compliments on our bags when we walked through the Florentine leather shops (which if you know anything about the people of Florence, it’s that they know good leather products when they see them).

We took a train from Florence back to Pisa and had about five hours to kill before our plane took off going back to Beauvais. When we got back to Pisa we were dying of heat, our feet had huge blisters, and our morale was now at an all time low. We found a good pizzeria with a/c and watched the World Cup as our skin cooled off a bit. Then we headed to an old abandoned church on the side of a river and sipped on a bottle of champagne. “We are easily the most stylish bums any of these tourists have ever seen”, my wife said. I couldn’t agree more. There we were, sitting on the steps of this church laughing our heads off because we were dirty, sweaty, and very sleep deprived. That was the best moment of the trip. It is funny how sometimes the most unexciting events of a big trip, can also be the most fond memories when looked back upon.

We got to Beauvais late that night and were greeted at the airport by our host for the evening. He gave us some grim news. Apparently, the Parisian transportation unions were on strike that week, and there was only one train leaving for Paris in the morning. Needless to say we were worried. We slept very lightly that night, and woke up as early as we could to catch the train. We were the first ones at the counter that morning to buy our tickets, but when we went to pay for them, our card was declined. “Oh my goodness!, We are going to be stuck in France!”, I said to my wife. We ran around Beauvais trying to find an ATM, and found a very creepy man who led us to one. In hindsight this was not a very good idea. But he was our last resort. He brought us to an ATM and sauntered off. I used the same card and it worked! There must have been a problem with the train stations card reader (note to the reader: on a big trip abroad, cash is key). We bought our train tickets and were finally on our way back to North America. But the trip does not end there.

We had an eighteen hour layover in Montreal. When we landed we desperately tried to find an earlier connecting flight, but we had no luck. So we decided to stay with my brother-in-law’s cousin in the city. We took the bus only to find ourselves lost in suburbia. At this point we were delirious from the lack of sleep and decided to lay down. The Thrux Packs made very nice pillows as we waited on some old lady’s yard for the bus. Long story short, we made our way to the city, enjoyed some very encouraging Canadian hospitality, and made it to our flight back home without any problems.

This trip was one of the most exciting adventures I have ever been on. It was also one of the most difficult learning experiences I have ever had. I have never been a very big traveler, and so we learned mostly by trial and error. But the one thing that would not fail us was our Thrux Packs. They remained strong and useful. They carried all of our belongings, kept our champagne cool, and our baguettes dry. We will most assuredly be taking another trip back to Europe soon, and when we do, our Thrux Packs will be joining us.

– by Phillip Siemens

July 12, 2014December 19, 2017

The Distance – An Article On The Horween Leather Company

A website recently came to my attention that writes an in depth article every month on companies older than 25 years. Called TheDistance.com, the site has just two articles published so far, but the very first was on the Horween Leather Company.

It is an excellent article that explores why Horween has thrived in an ever changing environment by being committed to old fashioned ideals and continuing to provide the highest quality products. For any lover of leather or business, it is a very interesting read. You can do so by clicking this link.

We have also done interviews with Horween on their Shell Cordovan and Chromexcel lines of leather.

Happy reading.

July 11, 2014December 19, 2017

Thrux Lawrence Dopp Kit Giveaway – $150 – Ends July 26th

Do you need something hefty to carry your toothbrush around in? Are you tired of wearing your lightweight dopp kit out with your toothpaste tube? How many dopp kits are you going to tear through until you buy something indestructible and toothbrush proof? (satire)

the question is – will it blend?

Maybe. Those blenders are ridiculous.

Not only will you have this your entire lifetime (if you don’t blend it), but so will the next ten generations of your offspring. It’s that ridiculously tough. Usually this is the level of construction used on items that get a lot of use with heavy loads like backpacks and briefcases, but no, your toothbrush also deserves better levels of protection.

To be fair, there are a lot of ways to use the dopp kit. Thrux Lawrence told me that people use these kits for all sorts of reasons–carrying golf balls, beauty goodies, tools, etc. Whatever you put inside will stay inside, which is really a handy feature. It’s much better than a ziploc bag.

Thrux Lawrence Dopp Kit Giveaway4 — Here is the dopp kit carrying pool balls very effectively. Just in case you find a perfectly smooth place to whip out your EDC pool set.

Let’s just put it this way. When you win this dopp kit, no one will ever mock you for having too wimpy of a dopp kit. NEVER!

Thrux Lawrence Dopp Kit Giveaway2 — The dopp kit also looks good sitting on a motorcycle… Or the motorcycle looks good with a dopp kit on it. I’m not sure. This may be a hot new trend.

Check out the Thrux Lawrence goods here.

July 10, 2014December 19, 2017

LeatherWerk 9″ Valet Tray Review – $35

LeatherWerk is a crazy Swiss (as he refers himself) by the name of Men A. Werro. Men currently lives and works out of Oregon. BestLeather worked with LeatherWerk in the past on a review of vintage Swiss military bags. Besides sourcing and restoring vintage bags, Men makes custom accessories for bags and travel. Any leather enthusiasts on Facebook will have heard of Men or LeatherWerk for he has quite the devoted following.

Popular amongst the LeatherWerk accesories are these classic leather valet trays available in multiple sizes and colors.

CONSTRUCTION

Here is a 9″ (measured when lying flat, unfastened) valet tray in a leather that Men calls ‘Antique Brown’. The materials are 5oz cow hide leather with a suede finish on the bottom side, industrial heavy duty polyester thread stitching and brass studs.

FUNCTION

Valet trays are best used for desks, dresser tops, tables, and any other surfaces to keep small items organized. This tray is incredibly handy to unload one’s pockets or other small carry items into (wallet, cell phone, pocket knife, coins, notes). These really help organize any desk or table from clutter. The suede finish on the bottom side of the leather prevents the tray from sliding around on a desk or table surface as well as protecting the surface from any scratches or other markings.

The LeatherWerk valet tray also unbuttons at the corners so that the tray can lay flat and can be easily put in one’s bag for use in hotel rooms. As any busy traveler will appreciate, it is far easier to keep small travel essentials in one place rather than have them scattered or worrying about leaving them behind.

AESTHETIC

The leather chosen for the valet tray is very soft and velvety while being able to hold is shape to whatever you place in it. Out of the box, there is no stiffness to the leather whatsoever. At first I was concerned that it would get too floppy in time, but then realized I like the feel of the soft leather especially when it comes to unbuttoning the studs and being able to lay it flat or roll it up for travel. The leather has a beautiful rich antique brown finish with markings and scuffs that add to the antique feel. I suspect that this piece will continue to collect great character and patina with age. Lastly, the brass studs compliment the color and the antique feel of the leather perfectly and are very sturdy.

BESTLEATHER CONCLUSION

For $35 dollars this handmade valet tray is a steal! Available in a few different sizes, Men can design one to your desired dimensions as well. The LeatherWerk valet trays are simply yet carefully designed to maximize beauty, aesthetic, and functionality in any setting whether at home, on the road or even in the great outdoors. Check them out here.

July 9, 2014December 19, 2017

Moore & Giles Half Zip Wallet Review – $140

Wallets.

Everybody has one, and there are countless iterations. Some are made of leather. Some are made of pleather. Some are made of of nylon and Velcro, and some are made of duct tape. In a world of dull, run of the mill wallets, it is refreshing when you see one that it is unique and has some character. Unique was probably the first word that came to mind when I saw the Half Zip Wallet from Moore & Giles. I don’t know that I’ve ever seen a mens wallet that has a zipper, but it just happens to be fitting for this design. The Half Zip Wallet is the brainchild of Thomas Brennan, designer with Moore & Giles.

MOORE & GILES

Moore & Giles is chiefly a leather producing company. They produce finished leathers for the high-end hospitality, aviation, and residential interior design industries. Born in 1933 by Donald Graeme Moore (if you know anything about Moore & Giles you’ll notice that many of their products have names like The Donald, Graeme, Brennan, etc, which are all named after current and past employees of the company), Moore & Giles initially sold components for the footwear industry and eventually expanded that to shoe leathers. leather linings, and sole leather. As excellent companies do, they have continually shifted strategy to meet the needs of a changing market and found a burgeoning business in the high-end leather trade. Fairly recently, the company has added a line of high-end leather goods, which upholds the company’s tradition of producing a fine quality product. The Half Zip Wallet that BestLeather had the opportunity of reviewing is no exception.

THE LEATHER

The Half Zip wallet is made of two primary components, one piece of two to three ounce vegetable tanned leather for the exterior and a tonal waxed canvas lining for the interior. As frequent visitors to BestLeather.org know, vegetable tanned leather is known for its durability and quality. It takes significantly longer to vegetable tan leather, and the result is a hardy product that ages well over time. Moore & Giles has their leather tanned at a factory in Italy known for producing some of the finest leathers in the world. Combining veg tanned leather with waxed canvas makes sense, considering waxed canvases water resistant properties. Originating in the sailing industry in Scotland in the 1920’s, waxed canvas has become the go-to material for many bag and apparel manufacturers because of its durability and waterproof properties.

The leather is Hickory, or light brown, color that will patina over time into a golden bronze. The canvas is a pale tan color and the combination of the two colors marry well.

The edges of the Half Zip Wallet, including the zipper pull, have all been burnished as well. At BestLeather, we love to see edges burnished because it shows a higher degree of finish, which both increases the beauty of the product and also gives the edge increased durability and protection against abrasion. It is another sign of a quality product.

DESIGN

The Half Zip wallet’s signature design is the zipper. As mentioned, I have never seen a mens wallet with a zipper, but it makes sense. We carry some of the most valuable stuff we own in our wallet, namely our money, credit cards, driver’s license, and our Papa Murphy’s frequent use card. It makes sense to stuff all of those valuable items into a wallet that stays closed no matter what. You can also add a little coinage for those that still frequent bubble gum machines without worrying about losing your quarters.

The wallet also has a thin piece of leather folded over and sewn into the interior of the wallet which you can use to place your credit cards. It’s a nice feature that gives the wallet some compartmentalization, and allows you to keep some organization within your wallet as opposed to everything floating about.

FUNCTION

As a specialist in the finished leather market, Moore & Giles knows how to put fine leather goods together that work well. In my opinion, most wallets should be somewhat thin, considering we sit on them throughout the day. The Half Zip wallet is very thin, but is still substantial enough to carry everything you need. Even after stuffing several credit cards and some bills in the wallet and zipping it up and throwing it in my back pocket, I hardly noticed it. It has a small footprint while being able to carry what you need in a wallet at the same time. That is not an easy accomplishment, but Moore & Giles has done it well and done it in style.

BESTLEATHER CONCLUSION

If you are an individual who is bored of their plain ole’ bi-fold and wants something unique, durable, and stylish in a wallet, the Half Zip Wallet from Moore & Giles would be an excellent choice. Though spendy for a wallet at $140, you get a wallet that fits well on the haunches, that has a lot of utility while still remaining simple, and that is truly unique in a sea of boring wallets.

July 8, 2014December 19, 2017

One Star Horween Chromexcel Leather Belt Review – $60

One Star Leather is a one-man (Keegan) and one-dog (Buzz Lightyear) operation out of Los Angeles, California. He makes fantastic, thoughtful small leather goods, from key fobs to notebook holders to wallets (his Park Sloper series really put him on the map), and he also squeezes in time to make great looking belts.

One Star’s Horween Chromexcel belts are made from … um … Horween Chromexcel (which you can read more about here), and are available in black, brown, or natural leather. Keegan will also let you choose from several different buckle styles, though he does caution that this is “not a dress belt,” which I agree with. The ruggedness of the leather cannot be hidden, and this is a belt that was made to hold up a pair of jeans, not a fine pair of slacks.

The buckle is secured with two rivets, and there is a date stamp as well. It is a fun, playful detail, since this is a belt that will far outlast however long the time in your life is that you wear this size. There is also a small star stamp on the end–the one touch of branding you’ll find on the belt.

The one downside to using chromexcel

BestLeather conclusion

It is a belt. It holds up my pants. But, even in this crowded field, One Star Leather has made it stand out, with the little touches that come from a guy, just working in his shop, that really cares about creating and delivering the best stuff he can. Highly recommended; pick one up here.

July 7, 2014December 19, 2017

Arne Mason Molded Leather Bookweight Review – $50

Arne Mason is a custom leather worker out of Ashland, Oregon specializing in molded cases for fly rods, fly reels, cigars, flies, and knives. Arne also does custom-molded cases for whatever you need to protect. He uses the highest quality, grade A English Bridle Leather tanned in the United States and has been setting the standard for fly fishing cases since 1972. And so, without further ado, I give you the simple and beautiful molded bookweight from Arne Mason

construction

Arne specializes in heat-molded cases, which he brought to the bookweight world. He starts with elegant and clean teardrop shaped lead weights and then molds English bridle leather around them, creating a strip of leather with lead weights in the end. Arne then takes a strip of suede and a strip of Nigerian goatskin, cuts them to match the strip of bridle, and stitches the goatskin on top of the bridle and the suede beneath. Very simple, and very beautiful.

design and aesthetic

The bookweight from Arne Mason is beautifully designed, using rich tan goatskin and light page-gripping suede. The teardrop lead weights are simply elegant and are symmetrically pleasing.

function

Prior to receiving this bookweight for review, I had never used a bookweight. I thought they were fairly useless, as I normally would hold a book in my hands while reading — and I still do. However! I have found this bookweight to be immensely useful in scholarly reading. I am an incoming freshman at Reed College and have summer reading, which requires me to take notes. Having the ability to keep the book open and the information readily available is immensely useful and makes it very easy to jump from text to notebook and back again.

BestLeather conclusion

Bookweights are becoming more and more obsolete as the world moves from physical text to digital. However, books are better than text, and that’s a fact. So, in my mind, buying a beautiful and elegant bookweight to make life easier and make scholarly reading or just reading in general more relaxing is completely worth it. And at $50, you are getting what you pay for: a hand-molded, beautiful, simple, and elegant bookweight. Who knows — with this bookweight, society might reverse its course into the digital darkside and return to the simplicity of books.

Check out the Arne Mason Bookweight here.

July 5, 2014December 19, 2017

Buffalo Jackson Elkton Small Duffle Gym Bag Review – $169

Buffalo Jackson, based just outside of Charlotte, North Carolina, is a men’s shop for, as they put it, the rugged gentleman. Their founder, Xan Hood, wanted to harken back to the time when you could get formalwear and a gun from the same store (and both would look gooood). They design and stock a wide range of clothing and accessories, from bow ties to bison leather boat shoes to wallets and carry items. We will be looking at one of their bags, the Elkton Small Duffle Gym Bag.

construction/materials

The duffle is made from heavy-duty waxed canvas and trimmed with a light brown, full-grain leather, and it is constructed at the TrueBlue leather production facility in Mexico. It has two very sturdy, padded leather handles, as well as a leather shoulder strap that fastens with thick, hearty dog-leash clasps. It also features a double layer of leather on the bottom, to help protect the duffle’s contents. Finally, there is a quick-grab handle on one end.

The interior, which opens courtesy of a gigantic YKK zipper, has three narrow pockets; one on each end, and one running along the middle of the bag. These are just cut into one layer of the canvas, so they are not deep. They are great for cords or stashing a passport or papers; they will not fit anything of great size (such as my MacBook Pro’s power adapter).

design

It is basically an overnight/small day bag. My first impression is that it was too small to be of any great use, but I have actually found it to be very handy. I manage a bar, so I always have a bunch of bar tools, random books, and a fresh shirt or two with me, and this small duffle turned out to be the perfect size to stuff these random items into without getting too heavy. Being one basic compartment, it is not great for a day at the coffee shop if you are one who likes to keep your books, adapters, notebooks, headphones, and such organized and handy, but for just grabbing a few things and stuffing them into a bag–it is perfect. If I don’t continue to use it as my bar bag, I may turn it into a nifty little tool bag to carry around my house. In this case, its small size will keep it from being too overloaded; I could only carry around my essentials.

My two quibbles with the bag come from the leather shoulder strap. Number one: it is quite needlessly long, which creates my second problem. It has a second ring, similar to the one your belt has, for keeping the excess strap attached to itself. This ring is too large, so it slides to the bottom and out flaps the excess (loooong) strap–it is a bit sloppy. I solved this problem by simply removing the strap and using the handles, tote-style.

final impression

I was not expecting to like this little bag nearly as much as I do. It is constructed nearly as well as my Filson briefcase, and at just $169, it is definitely worth checking out.

Click here to check out the Buffalo Jackson Elkton Small Duffle Bag.

July 4, 2014December 19, 2017

The Leather Shop Rivet Wallet Review – $45

There are a lot of small, leather wallets on the market, but none are as unique and comfortable as The Leather Shop’s Rivet Wallet. The Leather Shop is a team of craftsmen located in the Georgetown District of Seattle. We wrote about them when reviewing their MacBook Pro Bag, which continues to be an excellent bag for carrying my computer and a few papers – even a folder of papers.

The Georgetown District is a forerunner in Seattle for marketing artisan crafts and goods. So, it is fitting you will find The Leather Shop here.

CONSTRUCTION

The Rivet Wallet is cut from a single piece of high quality, saddle leather. It is handmade in the USA from American leather. When producing products from saddle leather, The Leather Shop only uses the single bend parts of the cowhide, which are the strongest parts. The wallet is dyed, glazed, and edge burnished – and this is all done by hand.

The Rivet Wallet gets its name from the riveting at two stress points – there is no stitching. The rivet design is unique and, besides adding to the quality of the wallet, the rivets look good. The Leather Shop says their “goal is to create long lasting, high quality leather goods” and after using the Rivet Wallet for a while, it is certain the wallet will last a long time.

The Rivet Wallet is approximately four inches wide by three inches tall and one-half inch deep. It weighs approximately one and one-half ounces or forty-two grams. So, you can see, it is very compact and light – but it has the durability of high quality leather.

FUNCTION

Many of the thin leather wallets on the market are good for traveling light but the Rivet Wallet works well as an everyday wallet, largely due to its pocket-type design. It has a single compartment and has enough room for several cards and some cash and coin. Even when it is full, it has a comfortable feel in the hand.

AESTHETIC

The Rivet Wallet has a smooth and slim profile that is stitch-less and it has the unique rivet design. It comes in Tan, Yellow and Natural. The colors are enhanced by the glazing, which is done by hand.

The wallet is more than well crafted; it is a work of art. It has a handsome appearance and fits well in a casual or professional environment. People have commented on its appearance – and I tell them of its usefulness.

Here is a photo of The Leather Shop’s MacBook Pro Bag with the Rivet Wallet – and my dog, Miles. Miles loves high quality leather products – and he knows these are not for chewing. Miles approves of the Rivet Wallet, especially when I carry a treat inside for him.

BESTLEATHER CONCLUSION

The Leather Shop’s Rivet Wallet is a well crafted product that is durable and will look good for years. It holds a lot – more than most thin wallets – due to the pocket-type design. It has a profile that is slim and smooth and it feels comfortable in the hand or the pocket, whether empty or full. You can use it everyday and take it with you whether you are going casual or professional. The Best Leather conclusion is the product is good and well worth the small investment.

July 3, 2014November 21, 2019

Saddleback Leather Large Satchel Review – $408

If you spend any amount of time away from home base, whether it’s hiking through the Tongass National Forest, sightseeing at Chichen Itza, hauling your camera gear to a wedding photo shoot, or just attending an out-of-town conference, then you’re going to need a sturdy bag to carry your necessities. After several years of journeying with cheap bags, I finally realized that if this is an important item I use on a regular basis, then a higher quality bag is worth the extra money. My search for a proper bag led me to the Saddleback Leather Large Leather Satchel. It was the right size and made of the right stuff, it has done a great job for the past 6 months, and its classic design is the right look.

Aesthetic

Saddleback Leather makes all of their bags with full grain leather, but several months ago, they unveiled a new controversial leather style for all of their products. It is still full grain, but now the natural scarring and marking from the life of the cow aren’t cut away and are clearly seen on the finished bags. It’s not necessarily a design that fits everyone’s style, it’s not what I would call chic or suave, but it’s a rugged look that many will certainly find appealing.

I bought the new tobacco color. Saddleback’s previous tobacco color didn’t interest me–it was too light and too yellow. However, all the pictures of this new tobacco color on Saddleback’s website showed it as a rich color with much more character. When it arrived in the mail, I first thought they accidentally sent me a dark coffee brown satchel–it’s much darker than all of the pictures on their website. I emailed them with pictures, but they assured me it was indeed tobacco. Ultimately it’s still a beautiful color and texture, but unfortunately the real-life color is not quite as beautiful as the official pictures.

The aesthetic of this bag is simple; the large pieces of leather and double stitching complemented by the straps and buckles make for a classic design. The leather, with its barbwire scars and cattle-prod scars from the cow, is beautiful. Despite the slight downtick for the color not being quite as light as I thought it would, this satchel is still an amazing looking bag. In a sea of cheap backpacks and bags, this one is certainly eye-catching. Be prepared to get noticed (and most likely complimented). I would make it our dining room centerpiece if my wife would let me.

Construction

The large version of the Saddleback Leather Satchel (pictured in this article) is 14 inches wide, 11 inches high, and 5 inches deep. It’s made up of only two main pieces of leather–the front flap curves over the top and down the back, around to both sides, and then curves under the bottom to meet the large front panel. Fewer pieces mean less seams, which in turn means a more durable bag with less points to wear down or break. All of the seams are double stitched and the stress points are reinforced with rivets.

There are no zippers or snaps at all on this bag. Those tend to break or wear down quickly on a bag that gets used regularly. Instead, this satchel has ten D-rings in strategic places all over, and a large O-ring on the back behind the handle. The shoulder strap clips onto the D-rings with a dog leash-like clasp, and the front flap secures into a large buckle. All of the hardware is nickel-plated brass, and after more than six months of use it’s showing no signs of damage or wear, and it works like the day I got it.

Saddleback’s relatively newer leather style is noticeably softer than older versions. It strikes that delicate balance between soft and supple, while remaining tough and durable. This is especially evident with the pigskin. Whereas with previous versions you wouldn’t be able to scratch or scuff the pigskin at all, this newer kind is considerably softer and scratches and scuffs just as easily as the rest of the bag. The only downside of this leather is when friends or strangers catch you groping it–the thick material folds and bends softly–and really, that’s why we love leather so much.

Functionality

The large version of the Saddleback Leather Large Leather Satchel is mainly one large open compartment on the inside. It’s not neat and tidy; it’s a free-for-all for whatever you can fit in there. I once had in there a winter coat along with a camera, first aid kit, notebook, and various other smaller objects. The leather stretches bulges and stretches, and it looks beautiful when it does, so it can be pretty accommodating. There are outside and inside pockets on either side, and they can easily fit a phone, knife, or other small water bottle, and can stretch a little to fit a medium sized water bottle. The back pocket runs along the entire back side, and is useful for sliding in loose flat items like newspapers. Running the entire length of the inside is a pigskin flap, which is perfect for sliding in a notebook or folder while the bag is already packed full of other stuff.

The bag weighs about five pounds by itself. If you’re hiking with it over your shoulder and you have it loaded full of stuff, it can get heavy after a couple of miles. Likewise, having it flapping around while biking can be cumbersome. Fortunately by attaching the strap clasps to the bottom back D-rings and running the strap through the large O-ring, it converts easily into a backpack mode. This is perfect for carrying a heavier load or doing more strenuous activities. The way the satchel is rounded at the bottom means it fits comfortably as a backpack. I wore mine like this while hiking, skiing, biking, and various other activities and didn’t feel a bit of discomfort.

Best Leather Conclusion

This is a great travel or adventure bag. It’s versatile and large enough to carry anything you’d need while spending a day away from home. The rugged look of the scarred leather might not be everyone’s cup of coffee, but the bag is durable and the classic design has adventure written all over it. If you’re considering buying this bag then do yourself a favor and go for it.

Saddleback Leather Large Leather Satchel

Check out this thorough review video below to see it in action.

July 2, 2014December 19, 2017

Pact Minimal Wallet Review – Threadless & Glueless – $45

There are lots of wallets being reviewed around here lately. I just finished writing about the Kenton Sorenson Minimal Wallet and concluded that it would be difficult to replace. Fat chance! Two weeks later, I’ve got a new wallet and am very impressed with it. The work of a leather review is never over. You’ll type your finger to the bone in this rough business of reviewing leather.

It’s glueless, threadless, and robust. Say what?!

When Darrin from Pact told me he had developed a way of making fine leather goods without using glue or thread, I was hesitant to believe such a claim. “Yeah right, that leather will soften up and the whole thing comes apart in a year. Just wait.” That’s what I thought then on the phone, but not anymore.

What changed my mind was seeing and handling a five year old design of a MacBook sleeve, which was an early prototype of Darrin’s. Here are some pictures of it after five years of continual use.

Pact Leather threadless1 — Some weirdos don’t like veg tanned leather. Weirdos, I say. It’s quite beautiful to me, personally.

Pact Leather threadless2 — Here you can see the connections have stood up quite well because they aren’t experiencing constant friction or wear.

Those photos will give you an idea how innovative this type of construction is. It requires extremely high levels of precision in the cuts to guarantee durability, so they use a laser to cut out the leather. The leather fits together with barbs. Of course, the leather is vegetable tanned, so it is sufficiently rigid. Chrome tanned leather would be too flexible to hold together well.

Not having glue or thread presents some interesting developments in the manufacturing process. This may be the first leather making shop without a single sewing machine. Lego building experience is helpful though. Check for that on the resumes, Darrin.

Anyways, we are getting off track. About that wallet….

The footprint of the wallet is not much bigger than a business card and it is about a half an inch thick when you pack it full. In the true spirit of minimalism, you won’t be carrying your tax return around in this wallet. It will handle a few bills and some cards nicely. You can stretch it full, like with most wallets, to get more capacity.

The Minimal wallet is composed of 2-3 oz vegetable tan from the Hermann Oak tannery. It is quality leather. Usually, I have something to say about the thread, but not this time.

Darrin, the designer, is an architect, and it shows. Every product I’ve seen has a simplistic elegance. I don’t think Pact products are for everyone, but for those that appreciate minimalism this brand will be a treat.

I’ve only had the wallet for a week and I know I can easily use it for a long time. I have no doubts about its durability and functionally; it fits just enough cards.

To get yours, head over to Pact’s Kickstarter and pitch in so they can buy some sweet laser equipment. There are quite a few other neat goodies. Be on the watch for a giveaway of their satchel.

The first ten pledges will get a discounted price of $30 for this wallet.

Pact Minimal Wallet Review2 — assembled – minus one

Pact Minimal Wallet Review3 — it fits this much

Pact Minimal Wallet Review4 — those tabs hold it together

Pact Minimal Wallet Review5 — This is an obligatory photo. By the way, if you ever venture near Coeur d’Alene, Idaho, I recommend the Java coffee shop. You just might find me there some evening, pounding away on a MacBook quite furiously.

Pact Minimal Wallet Review6 — all that packed into a very small package

July 1, 2014December 19, 2017

Hermann Oak Leather Company – About The Sierra Latigo Line of Leather

The Hermann Oak Leather Company was established in 1881 in order to handle the local harness trade and to supply the wagon trains of settlers traveling west along the Lewis and Clark trails. As the company grew, they began to supply the US military with various leather needs for both World Wars, and also began to establish a reputation for producing some of the finest vegetable tanned leathers available. Hermann Oak has become renowned for supplying world class vegetable tanned leather for not just the equine industry, but for consumer goods as well. To read more about Hermann Oak, you can read our previous article on them here. Hermann Oak agreed to send BestLeather.org four of their premium hides for us to do articles on. They sent us their Sierra Latigo, Harness and two English Bridle hides. We decided that the best way to showcase and learn of their leather was to make something from each hide. For this article, we will discuss what we made from their Sierra Latigo leather.

After unrolling the nearly nine foot long by three foot wide cowhide, we decided that Hermann Oak’s Latigo would be perfect for a messenger style bag. Hermann Oak’s leather is known for it’s stiffness, which is a hallmark of quality vegetable tanned leather. Another hallmark of vegetable tanned leather is durability. I have seen a number of bags and consumer goods that are decades old, still look great, and that still have plenty of life in them. Hermann Oak’s Latigo leather, and the bag we made from it, will surely outlast me and perhaps even my children. The style of messenger bag that we chose is well suited for stiff and durable leather, as it holds its shape well. The bag we made is approximately 16″ wide, by 12″ tall, by 6″ deep. For this bag, we also decided to add front pockets, two exterior side pockets, one for each side, and two interior side pockets, again one for each side.

WEIGHT

The Latigo that we were sent weighs in at seven to nine ounces. This is thick leather, especially for a consumer good, but everybody that has felt and hefted the bag has loved it. There is something strangely satisfying with a good that is slightly overbuilt. You can also get Hermann Oak’s Latigo in five to seven ounces, or nine to eleven ounces. As mentioned, Hermann Oak is known for its vegetable tanning process. Vegetable tanning is an age old process of tanning leather using natural tree barks and extracts, which involves multiple procedures, over a number of months. The end product is typically a stiffer leather, that is significantly more durable than the more common chrome tanned leather. Vegetable tanned leather will also patina over time, which simply means that the leather will absorb the oils from your skin and will darken and change color a bit as a result. Vegetable tanned leather also tends to look even better when worn. It is an excellent choice for consumer goods.

COLOR

The Latigo’s color is a deep burgundy, which is a beautiful darker color. Hermann Oak also sells their Latigo in a red, black, brown or yellow. The yellow Latigo is a drier product, while the other colors are waxed and hot stuffed, which allows for a cleaner, smoother edge when cut. The Latigo has a beautiful, lustrous appearance, without being “shiny”. It looks good and feels very smooth to the touch. We decided not to line the bag with any material because the “unfinished” side was smooth enough to not warrant a lining, but also because we like the look of the raw leather.

DRUM DYING

The majority of Hermann Oak’s leathers are not “struck through”, where the leather is kept in dye drum’s long enough for the dyes to penetrate to the center of the leather. This is a cost saving measure which Hermann Oak uses to keep its leather more affordable. This does not affect the durability or performance of the leather, just the appearance. The result is that the color on the exposed edges of the leather (a light brown) is different than the dyed color. Many of the consumer goods companies that use this leather will either hand paint or hand dye the edges to produce a more uniform look. For this particular bag, I did not mind the light brown appearance of the edges. It seemed to give the bag a bit more character and contrast to the dark burgundy color. In speaking with Shep Hermann, he indicated that they will do special orders where clients can specify that the dyes be struck through the leather with some additional cost. If that is a requisite that you have for your leather goods, it certainly is something that Hermann Oak can do.

BESTLEATHER CONCLUSION

Hermann Oak’s Sierra Latigo leather is a beautiful result of traditional tanning and craftsmanship. It has a gorgeous finish, yet is stiff and extremely durable. Although we are not expert leather craftsman at BestLeather.org, the bag that was made from Hermann Oak’s Latigo is handsome, mostly due to high quality vegetable tanned leather. If you are a leather craftsman and have a need for high quality vegetable tanned leather for a variety of purposes, you will be extremely pleased with Hermann Oak leather.

See below for a quick snapshot from hide to bag.

June 29, 2014December 19, 2017

Vagabond Traveler Wanderer 4 Classic Leather Wallet Review – $23

Vagabond Traveler is a leather company based in Orlando, Florida. They offer a wide range of products, from leather notebook holders to leather-accented canvas duffle bags to small goods, and the best part is that they offer them at “gateway drug” pricing. Seriously – for hand-stitched leather goods, they are about as affordable as they get.

This post, we will be looking at the Wanderer 4 Classic Leather Wallet.

design

The Wanderer 4 Classic is, true to its name, a fairly old-school type of wallet. To put it more simply, this wallet is big. Measuring 4.3 by 3.5 inches, it is certainly not a minimalist wallet. Instead, it has card slots–six of them, to be exact. It has an ID slot, space for, not one, but two! SD cards, and space for cash. Again, Vagabond Traveler doesn’t settle for just one cash slot, mind you. It’s got two, just in case you’re really ballin’ with loads of dolla-dolla bills, y’all.

You might think that all this room would be incredibly bulky, but this particular Vagabond Traveler item is actually lined with nylon fabric, rather than being 100% leather. It was a smart choice; the fabric keeps a thinner profile, despite the wallet being able to carry your ID, credit card, other credit card, supermarket loyalty card, cash, more cash, a couple of receipts, and that slip of paper with the number of the one place your boy Blue told you about with that thing you’ve been meaning to try.

construction

Unfortunately, keeping the price very low has led to a bit of sloppiness with the construction. The slot that was cut to insert one’s ID is pretty crooked. There is also a ladder-type design sewn into the exterior of the wallet with thread. I was unable to determine a function of the design; it seems to be purely aesthetic.

BestLeather conclusion

At about $23, the Vagabond Traveler Wanderer 4 Classic is exactly what it is meant to be — a good, if not great, classic bifold wallet. It doesn’t have much flash or whistles, but it will do exactly what it is meant to do: hold your cash, cards, and whatever else you ask it to.

June 28, 2014December 19, 2017

Ashland Leather Johnny The Fox Wallet Review – $125

I am a wimp when it comes to wallets. Perhaps it’s the curse of the 21st century metropolitan male: trim-fit pants leave little room for bulky wallets in the pockets, front or back. So my wallets have always been paper thin (I’m serious, my last wallet was literally made of a folded piece of Tyvek). So naturally, I was leary about getting attached to a leather wallet. I was afraid that it’d just end up riding in my coat pockets or my briefcase.

As always on my first pass over such objects, my eye fell on the immaculate stitching on this wallet from Ashland Leather. It is consistent and beautiful, on both sides. The soft interior leather left the imprint of the sewing machine’s footprint, but it is not to bad effect.

You can also read our review of Ashland Leather’s beautiful $200 shell cordovan wallet here.

Only after holding it in my hands for a few moments did I remember the near-mystic feature of the famed Chromexcel: the color that changes like oiled latigo on each crease. I eagerly bent the body of wallet in my hand and watched the lighter colors leap from the creases I was making. I admit that I may have gone slightly weak-kneed.

It strikes me that the interior leather does not do the exterior justice, except to remind one of the exquisite nature of the exterior. The interior feels and looks more waxy, less natural and buttery than the metamorphous chromexcel.

The lines of the wallet, however, are perfect. The die cut, creases and panel alignment is without fault. It is instantly apparent that one’s hand is holding an object of value.

LIVING WITH IT…

This wallet disappears with use. I don’t mean that it was stolen, I just mean that I forgot about it. I used it, and it disappeared in it’s function. That is the mark of superb product. My old wallet never disappeared. It was always there, shuffling my cards up to make it impossible to find things. This wallet just disappeared. When I needed something, it was always in the same place. That’s the beauty of it’s simplicity.

Today, though, as I prepared to write this, I rolled it around in my hands and reexamined the exterior for a while. It has acquired a patina, especially in the corners where no cards support it’s structure. A few scratches accent both faces. A very pleasing element of Chromexcel’s character is that with a few seconds of rubbing with bare skin, large scratches transform from annoying, gaudy displays of carelessness to subtle storytelling variations that seem to glow.

The exterior leather has become very supple, and the color variations native to Chromexcel can be elucidated by running my finger along the inside of the wallet. Like magic, the color variations disappear again with a quick rub of my thumb. The only way to describe it is that it appears to be alive.

It’s worth noting that I never felt as if I should cradle this wallet. Maybe it’s the ability to rapidly repair minor scratches with nothing but your thumb, maybe it’s the robust quality of the build. Either way, it does not feel like a product that needs to be protected from the elements. I throw it around, let my 2 year old play with it, and toss it into my satchel with my textbooks, stethoscope and reflex hammer without a second thought. To that point, my suspicions were correct: this wallet does end up spending more time in my satchel or jacket pocket than in my pant pocket. But what of it?

BestLeather conclusion

I will end with this: the Johnny the Fox Chromexcel wallet from Ashland Leather melds into your life, disappearing into it’s function as soon as the leather becomes supple enough. And as something of a minimalist, that is really the highest honor I can bestow upon it. At $125, I don’t know that I would call it a bargain, per se. But as a Buy-It-For-Life product, it is a reasonable price of entry.

Check out the Johnny the Fox Wallet from Ashland Leather here.

June 25, 2014December 19, 2017

A Review of Winter Session’s Snap Wallet – $90

Winter Session was founded in Chicago in 2010 by Roy Katz, Tanya Fleisher, and Tristan Coulter. They began sewing together bags and aprons, with their project slowly gaining momentum as they began working with leather. In 2013, they uprooted and moved west to Denver, Colorado, where Winter Session is now based. Roy and Tanya describe their mission as “to design and produce thoughtful, well-made things in a responsible manner. Operating on a flexible scale, we combine traditional methods and innovative technology to find a balance between utilitarian function, durability and aesthetic appeal. We work hard to create affordable, high quality products meant to last.” And they have succeeded at that, with this, the newest iteration of their Snap Wallet.

Handsome and well worn in after a few months of heavy use.

construction and materials

The Snap Wallet from Winter Session is made of 4oz waxed Horween Dublin leather and stitched together with Irish waxed linen thread. The wallet features a single flap with a brass snap.

Horween Dublin is a vegetable tanned leather which is struck through (dyed uniformly through the piece). Dublin is a soft, smooth leather which will continue to soften with time and age, as well as obtain a beautiful patina (as you can see with my wallet after 3 months of constant use).

Beautiful Tobacco Dublin leather from Horween.

Irish waxed linen thread is actually a specific type of thread, something I did not know of prior to writing this review. I did some Googling and found that Irish waxed linen thread is very popular with jewelry making, as it is easy to slide through small holes and holds a knot very well, as well as its tensile strength. These qualities make Irish waxed linen thread an ideal leather working thread. It is a natural, braided, and waxed cloth thread, which is dyed in this case to an Olive color. Irish waxed linen is a very strong, natural thread which looks handsome and does its job well.

aesthetic

The Snap wallet is, in a word, gorgeous. The leather, in my case, is the Horween Tobacco Dublin, which is a lighter brown, but not as light as you might expect. It has a very beautiful richness to it. This placed with the dark green thread and the brass snap makes this wallet very appealing in a down to earth sort of way.

The wallet has a very simple, clean aesthetic which I am definitely drawn to. Very clean lines, good angles, very simple, very classy.

After a few months of heavy use, it has developed a beautiful patina, which has enhanced the beauty tenfold.

design and function

The Snap wallet features three pockets, two inside the flap and one on the back of the wallet itself. The pockets are all cut with the same angle, an obtuse rounded sort of thing. I really like this. The pockets are uniform and well thought out, as you can reach all of your cards easily without too much hassle. Not to mention it juxtaposes a classy modern touch to a rustic piece of leather, which really adds to the beauty of the piece.

This is an essentials wallet. What I mean by essentials is that you will not be able to truck around 50 cards in this thing. But do you really need 50 cards? I have found that by using a minimal wallet such as the Snap wallet, I have simplified my life. I do not need 50 cards; I really just need 5 or 6 cards and a few bills. Simplify, simplify, simplify.

BestLeather conclusion

The Snap wallet from Winter Session has become my go-to, everyday carry wallet. It holds exactly what I need and nothing more. It has been with me to Europe (Euros as well as GBP and Suisse Franc fit well in this wallet), Seattle, Portland, the Sawtooth Mountains, the Bitterroot Mountains, the Northern Cascades, and it has not looked out of place anywhere. The Snap wallet is classy, functional, beautiful, durable, and overall a great piece to add to your collection. If you are a fan of minimalist wallets, this is for you. If you are a fan of bifolds but want to simplify, this is for you. If you have 50 cards and are insistent that you need all of them, maybe this is not for you, but I would still recommend it as a treatment for your hoarding habit. At $90, the Snap wallet fits right into the usual price range for wallets of this type. You are paying for handmade quality with some of the best materials available and it is absolutely worth your money.

Check out the Winter Session Snap Wallet here.

June 20, 2014January 25, 2020

Eight Month Checkup On The Saddleback Leather Squared Backpack – $582

My Saddleback Leather Squared Backpack gets used every day. It’s been a trusty backpack to haul quite a lot to quite a few places. I have simutaneously carried a 17″ MacBook, Canon 6D, extra large lens, notebooks, several books, chargers, and lots of miscellaneous items on long trips. There are two huge advantages to this bag that make it much more usable than the Classic Tank backpack; it’s comfortable and roomy.

Soon it will be replaced by the Basader Gusset Messenger Bag.

after eight months – is it comfortable?

Comfort is ensured with shoulder straps that are flexible and break in quick. The previous iteration had straps that weren’t terrible, but would cause serious chafing if you carried it for several hours. Also, the back of the backpack is one large piece of leather that molds to your back instead of molding a crease into it. This is the most comfortable leather product, including briefcases, I have used that has this kind of capacity.

Because of the more flexible design and some extra inches, you can fit a lot more in there. Overnight trips, school, work, diaper bag, whatever–it’s going to fit a lot.

But, that stuff is boring and you probably already know because I wrote a few reviews on it already.

patina – that nice aged look

The interesting bit is the patina–that classy aged look leather acquires when it is used. Here are some pictures from this evening in a nice sunset. This is something like eight months of use. The most wear is on the bottom of the bag and I provided a close up photo of the thread.

(Pro tip: if you want to take good pictures of your goodies, wait till the sun is coming up or going down. It’s very soft warm light.)

Check out the Saddleback Leather Squared Backpack here.

Saddleback Leather Squared Backpack

June 19, 2014December 19, 2017

About The Hermann Oak Leather Company

The Hermann Oak Leather Company was founded in 1881 by Louis Charles Hermann to supply the settlers and wagon trains headed west. The company grew over the years and became a supplier of leather for US soldiers in both World Wars, and countless artisans and craftsman since.

Since its inception, the company has been committed to producing the highest quality vegetable tanned leathers for a variety of purposes. Today, the company is actively managed by Shep Hermann, one of the nicest guys you could talk to, who is committed to continuing the company’s traditional methods of tanning, but implementing new technologies and systems where appropriate. When speaking to Shep about his company, it quickly became obvious that he has a passion for quality leather and continuing Hermann Oak’s storied traditions. He is extremely knowledgeable and is happy to share that knowledge.

HIGH QUALITY FURNITURE

In my conversation with Shep, he likened vegetable tanned leather to high quality furniture. When building furniture out of high quality wood, like mahogany or walnut, you do not paint the wood after building the furniture; you stain it. Stain is comprised of smaller molecules that actually adhere to the wood. The stain allows you to see and appreciate the fine grains and beautiful natural appearance of the underlying wood.

Similarly, with vegetable tanned leather, the leather is tanned using an age old tanning process with organic tree barks. The underlying tone of the leather is a rich natural brown, like wood, and this tanning process allows you to appreciate the underlying beauty of the leather. This is especially true when using full grain leather, which Hermann Oak supplies. Most leathers were vegetable tanned like this prior to 1900. Hermann Oak’s vegetable tanned leather is then finished in the old fashioned way using analine dyes, oils, and waxes. Like staining wood, this does not cover up the underlying color of the leather.

Chrome tanned leather, on the other hand, has an underlying blue/gray appearance and is finished with pigments (which is basically paint). These pigments are comprised of larger molecules that are basically glued to the leather. This covers the leather, so that you cannot see what is underneath. This process is similar to painting a pine cabinet. What is underneath is different than what you see on the outside. Chrome tanned leather certainly has its place, like painted pine furniture does, but that place is not with high quality leather products. Hermann Oak leather is more like a beautiful mahogany sideboard. Even though the wood is highly finished, you still can see and appreciate the beautiful underlying wood grains. Many of the leather goods we have reviewed in past articles are made from Hermann Oak leather, a testament to a high quality product.

ADVANTAGES OF VEGETABLE TANNED LEATHER

Shep pointed out a few other things that were interesting about their vegetable tanned leather:

1. Vegetable tanned leather has more body (firmness). It is more rich and more rigid. This is a result of the process of tanning leather with natural tree barks. Chrome tanned leather is softer and much more pliable.

2. Hermann Oak’s vegetable tanned leather is always cool to the touch, because vegetable tanned leather is actually an insulator. Conversely, chrome tanned leather is a conductor, and the leather is either hot or cold to the touch, depending on the environment. Have you ever sat on your car’s leather seats on a summer day? Ouch!

3. Vegetable tanned leather can also be rubbed smooth or burnished, whereas chrome tanned leather cannot.

4. Vegetable tanned leather is also mold-able and can be shaped to meet various needs, whereas chrome tanned leather cannot.

5. Hermann Oak’s vegetable tanned leather will accept oils from your hands and the result is that vegetable tanned leather patinas over time, giving the leather a beautiful, aged look. Chrome tanned leather does not patina.

Hermann Oak sent BestLeather.org four of their premium hides, two of their English Bridle, one Sierra Latigo, and one Harness side. These leathers are all similar in respects, but they also have a few differences that give them their distinguishing characteristics.

OIL CONTENT

Possibly the biggest difference is the oil content in the different leathers. English Bridle has the least amount of oil. The Latigo has a middle amount of oil and is meant to secure a saddle onto a horse. It is meant to be more sweat resistant than English Bridle. The Harness Leather has the highest amount of beef tallows or oils. This is meant for working harnesses for horses. It is meant to be very resistant to horse sweat, rain, sun, snow, and the elements in general. The English Bridle is the firmest, but Harness is pretty similar in firmness. Latigo is the softest leather of the three. The Latigo is most similar to what was produced 100 years ago by Hermann Oak. English Bridle also has a higher degree of finish. The Latigo and Harness are more of the working leathers and the English Bridle is meant to have a finer appearance. The English Bridle has special waxes to give it a shine and finer appearance.

FUTURE BESTLEATHER ARTICLES

Best Leather will be posting separate articles on each of these four hides and will highlight some of these differences. Stay tuned to learn more about Hermann Oak’s premium leathers. In the meantime, take a video tour of their process and tannery.

June 18, 2014December 19, 2017

Kenton Sorenson Modern Man Front Pocket Wallet Review – $90

Leatherworking can be art. Each leather company is looking for a way to do something different. Everyone wants to be unique, to stand out for doing things better. Because there are only so many things you can do with leather, it’s not uncommon to see similar designs (sometimes with fancy expensive letters being sent from lawyers). The eye for design escapes many who punch and stitch, but not Kenton Sorenson. Vegetable tanned leather is what Kenton does. You could say he specializes in it. Frankly, design wise, he is my favorite. And I’ve seen a lot of leather.

construction

The leather is a tight grain 4 oz vegetable tan cowhide. High quality. You can feel the quality in how dense the leather is. The microscopic strands that make up the leather are very small and tightly packed together. This is because the leather is taken from the best part of the hide, which is generally the midsection and the rear quarter. The rest of the hide can be fine for use but premium leather goods are generally cut from this area because there are less stretch marks or scars. Stretch marks are where the hide has to absorb the impact of movement. The stomach of the cow has the most stretch marks. Thread is bonded nylon which is extremely strong. A groove is cut into the leather that the thread sits in so it doesn’t wear a lot as you pull it out. The edges are very well burnished. My style preference is for any sophisticated leather piece to have well burnished edges

function

Dimensionally this wallet is no bigger than any other wallet and yet for its minimal design you can fit a lot in it. It has a large center slot pocket and slit pockets on each side. At the moment I have 6 credit card-like cards, several bills of cash, and eleven business cards without feeling like there is too much in it. Normally a wallet that can pack that much has so many layers of leather that it is more like a booster seat. I like to have my oft-used credit card in one side slit, cash and frequent buyer coffee card in the other, and business cards and ancillary credit cards and DL in the center slot. The main advantage over other minimal wallets is speed. With two quick access pockets you don’t hold up the checkout line sorting through your wallet.

aesthetic

There are four defining features, in my opinion, that imbue this design with class: the well burnished edges, the perfectly curved outer pockets, the inlaid stitching, and the excellent vegetable tanned leather. Burnishing is time consuming and often overlooked; it’s rare to find leather cut this perfectly. The inlaid stitching is a nice functional touch, and the vegetable tanned leather only gets better with use. A fine feature of veg tanned leather goods is the patina the item will acquire. As you use your wallet it will turn a golden brown hue.

conclusion

You very much get what you pay for with this wallet. Some will charge you this kind of money for a much sloppier wallet and call it rustic. Whatever their reasoning, few match this level of craftsmanship and skill. For $90, you can have a beautiful and entirely usable minimal wallet. Oh, and it fits in more than just your front pocket. Check out the Kenton Sorenson Modern Man Front Pocket Wallet.