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Front Pocket Briefcase Explained by Dave
Front Pocket Briefcase & Thin Front Pocket Briefcase Comparison
Large Sized Briefcase Comparison
Front Pocket Leather Briefcase in depth explanation of the design
How to Knock Off a Saddleback Leather Co. Briefcase
I was first introduced to Saddleback in early 2008. A colleague of mine at the time had bought a briefcase and brought it into our offices. I was in love. Finally after years of dealing with "pretty" but badly constructed briefcases I thought "this was it". I had planed on buying one but my business partner and I had to move our company and I thought it prudent to wait until that had been completed. Unfortunately right after we moved our staff and our equipment the economy crashed. After having to fire our staff of twenty-five and closing our doors forever, my wife and I had to declare personal bankruptcy. Needless to say a new briefcase was out of the question. But I never forgot about Saddleback. About once a year I would go back onto the website and see the new products. I would follow the travels of Dave and his family and see what new adventure they were on. And always in the back of my mind I would think "someday I will get me one of those". Well after eight years I was now finally in a position again to purchase one. Now, I tell you all this so that you understand that this review is truly personal for me. And though to some I am sure that a grown man fantasizing about a briefcase like a eight year old boy would fantasize about a life size X-wing fighter is a bit silly. But to me getting this briefcase.... my briefcase was important. I must say that after years of thinking about what I had seen eight years earlier it would have been easy to have been disappointed if the case wasn't everything I remember. But you know what, it was! I tracked the UPS shipment (the UPS app sucks by the way) and when I was informed that it had arrived I raced home. I did have momentary heart failure when I saw that the box sitting at my front door was open. Thank god everything I ordered was still inside and the case unharmed. The tape used had failed and half the box was wide open. But again it was all there. Once I took out the case I new immediately that not only was it as good as I remember but after eight years it was even better. All I can say is its gorgeous. The first thing I noticed was the smell. The smell of true leather wafted thru the air and "it was good". The next thing was the color. I sat it down and took a step back. The color was beautiful. I had purchased Chestnut and I was glad I did. Finally the construction. This case will last me the rest of my life and I have no doubt that my now seven and nine year old kids will be fighting over it years from now. I have had the thing for less than 20 hours and my seven year old daughter is already asking me if Saddleback makes a kids size. And if anyone still has any doubts. I got up this morning, transferred everything out of my old case to my new one, took my kids to school and am now sitting at a coffee place at the world famous farmers market in Los angeles. While I have been sitting here drinking my coffee and trying to write this review at 8:30 in the morning more than four people have come up to me and have asked me about the bag. Not kidding. Its no joke. Everyone from the guy making my coffee to a group of tourist walking by. All of them saw it and wanted to ask me about it. Dave, you and your family do good work and I will be proud to carry this bag for the rest of my life. Thank you!
I wanted to wait a year to review this product to get a good feeling of how it would integrate into my daily life. And it has become completely integrated. Whether I use it as my personal item on a plane while traveling, to using it for work every day. The best part about this thing is that I'm still getting at least one to two compliments a week. My favorite part is that it seems like no matter how much stuff I try to fit in it, there is still room to fit more. When traveling, I fit two laptops, an iPad, over-the-ear headphones, medication, my 3-1-1 liquids bag, journal, all my charging cables and a book. This bag has already served me very well and I couldn't imagine life without it now.
I was hesitant about buying this because of the price and especially all the extra rings on the bag (used when you want to make it into a backpack) but I took the plunge. At 6'2" and I went with their recommendation of the large bag. At first I was certain I made the wrong choice and that it was just too big, but I decided to give it a week. Bought it late January and now it's mid-March, so obviously I adjusted well and now I can't imagine going with a smaller bag. Construction is good and it's held up to the rain very well (not that I expose it to tons of rain, but enough to want to wipe it down when I get into the office). It is heavy even empty and that took some adjusting to as well, but that weight inspires confidence in the overall durability. The extra front pockets are a necessity for me, I wouldn't buy a bag without them. I needed the extra ability to organize a bit more that I just couldn't get without the pockets. The cavernous center pockets don't make for easy organization of all the small modern necessities. Get ready for lots of comments from people who want to buy one for themselves. I let them check out the bag and I see the gears working in their heads on how they can justify it. I did the same thing looking at a friend's bag and it took me 6 months to convince myself to buy it. It's all psychological I know, but it's nice to finally have a bag that says "adult" instead of the ubiquitous nylon backpacks and computer bags people have been using since high school. It's own little right of passage if you will. Most people won't notice or care, but the ones that appreciate and notice the finer details will. Like wearing a suit instead of jeans and a t-shirt, the bag just gives the owner more presence. Silly? Probably, but people are inherently silly and fickle. In the end, it's one of those purchases I'm just glad I made.
This bag is made to last several lifetimes. Very sturdy build quality. But this lends it to be a bit heavier than I would like and not as aesthetically pleasing as it could be. It is definitely very versatile. Two big pockets in the middle are great for the main stuff you need to carry. But what is overlooked is the two side pockets that protrude from the side of the bag and are always accessible - great place to store wires, headphones, etc. and other things you need access to all the time. I use the two front pockets to store things I will rarely need to replenish, like business cards. The gaps behind the front pocket are very useful as well for things like gum, etc. I just wish the bag were a little lighter. Otherwise, it is a beautiful piece of leather that will last me a lifetime.
After 2 years of patiently waiting to pull the trigger, my Dark Coffee Brown Large FP Briefcase came yesterday and immediately after unpacking it, my only words were "oh wow". This thing is absolutely gorgeous. I debated between the Lg Classic Brief but ultimately decided it was too big for my needs. I had initially placed an order for a Dave's Deal on a Large Thin Briefcase in Chestnut (no front pockets), but I got an email 2 days later that it wasn't actually in stock and that it would be 3-6 weeks before it was available (they offered to upgrade to a full price bag at the same cost), but by the time I had placed my order, the bag fever had set in, so I saw the loss as an opportunity to upgrade and get what I really really wanted. So debating between just sticking with the Large Thin or going up to the full size front pocket bag, well, here the large front pocket sits at my feet as I type this. I chose wisely on getting the full size-large. This bag hits the sweet spot between the almost luggage dimensions (to me) of the classic and the thin briefcase (~4 inches slimmer). Ample room for anything I could possibly need during a normal business day or school day. Currently it has 3 textbooks, 2 full size notepad holders (only one of them is a Saddleback, review to come) and various little things in the outer pockets. Pros: (A lot to list, so here are the main ones) 1. Heavy?- Yes, but not unwieldy or overly so. Of course the weight increases as you stuff it. How much depends on you. The weight simply states you have a quality bag on your shoulder/in your hand, but it is manageable and quickly unnoticeable...or you ignore it because the bag is beyond awesome and its a trade-off you willingly make. 2. Stiff and sturdy- The Dark Coffee Brown is dark and stiff and honestly I wouldn't have it any other way. I look forward to breaking it in over the years and gaining suppleness. Again, the stiff leather just says "I'm here for you for the long run" 3.The smell- If you have any Saddleback products, you know the smell. For the uninitiated, it is heaven. 4. Design- I count 12 pockets on the bag plus the inner key strap (they included a chestnut keyfob and it compliments nicely), so organization is available for all of your stuff at any given time. I have nicknamed my bag 'Indy" because it seriously looks like something Indiana would have slung on his shoulder between class and then leaving onto his next adventure. It isn't flashy, it isn't overly rugged, it is simply the fine balance between both. Boardroom or hike, it'll fit in nicely. 5. Pigskin lining- Mine has the suede side of the pigskin and it is my first time seeing it in person. It's pretty cool I think and compliments the smoother finish of the leather. Again, screams class and durability. Cons: (Not many, if any, but if I had to...) 1. Backpack mode- I'm 6'4" and weigh more than I care to admit, and it looks goofy as a backpack. I see the use of it, but depending on your frame, it may look a little odd. On the strap or in hand, it looks proportional and comfortable. 2. No cool marks- I searched for any cool markings, and only have the back panel with stretch marks (wish they were on the front, they look neat and create a break in just the solid color) and a small scar(?) just under the Blue logo under the main flap. Bummer, but typical of the darker colors that they offer from what I have seen. 3. The side pockets- Each side (outer) has a pocket running the depth of the bag, which is nice for pens or other loose items, but I don't see anything other than a slim Dasani water bottle fitting in there as far as drinks go. I may be wrong and I'm sure it will stretch to accommodate a larger bottle/thermos, but I'm betting it will take quite a long time. A slightly looser pocket would have been nice. Is this bag for everyone? Nope. But for who it is geared towards, it will be loved. I am super impressed not only by the bag itself, but with Saddleback in general. Outstanding products made by a superb company that employs stellar people. Don't hesitate (we all know you stalk the site for some time before finally taking the plunge), just click order, you won't regret it.
