Our hope is that you’ll be proud of your bag because of the compliments you get and how long it lasts. But our deeper hope is that you join our community of those nurturing the vulnerable and loving the unloved. We do more than just quality leather bags; we do quality in all areas of our business.
Our purpose is not to change the world by loving orphans, single moms and ex-prisoners one at a time. It’s to work with a Love 41 community/family of loving and nurturing people to do it. If you want to but you’re not sure how, then join us on Facebook or sign up for our newsletter to learn more. We’ll help you get plugged in.
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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, and our pigskin lining is super 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. This is over-engineering.
Full Grain Leather is the key to a quality leather briefcase. 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. When tanneries get 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 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.
We glue and sew tough, strong pigskin leather to the cow leather. And the pigskin is even stronger than the cowskin. We've chosen this instead of using a shiny pretty fabric lining. We want all of our real leather bags to be durable, rugged, and sturdy.
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 a 750 lbs. bag of cats.
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. It's the same thread used on ship sails and parachutes (things your life depends on).
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.
The classic leather briefcase converts into a laptop backpack with a shoulder strap with two shoulder pads. Clip one end of the strap onto a d-ring on the bottom, run the strap through the o-ring, and clip it to the opposite side and you've got yourself a backpack. Now your hands are free to carry the wife and kid's luggage.
You can remove the side straps to 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.
The d-rings on the bottom are designed to strap on blankets, dirty boots, fly rod tubes, or blueprints. And you'll use these d-rings to convert your leather briefcase into backpack mode. The d-rings up top are great for clipping keychains, carabiners, or extra gear too.
The shoulder strap is adjustable (40" - 65") and it's removable. You can take it off to tie down the Christmas tree to the roof of your car. The shoulder strap comes with two strap pads for backpack mode.
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.
A small detail, but 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 leather briefcase, for "just in case." Comes in handy when you need it.
There is a pocket on the side, a pocket on the back, and pockets on the inside. 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 quality leather briefcases will protect your belongings and your reputation.
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
This is an amazing product. Everything about it is built to last, and it looks great too. After a week or so of daily use, it keeps getting better (scratches, personality, etc.). I went back and forth trying to decide between the L and the XL and I ultimately chose the XL. Like everyone says, the XL is huge. I carry two laptops, work files, and all kinds of random stuff and I still only manage to fill it about halfway. I probably should have purchased the L, but now I have a bag that will never say no.
I had researched this bag and desired it for three years before pulling the trigger. I'd like to say that I used that time to shop around and viewed a lot of Daves compeditors websites but I would be lying! Sure I did a little research but a little is all you need to do after seeing thier offerings compared to Saddlebacks. No my hold up was saving the money. Don't get me wrong, im not complaining about the cost. .....it's worth every penny....and more. It's just every year my wife and I decided it would be my Christmas gift...and every year we ended up spending that money on our kids instead of me (which I didn't mind at all). During all this time I researched the bag, the company, the saddleback story, watched all the videos, learned all about the leather and quality...and of course shopped to look at the competitors (which Dave put the links to thier websites on his....crazy right?). Every time it brought me right back to this website, and my desire for the bag increased each month. Earlier this year I bought the iPad Air case.....loved it too. But we made the decision to get my bag, tobacco color in large for Christmas. I couldn't wait to open it. It is the most beautiful, well made and functional bag on the market.....hands down. I debated between the large and extra large because I wanted room for a jacket or extra shirt for when I travel....I went with the large in the end and I'm glad. It's so functional in that I can strap a jacket to the bag if I need to instead of putting inside. And there is plenty of room inside as well. I read many people talk about the weight.....well I'm a big guy so the weight isn't an issue with me but come on people....Dave tells you up front the exact weight and that it's a little heavy compared to other less well made bags. Those bags are light for a reason...they are not made as well or with the best leather. Daves are a little heavier.....they are made of the best, most durable leather. Ignorance is no excuse for complaining when all the disclosures, data and metrics are listed on the website. Personally every time I lift the bag it's a reminder of the quality that I purchased. So my wife and I laugh now because she can finally not have to hear me talk about wanting this bag any longer. For my daughter it was the Apple Watch.....for me it was the Saddleback classic briefcase. Lol. I'll treasure this bag for a lifetime and continue to support the company in other products as well.
What a bag! Oh what a bag! I am now the proud owner of a medium tobacco classic, and boy does it feel good. And the smell... oh what an aroma! I might just stick my head inside the confines of this work of art for another whiff or three. Size wise, it suits me very well; I am a 5 foot 8 male with an athletic build. A note to any one from New Zealand considering purchasing one; be prepared to wait close to a month for it to arrive, and you will have to pay customs fees, which amounted to nearly $150 NZ :( I am looking forward to taking this bag not just to varsity, but around the world along with my old SB passport wallet.
After several years of owning all sorts of bags, I finally decided to buy the Classic Briefcase in (L)Carbon. The quality of the bag is amazing, and it is definitely what I expected. I will say that no one can prepare you for the smell of the leather once you've unboxed it. The smell says quality, more than the look itself. I highly recommend this bag. My only disappointment is that I waited so long to pull the trigger. The weight of the bag is over emphasized. I'm 6'3", and I find the bag to be lighter than I expected. If you are wondering if this purchase makes sense, just wait until it arrives. You won't regret your buying decision. Thanks Dave, you guys to do an awesome job!!
I've longed for a Classic Briefcase since I first saw a little banner ad for Saddleback on some long-forgotten blog about 5-6 years ago. After realizing that I would never let go of that dream, my super-awesome wife said this Christmas was the time. Made the purchase Thanksgiving weekend to ensure it would arrive before Christmas. It arrived 3 whole days later. Couldn't wait for Christmas, so I've been carrying it for a little more than 3 weeks now. I purchased the Classic Medium in Tobacco. I know I'm supposed to avoid single-word reviews...but I'll throw "awesome" out there. This bag is intoxicating. I can't not look at it. I've taken it with me when there is absolutely no practical reason to do so. I love carrying it, I love opening it, I love packing away to leave the office at the end of the day. The tobacco leather is already getting some nice wear - scuffs, dings - making it look even better already. Even with the weight of this bag, plus my gear (laptop & cables, notebooks, canvas gear wrap) it's remarkably easy to carry. I've not rigged it as a backpack yet. The configuration of the inner pouches/pockets will likely cause you to reconsider your everyday gear in the bag, which isn't necessarily a bad thing. A little reprioritization here & there is good for the soul. I find that the attached inner lanyard for keys is a little in the way, but I can see where it could come in handy. All should note that bag has no padding to protect your gear. While the leather itself will absorb a good whack, it's not going to protect like the foam-lined ballistic bags we're used to. For a bottom cushion for my laptop, I folded up a bandana, which so far has done nicely without affecting space. This is a bucket list bag. Just wonderful.
