What People Think
My new favorite
Large Classic Leather Briefcase
Best Ever
Exceeded my expectations
I was a little worried that the bag would be heavy, which it is when it is full. But the backpack feature is a gamechanger. I took an extra wrap on the backpack ring and tied the wrap together with a piece of paracord so it stays put. It works great. Beyond great.
I did remove the side straps, which saved some weight and still looks good (less busy too). I'll save the straps for when I need to go on Safari. They are nice, I just don't need them day-to-day.
The bag design and quality exceeded my expectations. I am very happy with the bag and my purchase. Thank you.
Long time owner
Design of the Full Grain Leather Briefcase
This full-grain leather briefcase is over-engineered in that it has no breakable parts. No magnets, zippers, buttons, or snaps; this briefcase is reinforced with rivets and hidden polyester strapping wherever there is stress. Leather stretches over time, and we didn't want that to happen. So it's designed with the fewest and biggest pieces of leather that make sense. The reason was to have fewer seams because seams in leather bags are always where things start coming apart. And those seams only have five stitches per inch, so there is more leather between each hole. Holes are really just the beginning of a tear in any leather briefcase, so we did something about it.
Materials in our Leather Briefcases
The materials in our leather briefcase are full grain leather, pigskin lining, 316 stainless steel hardware, and German industrial marine-grade polyester thread. Our leather is tough and resilient, while our pigskin lining is luxurious and strong. Our hardware is 316 stainless steel and is rated to hold up to 750 lbs. Our thread is UV-resistant and German industrial marine-grade polyester thread. In addition, our hidden reinforcing straps ensure that the bag will never stretch and those straps will never deteriorate.
Leather - Full Grain Leather is Key to a Perfect Leather Bag
Natural Full Grain Leather is the key to a quality leather briefcase. The grain of the hide is like the shingles on a roof. If you take off the top part of the leather (grain) it's like taking the shingles off of the roof. They get rid of the toughest and most resistant layer of the hide. Here's why there are so many cheap leather briefcases out there.
When the tannery gets a leather hide from the slaughterhouse, it's really thick. So, the tannery splits the top half with the grain from the bottom half. Now they have two hides to sell. The tough and beasty hide that still has the full amount of grain (full grain) is expensive, and that's what we buy. The low quality bottom half is great for making low quality budget leather briefcases or laptop bags that will dry out and fall apart in a short time. They may look great, but the leather doesn't have any grain, though they have made it to look great.
The Lining of the Leather Briefcase
And then we glue and sew tough, strong, luxurious-looking, and feeling pigskin to the leather. And the pigskin is even stronger than the cowskin. We've chosen this instead of using a shiny pretty fabric lining. After all, we are after quality craftsmanship. We want all of our real leather bags to be durable, rugged, and sturdy. Our skilled artisans beautifully create these perfectly built leather briefcases to be cool, classy and have the durability to outlast you with a 100 year warranty.
The Best Full Grain Leather Briefcase Hardware
Our custom hardware is 316 Stainless Steel. If you are a metallurgist, then I'm sure you just gasped. It's the metal you want to be used when your life depends on it. The testing laboratory told us that our clips were rated to hold up to 750 lbs.
Thread-
And if all of that isn't enough, our thread is unbelievably strong and UV resistant German industrial marine-grade polyester thread. It doesn't deteriorate when the sun hits it like nylon thread does. And we use the thick Double Ought version of it. Honestly, there is no other leather laptop bag like this.
Hidden Reinforcing Straps-
Polyester is good and bad. The good is that it doesn't stretch and never deteriorates. The bad is that it never deteriorates. When it comes to polyester in your sheets and blankets, you won't sleep as well. But, when it comes to polyester straps sewn into the stress points of a bag, it's the best there is to get that extra strength.
Functionality
The leather briefcase has many features that make it unique and practical. These include the hidden compartment, the backpack feature, the removable side straps, and the d-rings. As a result, these leather briefcases are perfect for day to day use.
Backpack Feature-
Our leather briefcase converts into a laptop backpack with a shoulder strap with two shoulder pads. This makes it super easy and super comfortable to carry your laptop and all other gear and accessories as you would with larger full grain leather messenger bags.
Removable Side Straps-
You can remove the side straps for use as an emergency size 36 full grain leather belt, tie-down, or tourniquet (hopefully you won't need that). But on the bag, they are great for holding wet umbrellas and blueprint tubes to the top of the flap.
Leather Briefcases with a Secret Compartment-
There is a hidden flap on the bottom of this leather briefcase for hiding passports, extra cash, your collection of rubies, or whatever else you don't want anyone to know about. This false bottom can be a lifesaver in itself.
D-Rings-
The d-rings are designed to strap on blankets, dirty boots, and fly rod tubes. They can hold some serious weight and keep them from slipping off the side of the bag.
Removable Shoulder Strap-
The removable shoulder strap is a handy feature. You can take it off your briefcase to tie the Christmas tree to the rack. The strap on this briefcase is as tough and durable as our quality full grain leather belts.
Extra Hole to Fill it up
And just a small detail in the craftsmanship, the main center strap has a hole all the way at the tip for closing when your laptop bag is really overstuffed. This gives you that much extra space in your real Leather Briefcase.
Pockets In These Leather Briefcases
The pockets are great too. There is a pocket on the side, a pocket on the back, and pockets on the inside. When we make a leather bag, you can see our hard work ensuring we thought of everything. From a place for your pens to a spot for your wallet in case you lose your pants. With two main compartments inside, you can take two laptops if need be, with room for chargers and accessories. These premium quality leather briefcases will protect your belongings.
The Best Leather Briefcases are Saddleback Leather Briefcases
Now I hope you see why our leather laptop bags are the best. We put a ton of hard work into making a leather bag that you will be proud to own and will give you a lifetime of happy use. This is one tough bag, from the full grain leather to the stainless steel hardware to the polyester thread. And it's not just tough; it's beautiful too.
An Investment in a Briefcase that will Last
When you wear this on your back or carry it on your shoulder, you will be happy with your purchase. Better said, your investment in something that will be around longer than you.
Like most people, you might glimpse at the price when shopping for a briefcase. However, the price is a small part of the equation when you realize how many briefcases and bags you have purchased that ended up in the trash. When you have been sold junk in the past, it can be hard to imagine something truly lasting. That is why we give a 100 year warranty. We genuinely believe it will last at least that long. In addition, we only use premium materials in our briefcases, and it shows.
Product Details
The Classic Large holds 17" laptops.
The shoulder strap adjusts long from 34" - 59".
Dimensions (W x H x D)
16.00" x 12.00" x 9.00""
Weight: 7 lbs
A Nice Story to Go to Sleep With
So, in the morning, as we three, clean-cut smiley white guys emerged from the cheap hotel, everybody looked at us with suspicion. The government suspected us of bringing money to or training the rebels and the rebels thought we were government spies. Why else would any sober gringo carrying a leather briefcase visit Ocosingo? Unless, of course, it's just where the last truck we hitched a ride with dropped us off
But it was a morbidly interesting place with the relatively fresh bullet holes and anti-government messages of the rebels on the walls. Only a few years back, Ocosingo was the site of a major bloodbath where about 150 Zapatistas and Mexican soldiers were killed in a firefight, some found shot in the back of the head after surrendering. Tensions were still high. One could make an argument for it being the least touristy town on Earth. So, shortly after our silent breakfast, we headed out.
But the cool thing was, Ocosingo wasn't far from where we wanted to be. The massive Mayan ruins of Palenque were breathtaking, and if you looked into the jungle you could see the majority of the ruins still unexcavated.
And then when we got to the jungle waterfalls of Las Cascadas de Agua Azul, we grabbed a vine, hacked it and used it as a rope swing into the river, Tarzan style. The place was amazing as the clear blue river stepped down for miles creating a series of huge waterfalls. It was my original leather briefcase's first big trip of many, but it easily could have been its last.
Our Newsletter Is Just as Classic As Our Briefcase
Our Saddleback Leather Newsletter is a great way to stay up-to-date on our new collections, exclusive deals, and more. When you sign up for the newsletter, you'll receive information about seasonal sales, special offers, and other news that doesn't show up anywhere else. You don't want to miss out on these exclusive offers, so sign up now and make sure you're the first to know about everything Saddleback! We don't just want to make a sale; we want to build relationships that last.
