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Marked Leather Passport Holder Review – $65

Traveling internationally – whether by air, boat, rail, or automobile is always an exciting undertaking. And, it definitely requires some advance planning. Whenever I have an upcoming trip, I make a list of things that need to go with me and I ensure that everything has a place. When I travel out of the United States, I’m keenly aware of my passport’s location at all times. So, it makes sense to store it in a manner that protects it, yet keeps it handy too. And, if you can do it in a stylish manner too…well, that’s just icing on the cake.

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About Marked Leather

This is the second piece from Marked Leather that we’ve reviewed. Recently we published a review of the Marked Satchel (another great piece for travel…and you’ll see a picture of the Passport Holder with the Satchel there too). Marked Leather is based out of Minneapolis, MN. With an eye for attractive, fashion forward designs and a focus on using quality materials, Marked Leather is making a good name for itself in the leather industry.

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Construction

The Marked Leather Passport Holder doesn’t have any visible scars on it. However, its pebbled texture is soft, supple and floppy. Soft, floppy leather feels really good. The leather used is a thinner cowhide. Marked Leather previously used a heavier, thicker vegetable tanned leather for their passport holders. However, it was stiff and somewhat bulky. So, they switched over to thinner leather, reducing bulk, and offering a more flexible holder. The thread used is nylon. On my particular passport holder, the thread is an attractive medium blue color and creates a nice contrast with the dark brown leather.

Inside you’ll find a slip pocket for the passport on the right along with a nicely designed cardholder. On the left side is a pocket for other travel related paperwork.

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Function

I do like the thin profile of this passport holder. It’s flexible enough that I can keep my passport in the holder while maneuvering it to scan at a ticket kiosk. If you prefer, you can use the pocket on the inner left to secure the front cover of your passport – this too speeds up the maneuvering process in my opinion. It certainly does not add much bulk to your passport’s profile and allows you to slide your passport into a coat pocket or the pocket of a bag/backpack with ease.

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Aesthetic

The pebble grain texture of this medium brown leather looks fantastic. And, as already mentioned, it has a very supple feel to it. The thread seams are excellent. The Marked™ tag is tastefully placed on the inside just below the card slot. All in all, I really like the way the Marked Leather Passport Case looks with my passport in it. It generates a feeling of sophistication and a level of organization that I appreciate.

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Conclusion

The Marked Leather Passport Case is a winner. If you enjoy leather accessories and like to keep your personal items swathed in attractive, durable leather, then order one…you’ll be pleased.

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Marked Leather Marked Satchel- $360

The majority of leather and leather production is focused on perfection. The goal is to harvest hides from animals with little imperfection, process them without damage, tan them without flaw, and create products with beautiful, pristine leather.

But, there’s an emerging, growing sector of the population that sees leather that is considered as imperfect as something to be appreciated. Marked Leather is at the forefront of producing high quality leather bags from scarred, marked leather and what they’re making looks fantastic.

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About

Marked Leather is based in Minneapolis, MN and owned /operated by Scott Loeser and Rhea O’Connor. Marked Leather is the result of both Scott and Rhea graduating from The Maker’s Coalition. Now, Marked Leather is a champion for this program.

After getting the chance to email and speak with Scott, we agreed to review Marked Leather‘s Marked Satchel.

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Construction

The Marked Satchel is a well-designed bag. It’s created from premium top grain leather. This particular bag’s leather came from Columbia, however future versions of Marked’s products will feature leather sourced from Thiele Tannery in Milwaukee, WI. The leather has a nice feel to it. One of BestLeather’s other reviewers referred to some leather he recently reviewed as “buttery soft”. Those words can aptly be applied to the leather of the Marked Satchel too.

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The satchel features antique brass hardware and heavy gauge, nylon thread in a chestnut color. It also has a cinch strap buckle system for securing the main flap of the bag. These straps, along with the adjustable shoulder strap are made from a thick, canvas-like material. The interior of the bag is lined with an attractive plaid material from Mill Creek.

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Function

As mentioned earlier, the Marked Satchel is a well-designed bag. It’s surprisingly large and will easily carry whatever you need for daily use. It’s also an excellent travel satchel and will definitely perform well as an overnight bag.

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It has several pockets and storage areas. On the back of the bag is a large, open pocket that’s perfect for slipping your newspaper or magazine into while traveling. Under the main flap you’ll find a large pocket that is secured with a large snap button. In thinking about travel…especially international travel, this is a great spot to store your passport. In the large, main compartment is a small zipper pocket in the rear that will store all of your small pieces with ease (think keys, flashlight, wallet, gum, etc.). The satchel will easily accommodate a 15” laptop and lots of other stuff. That main compartment is big. The shoulder strap is thick, wide, easily adjustable, and comfortable. It’s easily carried on your shoulder, can be adjusted to wear cross body, or just use the soft, comfy handle.

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One thing that took some time to adjust to…and I’m not still a big fan of, is the way the main flap has to be secured. It’s a little awkward and time consuming in order to fully secure the flap using the two cinch straps. Fortunately, the bag is easily carried whether or not you have the flap full secured.

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Aesthetic

I think this bag looks great. The color of the leather, a nice chocolate-brown is visually appealing. And, I’m one of those people who have developed an appreciation for leather with scars, brands, stretch marks, and blemishes. There are certainly those detractors who’ll let you know that “stretch marks weaken the leather” and my usual reply is, I’m not carrying tons of weight in this thing, so the tensile strength on this leather will more than suffice for the rest of my life.

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I do think the tide is changing on what’s acceptable in the leather marketplace. I’ve had lots of compliments on this bag – especially inquiries about the brand. People want to know about it. While some people anticipate having a bag with patina on it in time, this bag comes loaded with a story and yes, appeal. Whose brand is it? Where is it from? It creates questions and people enjoy it.

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The other great thing is…I will most likely never run into someone who has the same bag with the same brand in the same location. If you’re looking for unique…look no further.

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Conclusion

The Marked Leather Marked Satchel is a standout among others in the leather satchel market. It’s solidly constructed from quality materials and offers a unique, visually appealing style. At $360, it’s a good buy and will definitely serve you well for many, many years.