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
A quick review. I bought the XL because I wanted something that I could use for any occasion- traveling, business, etc. It has exceeded my expectations and more. The trouble is I don't use it enough to break it in. The leather and craftsmanship is top quality, but like most shoes- you have to use them before they'll mold. Everywhere I go people compliment me on it. It's truly one of the sharpest, masculine bags out there. I can throw it around and it keeps taking a beating. I hope to build more character over time, but I do not regret the purchase one bit. It's the details, the quality and the dedication to putting forth a product they can proudly stand behind that makes Saddleback Leather my go to website- I've bought a wallet, briefcase, iPad Holder and Notebook/Planner and I have yet to ever be disappointed. I bought these when I was 28-29, I'm 30 now and they will surely outlast my career.
I've owned my Tobacco Large briefcase for a year now, and I might be able to give a little insight that others haven't given... I had spied these bags for a year before biting the bullet and getting one. I loved the style and look of the original briefcase, and just before I purchased, they rolled out the old tobacco color (my favorite). The bag is beautiful, no doubt. A medium probably would have suited my female 5'9" frame a little better but I wanted to be able to use this as my primary laptop bag. Well, one year later and it's still that bag. It gets nearly daily use (albeit thrown in the trunk of my car and lugged to work and back home). There are no real signs of wear and tear just yet - merely scratches to the exterior of the bag. I haven't conditioned it yet, but I'd imagine these would buff out pretty easily. The chosen "marks" used on the bag are fairly discrete and pretty cool looking. There's only a few that I've seen, but I like this look. Now...practicality. As many, many, many, many people have mentioned - it's just heavy. It's not heavy in the sense that I'm picking up a 15 lb bowling ball - it's heavy for a bag. A bag that is supposed to be used often. Any backpacker or traveler knows that every pound you carry counts. That makes this bag wildly impractical. Coupled with all the new restrictions on size and weight for carry on luggage...well...hey, I admire people who can and do travel with this. It would not be my first pick. I'd rather use a leather reinforced waxed canvas backpack and replace it occasionally for sake of weight and ease. Carrying this as a briefcase...well...with a laptop and a few accessories, carrying it by the handle causes my hand to go numb. Seriously. Carrying it with the strap slung over a shoulder causes the bag to hit my leg constantly when I walk and it hurts. Seriously. I decided to just use it as a backpack - but a few problems still exist. I forced the O ring at the top of the bag under the handle so it wouldn't dig into my back. Setting it up in backpack mode means that the strap slides through and it slides through a lot. You have to grab both straps at once and swing it over on to your back. I've definitely hurt my shoulders with this motion. Also, if you have medium to long hair - it WILL get caught and ripped out between the O ring and the strap. Be careful and move your hair over one shoulder. I wish they made static backpack straps for this with better padding for the shoulders. I know, I know...I should have just gotten a backpack. But I like this look and style. I actually rarely get compliments on the bag. Maybe it's because I'm a girl carrying it around? Maybe it's because the bag only comes with me to work and home? Maybe it's because I'm in Los Angeles and no one cares? It doesn't matter to me, but I don't have the same experiences as others with the bag. Bottom line - it's okay. It seems to be well made, but it's not very practical. I consider it my expensive and fanciful laptop bag. Now if only I can rig it with straps that don't slide...then I'd be really happy. I see that the backpacks here are still 5lbs. That's still a lot when you have severe weight restrictions with airline travel. Ah, well. Buy it because you love it and have to have it, not because you're looking for a replacement bag.
Awesome! If I had one word, that would be it. Since there is room for a bit more... Let me fill in a few gaps that aren't in these other reviews. The natura pigskin, to me, is amazing. I personally wouldn't be interested in the stiffer non natura. Don't steer away if you think that is a lesser quality...it isn't, just softer. For me, that is great. I wrote off the "backpack" ability as a novelty I would have little use for... Wrong. Super easy, super comfortable, and just plain useful. This is a substantial briefcase. However, I like to be prepared...always have. If you are a minimalist, no need for the classic. It is great for travel. I throw the following in mine as standard: 15" laptop, iPad, normal 8.5 x 11 note pad, 3 folders with paper, iPhone, all chargers, wallet, passport, Franklin covey reg size binder, micro umbrella, med kit(Chapstick, Advil, allergy meds, vitamins),. Beautifully made with longevity in mind. After seeing my bag, and checking out the sit, my wife is now after one of the women's purses on here. Thanks Presidente Dave and Co.
Okay y'all - it's one a.m. CST and I'm here to lay down the most heartfelt and wine induced review you've ever read in your life... July 2011: I have my first big paycheck from the first real estate transaction I closed. After lusting after anything and everything SBL, I pulled the trigger on a Large DCB briefcase. I took the "leather test" very seriously, having trouble deciding between Tobacco and DCB. The sophisticated simplicity of DCB vs. rugged utility of the TB is what eventually won my heart. Along with the briefcase I tacked on an order for one of their run of the mill DCB medium bifold wallets. Here I am nearly three years later and I can confidently tell you that apart from a select few worldly possessions scattered around my house(family pictures/heirlooms) my briefcase would be the first thing I save in the event of a house fire. I've even had the rare day dream while flying on airplanes with it about how I would best assist everyone off the plane...then crawl back into the wreckage to grab my briefcase. This bag got me through my final year of college. It has traveled with me far and wide. Australia, Austria, Germany, Argentina, France, Dominican Republic, Canada, and hundreds of thousands of miles of road trips. On one particular trip while in Vienna, Austria(while still in college) we were strictly prohibited from imbibing while abroad...however, we were due to take a boat to Bratislava, Slovakia(about an hour by boat) and I decided to do what was best for our group and load four bottles of red, a few baguettes, and the entire refrigerated section of a delicatessen into the briefcase(a superb example of how much a Lg can hold!). I became an instant hit on the trip! Students and teachers alike let down their guards and partook of the elements. So, truly, SBL can bring people together. On the ride back, having exhausted our supply(there were only 6 of us!) I found my briefcase in want of a load. No kidding, as if Providence itself knew of my ability to transport elicit goods - we found six stray kittens in a ditch without a mother walking back to the boat. Wrapping them gently in a pashmina and tucking them carefully into the pockets of the briefcase we took them to a new life back in Vienna...where I can report all but one are living happy, healthy lives! Okay - I've digressed. What has four years done to the briefcase? Well, unsurprisingly it has softened it up quite a bit! It doesn't "flop" as I've read many do after so many years. and I can tell you it's not for lack of use. I would honestly say I've strapped it to my shoulder 330-340 days of the year for the past 4 years. The DCB just is a little stiffer by nature. It also doesn't "scratch" particularly easily. I don't know how some peoples scratches as easily as they do! I've seen chestnut do it - but it's a slightly different finish. To do that to DCB you would have to tie it to a rope and throw it out the window for a few miles... so the exterior finish is tough. After time, it also shows "superficial cracking" along the edges of the top flap that rub against the dog leash claps and strap after so many years - because that is where the most pressure is put while carrying. Let it also be said my daily haul is VERY heavy. Comical really. I've only measured it twice when it was so hilariously heavy it caused me to tip over as I walked out the door - it usually weighs in around 19-31lbs and yet, carries surprisingly well. About two years ago I started conditioning it regularly, when I saw noticeable "dryness" to the leather. This seems to have added years to its longevity and has made the leather softer to the touch...so I do it about every 6mo's whenever the mood strikes. Are there pitfalls? You bet! The biggest, and it's still a rather small nit to pick, is the bottom four leather loops where the D rings are attached. Entirely convenient for someone(I'm sure...I'm no architect or anyone that needs to strap something to the bottom, but I have seen pictures and they seem great!) but also where the most "wear" is visible on the bag. Reason being that it's the first bit of leather that touches the ground when you put the briefcase down. For me, it's the back two loops(where my heaviest articles are...old 17in MacPro, folders, books, etc) that have shown the most wear/tear and I can confidently say that my bag will be back for replacement on those loops within the next two years. Again - very minor. and truly the biggest "fail" of the bag that isn't a fail at all, it's just going to cause them hellacious warranty claims from the folks that actually use their bags. I don't envision any other part of the bag needing repair or replacement in the next four years(same time as I've owned it) unless a metal D ring or the clasps snap. Something I've seen can happen as these parts ARE NOT stainless steel as I had thought, but simply chromed pot metal. Fine for the average consumer, but a shame to take that shortcut. Nonetheless, can't you tell I'm in love? That wallet I ordered? Sitting next to the computer as I'm typing. It's the damnedest little piece of leather. It's broken more credit cards, library cards, drivers licenses, etc. than I choose to count. I've gotten replacements from SBL but given them away after a few weeks as they did the same thing! I think it's just part of their charm. You'd think it'd stop doing it, but I'm about two weeks away from having to order new credit and debit cards as they've started to crack. New ones every 4-6mo's seems to be the norm...and yet I love it. I put it in my back pocket every morning and think man - I love this wallet. If you've stuck around long enough to read this entire review, you're obviously wanting one of these bags badly. So I'll tell you this. Since July 2011 I've probably spent additional $3,500 on assorted SBL products - two suitcases, one beast, a simple backpack, a satchel, a pouch, notepad holder, bible case, passport case, and a few other odds and ins. What you've read is true. The leather HAS changed since just four years ago. Hell, it's changed since a year ago. It's changed in the way it's being prepared and thus how it comes to you, the consumer. It DOES feel of a slightly lesser quality. However, this is simply compared to older bags that I have to compare them to. Is the leather a lesser quality? I don't know! If it is I wouldn't think they'd tell us! As a first time buyer? I would probably fall in love with the first bag I saw...because you couldn't tell a difference. What are some of the new complaints? That the leather feels "plasticy" and has a glue or adhesive smell. I've gotten piece like that and promptly sent it back, then got another and it was fine. That would be my final advice to you. Yes, if you're on the edge about purchasing a briefcase, do it. You won't regret it. If what you get isn't what you hoped you'd get, send it back and ask for another or move along and purchase from someone else. It's a huge investment - but I can tell you if it's ever lost or stolen, I will promptly shell out the $500-600 to buy another. tomorrow. They're that great. The wine sleeps are kicking in now. Remember guys, buy nice - or buy twice.
I'm an ER doctor and had a major trauma the other day. The person had a devastating injury to his leg and was bleeding to death. To my surprise the ER I was workimg at didn't have a turiquete. I pulled the strap off of my bag and sinched down. How many times can you say you bag has literally saved someone's Life? Only issue was that the holes in the strap don't go the length so I had to double the strap back around but it worked. My strap has a little more character now but if ever find my self in the same situation I'm confident that the bag will come threw as expected.
