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Classic Leather Briefcase Explained by Dave
Large Sized Briefcase Comparison
The Classic Briefcase in depth description and explanation on design
How to Knock Off a Saddleback Leather Co. Briefcase
Wanted to give it a decade or so before I reviewed it. I bought the XL ( that is the size that compares to a normal briefcase) 10-12 years ago. I got tired of replacing my bag each year because I was blowing out where the straps were attached. Kept buying increasingly expensive bags, to no avail. Buy the best and cry once. This bag has been worth the money ten times over. Has performed flawlessly around the world. Looks better each year. I put some mink oil on it somewhere around year six just because, but it was completely unnecessary. Carrying it is certainly a conversation piece: you will be asked about the bag in airports, conferences, meetings, etc. That's when I tell them about the 100 year guarantee and drop the website.
I bought this large briefcase in dark chestnut brown in 2008 as I had some job interviews looming. Since then I have carried it to work most days and used it as an overnight bag. It still looks great apart from a couple of stray threads on the strap. The leather is of extremely high quality and just gets better with age. It is worth getting some kind of cleaning/nourishing fluid and occasionally wiping it with that. Overall this has been a fantastic useful bag. The only slight downsides I have noticed are that it is quite heavy once you put a few things in it and the shoulder pads have a tendency to flip around on the strap.
I started saving (and drooling/dreaming) for a classic briefcase a little over two years ago. Between then and now, I've watched every Saddleback YouTube video, conversed with the Twitter/Instagram team, and totally fell in love with the company and what it stands for. With a personal history in mission work, the Munson family knows what it's about, they get it. So, with that said, I knew a Classic Briefcase was in my future. Now that it's here, I can't say enough about it. The structure and quality that goes into the joints/stitches far surpasses the rest. This thing is NOT going to fall apart. Ever. Secondly, something I didn't expect, is the sturdy beastliness that is the strap. It's becoming my favorite part of the bag!! It's thick, strong, and could be used to tow a car (maybe ill try that one day...). Thirdly, the aroma. Holy goodness. It's phenomenal and it fills the room for the first week! I know the smell doesn't help with describing its structural integrity, but I love it nonetheless. Next, the reasons I chose the Classic over Front Pocket briefcase is the thicker, fuller handle and the two straps that completely wrap the bag. I wanted these so bad, and after a month of thinking I was going to buy the Front Pocket bag I finally realized those two things meant a lot to me and my love for the bag. Now that I have the bag in hand, I'm glad I did so. They are wonderful features for this bag. Next, for those debating between a medium and a large (like I did for several months). I'm 6'1", an avid weightlifter with 44" chest and 32" waist (to be more specific and give a better review) and the large is PERFECT. The main reason I went to the large, is the future possibility of needing to pack a lot of "stuff". I'm a medical student now, so my normal EDC supplies are a notebook, small folder, MacBook Pro 13, iPad mini, Chargers for both, and pens etc. I knew a medium would fit it all, but I have those rare occasions when I need more room than that. So, as you can guess, I'm glad I did so! Over the holidays, even with all of that just mentioned, I threw in a 2" thick bible, a 3/4" leather journal, and portable charging station. The bag handled it all with ease. The large is a perfect combo of comfort and roominess. Next, another issue I debated for weeks was the color. I was bent on Coffee Brown for the first year. I was hooked when I saw it. The look of a well used, beat up coffee brown bag is a work of art. I wanted that. But.... (Always a but) I got a coffee brown IPad Case, and a friend of mine got the Lg Classic BC in coffee brown, and I wasn't too impressed. Don't get me wrong, it's gorgeous, and classy, and the thread color matched with the leather is fantastic. But it felt too "business-like", something I didn't catch from the pictures I saw beforehand. On the other hand, my first Saddleback purchase was the iPhone 6 case in Tobacco, and based on the pics on their website, the tobacco briefcase looked way way too light colored (like latte). Thus, I wanted to try out the Tobacco color with the phone case. Glad I did because I fell in love with it. Within weeks the light color turned dark, damp, and heavy. The true meaning of heavy duty leather in my opinion. It was then that I knew the Tobacco was what I wanted. So I ordered tobacco and it's again PERFECT!!! It came in the mail a little lighter than the pics above (for the large, not the medium). I just finished conditioning it with Chaimberlin's #3 and it got even darker, and it's twice as perfect. I can't say enough about the color. It's a smidge darker than the Lg Briefcase pics above in tobacco brown, FYI. Okay that's enough of praising the bag. I do have one thing that kind of bothered me at first but now I'm learning to accept it because it adds class and character to the bag. One of the loops that holds the strap that comes over the top is slightly crooked (maybe 5-10° or so, not much), but it's something only I would notice (I'm a little OCD when it comes to symmetry... It's my downfall). This bag I'll still get 5 stars, I would put 10 if I could. It's amazing. I hope this review helps a few people decide between features, sizes, and colors. Some reviews on here helped, other were useless, and I want to help future Saddlebackers. Have fun and BUY THIS BAG!!!! J.H.M.
8 Years ago my Grandparents wanted to 'get me something I'll have forever' After much consideration, we decided on a Medium Classic brown Saddleback Briefcase with matching Portfolio. Neat Notes: The Bison Brand was done by my brother and I using Brands bought at Philmont Boy scout Ranch http://www.toothoftimetraders.com/Brands/9058/Dept 15" Macbook pro is a perfect fit. A MSI 15.6" Laptop is a snug fit along with my portolio. Fully Loaded, The case still fits neatly under an airplane seat. After a bit of use, I wasn't happy with a part of the bag's function. Saddleback not only replaced the hardware with a revised design, but paid shipping and had excellent communication thought the process
After some heavy prompting my wife bought me a medium classic briefcase as a wedding anniversary present. I work in London (UK) and spend my time travelling the UK meeting with Businesses. I have been struggling for years to find a bag smart enough to attend board meetings but rugged enough to be piled up with laptop and papers without giving way. I am delighted with the bag. It looks as good as I had hoped and is tough as nails. If anything it is a little big but I think this is going to be solved with a bit of gentle wearing in. Once the bag has 'loosened up' it won't be as rigid and will not feel so bulky. One additional benefit, in the UK the water bottle holder makes the perfect collapsible umbrella holder!
