Saddleback Leather Large Satchel Review
Published on BestLeather.org
If you spend any amount of time away from home base, whether it’s hiking through the Tongass National Forest, sightseeing at Chichen Itza, hauling your camera gear to a wedding photo shoot, or just attending an out-of-town conference, then you’re going to need a sturdy bag to carry your necessities. After several years of journeying with cheap bags, I finally realized that if this is an important item I use on a regular basis, then a higher quality bag is worth the extra money. My search for a proper bag led me to the Saddleback Leather Large Leather Satchel. It was the right size and made of the right stuff, it has done a great job for the past 6 months, and its classic design is the right look.
Aesthetic
Saddleback Leather makes all of their bags with full grain leather, but several months ago, they unveiled a new controversial leather style for all of their products. It is still full grain, but now the natural scarring and marking from the life of the cow aren’t cut away and are clearly seen on the finished bags. It’s not necessarily a design that fits everyone’s style, it’s not what I would call chic or suave, but it’s a rugged look that many will certainly find appealing.
I bought the new tobacco color. Saddleback’s previous tobacco color didn’t interest me–it was too light and too yellow. However, all the pictures of this new tobacco color on Saddleback’s website showed it as a rich color with much more character. When it arrived in the mail, I first thought they accidentally sent me a dark coffee brown satchel–it’s much darker than all of the pictures on their website. I emailed them with pictures, but they assured me it was indeed tobacco. Ultimately it’s still a beautiful color and texture, but unfortunately the real-life color is not quite as beautiful as the official pictures.
The aesthetic of this bag is simple; the large pieces of leather and double stitching complemented by the straps and buckles make for a classic design. The leather, with its barbwire scars and cattle-prod scars from the cow, is beautiful. Despite the slight downtick for the color not being quite as light as I thought it would, this satchel is still an amazing looking bag. In a sea of cheap backpacks and bags, this one is certainly eye-catching. Be prepared to get noticed (and most likely complimented). I would make it our dining room centerpiece if my wife would let me.
Construction
The large version of the Saddleback Leather Satchel (pictured in this article) is 14 inches wide, 11 inches high, and 5 inches deep. It’s made up of only two main pieces of leather–the front flap curves over the top and down the back, around to both sides, and then curves under the bottom to meet the large front panel. Fewer pieces mean less seams, which in turn means a more durable bag with less points to wear down or break. All of the seams are double stitched and the stress points are reinforced with rivets.
There are no zippers or snaps at all on this bag. Those tend to break or wear down quickly on a bag that gets used regularly. Instead, this satchel has ten D-rings in strategic places all over, and a large O-ring on the back behind the handle. The shoulder strap clips onto the D-rings with a dog leash-like clasp, and the front flap secures into a large buckle. All of the hardware is nickel-plated brass, and after more than six months of use it’s showing no signs of damage or wear, and it works like the day I got it.
Saddleback’s relatively newer leather style is noticeably softer than older versions. It strikes that delicate balance between soft and supple, while remaining tough and durable. This is especially evident with the pigskin. Whereas with previous versions you wouldn’t be able to scratch or scuff the pigskin at all, this newer kind is considerably softer and scratches and scuffs just as easily as the rest of the bag. The only downside of this leather is when friends or strangers catch you groping it–the thick material folds and bends softly–and really, that’s why we love leather so much.
Functionality
The large version of the Saddleback Leather Large Leather Satchel is mainly one large open compartment on the inside. It’s not neat and tidy; it’s a free-for-all for whatever you can fit in there. I once had in there a winter coat along with a camera, first aid kit, notebook, and various other smaller objects. The leather stretches bulges and stretches, and it looks beautiful when it does, so it can be pretty accommodating. There are outside and inside pockets on either side, and they can easily fit a phone, knife, or other small water bottle, and can stretch a little to fit a medium sized water bottle. The back pocket runs along the entire back side, and is useful for sliding in loose flat items like newspapers. Running the entire length of the inside is a pigskin flap, which is perfect for sliding in a notebook or folder while the bag is already packed full of other stuff.
The bag weighs about five pounds by itself. If you’re hiking with it over your shoulder and you have it loaded full of stuff, it can get heavy after a couple of miles. Likewise, having it flapping around while biking can be cumbersome. Fortunately by attaching the strap clasps to the bottom back D-rings and running the strap through the large O-ring, it converts easily into a backpack mode. This is perfect for carrying a heavier load or doing more strenuous activities. The way the satchel is rounded at the bottom means it fits comfortably as a backpack. I wore mine like this while hiking, skiing, biking, and various other activities and didn’t feel a bit of discomfort.
Best Leather Conclusion
This is a great travel or adventure bag. It’s versatile and large enough to carry anything you’d need while spending a day away from home. The rugged look of the scarred leather might not be everyone’s cup of coffee, but the bag is durable and the classic design has adventure written all over it. If you’re considering buying this bag then do yourself a favor and go for it.
Saddleback Leather Large Leather Satchel
Check out this thorough review video below to see it in action.
Saddleback Leather Thin Briefcase Review
Published on BestLeather.org
If a bag is something you use every day, then sooner or later you’ll come to realize that it’s worth the money to invest in something of better quality. One year ago I was in this predicament and I finally decided to bite the bullet and spend a little more on a leather briefcase. I wanted something durable that would last, as well as something functional and easy on the eyes. When the mail arrived with my Saddleback Leather Large Thin Briefcase I knew I had made the right choice.
After opening the clear plastic packaging and slipping the briefcase out, I immediately noticed the aroma of the fresh leather. You know the smell. Before I examined the bag any further, I had to first bring it close to my face and take a few seconds to enjoy the scent–something I’ve repeated many times since.
Aesthetic
Saddleback Leather is known for their classic briefcase. It is a beautiful design, but at 9 inches deep, it is a little too big for my tastes. The thin briefcase is a 4 1/2 inch deep version of the same design, minus the cool belts that wrap around the whole bag.
I originally got the medium, but as soon as I opened the package I knew it was too small. At 15 inches wide, it looked too small in my hand and too small over my shoulder. The carrying capacity was fine; I was able to snuggly fit my 15 inch Asus laptop in it, but it just didn’t look right to me. I am not a huge guy (I’m about 5 feet 10 inches tall with broad shoulders), but it looked like a mini briefcase on my frame. So I contacted Saddleback and exchanged it for the large, which their customer service made very easy for me.
As soon as I saw the Large Thin Briefcase, I knew I had made the right decision. It’s 17 inches wide, 12 1/2 inches tall, and 4 1/2 inches deep. Like all of Saddleback’s bags it’s made from full grain leather and doesn’t have any zippers, snaps, or anything like that. Instead it’s all straps, buckles, and D-rings.
The aesthetic is classic and the design is functional, but it’s not for everyone. I don’t necessarily see it as a slick accessory for an executive in the boardroom. It is more suited to a photographer lugging gear around the city or a young professor carrying documents across campus. However you choose to use it though, be prepared to get noticed and receive compliments.
The more I have used this bag, the more beautiful it has become. Over time, it has collected scratches, scuffs, and wrinkles that make for a beautiful patina. As the leather softens and develops more character, it only adds to the classic and already attractive design of the bag. And with Saddleback’s 100 year warranty, you’re guaranteed to be able to use this briefcase for a lifetime.
Construction
Some other bags you’ll come across will 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 thin briefcase is made up of only four main pieces of leather: the front flap going around all the way down the back, the front panel, and the two gussets that run the entire length of the bag.
It is all 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.
On the inside it’s made up of two main compartments, with a pigskin pocket and two side pockets in the front compartment, and a simple open compartment in the back. The inside is lined with pigskin, which is incredibly tough stuff made to reinforce the already tough full grain leather. An additional full-sized pocket runs along the back of the briefcase. There aren’t a ton of compartments, it’s more of a minimalist approach, and with the lack of zippers and pockets it might not to be to some people’s liking.
Functionality
It’s surprising how much can be packed into this thin briefcase. I carry it with me every day and it is typically filled with my laptop, notebooks, lunch bag, pens, knife, folders, and often much more. The more you pack in, the more the leather stretches and bulges to accommodate a full capacity. Is it heavy? Yes–compared to many of the other options out there, especially a canvas bag. But it’s tough leather and in my opinion looks much better, so it’s a trade-off you’ll have to consider. Do not expect this briefcase to float in the air behind you, but it will not bend your spine, either.
This briefcase has been used almost every day back and forth from my house to my office, and the leather has softened considerably, especially in the front strap and shoulder strap. The front flap in particular has developed a lot of wrinkles, but there is not any cracking, nor anything that is not natural for leather.
You can put it in backpack mode by running the strap through the large O-ring on the back, but I never have a need to use it that way. I removed one of the shoulder strap pads because I only wear it across the body over my shoulder. Except for a little bit of fuzz on the handle, the stitching has held together well. And despite getting a heavy amount of usage, there are no signs on the hardware of wear, weakness, or anything broken.
Best Leather Conclusion
Ultimately I’m very happy with the Saddleback Leather Large Thin Briefcase and I recommend it to anyone who relies on a briefcase or bag to carry their stuff around on a regular basis. It’s a little bit heavier and might not have all the compartments and zippers some like, but it’s strong leather that will carry your gear for decades to come, all while developing a beautiful patina. If you don’t have a briefcase from Saddleback Leather yet, I recommend either going to buy one or start saving.
Check out the thorough 1-year-later video below.