null

Classic Briefcase

Large Classic Leather Briefcase

$649.00
(428 reviews) Write a Review
SKU: 01-10-0001
100 Year Warranty
  • 16"X12"X9"
  • Weight: 7 lbs

Full grain leather briefcase by Saddleback Leather.

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, 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 Good Bag

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.

Full grain leather briefcase in front of camel roadkill.

Lining in Our Leather Briefcases

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.

Natural leather briefcase with patina.

The Best Hardware for Leather Briefcases

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.

Thread That Doesn't Fall Apart

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).

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.

Backpack Feature

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.

Leather briefcase that converts to backpack mode.

Removable Side Straps

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.

Leather briefcase with removable straps, in front of a male kangaroo.

D-Rings on the Bottom and Side

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.

Saddleback Leather Classic Briefcase in Chestnut leather.

Removable, Adjustable Shoulder Strap

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.

Saddleback Leather briefcase at the South Pole.

False Bottom 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.

Extra Hole for Just in Case

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.

Pockets in the Classic Leather Briefcase

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.

Videos

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

(428)
5 Stars Write a Review
  • 5
    They're already fighting over it...I'm not dead yet!

    I've been waiting to be able to get the large SBL classic briefcase in dark coffee brown [literally] for years and was finally rewarded with one for an early father's day gift this year. There's only one problem: my kids are already fighting over it and I'm still a few months away from my 40th birthday. [Should I be looking over my shoulder?] The bag is everything I imagined it to be and then some. It holds and protects the insane amount of IT and business gear that I carry around for my business and is designed so efficiently that it never seems to get heavy as I travel around the country. It's built like a tank looks awesome, and smells great. I love this bag...can't rate it high enough with 5 stars.

  • 1
    Size Matters

    I originally ordered the Large Classic Briefcase, thinking it would be perfect for my law practice. When it was delivered, I tried putting an expandable folder inside (Redweld brand), and was dismayed to learn it would not fit. Dave's video doesn't even show the Extra Large size, but the screen just says something like it's good for litigators with huge case files. This led me to believe that the Large would be fine for normal use. Well, it is not. I would have appreciated a disclaimer on the size chart that says "expandable legal size folders do not fit in the Large case". So, now I am waiting on the delivery of the Extra Large. Oh, and of course I have to pay for return shipping. Had I known a normal legal folder would not fit, I would have ordered the Extra Large in the first place. That is disappointing as well. Once I take possession of a briefcase that actually can accept legal file folders, I will update this post as to how I like that case.

  • 5
    Called Classic for a Reason

    Being 6'0, 180 lbs I was unsure of what size to get; ultimately based on the limited videos on youtube (at the time) I went ahead and ordered a large in chestnut. great choice! I love the snug fit for the medium notepad holder and the medium MacBook sleeve in the back compartment, lots of room for a kindle, passport, pens, and thumb drives in the remaining internal pockets and a generous front compartment for cables, cameras, etc. It's a heavy bag, it's not a flaw - it's a characteristic. My advice, just because there's room, don't feel compelled to fill it with unnecessary items just for the sake of filling it. The space is there when you need it and things aren't just flopping around when it isn't packed to the brim. Love my bag, and it's only getting better! Thanks SBL!

  • 5
    Medium Classic is PERFECT

    I originally purchased the large thin briefcase, and loved the look of it, but it isn't deep enough for my needs. I ordered the Medium Classic in Chestnut, and before it even arrived I thought I had made a mistake again. I watched many reviews saying the medium is too small, and "purse" like. Well, I can tell all of you that is not the case. I am 6'0, 250lbs, and if it doesn't look tiny on me, it wont look tiny on you. I can fit the medium notepad holder, a 13in MBP Retina in the 13in MB Air sleeve, and my 14in dell laptop in the back , and all the cables, chargers, pens, office needs in the front with room to spare for a medium bible with the closure. If you have a 15in laptop or bigger, then you need the bigger bag, but if not, the medium will more than meet your needs. Unless you just like the look of carrying a large bag with you, the medium classic briefcase is perfect.

  • 5
    Best.Bag.Ever!

    I just received my Classic Briefcase in Dark Coffee Brown and it is GORGEOUS! It is going to be exactly the work bag I have been looking for. I saw someone at the airport recently after I ordered mine who has obviously had theirs for some time. It looked great with a little worn-in characteristics that I look forward to mine having. Everyone from start to finish in the order process couldn't have been more friendly and more responsive. I would and will recommend their products to everyone I know. Thank you! Jeffrey