The team at BestLeather has the privilege of seeing lots and lots of leather products. Since we’re leather aficionados (aka leather nerds), we think of it as a major perk for being part of this team. But, even for us there are those times when we see a leather bag or another product and remark to anyone who’s willing to listen, “oh…they really got that one right.” Those are the words I uttered when I opened the email from Kendal & Hyde regarding their newest bag, the Classic Leather Satchel.
About Kendal & Hyde
Kendal & Hyde is located in Salt Lake City, UT and San Francisco, CA. They have a great eye for design and details. This is evident when you look at the list of successful Kickstarters (now on their 4th) they’ve created since 2014. Their products are functional, appealing, and built to stand the rigors of daily use and time.
Construction
The Medium Classic Leather Satchel we received here is a working prototype of what’s to come in their production run. Said production run is guaranteed to happen now that they’ve eclipsed their Kickstarter goal of $50k (they are now well on their way to doubling that number).
If you’re a veg tan fan…you’re in luck here. The Classic Leather Satchel is 100% vegetable tanned leather. It’s being featured in natural, black, and medium brown colors. The leather is thick and only slightly stiff. This is a bag that will definitely develop a gorgeous patina over time.
It also comes in three sizes:
- Large – 17.75″W x 13″H x 9″D
- Medium –15.75″W x 12″H x 9″D
- Small – 14.25″W x 11″H x 6″D
All three sizes contain the same features and design elements. This Kickstarter has generated some very interesting conversations in some of the leather groups we follow on Facebook. The overwhelming majority of those discussions have been very positive and supportive. However, there are always those who like to make comparisons or make unsupported claims of duplicating another design. I’m never a fan of those comparisons and complaints. I often find them unfounded and usually untrue. The cold hard truth is that there are only so many ways to create a satchel-styled bag. This version is in fact, very unique in several ways:
- the Buffalo nickel on the handle wrap
- full vegetable tanned leather
- the thickness of shoulder pad is amazing
- it features a single piece side and bottom—no seam in the center
- hardware that is unrivaled in quality (solid brass)
- the center pocket is for a laptop and is designed to keep it from being bumped from any direction…a very unique and effective strategy.
- includes a dedicated iPad pocket that also keeps it from being knocked around as well
- the unique, modular aspect, which allows for additional pockets, straps, and accessories to be added to the satchel for personal customization. The line of accessories will continue to be developed and works on all of the satchels in this line (and will work with future designs too)
So, as you can see there are many elements here that differentiate the Kendal & Hyde Satchel. Personally, I’m thrilled to see the modular design aspect incorporated. It’s brilliant. As a fan of vintage Swiss Army leather goods, I really like the design of the single and triple pouches…which definitely hearken back to the ammunition pouches from the Swiss Army.
Function
Since this is a prototype, we haven’t had the luxury of using this as rigorously or as long as we usually do when putting together our reviews. However, the feel of this bag, the quality of construction, and the design elements included lead us to believe that this bag will perform its role for you in high style and perfection.
We look forward to being able to report on regular usage once we receive the production models. We’ll be featuring full reviews of those in just a couple of months.
Aesthetic
Clean lines, exceptional build quality, and top of the line components all blend together for a visually appealing feast. Sounds cheesy but it’s true. The Kendal & Hyde Classic Satchel exudes class and style in my opinion. It appears that it will look great whether it’s carried over the shoulder, cross body, or in backpack mode.
Conclusion
The Kickstarter for the Kendal & Hyde Classic Satchel is still going. Secure one in the size and color you want and you’ll save about $100 off the normal price. Also, all of the modular pieces and other accessories are discounted. We’ve had a total of four reviewers from our team check out this Kendal & Hyde Satchel. The overwhelming consensus is that we highly recommend that you get one ordered for yourself. It’s definitely a Buy It for Life Satchel that you’ll be able to hand down for many generations.
