A Leather Briefcase they'll fight over when you're dead

The previous reviews are right on target with my own experience as far as build quality, style and function go but I thought I would add my own review from a female perspective.

I have been in search of the perfect all-purpose bag for what seems like my entire life. I can't tell you how many times my husband has rolled his eyes at yet another bag purchase; one time we actually made a trip into Manhattan just so I could buy a leather backpack I saw in a store window when we were hurrying by and found out later I couldn't get it anywhere else! I have had numerous big name bags that for various reasons did not make the grade: Coach - started to look terribly shabby after a year. Vuitton -ripped after 6 months! Frye - zipper tore out. The list goes on and I will admit that I am hard on bags so durability is essential for me (I destroyed 4 pretty diaper bags in 3 years.) Then there is the style factor, I have an Eagle Creek Matrix Neon that is a wonderful, durable bag that does everything I could ask for... but it's just plain UGLY and, well, that matters to me.

So after my Frye leather backpack bit the dust I started looking for a new bag that could do everything and stand up to some good hard use while looking great and I finally found Saddleback leather and took a chance after reading mostly positive reviews online. You can't buy them in retail stores and see them in person before you take the plunge, unless you are lucky enough to have a friend who owns one in which case you have probably already ordered your own!

The leather they use is really top notch and that can't be stressed enough. I grew up with horses and leather tack and these bags feel like a fine saddle. They smell great and have a wonderful tactile experience to them. I chose the light tobacco color for mine and it is "naked" leather, it doesn't have a shiny, slick, treated surface. It shows scratches and develops a patina where you touch it. Personally I love the rugged, well travelled look that these bags develop with use, I don't worry about sticky preschooler and toddler fingers or spilled sippy cups on my bag, it can take what my kids dish out. There is a world of difference between the "worn in" look that these bags develop vs. the shabby,beat-up, "worn-out" look that my Coach backpack had after some use.

Though I am a 5'5" female and the medium probably would have looked a little more in proportion to my frame, I chose the large briefcase to accommodate my widescreen notebook while working and two kids' worth of stuff when I'm not. It performs in either situation with style and a rugged beauty that I find most appealing. It is not as light as the Matrix Neon but it is not at all too heavy for me worn either as a shoulder bag or a backpack. I love the backpack function since I work at a university and have to travel about campus in all sorts of weather, and on my days off I need my hands free to chase after my wee ones at the park or wherever we happen to be. This bag has just the right number of pockets on the inside and outside. I've actually been able to get a 1 litre Sigg bottle to fit in the side pockets with a little bit of stretching, leather is wonderful that way. These bags really are built to last and very thoughtfully designed.

I don't think I'll ever have to buy another bag again which is rather sad in a way but very satisfying at the same time. Well, I do keep going back to Saddleback's site to look at those suitcases...

So I just purchased one of these bags and I can tell already that it is tough as nails. I actually bought it through the Ebay storefront (saddleback has an Ebay store with factory seconds). This is one of those bags. the handle was of center and the left corner was a little wrinkled but i dont care, i got it for a way, way cheaper price than the 580 dollars on amazon(i got extra large)

first, people will look at the bag. people see it and it really is so attractive and pictures dont do it justice. the bag came with busness cards and a pocket bible as the CEO/presidente is religious.

i emptied my briefcase and started filling the bag. it is heavy but i didnt find it to be too bulky.there are all sorts of neat compartments for your stuff. the side pockets are a little small and dont really fit a 20 oz soda but i dont care. even with the handle being offset, the bag is no problem to use with the steel plate reinforcement under the handle.

i havent tried using it as a backpack but the thing is really spacious. the biggest thing that i like about it so far is that i can sit it on the passenger side of my car and it is not going anywhere. it has a lot of form and will not tip over unless you really want it to. just looking at the construction of the thing i can tell that it can stand up to a lot of abuse. imagine taking an actual saddle and converting it into a bag, it feels that durable.

walking aroung town with it is very comfortable. it does not jiggle and repeatedly tap on your back or hip like other bags because it is so sturdy. but it is heavy. the flap does cover the contents as promised to protect what is inside from rain.

i understand that munson did not put clips on it to close the flap so i guess in time i will probably get a carabeener to close the flap as i am not really into buckling the front every time.

i feel very indiana jones like i am about to pull out a crystal skull out of it or something and cant stop the indiana jones music. the coffee brown color also helps.

I love leather bags...probably more than you do!

I've purchased more than I can count, and averaged one per year. I use one every day to transport a Dell XPS 1530 and various other life gadgets. Bags die quick deaths around me.

Inevitably bags fail because of a weakness in their construction or because they simply can't keep up with my changing, travel-heavy life. I can't use a pretty boy, dainty bag because my life is unpredictable. I don't want a nylon bag because I feel most have the character of a metal file cabinet _ perfect for utility but soulless in aesthetic.
I gain such affection for my bags that I take them on global adventures and, well, that usually is the end.

So when I found Saddleback Leather Company, I was intrigued by their claims about a bag "they'll fight over when you're dead." I conned my wife into allowing me to purchase one for my birthday, with various promises of future sacrifice and years of savings. Now I own a 16 in. coffee brown bag.

Immediately, it was clear that this bag has a chance to live up to my expectations: The natural cool of the design, the three buckle front, the rustic bulk, all just how I imagined.

The leather is thick and sturdy, yet somehow soft to the touch. It is scuffable and scratchable leather, but all of that sort of becomes a tapestry that you only notice when examining the bag up close. It's the story of what you've done, where you've been and who you are. In a world in which people purchase $400 jeans with holes and furniture with worn paint, Saddleback is selling a piece that developes AUTHENTIC personality.

Sure, you can agonize over never allowing the bag to get scratched, and you could have it treated, but how much better to allow it to gain character with age. The rugged leather gives it a timeless elegance, in my opinion, and makes it more suitable for adventuring. If you didn't have some spirit of romance about you, you wouldn't be looking at this bag!

Now, I looked at every review or comment on this bag on the Internet I could find. Most were positive, a few were negative.
Most of the negative commentary can be divided into two groups; "this bag isn't made as well as other high end bags" and/or "this bag isn't practical."

Owning this bag, the first complaint seems to miss the point of the product and the second seems to make a matter of preference into a matter of fact.

Quality
Given the thickness of the leather, I found the stitch work to be impeccable! After an hour-long stitch by stitch examination, I certainly didn't find any flaws, either structural or aesthetic. Frankly, this bag was engineered as though the makers wanted any points of weight-bearing to be invincible.
It sits up on its own, even with nothing in it. To call this bag sturdy would be an understatement. The bag is built to last with materials well beyond the industry standard.
I believe the problem here was one of expectations. It simply isn't fair to compare the stitching and craftsmanship in a Louis Vuitton bag, made with thin, supple leather, to this bag, which might give bullets a run for their money.
I've owned two high-end bags and inevitably, one became too small to serve as my daily and the other tore at the strap harness. I think the culture of most high-end leather companies tends to favor bags with some bit of luxury, expressed through thin shoulder straps and dainty buckles. Obviously, Saddleback Leather is approaching this from an entirely different perspective. It should not be hard for you to determine which style of bag will make you happy.
I should note that Saddleback does sell a chestnut briefcase that is probably more suitable for the boardroom types. It's a beautiful piece and I still lament that I can't afford to buy it as well!!

Practicality
Yes, this bag has some bulk. No, this bag is not as light as a Tumi double nylon bag. But to complain about this is to miss the point. This bag has a character, an authenticity and spirit that nylon bags just can't possess. Nylon bags look exactly the same, no matter who owns it or how long it has been carried. If lightness and resilience are all you care about, please do not get a Saddleback briefcase bag.
BUT what's amazing is, this bag's leather rivals nylon's resiliency AND has a rugged, adventurous character. For me, it's the intersection of resiliency and character that make the weight an acceptable burden. If you're that concerned about the weight, I suggest the 14 in briefcase, which fits the vast majority of laptops (mine was too big for it). Indeed, I would go so far as to say most people will want the 14 in for their daily bag and a 16 in for a carry-on travel bag.

The question, then, isn't about the quality or practicality of this bag, it's about what kind of bag YOU want to carry. Saddleback Leather Company has created a true piece of art in that it has captured a certain aspect of pre-industrial spirit of adventure. Its tough, its versatile and its got tremendous character. If that is what you're after, you've just found it.

Good show, Saddleback.

This bag lives up to its advertising. It is made to be indestructible and stylish while also being very versatile. I upgraded from a Rothco messenger bag and, while the difference in price is extreme, the quality is too. A few features:

*The bag looks good. I mean really looks good. People will look; people will ask.

*The bag has alot of capacity. The inside is divided into two main compartments, but the leather divider between is flexible, so overstuffing one or both sides is possible. The inside pockets hold a wallet, a notebook, an ipod, etc.. There is enough room in this bag to enable it to be a weekend bag.

*The cover flap and straps are awesome. The cover is heavy enough to just flop it over without having to use the straps, making easy access to the inside possible. Or, just put the center strap through the buckle but don't buckle it closed and you have the same effect. If you overstuff the inside, use the side straps to close it - they seem designed for it. Lastly, the carrying handle is by far the best I've ever seen. Once you have a bag with one you'll never get a bag without one again. Of course, if you get this bag chances are you won't ever get another again anyway.

*The outside pockets will hold a 20ish oz bottle of water, a cell phone, etc. Alternatively, you can use one of the many rings on the outside to attach just about anything to it.

*The bag has some structure to it, so it will sit up on its own and will accomodate files and other things best left unbended. It isn't so stiff, however, that is looks like you are carrying a hard case over your shoulder.

*The carry strap is very solid. It sits very nicely on the shoulders.

*Ok, it's heavy. Cows are heavy, premium leather is heavy, this bag is heavy. That said, it will survive overstuffing, will not rip anywhere, and will probably deflect harsh words and/or a terrorist attack.

The customer service at Saddleback is outstanding, their shipping times are great, and their product is first rate all the way around. You step onto the scene with this bag and it's Cary Grant meets Indiana Jones - style, class, adventure, and built to last. This is a great bag.