Marlondo Leather is back in action after a surprising hiatus. Some of you may already know that as a result of our review of his smartphone wallet back in August. This time around we’re reviewing one of Ma’s classic briefcases – the 15” Single Space Briefcase.
About Marlondo Leather
Ma Londo, founder of Marlondo Leather, made quite a splash when he entered into the leather bag world. He quickly garnered some good press, rave reviews of his creations and then, he was nowhere to be found. Fortunately, he is back and appears to be going strong with an updated website full of wonderful leathery goodness.
In non-typical form, Marlondo’s products are made in China…but with leather that is purchased and imported from the United States. In Ma’s own words, “Our bags are made to be used without worry. There are no cheap, breakable parts, no big, ugly logos, just products that will be loyal to you your whole life.”
Construction
I know it’s cliché to say, “it’s built like a tank” – but, the Marlondo Leather 16” Single Space Briefcase is built like a tank. Really. It ranks right up there with Saddleback and Thrux Lawrence as far as being über heavy duty in its construction. Thick, 100% full grain leather, heavy duty stitching, pigskin lining, solid brass nickel-plated heavy-duty hardware, and rivets…everywhere (40+ of those lil buggers).
For those of you who are, well…more “seasoned” in life (ahem, older) you might remember the American Tourister commercials with the suitcase being thrown around by a gorilla. Remember how it attempted to beat the snot out of it to no avail? I imagine this briefcase could easily withstand that same type of abuse. It’s solid, it’s heavy, it’s thick, and seemingly will last eons.
Function
As its name alludes, this briefcase only contains one main pocket in it. It’s spacious though and will easily transport a 15” laptop and any accessories you wish to carry. It does have one internal slot (a MacBook Air, iPad, or other thin device can slip into it easily), and on the side it features a couple of penholders and a key strap. Outside, it features a magazine/newspaper slot on the back, an open pocket on one side that’s suitable for a water bottle, while the other side has a pocket that is secured via a buckle and belt set up.
The other nice feature of this bag is that it has attachment d-rings all over it. There are plenty of aftermarket straps and accessories that will easily clip on to this bag allowing you to add on and customize it to your liking. And, you can reconfigure the hefty shoulder strap so that the bag may be carried as a backpack. The strap does include two soft, cushy strap pads making this an even more appealing method of carrying the bag.
Aesthetic
Aesthetically, it’s very pleasing. The nice dark brown leather is already aging well at this point and is garnering a nice patina. Currently my middle son is carrying this bag in college over in Montana. So, it is seeing daily usage. He has grown very fond of the bag and says it gets lots of compliments from friends, other students, and professors alike. Personally, I think the Marlondo Leather 16” Single Space Briefcase is an ideal every day carry bag. It sports enough capacity to carry whatever is needed and it does so in style. It doesn’t feature a unique design – but personifies the classic leather briefcase style really well.
In addition to the comfortable shoulder strap pads, it also features a thickly-padded handle. One thing to note – with a classic briefcase in this style (from virtually any leather company), you must completely close the main compartment’s flap via both buckles if you wish to carry the bag by the handle. It’s not a big deal – just something that needs to be pointed out about the basic functionality of this classically styled briefcase. If you prefer to keep the straps unsecured, you just need to plan on carrying it by the shoulder strap only.
Conclusion
Marlondo Leather’s 16” Single Space Briefcase is a solid performer. It truly is built like a tank and will take virtually any abuse you can shell out while still maintaining great looks. It’s fairly priced at $380 given its time-tested design and use of high quality materials. This briefcase is also available in a 14” version should you desire a slightly smaller version. Marlondo Leather looks to be back for good this time, so purchase with confidence and enjoy your leather.
