Saddleback Leather Classic Briefcase, Chestnut

I purchased one of these cases directly from the company about 2 years ago, and have used it daily ever since. I am hard on briefcases, often over-filling them, but this one has withstood everything. I travel internationally as well as in the USA this bag has been around the world with me, and often generates appreciative comments.

When I originally bought it, I had been looking for a solid bag that had the older, academic look of the flapover briefcase. Every other case that that I found had snaps, clips, or other hardware that would have broken within a year under my usage. This case has real hardware that will last and has lasted. Picking a color was hard, but I finally settled on the Chestnut, and haven't regretted it.

This case has full-grain leather, with rivets, and belt-type buckles. When I had problems with one of the buckles on my case I contacted Saddleback Leather and they replaced the buckle and strap for free. I wasn't absolutely sure that it wasn't my fault, rather than a material failure. But they stood behind their product without questioning.

The handle is large, and comfortable. I use the D-rings to clip things to (USB drives, keys, etc)and then let them drape inside the bag, beneath the flap. I also have a black nylon strap (actually, a nylon collar for a dog!) that goes through the circular ring on top, which I use to attach the briefcase to my roller bag when I fly.

I've found this briefcase to be flexible, durable, good looking, and reliable. This briefcase it one of only a handful of items that I have ever purchased which is actually better than advertised. I would definitely recommend it and would buy again. In fact, I may actually buy a second one at some point...I have two children but only one briefcase right now, and I wouldn't want to cause a fight in 40 years or so. ;)

I needed a new wallet and saw Saddleback on here, checked out the other goods they sold and found this briefcase. I have been looking for a leather briefcase like this for a long while, and finally found it!! I got it last week and used it yesterday to carry all the items I needed for a trial. The large is pretty big (which is exactly what I needed). It holds my 17 inch Apple MB Pro with a ton of space for whatever else you may need to put in a briefcase.

It is a sight to see! Soo beautifully made, leather is unreal and smells like you are sitting in a new car! Cant say enough about this bag! Check out their website when you get a chance, it is amusing and shows you why these products are more expensive than the other crappy leather goods out there. I can really see this bag lasting for 100 years!!

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Honestly, I have to say that from the time of placing my order to receiving my bag (only 4 days later) has been one of the most satisfactory experiences I have had when ordering a product online. I purchased this bag as a college graduation gift for myself, and I am so happy I did. I was looking for a bag that was not only stylish, but that would also be durable enough to take an everyday beating. The price may seem a bit hefty, but I think this bag, combined with the company's awesome service, has been worth every penny. I fully expect this bag to keep up with the demands of my very active lifestyle as a graduate student and young professional.

For some specifics, the bag does indeed have a TON of room inside, plenty of room for notebooks,a textbook, laptop, charger, lunch, and a newspaper or two. The bag has been a bit stiff (as is expected of any thick-grade leather) but I fully expect it to become more supple with use. It's nice to have an accessory that is both completely user friendly, and gets better looking with use. Also, all the straps come with plenty of punched holes for full personalization, depending on how you want to wear the bag. I'd like to also add that the backpack function is really neat as well. Also, no worrying about cheap stitching as with other brands of all-leather bags. This bag uses metal rivet-like anchors and is VERY sturdy.

All in all, this bag is totally worth the investment. If you're looking for a cheap waste of money, look elsewhere. This bag is top quality, and is rightly priced as such. If you're on the fence, just do some research as I did. No matter where I looked I kept coming back to Saddleback. I'm sure you will too.

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I didnt buy this bag from Amazon, I bought mine directly from Saddleback but there would really be no difference in the ordering, so go for it. This is the best bag I have ever owned and I have had more than a few. I have owned bags from Louis Vitton, Armani, Brioni, Zegna and several other "High Quality" Italian leather makers. This bag is cheap compared to all of those and is worth every penny. Its not only beautiful but it is as tough as they come, they are very serious about the 100 year warranty and I doubt that I would ever have to use it. I wonder if anyone really has had to use the warranty. I travel extensively and have been in some pretty harsh environments and have put this bag through pure hell and it has never faltered. If it gets scratched up, it doesnt matter because they disappear with some leather conditioner and a buffing cloth in minutes. I like the scratches on mine, I think it gives it more of a personality. I constantly have people from all over the world coming up to me asking where I got my bag and giving me nonstop compliments on it. The story of Saddleback is quite interesting and a lot of fun to read about, you should check it out. If you want the absolute best leather briefcase, messenger bag, luggage or accessories, you have found it!!!!

PS...Do not order one of these from Ebay, its almost guaranteed to be fake! I have seen one a friend bought from there. Hope this review has helped.

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This review is for the medium classic briefcase in chestnut, which I received as a gift recently. I had been eyeballing the Saddleback briefcase for 2 or 3 years so I have done a lot of thinking, comparison shopping, reading of reviews, and examining them first hand when I saw one out and about. Also, as I mention in another comment here, I am a leather craftsman (belts and holsters mostly) so I know a thing or two about leather indeed, I'm a bit obsessed with it.

The Saddleback is replacing a soft-side leather briefcase made by Samsonite that I bought in 1993. It has served me well, but is a bit on the small side for my needs and is suffering from the very problems that the Saddleback company is trying to avoid: cheap components and construction that make the bag wear out before it should. The Samsonite I have used cost me $100 and was made with some nice soft leather. The leather has held up wonderfully over the years especially since I treated it every year or so with some Lexol conditioner. The shoulder strap was the first part to go. It was made with two pieces of leather strap that met in the middle and was sewn onto the shoulder pad. Seams are the Achilles heel for a leather product and this was the fatal flaw for the strap. Because the shoulder strap wasn't a single piece all the way from end-to-end, it began the seams began to pull apart after a few years. Then the backing on the shoulder pad began to crack and come apart. It was then I confirmed what I had suspected and lamented; the bag was made of nice leather, but the trim was made with inferior vinyl. Your leather product is only as good as the weakest materials in it, so why would a company make a very nice leather bag with cheap and far less durable vinyl? I made a replacement strap and it has held up just fine. Next, the trim along the seams began to crack and fail. It was also vinyl. The lining started to go next, as it was a cotton fabric. The hardware has held up reasonably well, but was obviously on the way to failure.

I give this description to point out the benefit of the Saddleback briefcase. It has heavy-duty hardware, is made with nothing but leather, and all the stress points are reinforced. If my $100 Samsonite has lasted me almost 20 years, certainly the Saddleback will last me a lifetime. The seams are stitched with heavy thread, double and triple stitched at major stress points, rivets are added, and many areas subject to stretching have a synthetic nylon strip sewn in to help keep the leather from stretching too much. The fasteners are simple buckles with no springs to break or wear out. It's a rugged bag made for heavy use. If you are just looking for a bag to lug around heavy items (I'm a college professor and I regularly carry around my laptop and many books), this will do it. If you plan to use it for carrying a folder or two back and forth to the office, this may not be the best bag for you. Rather, you may want to consider the thin briefcase made by Saddleback or one of their satchels. This bag can be converted into a backpack, and although it's unlikely I will use this feature, it's a nice option to have just in case.

Lets talk about the biggest complaint I've read here and elsewhere: it's heavy. Yes, it's a bit on the heavy side. It's a big briefcase made of thick full-grain cowhide leather with a smooth pigskin lining and heavy-duty hardware. That's heavy stuff. I don't particularly mind it because I am used to carrying a heavy briefcase. However, if you are accustomed to carrying a nylon bag or thin leather bag, this will be quite an adjustment for you.

Next complaint I commonly see is that it's stiff. Yes, it's a bit stiff when new. High-quality full-grain leather is stiff when it's new. This is not garment leather like on a leather jacket or a sofa. For those familiar with the process of breaking in a new baseball glove or shoes, this bag is no different. It's much more rigid when new, but with time and use, it will soften and loosen up. It takes time, which for me is part of the allure of a nice leather bag. I love the experience of watching it break-in over time.

As far as size goes, I think the large bag is probably the best choice for most people. I received the medium bag and it's almost too small for me. I carry a 13" MacBook Pro in a neoprene sleeve and it's a tight fit into the bag from side to side. This may be related to the bag being new and will ease up as the bag breaks in a bit. It's not so tight that it's going to damage the computer, but it's a little more snug than I am used to (kind of like trying on new shoes after wearing your trustee broken in pair). If you have an average size laptop, it is very unlikely you will be able to fit it into a medium bag. Front-to-back there is plenty of room in the bag for my laptop, cords, accessories, books, papers, etc. If you need a little extra space for small items, you may want to consider the pouch Saddleback makes and the owner clips onto the front of his briefcase. Being a leather worker, I made myself a shameless copy of their pouch (pouches are much easier to make than fancy briefcases) and I use it to carry my keys, my phone, a pocket knife, pens, etc. I also regularly slip my iPad into the pocket on the back (in a leather sleeve I made for it) and it works fine. I considered trading my medium in for a large, but when it came time to box it up and send it back, I just couldn't do it since it was a gift from my wife and I am sentimental like that.

And that brings me to my next point, which is Saddleback's customer service. I found them to be extremely friendly and efficient. The company is based in Texas, but as of the time of this writing, they have employees all over the US who work remotely. I tell this to demonstrate how well they can deal with customer issues. Over the course of a few days, I communicate with 4 different people in 4 different states, but my emails were answered quickly and each person appeared to be up-to-speed on the previous communications. I had contacted Saddleback a few times in the past to ask questions about their products and I was always answered quickly with no pressure to buy their products. The company claims to have a 100 year warranty, and from experiences I have read on the Internet (surely they are all true because you can't put anything on the web that isn't true), they do stand behind their products when there is a problem. As far as a return policy, it appears that for warranty issues, they cover the shipping costs. If you want to do an exchange as in my case, all shipping costs are yours. They will issue a return authorization, and all returns must be in as-new condition. They will then credit you for the cost of the return and you place an order for a new item.

Another question I have seen on these bags is about where they are made. My investigation has led me to think that the bags are made in Mexico and are not hand-crafted one at a time by the company's owner. Take that info for whatever it's worth. It's a big deal for some, not so much for others. Although I'd have preferred it to be 100% made in the USA, it's still an American-owned small business with American employees. Also, Mexican leather is known to be some of the better quality stuff on the market. The quality of the leather and craftsmanship appears to be good. The bag looks to be machine stitched with a lock-stitch machine which is typical and relatively durable. Saddle-stitching is better, but can only be accomplished by hand and is very time consuming (and would increase the cost of the bag substantially).

Now, cost. As a guy who knows leather and works in leather, do I think the cost is justified? In this case, yes. I contemplated just making a bag for myself, but upon inspecting one of these first-hand, I knew how much work it would require. I knew that I didn't have the patience or the experience with this type of work to pull off a finished product like this. For a small guy like me, I suspect the materials would run me somewhere in the range of $100 $150 and the time to make it would be several hours. Quality stuff isn't cheap and such is the case with the Saddleback bag.

Finally, I'll speak to the style of the bag. This is not a metropolitan or high-fashion sort of bag. It's a rugged looking, earthy, business casual bag. If you wear khaki pants or jeans to work, this is likely to be your style. If you wear finely tailored suits and wingtip shoes, the classic briefcase may not be your style (but the thin briefcase may be). In the short time I've owned it, I have gotten several compliments on the look and the smell; the smell of the leather is wonderful. I picture myself as Pigpen on Peanuts, but instead of a cloud of dust following me around, I'm cloaked in the smell of leather. :-)

Overall, I'm very pleased with my Saddleback briefcase. Also, if you haven't taken a look at the company's website, it's a great resource for Saddleback products that includes high-def video descriptions of most items.