High On Leather Vintage Brown Messenger Bag Review — $85

When you have a nice leather product, people tend to notice. Same thing with a fresh haircut. But when they say, “Nice bag” (or “Nice haircut”), it usually isn’t actually a positive judgement. Instead, they’re simply saying they noticed. People noticed me carrying High On Leather’s Vintage Brown Leather Messenger Bag too, and they’d make that sort of non-judgemental comment. Then I’d say, “It’s east-Indian goat leather.” Then they’d raise their eyebrows as if to say, “Really?”—now making an actual judgement with an impressed expression. East-Indian goat leather sounds exotic, right? I think so too. That’s not the only cool thing about this bag either.

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About High On Leather

The bag came to me all the way from India, where High On Leather is located. They’ve been shipping their products to customers worldwide for the last seven years. Their goal is to make high-quality leather products at unbelievably low prices—sometimes for as little as 60% of the prices of their competitors. If you like leather products but often find the prices too high, this is a vender you ought to check out.

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Construction

As for the bag, the seams are close stitched, some of them double stitched. The inner lining is a rugged green canvas—reminding me of a World War II soldier’s accoutrements. The buckle, brads, and other metal components have a really solid feel, and I don’t doubt they’ll last as long as the leather.

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Function

When you pick up the bag, you’ll immediately notice that it’s lightweight (goat leather tends to be thinner than cow leather). I suppose this could be a negative attribute—if you’re dangling for dear life from the bag’s strap off the edge of a cliff. But for the typical urban user, goat leather has plenty of toughness and will make for a long-lasting, durable companion. What’s more, the thinner leather is, as I said, lighter, and if you’re toting it around with you all day, that’s a very good quality.

I also appreciated the variety of pockets and compartments on the inside of the bag. The main compartment has several small ones on either side, including ones with zippers. If you’re the sort of person who cares about organization, you’ll love it. The top flap clasps down magnetically with two brass fasteners, and hearing them snap into place is kind of cool.

One negative note: when the bag is packed full, the flap doesn’t fall low enough to reach its clasps, and you have to tug it down a bit. This seemed like a slight design oversight, but it won’t be an issue if you’re carrying a lighter load. Also, because the leather is so thin, the framework is a little soft. Basically, this means it will not stand up on it’s own when empty—it keeps flopping over. However, when I have items inside, they keep the structure, and the bag stands like any briefcase might.

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Aesthetic

If you’re a leather connoisseur, you may have heard that goat leather can have a strong smell. This is often true, but it’s only a correlation, not a causation. Goat leather can be produced at a lower cost than other leathers, so it tends to be used by people cutting corners. And if you cut corners on the tanning process, a foul odor can remain with the leather. But High On Leather pays close attention to the tanning process, and I didn’t have any olfactory problems with this bag. Granted it didn’t have the fine aroma that some leather has; it was more of a neutral smell.

The bag looks great too, comparable to any other you’d see on the market. But I guess I’ll let you make that judgement based on the photos.

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BestLeather Conclusion

I really ought to make a point about the price. I’ve reviewed little wallets that cost more than High On Leather’s Vintage Brown Leather Messenger Bag. And I’ve seen numerous messenger bags that cost three times as much as this one. Basically, the price should be key in deciding whether this is the right product for you. If you enjoy leather products but the cost keeps you away, this is a great option. It’s real, affordable leather.

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Mario Latorre Baroni Rustico Review – $385

Working with leather companies has grown to be one of my favorite things. From the initial email to the phone call discussing a company and its products, it is truly a unique and enjoyable job. I have dealt with numerous leather companies, and each time I am always impressed with their passion and purpose in the leather field. Every company has a different take on products and an individual style. Mario Latorre has consistently been one of the most enjoyable companies to work with. Their passion for quality, masculine style, and truly high-quality bags were enough to make me ask for a round two. This time around we’ll be looking at the Baroni Rustico—a rustic take on a modern style bag.

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About Mario Latorre

We discovered Mario Latorre at a Las Vegas fashion expo, where they invited us in to their booth to talk and show off a beautiful line of leather products. Their products immediately impressed the BestLeather team. It was a genuinely enjoyable and informative encounter. Right from their “About Us” tab: “At Mario Latorre, we strive to bring classy and trendy designs to the modern man, with superb materials gathered from various countries. Elegance, quality and attention to detail is our mission, and we provide our customers with a unique experience and total satisfaction.”

This company is dedicated to the fashionable man, and the Baroni Rustico is a perfect example of this philosophy. Once again I am more than pleased to have the opportunity to work with Mario Latorre and their elegant products.

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Construction and Function

The Baroni Rustico boasts Nano-technology treated leather– the same leather used in BMW and McLaren automobile interiors. It undergoes numerous tests for quality and is absolutely long lasting. Like the previous Mario Latorre bag I reviewed, the Bottini, the invisible layer of Nano-technology has come in handy several times this year. The outside, which has a large slim pocket running across the length, features a phone sleeve, card slots, and several penholders for easy organization that stays flat underneath the flap. This is convenient so you don’t have to unzip the main pouch to access your stuff. The inside of the bag is quite minimalistic, with one main zippered pouch and a smaller zippered pocket along the back.

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Built 14” long by 12” high and just 3” wide, this bag stays nice and slim. There’s not a ton of room, but you can easily fit a laptop and notebook. I have taken this messenger to several coffee shops and stores, and every time it does its job flawlessly. The organizational pouches on the front also give everything a specific place to maintain that slim look. Two strong hidden magnets keep the flap closed while eliminating the need for a buckle, again adding to the sleek look.

Aesthetic

The Baroni Rustico is a rustic style of the classic messenger mixed with modern essentials. The inside of the bag is minimal, but not to the point of ineffectiveness. The deep brown color does not clash with anything, and it always looks sophisticated when worn because of its simple, stylish design. The shoulder strap is quite comfortable, and can also easily be adjusted to your body. I have been pleased time and again with how this bag performs, appears, and feels, especially after several compliments on the Baroni Rustico when I would wear it out. It is extremely obvious that this bag is high quality. If you are looking for a modern messenger bag that still has the rustic, masculine appearance, I highly recommend the Baroni Rustico.

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Conclusion

Overall I am very pleased by my experiences with Mario Latorre and their stylish products. Both leather bags I have reviewed are extremely well made. The Baroni Rustico is a solid choice for the guy in search of a modern, slim bag with a rustic edge. While the price tag may seem a bit high at $385, the Baroni Rustico is definitely worth the investment. Head over to Mario Latorre’s website and check out their fine selection of leather products and accessories.

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Moore & Giles Carlton Courier Bag Review – $610

There are tons of messenger bags on the market, and sometimes it can be tough to choose one that stands out as your style. An easy way to make your bag stand out is by selecting a unique leather. Moore & Giles has done just this with their Carlton Courier Bag made with American Bison leather.

Moore & Giles Carlton Courier 6ABOUT MOORE AND GILES

Moore & Giles has been firmly entrenched in the leather industry since it was founded in 1933 in Lynchburg, VA. Currently, Moore & Giles employs more than 70 people in its headquarters in Forest, Virginia with representation in every major metropolitan area as well as strategic partnerships in England, Germany, France, United Arab Emirates, Singapore, and Hong Kong.

Moore & Giles designs and develops luxurious natural leathers for leather upholstery, residential leather, hospitality leather and aviation leather. In 2007 they also introduced a collection of luxury leather bags and accessories as an additional avenue to showcase their leathers.

We’ve reviewed quite a few Moore & Giles products including the Bray Sportsman Duffel, Donald Dopp Kitt, and Brennan Rucksack. A few weeks ago, we published an interview with Thomas Brennan, one of their product designers. You can read the interview here. Today, we’ll be taking a look at the Carlton Courier Bag.

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THE LEATHER

Moore & Giles beautiful bison leather is really the star of the show here. The natural wrinkles and striations of the bison hide set it apart and give it a very luxurious look. The leather is supple, yet sturdy. The bag also comes in a slightly darker cowhide called Titan Milled Brown. Each bag comes with a monogramming option, located at the top of the exterior pocket. The leather is absolutely perfect, and will require some maintenance to remain supple and scuff-free. We reviewed Moore & Giles proprietary leather conditioner here, which works very well on this bag. We’ve reviewed quite a few other leather conditioners, which you can read about on our “Leather Care” tag.

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CONSTRUCTION & AESTHETIC

The Carlton Courier measures in at 15” x 10” x 4”,  slightly smaller than the average messenger bag. Its compact inside space is maximized by several zippered pockets:  a small pouch on the front, a slim one on the front of the inside, and a large pocket that stretches the whole back of the bag. The rest of the bag, between the two interior zippered pouches, is totally open in the middle, leaving room for books, tablets, notebooks, or a 13″ laptop.

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The edges are all trimmed and finished nicely, and the inside of the bag and the top flap are lined with Moore & Giles classic fabric liner. Despite the thick leather, the messenger bag stays fairly slim, and doesn’t get bulky even when full.

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The Carlton has the classic, buckled double strap look, but with a convenient twist — you won’t have to fiddle with a buckle every time you want to open your bag. Instead of traditional heel bar buckles, hidden slide locks fasten the straps for quick access with the press of the button. The slide locks don’t feel cheap or easily breakable, making the tradeoff from heel buckles feel less scary. They also hide very well under the buckles, and no one will ever know the difference.

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The strap is attached to the bag with D-rings and a lobster claw clasp, and the thick padded strap is unusually comfortable. These straps are removable if you prefer to carry it as a briefcase, and the top handle is sturdy enough to do so.

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CONCLUSION

The Carlton Courier Bag is a traditionally styled, compact messenger bag set apart by its thick, beautifully finished American Bison leather. American Bison leather is always quite pricy, so $610 seems a fair price for such a large amount of high quality leather. Moore & Giles continues to make classy, well-constructed items for the high-end buyer.

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Saddleback Large Leather Satchel Review – $408

There comes a time to take the leap from a nylon messenger bag to a quality leather piece that excels in both form and function. If you search for “best leather bag” in Google, the first hit will be the Saddleback Leather Company website– and for good reason. Saddleback Leather (SBL) is a Texas-based company specializing in full-grain, fully tanned leather goods designed to last a lifetime and beyond. This is an online company whose commitment to well-made leather products have earned it a cult following among the style and leather forums across the internet. Today I’ll be taking a look at their Large Leather Satchel.

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CONSTRUCTION & AESTHETIC

Saddleback uses full-grain chrome tanned leather, all fully dyed. This particular satchel is in their Black color, which is a darker version than the Carbon color they used to use. The satchel also comes in Chestnut, Dark Coffee Brown, and Tobacco. The leather, as always with Saddleback, is extremely high quality and sturdy, getting softer and more supple with age. You can learn a bit about the leather Saddleback uses on their website.

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Some bags 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 Leather Satchel is made up of only two main pieces of leather: the front flap going around all the way down the back, and the front panel. The edges are rounded to accommodate this design.

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To further strengthen the bag, all seams are 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. I appreciate that this satchel has only one strap and is relatively minimalist with the hardware. I think it has a simple and classic look while still maintaining the hefty “Saddleback” look. I’m not always a huge fan of their products that have tons of pockets and jangly bits, so I think this satchel strikes a nice balance.

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FUNCTION

A large ring at the top of the bag allows you to convert the satchel into a backpack if you so choose. Just detach the lobster claw clasps from the sides, run the strap through the ring, and reattach to the smaller rings at the bottom. There’s even two shoulder pads to keep you comfortable. Of course, using such thick and sturdy leather means the bag weighs about 5 pounds empty. This isn’t terribly heavy, all things considered, but it will be an adjustment if you’re not accustomed to carrying around quality leather bags.

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The bag features a two side pouches and a slim pouch that runs across the back for quick access. The inside of the satchel has two small phone or pen compartments, a key fob strap, and a sleeve for an iPad, book, or notebook. You can also fit an 11″ MacBook in the sleeve. A 13″ MacBook or other laptop can fit in the large pouch. At 14” W x 11” H x 5” D, the satchel is a nice in-between size. Not too bulky, but has plenty of room to fit what you need to run to a class or a meeting.

Saddleback Large Satchel 2 This satchel comes in two smaller sizes. The small is 10” W x 9” H x 4” D, for $308, and the medium is 12” W x 10” H x 4” D, for $378. I imagine these sizes would function well for ladies as a purse, too.

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CONCLUSION

The Saddleback Large Leather Satchel is an excellent choice for an everyday carry bag. It is spacious and functional without being bulky. The hefty leather, strong seams, and sturdy hardware will outlast you and all the items you put in it. Its simple lines and classic color means this leather satchel will never go out of style.

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Perfect size for cats to hide in, too.

Moore & Giles Canady Haversack Review – $850

Moore & Giles has been firmly entrenched in the leather industry since it was founded in 1933 in Lynchburg, VA. Currently, Moore & Giles employs more than 70 people in its headquarters in Forest, Virginia with representation in every major metropolitan area as well as strategic partnerships in England, Germany, France, United Arab Emirates, Singapore, and Hong Kong.

Moore & Giles designs and develops luxurious natural leathers for leather upholstery, residential leather, hospitality leather and aviation leather. In 2007 they also introduced a collection of luxury leather bags and accessories as an additional avenue to showcase their leathers.

We’ve reviewed a few Moore & Giles products including the Bray Sportsman Duffel, Donald Dopp Kitt, and Brennan Rucksack. A few weeks ago, we published an interview with Thomas Brennan, one of their product designers. You can read the interview here. Today, we’ll be taking a look at his Canady Haversack. Keep an eye out for more reviews of Moore & Giles products, coming soon!

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THE LEATHER

Moore & Giles beautiful milled leather is really the star of the show here. It’s supple, yet sturdy. My Canady Haversack is in the color they call “Titan Milled Brown,” a lovely rich brown. It also comes in Brompton Brown, a darker color, and Titan Milled Gunmetal, a deep black with brown accents. Each bag comes with a monogramming option, located at the top of the exterior pocket.Moore and Giles Canady Haversack 9

 

The leather is absolutely perfect, and will require some maintenance to remain supple and scuff-free. We reviewed Moore & Giles proprietary leather conditioner here, which works very well on this bag. We’ve reviewed quite a few other leather conditioners, which you can read about on our “Leather Care” tag.

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CONSTRUCTION & AESTHETIC

The Canady Haversack has a very unique tapered construction. It’s a cross between a messenger bag and a briefcase, allowing easy access to the contents of the bag while maintaining the sleek handled look of a briefcase. The bag has D-rings that attach to a leather shoulder strap for shoulder carry if you prefer, but the bag does look pretty sleek as a briefcase, and its padded handles make it easy to carry by hand.

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Lined with Moore & Giles signature fabric liner, this bag features a padded laptop sleeve and lots of functional little pockets. The main compartment unzips at an angle so the bag conveniently sits upright on its own. The angled zip means the bag opens and expands quite a lot, but is supported by a piece of liner that connects opposite sides of the zipper. The Canady Haversack measures 15” x 11.5” x 4.5”, a nice medium-sized messenger. You can fit plenty of items in here, and view and access them all with ease.

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The main pouch features several reinforced pockets in the liner, where you can store folders, pens, and notebooks. The front pouch has pockets for business cards and a slot for your cell phone. If you have a bulky case on your phone, it imprints the front of the leather, making it obvious that you have a phone there and stretching the leather a little bit. It’s a minor issue, but it does interrupt the sleek aesthetic of the bag.

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CONCLUSION

The Moore & Giles Canady Haversack is a beautiful, functional bag that will absolutely stand the test of time. If you’re looking for an everyday carry bag that will keep you organized, the Canady Haversack is a great option. It’s expensive, but it’s not unusual to pay a premium for Moore & Giles famous leather and thoughtful design.

Kendal & Hyde Medium Classic Leather Satchel – First Impressions

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.

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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.

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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.

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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

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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)

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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.

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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.

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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.

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