This is my second SB leather bag, I have owned the overnight duffle for a while now. I bought it off their website directly, but the price here is the same and I decided to post a review here.
I decided to buy this one because, well, it looks so darn cool and I needed something a little bigger then the duffle, and I am tired of buying designer brand bags because the quality always seems weak and I always worry about scratches and tears, and that is a hassle I don't want anymore. Even before getting it I knew the quality would not disappoint given this was my second bag from them, but you can only really judge how nice something like this is when you get your little grubby paws on it. Oh my, it is sooooo nice, I got it this morning and already I am in the hotel room with it. It is very spacious, though it is considered an "overnight" bag, you can easily fit enough for 4 to 5 days in it. I got it along the medium accesorie case of the same color to use as necessaire bag and it is a perfect match and fit.
So, it is spacious, but it is also versatile, you can use it in two load sizes thanks to the included extra liner, one full size and one smaller. You can carry the bag as a shoulder bag using the strap, by it's handle or as a backpack. The closing system not only is very functional, practical and very effective, but it looks really nice too. is it an attention getter? You bet it is, and you know you want it to be!! People will look, people will envy and people will want it (I got two "very nice bag" kind of compliments right away in the hotel lobby alone)!! This bag will be at home in a rough camping trip or in any of the fancy hotels I stay at sometimes , it just is the perfect combination of rugged with stylish. The only sub 10 score, maybe an 8, for me might be the weight, it is a little heavy, but hey you can't build a tank out of tin foil, so I gladly compromise. For the rest, quality, built, style, color, it is a clean sweep of 10s.
The price...yes it is a little steep no way around that but, you really get what you pay for. I have owned some bags from designer brands like RL and this is as, or more, stylish and of far far superior quality in similar price range.
Okay, I admit that I love leather. And have owned many other leather and leather/canvas bags in the past. And...discarded all of them due to damaged zippers that could not be reasonably repaired. I bought this bag because it's leather, has no zippers or snaps, and has no parts that could possibly be damaged beyond my own ability to repair. I watched the video and thought the versatility was cool. I figured I'd probably never use most of the features in the video, but how wrong I was.
But, now that I've actually used this bag, almost every time I use it, I find new features I hadn't realized existed. Things like what do I do with THIS or THAT strap when I don't use it and suddenly you find a belt keeper you didn't know was there. Or the "false bottom"...yes, there is a space under the liner to put whatever. Or the ability to make this bag as small as a gym duffle bag or as large as a small suitcase in seconds. Yes, it's expensive, but I paid hefty sums for many of my other leather bags too and they are all now history. This bag will likely outlive me. And my heirs WILL fight over it.
Having worked with leather myself, I am greatly impressed with the quality of the leather as well as the craftsmanship and especially the unique design features.
This bag is durable, versatile, and will last forever. A little heavy, but you have to expect that with this quality of leather.
Buy Saddleback Leather Waterbag Medium Now
I love the SBL Waterbag. I have the Medium but they also make a small and a large. The large would be nice for the extra space but personally I think the meduim is best since it fits in overhead compartments as carry-on and it is already pretty darn heavy when fully packed. Large might be just to much if you have to carry it much.
It is very versatile. I almost bought the SBL duffle but the waterbag is better in that you can adjust it to different sized loads. Plus it's lighter than the duffle. And it looks awesome. No one else has a bag that looks like this.
The only thing I don't like is that if you stuff it too full you can see the contents just under the handles. However, it looks like they fixed that with the current version that has an extra leather flap.
The bag comes with 2 different liners but I tend to use no liner (there still is a semi-rigid bottom) to save weight and I like the looks better. The liner may make it a little easier to pack by keeping the sides open but I have not had a problem packing. I may use the liners more, at least the smaller one, as the bag breaks in and becomes softer.
Most of the time I use the bag for road trips so I just use the middle strap through the built in handles and do not use the detachable handle at all. It is very confortable to carry and looks best in this configuration IMO. When flying I use all 3 straps for security and add the handle (I do, however, remove the shoulder strap and sometimes the handle when checking the bag).
I haven't used the waterbag in backpack mode but I have seen pictures on FB of a guy who hiked one up Kilamanjaro!.
1 star removed because of the price, but then again it will last a lifetime. Wish I had bought this when I was much younger (plus it would look even better by now).
Read Best Reviews of Saddleback Leather Waterbag Medium Here
Seriously cool product! I waited to write a review until I had the chance to fully use this awesome bag (took a 6 day trip). Opted for the water-bag versus the overnight duffel, and I'm glad I did! The water-bag seems to hold enough for a weeks worth of clothing for me. Quality, there's nothing better, truly a product that lives up to the hype. Can't tell you how many compliments I received -not that, that matters to me, just something of enough quality and uniqueness that it draws the eye and interest to itself. I purchased the backpack at the same time and there really aren't words for the impressive design and sturdiness that Saddleback offers, you won't find anything of true comparison.
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There are many bags that will work for a long weekend and do it cheaper BUT none are cooler. Bag is a stand out and very unique. I also own the briefcase. Awesome brand, image, and products.
I have been looking for a long time for a study messenger bag that would be the right size for me to take to work or school everyday. I was so happy when I finally found this bag. It has a very study construction and I am able to carry my laptop, lunch, notebook, and a textbook or two comfortably. Many other bags I looked at were either too thin to hold much (just designed for a laptop) or were so huge I couldn't imagine carrying it around on a daily basis. This bag is just right. The adjustable strap ensures that the bag hangs at just the right height to make it comfortable. I also liked the darker canvas color as it makes the bag look a bit more professional than the other canvas bags. I had originally ordered the same bag in the olive color but did not like it (looked much darker than the photo) and was so glad that I returned it for this color. My only complaint is that there are only 3 pockets: one small side zipper pocket and two large front pockets. The front pockets are really big and stuff gets lost in there so there isn't a great place to put pens or a cell phone. Guess you can't have everything. Overall, I have been using this bag for a couple months and it has become my go-to bag and still looks good as new.
