Duffle Archives - BestLeather.org

November 6, 2017December 19, 2017

Buffalo Jackson Ryder Reserve Bison Leather Duffle Review – $549.95

I’ll be the first to extol the virtues of nylon; it’s lightweight, extremely durable and cheap. It comprises the vast majority of travel bags. It also has no soul or character. Sometimes, dear readers, you just need a big, manly and rugged hold all. Not because you should or because it makes sense..but because you can. Enter the Buffalo Jackson Ryder Reserve Bison Leather Duffle.

Construction

Now, what sets this bag apart from most of the items we review is that it’s made from Bison and not cowhide. Bison hides have distinctive wrinkles and striations due to their less domesticated nature. The Ryder Reserve features full grain bison leather. This leather is remarkably supple and pliable, there’s virtually no need for breaking it in.

Copper rivets are used at all critical stress point areas as well as hefty stitching. The interior of the bag is lined with soft canvas and has two slotted pockets at either end with a large zippered pouch as well. The exterior has a slotted sleeve and buckled pouches on the ends. There are plenty of handles on this bag, you can briefcase carry, shoulder carry or even sling it over your back and carry from the end handles. All hardware is antique nickel including the bottom studs.

Those studs at the bottom are a nice feature to have, and you can tell Buffalo Jackson thought this out and just didn’t add metal bling wherever the eyes could see.

Function

Make no mistake, the Ryder Reserve is a large bag. With enough space for everything but the kitchen sink. My wife and daughter recently were out of a town for the weekend. I tried a little experiment and instead of us all packing a bag, we fit it all in the Ryder. It all fit, we just used little plastic bags to divide our contents. It really made for a more pleasurable outing since we all weren’t toting bags. However, the bag was very heavy. The Ryder is just under 10 lbs empty. The shoulder strap definitely helps with the load though.

The outside slotted sleeve was great for quick access to items like tablets and phones. The side pockets feature a buckle, great for securing more sensitive belongings. In a crowded place, such as a airport or subway, a thief can unzip a bag without detection pretty easily, but a buckle? No way! The interior zippered pocket is handy for smaller items you don’t want floating around.

Aesthetic

This bag really stands out. It’s funny, but the compliments almost get tedious after awhile. The Bison leather exudes a very masculine vibe that seems lost in another era. The antique nickel hardware gives the bag that polished feel and really completes the look. I appreciate the way the supple leather conforms to its surroundings. Taking a long look at the Ryder Reserve, and I can’t really think of anything that could be changed. I’m not saying it’s perfect, but I find it well balanced in its manufacture.

Definition of a hold all bag, if you can’t get it all in here – you’re probably packing too much!

Conclusion

After spending some quality time with the Ryder Reserve Bison Leather Duffle, I can draw out some main takeaways. This bag isn’t always the best option when you need to travel light and quick. When you’re taking your time and enjoying the trip however, this bag absolutely shines. With the almost overdone construction, I can imagine one day my future great grandchildren finding the Ryder in a dusty attic and using it, and the bag wouldn’t miss a beat.

November 5, 2015December 19, 2017

TUCKER & BLOOM LONDON DUFFEL REVIEW – $375.00

As much as I love leather, I’ll be the first to admit that sometimes it’s not the ideal material for certain situations. The strength and rigidity hinder its pliability, and packing it down when not in use is usually not an option. That’s when I usually opt for natural textiles, especially waxed cotton. In the search for a bag that has a good marriage of both materials, I came upon the Tucker & Bloom London Duffel.

ABOUT

Tucker & Bloom is a family owned business with a culmination of over 30 years in the bag industry. Founded by David & Case Bloom, the father and son duo started the company after 9/11 when the travel wear industry saw a large decline in activity. David Bloom was actually the director of Coach travel products in New York at the time and with his son Case who has a background in art, encouraged the birth of the company. Another interesting note, Case Bloom’s great grandfather is William Feinbloom, the founder of Champion Sportswear and inventor of the first hooded sweatshirt. All of their products are made from nationally sourced materials and fabricated in their Nashville factory.

CONSTRUCTION

Coming in at 20” Long x 14” High x 10″ Deep, the London Duffel is a large bag. The main body is made from American 18oz (per square yard of material) filter twill waxed canvas. Filter twill is a weaving method that utilizes diagonal threading over a plain weave, the result being a stronger, tighter fabric. The leather panels and straps are sourced from Kentucky. They are waxed and vegetable tanned. The shoulder strap is padded and has a very comfortable shearling lined pad. The interior is an orange four-ply Taslan Nylon lining and beefy #9 Riri zipper pulls contain all that awesomeness.

FUNCTION

The London Duffel is a classically styled bag with some great modern features. The properties of the Taslan lining make the material water resistant yet breathable, making this great for gym clothes and such. The bag’s capacity is ample – the savvy traveler will be able to pack for a week and a small family could get away with one London Duffel for an entire weekend.

The interior compartments are spacious but are pretty loose and don’t keep contents contained very well, an elastane strip along the top of the pockets would have been great. I would also like to see a zippered pouch near the top for quick retrieval of smaller items. The adjustable shoulder strap is easy to adjust and the shearling pad makes carrying the bag, even when loaded down, a surprisingly pleasant experience. And thanks to the waxed canvas this bag holds up great in wet conditions. So you can take this bag camping just as easy as you can to Disneyland.

AESTHETIC

The London Duffel is like a Toyota FJ40 Landcruiser. It can handle anything and looks good doing it. The coloring seems to dance from brownish to green depending on the lighting. Quality just seems to exude from the bag and it looks just as good on a bellman’s cart as it does thrown next to a pile of logs. It’s not the type of bag you’ll want to baby, thank goodness, and the waxed canvas does a great job of repelling stains. When at the airport, I’d definitely keep a close eye on the baggage carousel or else you might not get it back.

CONCLUSION

There’s a lot to choose from in the big bag market, if you’re not getting anywhere in your search, I heartily recommend Tucker & Bloom’s London Duffel. The capacity has you covered no matter what you’re doing and the solid construction will see you through it.

June 15, 2015December 19, 2017

Wilsons Leather Black Rivet Distressed Leather Duffel Review – $350

You travel the world, making your mark wherever you go. You look good. Is that enough, or do you want to look damn good? As I wrapped my hands around the handle of the Wilson Black Rivet Distressed Leather Duffel, I had answered my own question. The genuine leather exterior with contrast stitching, accented by distressed metal hardware had me looking for an excuse to plan my next overnight business trip.

About Wilsons Leather

Wilsons Leather came about in 1986 as the merger of Berman’s Buckskin, founded in 1899 when fringed buckskin shirts and jackets were de rigueur, and Wilsons House of Suede and Leather, made famous in the 1940s for its suede and leather apparel. The Melville Corporation merged the two companies into Wilson’s Leather in 1986. Today, after a series of acquisitions and brand name changes, Wilsons Leather products can still be found online and in its outlet stores across the United States.

Construction

The Wilsons Leather Black Rivet Distressed Leather Duffel is crafted with cow leather weighing a mere 1 pound, 11 ounces and uses a semi-chrome tanning process, giving the leather a soft, supple feel. The dark brown leather is complemented by contrast stitching and antiqued brass hardware on the padded leather handles and removable nylon carrying strap.

Turn the bag over, and you’ll encounter the same antiqued brass on the protective metal feet riveted to the structured base. At 21” W x 11” H x 10” D, there is plenty of space for two to three days of travel in this carry-on bag. It is just under the FAA guidelines of being less than 45 inches in total dimensions for carry-ons, so its sizing is perfect.

The interior is constructed of a black rip-stop nylon featuring a zip-across pocket and organizer panel with a cell phone holder and four slots for bank cards. The cell phone sleeve held my wife’s Galaxy S3 phone, but will not fit phones much larger. The zip-across pocket neatly holds any extras you’ll need for a two or three-day trip.

Function and Aesthetic

The Black Rivet Distressed Leather Duffel is sans doubt your go bag. If you need more space than this bag provides, it means you’ll be checking a bag at the airport. Sling the bag over your shoulder, and you won’t get uncomfortable with the leather-padded carrying strap. The two leather carrying handles are well-stitched, and afford another way to carry the bag. The hardware is heavy duty, so you won’t have to worry about the bag coming apart. The darker brown leather goes well paired with most any color, and stands outs by its looks alone.

I didn’t use the cell phone pouch or credit card pouch much, as I keep those items in my wallet or in my pocket. They might have been better replaced by another zippered pouch, but you may still find them useful when you’re in a hurry.

Conclusion

Distressed leather is very popular for a reason – it is beautiful when crafted well. The Black Rivet Distressed Leather Duffel exemplifies this beauty in its masculine appeal. Unsolicited compliments are common when I’m carrying this bag to and from my downtown office. It retails for $350 and is worth every penny, but you won’t be paying that much for it. It is $169.99 through Wilson’s Leather online, and if you happen to live close to a Wilson’s Leather Outlet store, you may find it for even more of a steal than that.