Leather Bags Archives - Page 8 of 10

July 25, 2014December 19, 2017

Ghurka Cavalier II No. 97 Review – $1295

Since the 1970s, Ghurka has produced leather goods with a classic American style. The Cavalier series of duffle bags continues to be a staple of the company’s products and exemplifies the goals of Ghurka. When Francis Ford Coppola was asked to choose his favorite luggage maker, he stated “Ghurka. Their leather bags don’t wear out, but get more weatherbeaten and lovely with age.”

CONSTRUCTION

Like the Ghurka Large Pouch No. 65, the Cavalier II is made with full grain European leather and tanned using the secret vegetable tanning formula Marley Hodgson originally acquired. Although designs vary, all Ghurka luggage combines sturdy brass hardware and the signature Ghurka checkered lining. Each bag is then debossed with a unique registration code to verify its authenticity and date of production. In terms of size, the Cavalier II is the middle child of the series and is the smallest duffel that comes with a matching luggage tag.

FUNCTION

The duffel is a no-frills piece of luggage with adjustable sides for additional storage and easy zipper access. There is a single zippered internal pocket to hold smaller items. Although a carrying strap is given, the bag’s sturdy handles are soft as butter in the hand and will beg to be carried. The Cavalier II is perhaps the largest size which can pass through airport security as a carry-on and easily fits in overhead bins on most domestic airplanes. It carries enough for a typical weekend or a week at the beach when clothing necessity is at a minimum.

GhurkaCavalierIINo9709 — The signature checkered lined interior is the perfect size for a weekend.

AESTHETIC

If thrown in a pile of luggage at the airport, the Cavalier II will stick out like a sore thumb–or rather like a well manicured thumb with a gold ring. It is sleek and modern with its turned down edges and flawless leather, although it still has an air of classic sophistication. This bag looks expensive and well…. it IS expensive. This is one of those of bags that you will keep close to your side so people aren’t tempted to take it away. If walnut isn’t your color, the bag comes in eight other color and material combinations to fit your style.

BESTLEATHER CONCLUSION

The Ghurka Cavalier II No. 97 is a head-turning and surprisingly roomy duffle perfect for a weekend and adequate for a week. It is priced very high, but will be worth it to those who prefer to carry their luggage proudly in the air instead of dragging it behind them.

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 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 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 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 11, 2014December 19, 2017

The Freight Duffel from Thrux Lawrence Review – $570

Thrux Lawrence is a men’s essential dry goods supplier out of Coeur d’Alene, Idaho, with a philosophy of building the highest quality goods from the highest quality materials. Products from Thrux will certainly outlast you and the following generation to come. To read more about Thrux Lawrence and its founder Tanden Launder, please check out my previous article here. The latest product to come out of the imagination of Tanden Launder, owner, founder, and designer at Thrux Lawrence, is a duffel like none that I have ever seen. Without further ado, I give you the Freight from Thrux Lawrence.

the Freight Duffel

Tanden wanted to create a bag that could be used on longer journeys without sacrificing size or quality–a bag that could carry all of your essentials for longer forays. The result was a duffel bag in full Thrux style, complete with the classic “Thrux Tray” (a solid, two layer 9oz leather base plate) and 24oz anti-mildew canvas. In other words, this is not your Samsonite rolling suitcase. This is a bag meant to take on the world and take it with style.

construction and materials

In classic Thrux style, the Freight is built to withstand everything you can throw at it. The thread is 350 and 277 tex waxed cotton thread which was specifically designed for his bags — he chose it because it was some of the most durable thread available, as it will not deteriorate after exposure to sunlight as nylon thread does.

This is some seriously heavy duty thread, as seen on the shoulder strap.

The Freight uses open box stitching techniques coupled with #9 solid brass rivets to attach the handle and the shoulder strap. The open box stitching is an important facet in the design, as it improves the longevity of the bag ten fold. Open box basically means that the stitching attaching the leather to the canvas is an open square; when bags have a closed square, it creates what is basically a perforated line in the leather at the highest stress point, which heavily increases the likelihood of the strap failing. The open box stitching combined with the rivets will allow the Freight withstand a lifetime of heavy use without any signs of tearing.

Open box stitching coupled with a hinged handle and #9 rivets. This is beyond solid.

The zippers are enormous #10 YKK zippers with beautiful leather pull tabs. YKK zippers are all metal and seriously tough. The leather is 9oz Horween Latigo, which is renowned for its durability and strength. The canvas is 24oz anti-mildew canvas — quite literally the heaviest canvas you can get. For the record, it is even heavier than the stuff that Filson uses. This canvas is beyond hefty. It is impervious to water, making this bag a great travelling companion. The clasps which attach the shoulder strap are literally durable beyond words. They are locking brass clasps that look like they can take a bunch of abuse without any problems — plus, they will not release if they are torqued a certain way, making the bag much more secure.

aesthetic

The Freight actually looks like a freight train engine. Something about the way it is shaped — with the rounded sides and flat bottom. It is in classic Thrux style: beauty through durable simplicity. The Bark on Gravel color perfectly compliments this simplistic style. The Freight, as with all Thrux bags, features a specially designed pocket for a vintage photograph, which Tanden specifically chooses for each bag. I love this — it adds a real personality, a life to the bag.

function

The Freight features a pen and pencils pocket and a larger pocket within the main compartment, as well as a laptop/document sleeve and a smaller zippered pocket for your essentials on the outside. The main compartment is copiously large — big enough for a month long trip, if you pack right.

The function of this bag is exceptional. Very simple — clothes in the bag, important smaller stuff on the outside. I like the simplicity, as it takes away the complicated nature of packing associated with a billion different pockets and compartments to choose from.

Considering the shoulder strap is basically 18oz leather (two 9oz pieces stitched together), it can be slightly uncomfortable for extended periods of use, especially when you are running through airports. I have no problems with this discomfort, however, as it indicates the incredible durability of the shoulder strap. Discomfort indicates quality in this market.

BestLeather conclusion

If you are in the market for a handsome, beautifully simple, tough-as-nails duffel, look no further than the Freight from Thrux Lawrence. It will set you back $570, but you are paying for American-handmade quality the way it should be. The Freight will last you a lifetime of adventure across all corners of the globe.

Handmade in America by a guy named Zach.

June 2, 2014December 19, 2017

Intrepid Bag Co. Journeyman Messenger Review – $369

It seems that today’s traveling is all about minimalism and finding a shoulder bag to not only take as a carry-on at the airport, but also a bag that you can walk with for a period of time that is not too heavy, cumbersome, or restricting. The design of the Journeyman from Intrepid Bag Co. is purposely designed with the traveler, adventurer and minimalist in mind with its lighter-weight construction, fit, and function while maintaining a sleek and stylish appearance.

CONSTRUCTION

A two-year-old company based out of San Francisco, Intrepid Bag Co. sells just 2 leather travel bags–one for him and one for her with underlining themes of travel, comfort, minimalism and quality.

The Journeyman features a rich dark brown, full grain latigo saddle leather that is very soft and flexible and requires virtually no break-in period. The stitching is a marine-grade nylon thread. A herringbone fabric lines the inside of the bag, pockets, and shoulder strap. On the inside, the main compartment of the bag features a sewn-in 13-inch padded laptop sleeve with a leather pocket for an iPad or other accessory on the front. Behind the laptop pocket, there is another slightly concealed pocket for items such as a passport or cellphone.

A leather/herringbone divider features a large pocket with a leather flap and closure, another cellphone sized pocket and three pen slots. There are also two exterior pockets on both the front and the backside of the bag. Being a messenger style bag, the bag’s lid is secured with two buckle closures made from a lightweight steel. The shoulder strap is 2 inches wide and is reinforced with two steel rivets on each end. It can be adjusted for length with a free floating pad to tuck away the excess strap tail.

FUNCTION

The dimensions of this bag are 15″ x 10″ x 3,” making it a smaller bag. In the world of the minimalist, this may be a good thing. Smaller bags force you to pack light and take along the very basics. That being said, the bag can hold an 11-inch or 13-inch MacBook Air no problem. A larger laptop may not fit in the designated laptop sleeve, not to mention with the power adapter and other electronic accessories. With a laptop and a power cord, there really is not much room left in the bag. A few additional books or magazines, a pair of sunglasses, a point and shoot digital camera and a passport wallet maxes out the space without the bag looking overstuffed and awkward when carried.

The shoulder strap features a cross body design that holds the bag flat and firmly against one’s back as opposed to the side. The bag also has a handle which is more tucked away in the back rather than directly on top of the bag.

AESTHETIC

The leather on this bag is rich and will most likely take on a lot of character with wear. A few scratches on mine already look great. With a name like Journeyman, a piece that acquires scratch marks and a patina contributes to the bag’s journeys and stories.

As mentioned previously, this is a small bag. While a thin laptop, a charger, and a few accessories can fit in the bag, there is not much room for more. This may not be a great bag for briefcase items such as larger notebooks, folders, or books. One may see this more as just a laptop bag with other every day carry items.

Empty, the bag weighs about 2 pounds. With a 11-inch MacBook Air, charger, point and shoot camera, 2 small notebooks and a couple small accessories, it weighed about 9 pounds for me. Anything more, I feel, would make the back bulky and heavy–thus defeating the purpose of the minimalist design.

I am 6’1″ and am about 180 pounds (on a good day), and the bag fits my frame well while only looking a tad small. I have been using it almost every day for a week and I appreciate the size.

Having always worn a messenger bag hanging to my side, the design of the shoulder strap was awkward at first since it only allows you to have it sit snuggly against your back. After wearing it a few times, I got used to it and it doesn’t feel like a burden when walking or riding a bike. This is what this bag was meant for (hence the name). Although it would be nice to have a different option with the shoulder strap (or even the option of removing it), it suites the theme and design of the bag quite well.

Although the hardware on the bag is lightweight, it appears to be of lower quality than most other leather bags on the market. I appreciate the lighter weight buckles, but I worry that they might not hold up getting banged around with travel and regular wear.

Another feature I thought was awkward was the handle. The handle is behind the bag rather than on top and seems a tad flimsy. After using it for a few days, I again realized that the handle being tucked back and hidden contributed to the minimalist design. Having a bulkier handle directly on top would definitely stick out like a sore thumb. Since one cannot carry a lot of heavy things in this small bag, I do not forsee any issues of the handle coming unstitched or ripping from the weight of the bag.

Lastly, the herringbone fabric lining the leather is a nice touch and pads the contents of the bag very well. Again, not being leather, I suspect it will wear thin and require extra attention to clean for it to stay in good shape.

BESTLEATHER CONCLUSION

The Journeyman Messenger from Intrepid Bag Co. speaks to its name. It is a smaller minimalist bag that is very comfortable to wear while walking long distances or even biking. The bag comes with a 10 year warranty which also makes me wary of the quality, but after using it for a week, the bag seems pretty durable and reliable. The price is what you would expect from a domestic made product with full grain leather and herringbone fabric. Being a new company, I am curious to see what other consumers think of the Journeyman and what other products lie in store for Intrepid Bag Co.

Check it out here.

May 22, 2014December 19, 2017

Rustic Leather Replica Mailbag Review – $379

I have been using the Rustic Leather Replica US Mail Bag for quite some time now. I reported on my initial impression some time ago—that the bag is beautiful and practical, and could be improved by slightly widening the top flap (which Rustic Leather intends to do). Today, I offer you my full review.

bottom line

The TL;DR version of this review is simply this: this mailbag is classy, lightweight, and spacious. If the pictures and description already have you drooling and you are on the fence about whether to buy this sumptuous messenger, buy it. It feels even better in your hand than it looks in the pictures. So, if you already want it and you’re reading this like a person who asks for advice (eg. only looking to be affirmed in a predetermined course of action), then go for it. They are made in limited runs, so keep that in mind. This review will still be here when you get back.

the story

Dave, Rustic Leather’s owner and leather craftsman, took great care in developing their Replica US Mail Bag because the project is close to his heart. His uncle Walter was a mail carrier when Dave was a child living in upstate New York, and Walter’s route would bring him by Dave’s family’s house every day. Dave was mesmerized by Walter’s leather mail bag and the fact that it carried letters from around the world. Walter passed away in 2004 (four years before Dave made his first bag), and Dave’s aunt, Fran, bequeathed Walter’s old mail bag to him, which he now keeps in his office. Dave was able to use this authentic US mail bag as a model for Rustic Leather’s rendition. However, taking the dimensions of a bag is one thing, while improving on a classic design and identifying the perfect leather for the task is another. Dave added a center divider, and mounted pockets, pen loops, and a key leash to it. He also added a newspaper pocket along the posterior of the bag. For the leather, he eventually selected a golden, waxy leather from the renowned SB Foot tannery in Red Wing, Minnesota. The result, as you can see, is striking.

the leather

Rustic Leather’s Replica US Mail Bag is made from 100% full-grain 5–6oz. bovine leather. Let’s break that down. “Full-grain” leather comprises the layers of skin closest to the exterior surface of the animal. The fibers there are knit together much tighter and are naturally better aligned, which results in the highest durability of any grade of leather. Additionally, full-grain leather tends to retain some of the appearance of the actual hide itself, including impressions from veins, and sometimes scars or brands, resulting in a ruggedly handsome look and feel. However, that is not all that matters. That this leather is 5–6oz. means it is especially thick. This makes the leather more expensive because the layers just under what can be considered “full grain” cannot be sold separately as “top grain” leather. This particular leather is tanned to a vintage mustard-brown hue and finished to a smooth, waxy texture that does not mark easily. The interior is a matching suede that I find difficult to keep my hands out of.

the tannery

The SB Foot Tanning Company was originally founded by Silas Buck Foot and his partner in 1872. The urgent need for quality shoes had arisen among local farmers, to whom the company began selling moccasin-like footwear made from fur-on deer hide. Demand for their products outstripped their production, due in large part to the difficulty in sourcing quality hides, and so the cobblers forged their own upstream tanning company. During World War I, SB Foot became a popular source of leather for military footwear. Silas Buck Foot I’s unbridled passion for quality was passed down though his descendants and eventually inherited, along with his tannery, by Silas Buck Foot III.

the tanning

SB Foot still “makes it like they used to,” although they’ve also upgraded their processes with the aid of some new techniques, combining proprietary family methods that have been refined over many generations with modern technology. They receive their hides in their”wet blue” state from feedlot cattle raised in Nebraska and Texas. That means the proteins in the skins have been stabilized in a chromium salt curing process. SB Foot grades the hides internally and then shaves them. From there, hides are stained all the way through by soaking them in tree and vegetable oils and tumbling them in wooden drums. Allowing the oils and dyes to penetrate the entire thickness of the leather enhances the longevity of both quality and color. From there, each hide’s life may take a different route at SB Foot, involving various oils, waxes, or finishes to achieve one of several different characteristic sets of properties. Finished hides may then be purchased by craftsmen.

the craftsmen

Apparently, the correlation between being named Dave and being a leather-working artisan is almost as strong as the correlation between being named John or Jon and being a Reformed scholar. Rustic Leather’s own resident Dave originally got into leather work after realizing how discontented he was with the series of nylon and cheaply-made leather bags he had worn out through heavy use in business and adventure in Texas. He applied the industrial design skills he had acquired during 20+ years in the home automation industry to the creation of a one-of-kind messenger bag that could stand up to his purposes. After receiving one too many compliments on his bag, he sought out the mentorship of an accomplished leather craftsman and started Rustic Leather. Rustic Leather only produces heirloom-quality handmade leather goods, backed by their satisfaction guarantee, here in the United States, which means these pieces aren’t constructed using sweatshop labor (the leather is all sourced in the United States as well). If you are unhappy with a piece you purchased from Rustic Leather, you can return it within 14 days for a full refund

the construction

The Rustic Leather Replica US Mail Bag is 15” h x 11” w x 7” d, and the rear compartment snugly fits a 17” MacBook Pro. The bottom corners of the bag are rounded off, and the anterior panel widens toward the bottom where it is sort of pleated as it is sewn into the bottom panel, keeping the opening of the bag tighter and giving the whole piece a nice rounded look. I am able to fit the entire contents of my SBL backpack into it and more—which surprises me. The body comprises four panels total, which come together with additional pieces to form two interior compartments, three small pockets, a zippered anterior pocket, two pen holsters, and a key leash. There is then an adjustable/removable shoulder strap fastened onto it for transport. These pieces are all stitched together using a white, marine-grade, UV-resistant polyester thread. Polyester thread is comparable to nylon thread in terms of tensile strength, but boasts superior water resistance. While nylon stands up to exposure to water, polyester can endure frequent exposure while maintaining much of its tensile strength, resistance to abrasion, and resisting mold and mildew. Polyester is also remarkably resistant to heat (although certainly not a fire retardant—it melts at 483 degrees Fahrenheit). The rivets are composed of a high-copper alloy. Not only is copper beautiful, it is highly corrosion-resistant and “biostatic,” so bacteria will not grow on it. As it tends to be fairly ductile, it is alloyed to achieve hardness. In line with this level of quality, Dave used a trusty YKK zipper to secure the anterior pocket.

the future

I’ve already mentioned widening the top flap to keep precipitation out—an improvement Rustic Leather intends to make—but there are a couple more points.

There is a strap that stretches over the top of the laptop compartment and fastens to a nice little post on the exterior of the bag. The opening in this strap has a hole large enough to fit over the bulbous end of the post, then a slit going upward, then a smaller hole, which cannot fit over the end of the post, but which is wide enough to accommodate the base of the post. It strikes me that this should be inverted to provide a kind of locking mechanism. I can’t figure out why it is the way it is currently.

The posterior of the bag is reinforced with a bag-length ultra thick leather strip that provides structure and enhances the carrying strength of the piece, which is where the handle is riveted. The rivets penetrate several layers of leather and are exposed to the laptop compartment. Why not have the innermost layer of leather cover these to protect the wearer’s laptop from scratches?

the conclusion

This piece is definitely a “buy it for life” item, without hesitation. Even prior to knowing the backstory, I could tell that this bag was something special, from the vintage color and style, to the leather choice, to the craftsmanship. The price makes this mail bag a strong value, especially given the fact that these are made in small batches by a well-trained boutique craftsman. I will check back in after the leather has had some more time to develop a decent patina.

Check Rustic Leather out here.

May 18, 2014December 19, 2017

Lineo Rollup Parva from Orox Leather Review – $445

Orox Leather is a family owned and operated manufacturer of leather goods based out of Portland, Oregon. They feature a full line of interesting and cool leather goods, including leather/canvas lunch bags, leather/canvas backpacks, totes, wallets, and bicycle gear. This is one of their leather/canvas backpacks, the Lineo Rollup Parva in Grey.

construction

The Lineo Rollup Parva bag features waxed canvas with English bridle leather straps from Pennsylvania, and oil tan leather accents from Red Wing in Minnesota. The shoulder straps are stitched on with nylon thread and the leather accents are attached with copper rivets.

The English Bridle shoulder straps are stitched to the canvas with nylon thread.

The waxed canvas is unbelievably waterproof. I rode with this pack through a complete deluge and my stuff was totally dry. Absolutely fitting for a company based out of rainy Portland, Oregon.

The bridle leather straps are lightweight and strong. Bridle leather is associated with durability and using it on the shoulder straps indicates a commitment to quality and longevity.

The copper rivets featured on the leather accents.

The stitching is solid and well done — not suitable for hundreds of pounds, obviously, but great for light loads and daily carry stuff.

function

This has become my go-to bag for daily stuff, as well as my main cycling bag — trips to the coffee shop, carrying water, a book, my pipe and a few different tins of tobacco, a notebook or two, maybe a sketchbook, etc. This is the perfect bag for riding around town and enjoying the day. It seriously weighs nothing. It will fit exactly what you need for the day and still have room for something extra if you need the space — plus, it will keep everything dry if a rain storm comes up.

It also features a unique locking system on the shoulder straps, which took me a few weeks to figure out. There are two claw clasps on the shoulder straps that act as the anchor for the strap itself (hard to explain, but check out the photo above). There are two D-rings — when the bag is in normal-unlocked mode, the claws are attached to the upper rings. But, if you want to lock the bag to you, then simply unhook the claws, cross them across your chest, and attach them to the lower D-ring. This is a great design — it is incredibly secure.

The inner pocket is fairly spacious and features a divider to separate out your documents/laptop/reading material etc. and it features two smaller outer pockets to hold a journal, keys, wallet, etc. Great function in the pockets.

Nice design feature on the inner pocket.

This bag also functions as a great ice breaker with the ladies. No need to start an awkward conversation when the conversation starts on its own with this beautiful conversation piece. Just a thought.

aesthetic

I have received more compliments on this bag than any other bag that I own — period. It is a cool looking bag — that classic leather on canvas look, complemented by the simply beautiful roll-top. It is a very simple design, but classically cool and aesthetically beautiful.

Leather on grey canvas -- classy, classic, and stylish. — Leather on grey canvas — classy, classic, and stylish.

The tan leather on the grey canvas is perfectly contrasting and the copper rivets on the tan leather is a beautiful touch. 10 stars. Perfect landing. Aesthetically speaking, this bag is perfect.

Also, any ladies out there looking for a good looking but not super rugged leather and canvas bag, this is a great option.

BestLeather conclusion

If you are looking for a cool, beautiful, classic, simple backpack, think twice before you click “buy” on the Herschel Supply bag and check out the Lineo Rollup Parva from Orox Leather. At $445, you are getting what you pay for — a well built, well designed, well functioning and unbelievably cool looking bag.

The Lineo Rollup Parva: a beautiful bag from Orox Leather

April 25, 2014December 19, 2017

Coronado Leather Americana Large Duffel Bag – $799

The Coronado Leather Company was established in San Diego, California in 1981. From a small assortment of craftsman committed to producing high quality leather bags, the company has grown to offer a wide assortment of quality goods. From leather bags to leather wallets, the focus at Coronado is quality. Coronado has created a niche for itself in the concealed carry leather goods industry (as in: a really cool, high quality leather item to conceal your firearm) for the responsible citizen and for law enforcement officers. You can find many of these bags on Amazon and on their website at www.coronadoleather.com.

We have previously reviewed their Swiss Military Saddlebag, a beautiful replica of the 1920’s to 1940’s saddlebag of the same name. In addition to sending us that bag to review, they included their Americana Large Duffel Bag for us to take a look at as well. As I initially lifted the duffel bag from the box, I instantly knew that this was a premium bag.

LEATHER

Coronado’s Large Duffel Bag is made from 5.5 to 6oz Horween Leather, a leather that Horween calls “Derby”. This leather is thicker than most all leather bags and gives the bag a very nice heft and feel. This is leather that is full grain, meaning that the top layer is not corrected or sanded down. Full grain leather is the prime cut, if you will, of a hide. It is the outermost layer, and therefore has the tightest grain structure. The particular leather for this duffel bag has quite a bit of marbling, which gives the bag a beautiful rustic, aged appearance. The leather is also dyed through (struck through for you leather aficionados), which means that the color in the middle of the leather is the same as on the outside. We at BestLeather love when we see leather like this. Accomplishing this requires significantly more time tumbling in drums, and results in a premium hide.

Horween’s Derby leather is also straight vegetable tanned, an old process that results in a leather that patinas beautifully over time and has more body. After the vegetable tanning, it goes through a process of being tumbled, fat liquored, and finished. It is the same process that Horween uses to finish their world famous Shell Cordovan leather. The result is leather that has both structure and softness at the same time, and looks rich and beautifully aged.

CONSTRUCTION

The Americana Large Duffel bag is made from only three large pieces of Derby leather–one piece for each side and then a piece for the bottom. The use of only a few pieces of leather for such a large bag (it measures 18” x 14” x 10”) means that the bag has fewer seams, which are the weakest links of a bag. Typically, the fewer seams a bag has, the better.

Another nice feature of the bag is that each end of the bag has a strap sewn and riveted to the top that you can fasten to a D ring on the bottom of the bag. This allows for a certain amount of expandability or contraction of the bag. If you are going for a three day trip and need to stuff a lot into the bag, then you unsnap the strap, which gives you more room, or vice versa. It is a nice feature that allows the bag to be a little smaller, when you need it to be.

The duffel bag also comes with an adjustable strap for carrying over the shoulder. The strap is made with two strips of Derby leather sewn together and is approximately three-quarters of an inch wide, by 11 to 12 oz thick. The strap feels hefty and does not seem to have any stretch to it, a testament to good quality, vegetable tanned leather.

Similarly, the handheld straps are two layers thick of Derby leather, with an additional strap sandwiched in the middle, for extra grip and aesthetic appeal. These straps are riveted twice to the sides of the bag, and then overlaid with another piece of layer, which is then double stitched to the bag. (Talk about over-engeering!) I think I could hook up the bag to the back of my truck and use it as a hitch to haul around my toys. I love this type of durability, when a bag is made to last generations and truly be an heirloom product. At $799, the bag is not cheap, but is well worth it.

HARDWARE

Hardware is where many companies skimp and use what just looks good or will get by for a few years, but not Coronado Leather. For the Americana Large Duffel, they use an over-sized #10 YKK 2-pull brass zipper made in the good ole’ US of A. The zipper is another distinguishing feature of the bag. When you open and close it, it feels like you are opening or closing the door to a massive tent. It is not something you zip quickly open or closed. It takes a bit of effort, but you know that there is no way it is going to come apart.

Coronado also uses solid brass D rings, and solid brass ball rivets throughout the bag. The ball rivets give the bag another dimension and complement the leather nicely. There are also two sets of the ball rivets on the bottom of the bag, which help protect the bottom of the bag when placing it on the ground.

LINING AND STITCHING

The American Duffel is lined with thick, durable, khaki cotton canvas. This gives the bag a finished look on the inside, and provided a bit of sophistication to a rugged looking, extremely durable bag. The inside of the bag also has a small pocket with another YKK zipper that is similarly lined with canvas. The entire bag is sewn with polyester thread and is made in Coronado’s San Diego leather shop.

BESTLEATHER CONCLUSION

The Americana Large Duffel Bag from Coronado Leather is extremely well made. It has solid brass rivets throughout, strengthening the leather in potential areas of weakness. It is made with some of the best leather you can buy, from the Horween Leather Company, which has been making leather in Chicago for over 100 years. It is built like a Mack Truck, but has the sophistication of a Ferrari. If you want or need a duffel bag that your kids will pass along to their kids, look no further than the Americana Large Duffel.

April 22, 2014December 19, 2017

The Leather Shop MacBook Pro Bag – $220

The Leather Shop is a small company of leather designers and craftsmen in the Georgetown District of Seattle, Washington. This is one of the oldest parts of town and, second only to the Fremont District, it is the hangout of the most creative. The craftsmen at this shop pride themselves on creativity and making long lasting products. All the leather, hardware and labor that go into any product manufactured by The Leather Shop are Made in USA. If you are looking for a slim way to transport your MacBook Pro, you will be pleased with what The Leather Shop has to offer.

CONSTRUCTION

The MacBook Pro Bag is unique among all brands. The Leather Shop makes the case out of one piece of Horween Chamois leather. The sides are woven together – no stitching; just woven leather. They call this their innovative, stitch-less design. The woven sides add cushion to the contents as well as give the bag its unique look.

The shoulder strap is made of dark brown chromexcel leather and stamped with their website URL (theLeatherShop.com). The stress points are reinforced with brass rivets. It is adjustable for purse length, man bag length and briefcase length. The brass hardware attachments are solid cast brass. If you want to use the bag as a cover and carry it in a briefcase or backpack, the strap is completely detachable.

The cover is held shut with two solid-cast brass snap locks. The cover is held in place by brass grommets fitted between the internal and external sides of the snap locks.

The MacBook Pro Bag comes in three sizes:
13″ MacBook Pro is 13.5 x 9.5 inches and weighs approximately one pound.
13″ MacBook Pro Retina display is 13 x 9 inches and weighs less than one pound.
15″ MacBook Pro Retina display is 15 x 10.25 inches and weighs just over one pound.

FUNCTION

The computer slides in and out with ease, yet it is snuggly fit in the bag. I am able to slide in a manila folder that holds a dozen papers and a note pad, also. With the added load, the snap locks are still able to function well and I don’t need to apply any extra effort to make it so. The whole package, bag, and load are slim and trim and I am able to carry the basic essentials.

The carrying strap is adjustable to three lengths (as described previously). I have the strap set to briefcase length. This length seems to carry the computer most comfortably – and, I am not into purses – male or female. If you find you need to slide the carrying handle over your head so you can have your hands free, you will find the briefcase length is the best setting.

AESTHETIC

The Chamois leather has a comfortable, casual appearance and wears to a nice patina in time. Mine is already developing a nice tone and is very pleasant to look at. The braiding is the highlight of the MacBook Pro Bag and The Leather Shop says it is reminiscent of Native American style art.

The MacBook Pro Bag reviewed for this story is Tobacco, but it is also available in Maroon, Dark Olive and Tan. I like the look of the contrasting brass against the Tobacco, but they all are good colors.

Here the MacBook Pro Bag is shown with the Rivet Wallet by The Leather Shop and my dog, Miles. Miles enjoys quality leather products and approves of this review.

BESTLEATHER CONCLUSION

The product is good, and this reviewer is very pleased with the MacBook Pro Bag by The Leather Shop. I will be using this bag for many years – or at least as long as I have a MacBook that fits this bag. It holds the computer snuggly, yet it is easy to insert or remove – and it holds additional papers and notepads, too. It is rugged and durable, yet it wears well and is stylish. I use it in a professional environment and it blends right in with business. The braids look good and receive a lot of comments. If you are looking for an affordable way to transport your MacBook Pro, the MacBook Pro Bag by The Leather Shop will serve you well.

April 22, 2014December 19, 2017

Vagabond Traveler L38 Messenger Laptop Bag – $189

Vagabond Traveler is a leather goods seller based in Oviedo, Florida. They sell briefcases, bags, wallets, backpacks, and even fanny packs, which are all made of leather (of course). They have a wide assortment of leather goods, and their website is easy to navigate and search for different bags and products. Vagabond Traveler is a seller of leather goods, but does not produce or manufacture the bags themselves. Their bags and goods are made in China, which helps to fulfill Vagabond’s goal of selling products that are affordable, but of a good quality.

BestLeather’s experience with Vagabond has been a little bit different from our normal relationships with leather goods providers. Vagabond sent us a bag to review a few months ago, but we decided to return it because of some manufacturing defects, and also because the bag was very similar to a well-known competitor. Long, our contact at Vagabond, was very responsive and sent us another bag promptly. This bag, called the L38 Messenger Laptop Bag on their website, is a messenger bag made for a 15” laptop and the bag that we will look at in this review.

LEATHER

The L38 is made from soft, full grain, four to five ounce cowhide that has been vegetable tanned. The color is struck through, which is admirable considering that many well known and reputable tanneries do not dye their leather all of the way through. Leather that has been struck through has been tanned and drum dyed until the color of the leather penetrates to the middle of the hide. If you were to ever gouge the leather, the color in the middle will be the same as on the outside.

Vegetable tanning is also a process that requires significantly more time in the tanning process and normally results in a leather that is a little stiffer than chrome or oil tanned leather. The leather used for the L38 is unusually soft and nice to the touch. It has sort of a fibrous feel to it, similar to suede. The color of the leather is “natural brown” according to Vagabond, but really is a light tan.

DESIGN

The L38 is meant to be a laptop bag. The bag is 15” wide, by 13” tall, by 3” wide. Because the sidewall is riveted to both the front and back panels, you lose about ½” of width on each end, so the bag’s useable width is really closer to 2”. This means you have room for a 15” or 13” laptop, and perhaps a book or two, or large notebook cover and that is about it, at least for the inside. The inside also has a small pouch for a phone, as well as a couple of pen sleeves.

The strap for the L38 is approximately 1 ¼” wide and is a single strap of leather, sewn to an equally wide strap of nylon. Though many people (myself included) prefer all leather straps, this is a smart idea because, unlike leather, nylon has virtually no stretch. This makes the strap significantly more durable than if it was just the single strap of leather.

The L38 is also equipped with two zippered outside pockets. They are 8” deep by 4.5” wide and will fit a myriad of items or accessories such as car keys, cell phone, mini tablet, etc. The back of the bag also has a zippered compartment that you could stuff a folded newspaper or magazine. With these additional compartments, the L38 has adequate storage for a day at the office or a day of meetings. If you are not of the minimalist camp though, and have to haul more gear to and from work, you might be better off with a wider bag.

CONSTRUCTION

The L38 is made to be durable. It is made with full grain, vegetable tanned leather. It is stitched with strong and durable nylon thread. A number of leather bag manufacturers use polyester because it is UV resistant and two to three times stronger than nylon thread. For those of us who are not planning on using our bag to compete in a tug-a-war, nylon is probably an adequate thread to hold the bag together, and one in which many quality manufacturers still use.

Where I feel Vagabond skimped on making this bag was the use of multiple pieces of leather. Many of the highest quality bag manufacturers try to use as few pieces of leather as possible in constructing a bag. The seams are the weakest link, and therefore, the fewer seams the better.

For example, in a very high quality bag, the leather for the back panel continues all of the way to the front flap of the bag, in one long piece. On the L38, the back panel is actually two pieces of leather sewn together, and then the top flap is sewn to that. The side walls are also separate pieces from the bottom, as opposed to one long strip from side to bottom to side. Again, this does not mean that the bag is going to fall apart, especially since it is sewn with nylon thread, but it does still reduce the durability of the bag.

Overall, the L38 is constructed well. It has rivets were they are needed the most–to support the stitching and areas of potential weakness. The sewing is straight and even, buckles and handle are centered, and the bag has an aesthetic pleasantness to it. I did notice several places where marks were made with fabric ink by the craftsman, and the ink was still there. This lack of attention to detail is a shame considering that the L38 is a good bag overall. Perhaps it was just an oversight on the bag we received.

HARDWARE

The L38 is made with all metal, chrome plated hardware, including the zippers. One interesting feature with the L38 is how the main compartment is secured. The bag has two straps that are secured to a buckle, which is fastened to a push button snap that you can slide in to its closure and snap shut. As a result, you can keep the straps secured to the buckle, but still pop open the buttons and slide out the strap. Should you undo the strap from the buckle, and lose the snap button though, you would not be able to secure the bag closed. My preference would be to lose the snap button and just stick with a traditional strap and buckle closure. When I showed this design to my wife, she really liked it and even preferred it that way. Like most things, it is a matter of preference. Just do not lose the snap buttons.

PRICE

One of the biggest advantages to many of the items that Vagabond Traveler sells is their price. The bags and goods they sell are less expensive than their competitors. This is due in large part to where the goods are made. The tradeoff is that you are buying an item that is not quite the best. It is good for sure, but not the quality that one lusts for. Knowing what I now know about high quality leather goods, I would save my duckets until I had enough money for the best and go with that. If you just don’t have the money though, the L38 or other bags from Vagabond Traveler will provide you with a good product that will last you many years.

BESTLEATHER CONCLUSION

The L38 Messenger Laptop Bag from Vagabond Traveler is a well-made bag, especially for the price. There are a number of details that could make the bag much better (i.e. using fewer pieces of leather to construct the bag, using polyester instead of nylon thread, etc.), but for the price it is a good bag that will provide years of service.

April 17, 2014December 19, 2017

Piero Tucci Toscanella Leather Messenger Bag – $462

Florence, Italy is a romantic city where you can behold Michelangelo’s David, visit the famous Il Duomo, or stroll through the Piazza del Signoria with its many sculptures and works of art. Florence also is home to Piero Tucci, an Italian workshop that specializes in high quality leather bags, handbags, jackets, and other small leather goods.

Piero Tucci was established in 1972 and currently operates on the outskirts of Florence, which is in the heart of Tuscany. Mr. Piero Tucci himself formed the company and gathered a small group of highly trained craftsman to provide high quality leather goods to local retailers and shops. The Piero Tucci name and reputation grew over the ensuing years, as did its product line and popularity, especially in Europe.

Today, the company has two retail shops, retail connections throughout the world, and a beautifully designed website that is both functional and a pleasure to peruse. Piero Tucci also has guided tours of their workshop, which would be a fascinating stop if in the area for a vacation. Piero Tucci sent BestLeather their Toscanella Leather Messenger Bag for us to review, which is in their Toscanella collection. This collection centers around the use of vegetable dyed Florentine Vacchetta Leather.

LEATHER

For those of us who have purchased a quality leather good recently, you may recall the aroma you are exposed to when you first open the box to pull out your anticipated item. There is something satisfying and pleasant to that leather scent, a scent saying, “Herein lies something really great.” It was no different when I first opened the box containing the Toscanella Messenger Bag from Piero Tucci. The smell of the leather was terrific, reminiscent of stepping into a brand new Italian sports car, but without the sky high price.

Perhaps this particular scent is indicative of the Vacchetta leather that Piero Tucci uses. Vacchetta leather is calfskin leather that has been vegetable tanned. Vegetable tanning is the process of tanning leather with bark and similar organic extracts and takes significantly longer than chrome tanning. Calf skin is known for having a tighter grain than cowhide. It is commonly used in high end shoes and similar products, because using calf skin leather allows for using slightly thinner leather while still maintaining durability. The leather for this bag is approximately three ounces thick. The combination of the thinner calfskin leather means that the bag is both durable and lightweight for a mostly leather bag.

Piero Tucci uses top-grain leather for this bag, which means that the outermost layer of the hide is removed and sanded down to provide a more even appearance. Top-grain leather is technically not as strong as full grain leather (which is not sanded down or altered in any way), but it is still commonly used in higher end bags and furniture and will still last many years. The leather used for this messenger bag feels solid, yet supple. It also has a subtle pebbled feel, which just lends to its European style.

STYLE AND UTILITY

As is common with many high end Italian goods, the Toscanella Messenger Bag has lots of style. This particular bag is made with Piero Tucci’s tobacco colored Vacchetta leather, but they also have seven other colors to choose from (including safron, ivory, navy blue, etc.). The color is beautiful and the design of the bag is simple and elegant. You open the tall flap to get inside the bag, which has a zippered pocket for your phone, keys, and other goods. There is no buckle or snaps to fasten the top flap down, but after using the bag I do not feel that it is necessary.

When the bag is empty, it is actually completely flat by design. There is no side panel that increases the width of the bag, which means that the back and front pannels come together into a single leather bead. At first, I thought that this design would not allow me to carry much in the bag, but it surprisingly large. I was able to get my 13” Macbook Air, with leather sleeve, large, thick notebook cover, and my smaller moleskine notebook cover in without a problem. It easily fits enough for a day at the office or a day around town, but still maintains a slim profile. If you have large files or binders to haul around, you may want to consider one of their larger messenger bags or totes.

The bag also has two exterior pockets. The back pocket has no zipper and is about 12” deep. It allows for easy access to items you need while on the go. There is no lining to this pocket, just the nice vegetable tanned leather. The front pocket does have a zipper that is tethered with a strip of leather, so that when you open the zipper, the strip folds out. This is a nice bit of styling that I enjoyed.

The main compartment has a cotton lining that is fun, vertically striped, and multi-colored. This pattern gives the bag a bit of a stylish edge. Both the interior and the front exterior pockets share this same lining.

HARDWARE AND STITCHING

The hardware that Piero Tucci uses is all metal, from the zippers, to the “D” rings, to the rivets. The rivets in fact are stamped with Piero Tucci’s logo, as is the base of the two “D” rings, that the strap is attached to. The strap itself is made from strong nylon, with a colorful orange strip woven in. Similar to the strap, the thread used to sew the bag together is also nylon. While not quite as durable as polyester thread, it is still the thread of choice for many high-end leather producers.

BESTLEATHER CONCLUSION

If you are looking for a bag that has a flare of European style, made with beautiful, durable leather, and that you can take to the office, to church, or around town with plenty of panache, then you’d be happy with the Toscanella Leather Messenger Bag from Piero Tucci.

April 11, 2014May 9, 2020

Two Days Left To Enter The Saddleback Leather Duffel Giveaway

The Saddleback Leather Side Pocket Duffle is a redesigned weekender bag from Saddleback Leather. The very first thing I noticed when opened up the box was the rich, beautiful color. I own several SBL pieces in chestnut, but when I saw this one, my jaw dropped. It is positively gorgeous. I thought my other pieces were great looking, but it shocked me to see an exemplar of this idyllic hue in the real world. My other chestnut pieces are beautiful, but the color on SBL’s updated chestnut is somehow even richer…

Go here to enter to giveaway: http://bestleather.org/saddleback-leather-side-pocket-duffel-giveaway/

The giveaway will end on April 12th at 12PM. A winner will be selected at random and emailed.

April 11, 2014December 19, 2017

Coronado Leather Swiss Military Saddlebag – $599

The Coronado Leather Company was formed in 1981 in San Diego, California. Born of a small assortment of craftsman committed to producing high quality leather bags, the company has grown to offer a wide assortment of quality goods, but they have kept their focus on leather bags for both men and women. In particular, Coronado has created a niche for itself in the concealed carry leather goods industry (as in: a really cool, high quality leather item to conceal your firearm) for the responsible citizen and for law enforcement officers.

In addition to the aforementioned niche, Coronado Leather is also a company devoted to producing the highest quality goods with the highest quality raw materials. Coronado recently sent to BestLeather their Swiss Military Saddlebag as well as their Americana Large Duffel. This commitment to quality was immediately apparent after examining these two bags. For the purpose of this article, we’ll be taking a look at the Swiss Military Saddlebag, with a review of the Large Duffel to follow-up in a week or two.

DESIGN

The Swiss Military Saddlebag from Coronado is a replica of the same named saddlebags from the 1920’s to 1940’s. A snippet from Coronado’s site explains, “Originally used by the Swiss Army as saddle bags for donkeys and horses, they were later converted as functional briefcase/saddle bags by adding a leather strap (something that was not originally included). In wanting to maintain the authenticity of the original saddlebags, Coronado has designed the bag with almost 100% accuracy to the original.

In learning this, I took to the internet to see if I could find some of these original saddlebags, and sure enough, what I found were bags that looked exactly the same as the one we were sent by Coronado, albeit in a little rougher shape. I was amazed at how good some of these bags appeared, despite being almost as old as my grandparents. This is a testament to an excellent design and the use of high quality leather.

The design of the saddlebag is somewhat unique in that it consists of one compartment only, which can be expanded or contracted by cinching or loosening the side straps. There are also two 1¼” straps sewn to the inside of the bag, which can be used for securing notepads, a small tablet, or something similar. The bag also has sloped side panels, which lowers the front panel about 2” from the back of the bag. This was a smart design, especially if you were reaching into the bag while sitting on your horse or your ass (pun intended). Even though most of us would not be using it that way today, I still like the ease of accessing the contents of the bag with a lowered front flap, while you are walking and wearing the bag over your shoulder.

Another interesting feature of the bag is the top flap. Instead of using one single piece of leather from the back of the bag all of the way to the top flap, Coronado’s Saddlebag uses two pieces that are stitched to a third, 1” strap. Durability buffs may cringe at this, suggesting that this design makes the flap weaker–a complaint that does have some merit–but it does make the bag more flexible at the top and also allows the flap to fold completely back and lay flat against the back of the bag. This design allows for slightly greater function and is worth the incremental decrease in durability. The fact that many of these original Swiss military saddlebags are still around, and are even resold completely intact, suggests that there is no need to worry about the top flap coming apart.

SIMPLICITY

Leonardo Da Vinci once said, “simplicity is the ultimate sophistication”. In creating high-quality leather goods, this maxim certainly holds true, and it is no exception for Coronado’s Swiss Military Saddlebag. If there was only one word allowed to describe the utility of this bag, it would be simple. It is meant to hold several things in one compartment and be incredibly durable. It does just that. It has no zippers or snaps, which are some of the more common items that can break on a bag, which increases the chance of the bag lasting generations.

The bag has two ¾” straps used to close and secure the bag, which you can quickly unbuckle and undo. In fact, I was able to buckle up and then undo the straps with just my right hand, while the bag was slung over my shoulder, which is very useful for somebody on the go.

LEATHER

One of the most, if not the most, beautiful aspects of the bag is the leather itself. This bag has been in my office for about a month now and I find myself glancing at it every once in a while and admiring it. The bag is made from ten ounce Horween Chromexcel leather. This is the thickest Chromexcel leather you can buy and is significantly thicker leather than most full leather bags are made from.

Chromexcel has been produced by the Horween Leather Company for nearly one hundred years, with a very similar recipe over its existence. With that type of pedigree, you can safely assume a high quality leather that lasts. Chromexcel is combination tanned, meaning it is both chrome and vegetable tanned. This produces a leather that has some of the more supple aspects of a chrome tanned leather, but the durability of a vegetable tanned leather.

Straight vegetable tanned leather that is ten ounces thick will generally be extremely rigid and very difficult to work. It is not something that you would typically make a bag that you walk around with. The combination tanning allows for a bag that has very thick leather, which I still cannot take my eyes off of, but is also very functional and supple. To boot, the leather is also “struck through”, which means the color of the bag is dyed through to the middle of the leather. Most tanneries do not take this extra step and when you cut into their leather you see the color on the top and bottom of the hide, but a blue or tan center. This is another reason that Chromexcel is a classy choice of leather for this bag.

HARDWARE AND THREAD

All of the hardware on Coronado’s Swiss Military Saddlebag is solid brass and is nickel plated. Like the bag itself, the hardware is somewhat subtle and is not oversized or overbearing. The buckles are ¾”, as are the strap rings. True to the original design, Coronado uses a rivet where the back flap and the side panel meet, as a measure of durability and strength. There are a few places that an additional rivet would be useful, namely to help fasten the front or the back straps. Instead, Coronado uses thick #270 polyester thread in these places, as well as wherever stitching is required. I would imagine that a rivet would be used in normal circumstances, but in wanting to stay true to the original design, they were not. And again, who can argue with a design that has already stood the test of time.

BESTLEATHER CONCLUSION

The Swiss Military Saddlebag from Coronado Leather is a beautiful bag based on a classic design. The design is simple, true to its ancestors, and is made with some of the most durable, high quality leather you can find. It is built to last generations, just like its namesake. It is also made by a company that stands behind its products with a lifetime guarantee, making the decision of buying this bag a much easier one. If Leonardo were still around, I would not be surprised to see him toting the Swiss Military Saddlebag from Coronado Leather.

April 4, 2014December 19, 2017

Colsen Keane No 213 Tech Case – $145.00

There are four leather smiths at Colsen Keane Custom Leather Goods. They make leather products to order. They take pride in paying attention to detail and taking the time to get it right. On their website, they have written, “Time leaves its mark on us… We believe that your personal time-mark is art.”

When I first saw the No 213 Tech Case by Colsen Keane, I thought it looked pretty handy. It is designed to handle all or most of your computer tech gear. We tested it and found it holds the Mac computer charger and extension cord, the iPhone charger and cord and ear pods, and a splitter to boot. This is good news for Mac users, but I’ve seen some PC chargers that would make this bag choke.

The case measures roughly 5 1/2 inches wide by 5 1/2 inches high, and it is 3 inches deep. You might want to measure all your stuff and see if it fits. If you have a large charger, you might want to consider keeping it in your backpack, briefcase or satchel–or you might want to consider getting a Mac.

CONSTRUCTION

The leather used to make the 213 Tech Case is 5 to 6 ounces of Chocolate Crazy Horse hide. Besides Crazy Horse, which is a twenty dollar option, the Tech Case is also available in Natural Tan and Deep Black. The grade is Tannery Run (TR). When a tannery first culls the best and the worst from the lot, Tannery Run is what is left. This means the Tech Case is made from good leather–not the best, but it doesn’t need to be.

When you see leather that looks like a three-part lamination, this is because the dye did not go all the way through, which is the situation with the Crazy Horse leather. The process to get the color all the way through is costly, both in time and money, and is reserved for the more expensive leathers. This does not affect the quality, and you will never wear through to the un-dyed grain unless you drag it behind your truck for a couple miles.

The Tech Case is hand stitched together using a 4 ounce waxed thread. This is heavy; I don’t think it will come apart or wear through unless you use a sharp knife or attack the case with an axe.

There is no hardware on the Colsen Keane Tech Case. The lid is long and tucks behind a strap across the front of the case. It seems appropriate to blend a utilitarian function into a utility case. The case wasn’t designed for or with bling; this simplicity of style is what accounts for its beauty.

FUNCTION

In the past, it was often necessary to pull my backpack apart to get to the cords I needed. This was because the backpack pockets for the tech gear did not expand, but would contour to the backpack and I could not see what I had inside–especially if I was looking for something small. This was time-consuming and irritating but, for all I knew, it was part of life and I accepted it. The Colsen Keane Tech Case has a wide throat. So now, my backpack stays orderly while needed cords and gear are always close at hand.

What also was frustrating with the backpack was the difficulty to get the pockets zipped once I had all the tech gear loaded. So, I was forced to leave them unzipped; sometimes small gear would fall out, such as the plugin module for the iPhone charger. How many times did I have to buy a new one? This is no longer a problem with the Tech Case. Even with the case full of gear, the lid is easy to close and reopen, if I need to grab something quickly.

The daily use for me is a MacBook Pro computer charger, remote Mouse, a custom PCMCIA card adapter and cord for a small CNC machine, iPhone to Mac cord, and ear pods. The most used tools are now conveniently accessible.

The case seems to become more relaxed with each day’s use. As a bonus, it does not fall over, as I expected, but stands upright on the desk, even with the lid open and folded back, as if waiting for me to reach in for another cord.

BEST LEATHER CONCLUSION

You have probably heard the popular phrase, “Time is Money.” Well, the new meme is “Time is Art.” The Colsen Keane No 213 Tech Case is well constructed with simplicity in the design. It is useful for organizing tech gear, but it looks and feels more elegant than a mere utility bag. The product is good and this writer has found the bag useful and attractive. The Crazy Horse is a good looking upgrade and well worth the extra twenty bucks. You can say the Tech Case is a work of art.

April 3, 2014December 19, 2017

Moore & Giles Brennan Rucksack Review – $515

Moore & Giles is a leather manufacturer based in Forest, Virginia. They produce fine leather for the high-end hospitality industry, high-end furniture industry, and the commercial and residential interior design market. They have been producing leather since 1933 and have established relationships with many retailers across the United States and select international countries.

(We recently posted a video produced by Moore & Giles showing how their leather is made. It is a fantastic video and is worth re-posting here.)

With its prime business in producing excellent leather for several industries, it was just a matter of time before Moore & Giles began manufacturing their own leather bags and goods. One interesting aspect of all of Moore & Giles leather goods is that each product is named after someone from the company. With names like the Donald, Benedict, Graeme and Taylor, it makes one want to apply for a job with the hopes of some fine luxury good sharing your name. With a line of high-end wallets, handbags, briefcases, dopp kits and other goods, Moore & Giles is making a name for itself in the high-end leather goods business as well.

We recently had the opportunity of reviewing the Brennan Rucksack from Moore & Giles. Rucksacks are of German origin and are essentially a smaller version of a backpack, meant to be worn over your shoulder. Similarly, the Brennan Rucksack has a single strap for that purpose, or a handle used for carrying with one hand.

FUNCTION

When discussing the Brennan Rucksack with Moore & Giles head designer, Thomas Brennan (the Rucksack’s namesake), he indicated that the Brennan is the go to bag for Moore & Giles’ President and Vice-President, and is used by half of the staff at their Italian Tannery. With that type of adoption from the company’s own, there must be something special about this rucksack. It really is pretty simple. The rucksack is made to be compact, is durable and functional, and the leather is beautiful.

The rucksack has a single exterior zipper that stretches from one side, over the top, to the other side. This zipper is a #5 Excella 2-way zipper by YKK. The YKK Group is known to produce some of the finest zippers available. Open the zipper completely and you have easy access to the entire contents of the bag.

The inside of the bag has a main compartment with a small pocket for your cell phone, as well as three pen sleeves. It has a zipped pocket for various items, as well as a separate compartment, for a 13” laptop or an IPad, which is padded for support and protection. My 13″ Macbook Air fit perfectly, but a larger 13″ laptop may be a very tight squeeze. The rucksack also has an exterior pouch that can stash a magazine or folded over newspaper, perfect for easy access.

Part of the advantage of the rucksack could also be a drawback– the size. It is meant to be a more compact version of a backpack, which it is. That means you cannot stuff if with a lot of gear, and the largest laptop it fits is 13”. If you need a lot of room for all your books or gear, or have a bigger computer, you would be better off with one of Moore & Giles’ messenger bags or briefcases. The bag works well for me though. I’m able to fit my Macbook Air, notebook cover from Saddleback Leather, journal, and other items without a problem.

LEATHER

With a huge variety of leather to choose from for this bag, Moore & Giles went with their Titan Milled leather. A description from Moore & Giles website indicates that “these natural leathers are produced on the finest hides available, then processed with pure water straight from the Italian alps. An innovative hot wax tannage technique highlights the natural tones and rich colors of this leather that will only be enhanced over time in both feel and appearance”. Then, the leather undergoes a natural milling process which provides a worn, pebbled appearance. At first, I thought the leather was embossed, but the milling process itself actually shrinks the hide and pulls out the pebbled appearance. The result is impressive. The bag has a supple feel, but feels very sturdy at the same time.

All of Moore & Giles leathers are either full grain or top-grain (top-grain leather is “corrected” in some way, usually sanded to eliminate imperfections, while full grain leather is not corrected). The Brennan Rucksack is of the full grain variety, which has the tightest grain possible. The vast majority of Moore & Giles leathers are around 1.2 mm thick (three ounces). The Brennan is no exception, being made from three to three and a half ounce leather. For leather novices, leather thickness is typically defined in ounces. If a one square foot piece of leather weighs three ounces, then it is three ounce leather. The thicker the leather is, the heavier the leather will be; therefore, thicker leather is always associated with a higher number of ounces.

The Titan Milled leather is both vegetable and chrome tanned, in a one hundred and fifty year old Italian tannery, with old world techniques. The leather is folder over on most of the edges of the bag, which provides for a soft feel. The zipper pull leather edges are actually burnished, which is a nice touch for such a small detail. The leather is also “struck through,” which means it has been drum dyed until the dyes soak all of the way through the leather. This is a time consuming process, requiring much more time than normal in the large dye drums, that only the finest leathers undergo.

LINING

The lining for the Brennan is a custom jacquard, which Moore & Giles has custom made for them in Italy. A jacquard is an intricate weave, named after the French inventor Joseph Marie Jacquard, and allows for complex woven-in designs, such as the company’s logo. The lining feels very durable and appears to be of the variety which allows for easy cleanup if you happen to drip your morning coffee into it while reaching for the paper.

THREAD AND HARDWARE

Moore & Giles uses cast zinc hardware for the three D rings on the bag, as well as for the strap clips. They have an antique brass finish, which pairs well with the dark brown leather.

The Brennan is also sewn with dark brown, size 92 polyester thread. Polyester thread is significantly stronger than cotton thread and much more so than even tough nylon. It is the same type of thread used for making sails and parachutes. It is the type of thread you want your bag to be held together by.

BESTLEATHER CONCLUSION

The Brennan Rucksack from Moore & Giles is crafted from leather that is durable and beautiful, and the bag is constructed very well. It is produced by a company with a long history of producing some of the finest leathers and leather goods made. It is a classy alternative to a backpack and a bag you would be proud of owning.

March 21, 2014November 20, 2019

Saddleback Leather Thin Briefcase Review – $474

If a bag is something you use every day, then sooner or later you’ll come to realize that it’s worth the money to invest in something of better quality. One year ago I was in this predicament and I finally decided to bite the bullet and spend a little more on a leather briefcase. I wanted something durable that would last, as well as something functional and easy on the eyes. When the mail arrived with my Saddleback Leather Large Thin Briefcase I knew I had made the right choice.

After opening the clear plastic packaging and slipping the briefcase out, I immediately noticed the aroma of the fresh leather. You know the smell. Before I examined the bag any further, I had to first bring it close to my face and take a few seconds to enjoy the scent–something I’ve repeated many times since.

Aesthetic

Saddleback Leather is known for their classic briefcase. It is a beautiful design, but at 9 inches deep, it is a little too big for my tastes. The thin briefcase is a 4 1/2 inch deep version of the same design, minus the cool belts that wrap around the whole bag.

I originally got the medium, but as soon as I opened the package I knew it was too small. At 15 inches wide, it looked too small in my hand and too small over my shoulder. The carrying capacity was fine; I was able to snuggly fit my 15 inch Asus laptop in it, but it just didn’t look right to me. I am not a huge guy (I’m about 5 feet 10 inches tall with broad shoulders), but it looked like a mini briefcase on my frame. So I contacted Saddleback and exchanged it for the large, which their customer service made very easy for me.

As soon as I saw the Large Thin Briefcase, I knew I had made the right decision. It’s 17 inches wide, 12 1/2 inches tall, and 4 1/2 inches deep. Like all of Saddleback’s bags it’s made from full grain leather and doesn’t have any zippers, snaps, or anything like that. Instead it’s all straps, buckles, and D-rings.

The aesthetic is classic and the design is functional, but it’s not for everyone. I don’t necessarily see it as a slick accessory for an executive in the boardroom. It is more suited to a photographer lugging gear around the city or a young professor carrying documents across campus. However you choose to use it though, be prepared to get noticed and receive compliments.

The more I have used this bag, the more beautiful it has become. Over time, it has collected scratches, scuffs, and wrinkles that make for a beautiful patina. As the leather softens and develops more character, it only adds to the classic and already attractive design of the bag. And with Saddleback’s 100 year warranty, you’re guaranteed to be able to use this briefcase for a lifetime.

Construction

Some other bags you’ll come across will have seams at the edges of the bottom, or a seam down the middle of the bottom, which binds multiple smaller pieces of leather. But each seam is a potential weak point, which is a problem for someone who wants their briefcase to last a lifetime. Saddleback’s thin briefcase is made up of only four main pieces of leather: the front flap going around all the way down the back, the front panel, and the two gussets that run the entire length of the bag.

It is all double-stitched and the stress areas are reinforced with copper and brass rivets, as well as hidden polyester strips. The hardware is nickel-plated brass and can hold up well against any abuse you’d give it.

On the inside it’s made up of two main compartments, with a pigskin pocket and two side pockets in the front compartment, and a simple open compartment in the back. The inside is lined with pigskin, which is incredibly tough stuff made to reinforce the already tough full grain leather. An additional full-sized pocket runs along the back of the briefcase. There aren’t a ton of compartments, it’s more of a minimalist approach, and with the lack of zippers and pockets it might not to be to some people’s liking.

Functionality

It’s surprising how much can be packed into this thin briefcase. I carry it with me every day and it is typically filled with my laptop, notebooks, lunch bag, pens, knife, folders, and often much more. The more you pack in, the more the leather stretches and bulges to accommodate a full capacity. Is it heavy? Yes–compared to many of the other options out there, especially a canvas bag. But it’s tough leather and in my opinion looks much better, so it’s a trade-off you’ll have to consider. Do not expect this briefcase to float in the air behind you, but it will not bend your spine, either.

This briefcase has been used almost every day back and forth from my house to my office, and the leather has softened considerably, especially in the front strap and shoulder strap. The front flap in particular has developed a lot of wrinkles, but there is not any cracking, nor anything that is not natural for leather.

You can put it in backpack mode by running the strap through the large O-ring on the back, but I never have a need to use it that way. I removed one of the shoulder strap pads because I only wear it across the body over my shoulder. Except for a little bit of fuzz on the handle, the stitching has held together well. And despite getting a heavy amount of usage, there are no signs on the hardware of wear, weakness, or anything broken.

Best Leather Conclusion

Ultimately I’m very happy with the Saddleback Leather Large Thin Briefcase and I recommend it to anyone who relies on a briefcase or bag to carry their stuff around on a regular basis. It’s a little bit heavier and might not have all the compartments and zippers some like, but it’s strong leather that will carry your gear for decades to come, all while developing a beautiful patina. If you don’t have a briefcase from Saddleback Leather yet, I recommend either going to buy one or start saving.

Check out the thorough 1-year-later video below.