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Front Pocket Leather Backpack

$579.00
(234 reviews) Write a Review
100 Year Warranty
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  • 12" X 17" X 7"
  • Weight: 6 lbs

(234)
5 Stars Write a Review
  • 5
    Great bag for a "crappy" trip!

    I help lead a group of teenagers on thier annual missons trip to Costa Rica. We partner with an organization down there called Roble Alto. They seek to break the chains of abject poverty of children and there families. Well it is great to see a group of teens get up early, work hard all day, and then play with the kids into the evening. Well this year I recieved a front pocket backpack for my birthday ( I'd been hinting pretty heavily the last couple years), and was looking forward to getting some 'character miles' on it (You Saddleback owners will know what I'm talking about). Being allergic to synthetic materials and having an all leather bag and loving to travel it seemed a good pairing, except for sleeping arrangements. It seems that polyester is the material of choice world wide. My new bag, having been birthed from genius (Thanks Dave!), was given four "D" rings on the bottom which is perfect for a bed roll. The bag being stout, girthy, and ruggedly hansome (Like it's owner), I was concerned with adding too much weight. Not for the bag's sake, but my back. A quick visit to the local military surplus store I aquired a large wool blanket, with a bit of help from my favorite seemstress (Thanks Mom!) got one side of it flannel lined. Back to Costa Rica. After a week of serving with and being blessed by both groups of kids we spend one day for R & R on the coast. The night before leave one third of our groups comes down with a stomach bug. I learned that day that Montezuma's Revenge extends to Central America (and lasts a month). This great bag carried everything I needed, either in the main compartment, one of the three outer pockets or strapped to the outside. I also learned that the smell of high quality leather settles an upset tummy. To all you aspiring travelers. Sometimes the only luggage that arrives with you is what you carry on, so carry quality and luggage stores in airports are for people who don't have Saddleback Leather! P.S. A bag of scrap leather is a great source for making cords to tie stuff to your bag...say a bed roll. Peace, Love, and a whole lot of Jesus, -Dingo

  • 2
    PROBLEMS!!!

    I expected no problems with the front pocket backpack for its price. But it has design problems. When its not fully packed, the body folds down for lack of anything to hold it in place, thereby exposing the contents to possible pilfering from "pickpockets" (I just moved to a place where pickpockets are particularly skilled). I'm sure those with similar backpacks know what I'm describing. Another issue I have is that the buckle that is used to close the bag is located at the front pocket. When loaded, the stress is on the front pocket thereby greatly deforming the bag. It also places a lot of stress on the front pocket that I fear it might break. While I know the bag has a great warranty, getting the back to the US for warranty and getting it back to me after it has been repaired is a big, big, expensive hassle which I would prefer not to go through. I contacted Saddleback Leather about ways to solve the problems. While they were very prompt in replying to me, they could not do anything to solve my problem and passed me on to their "sister company" who cannot help me either. So now, I'm stuck with this bag that I cannot use as my daily carry bag, as I planned to, for fear of getting my belongings stolen specially when I go through crowded areas. On the good side, the workmanship of the bag, like all the SBL bags I have bought, is superb!

  • 5
    Beyond Customer Service

    This was my fourth Saddleback Leather item that I purchased. However, this purchase was for my Mother's 60th birthday. I ordered the Chestnut medium. Now, I thought that there would be a "gift" option in the end of the sales transaction where you would be able to include a message--there wasn't. So I emailed support and asked them if they would include a birthday card with my message. Saddleback replied and said that they would try to get the message with my gift. And they did! This is amazing! This is why I love this company, there is no other company that would provide such personal interaction and commitment; sorry, I don't believe that this is customer service, I believe that this is personal interaction. Thank you!

  • 5
    The best travel companion I have ever had!

    I had my medium front pocket for a little over two years before I decided to sell it for some new leather but I loved every day I had it. My FPB took me all over New England and the tri-state area. On every trip I was able to pack more than enough clothes if needed and used the pockets for chargers and toiletry storage. The long strap on the main compartment meant that I could overload the heck out of the pack. A great buy.

  • 5
    my one true bag

    well, i have been looking for my one true bag for many years. i could have learned a second language or picked up a black belt in jujitsu in the hours i have spent looking at bags online and in person. a seemingly indestructible timbuk2 backpack has accompanied me around and around and around the world for six or seven years now, and irritatingly looks just exactly like the day i bought it off ebay. a great little travel pack, but just too ugly and banal to be seen with in public at homei wanted a bag that would pretty much DO IT ALL. and make me look WAY more bad ass than i am. i found saddleback leathers a couple/three years ago and whilst i drooled over the general vibe, none of the backpacks on offer at the time seemed like a good fit for me. i bookmarked the site and promised myself that i would return one day. i just got home from a solo trip around malaysia. as i once again unpacked my petrochemical-derived, over-organised backpack, still looking like new, still utterly devoid of any character, still saying zero about the adventures we had had together, saddleback leathers suddenly sprang to mind. worth a look! i thought to myself. time has passed! i thought to myself. designs evolve and change! i pondered quietly. and boy, was it ever the perfect time to look. the medium front pocket backpack was the one for me (after some grilling of the lovely CS people, and some working out of litre volume....which is the only number i can actually comprehend in a bag). i smacked the buy button and it looks like i got the last one (for a little while). the pack arrived today. 11 days from texas to remote,, rural australia. no duty if it is under $1000, fellow aussies! so, already loving the thing, even before opening the box. yes, this backpack is ALL THAT. the leather scent is wonderful and it rolls out in a wave that is almost tactile. the bag is heavy and solid, but you can see how and where it will yield in time. and it does seem to ride comfortably and high on one's back. the neoprene strip is very soft and comfy i am almost as wide as i am tall and the love-handle-avoiding design of the straps is like a magic trick. i got carbon because i wear black. all. the. time. this carbon is a divine colour. it isn't at all a flat shiny black....it is a matte and dark dark nuanced gray. the leather has a soft, almost nubuck-ish finish....omg i can hardly wait for it to wear in. my pack has loads of tick bites on the part i wear against my back. having had my share of tick bites, i can sympathise with the poor cow who was wearing this before me. let's talk about the size of this thing. i figured it had 25 litres of volume, including all three pockets. yes, you can stuff a few more bits and pieces down behind the pockets, but i didn't include those in my calculation. i gave it a test-pack. i travel very light and very minimal and i believe in frequent laundry stops! i packed a set of clothes, socks, underwear, a sarong, a swimsuit, a sweater, a pair of sandals, some earrings, a scarf; ipad, iphone, cables and adaptors; very minimal LAG bag for toiletries and makeup; purse and passport. i used about 4/5 of the main bag and one of the side pockets and the back of the large pocket. without any hint of manic crushing and stomping. the filled bag feels solid and heavy on my back and i am sure i'll get used to it pretty quickly. again, it sits high on my back, and it is comfortable. the extra weight is worth it for the extra glamour alone. this bag will also do me for day to day running around, because it doesn't look huge at all. it is a bit casual for business, but i am also a bit of a casual businessperson, so that is fine. in fact, i only have one major problem left on my hands: which colour backpack should i buy for my husband? personally, i am now sorted for bags until the end of time. and now i can get on with learning italian or something. 5 stars with absolutely no hesitation. and my thanks to betsy, carlie and tim for their delightful and helpful service.