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Most of our leather briefcases convert into backpacks, including this one. Run the adjustable shoulder strap through the o-ring on the back of the briefcase, and clip it to the d-rings on the bottom. Now your hands are free to carry more luggage through the airport. This leather briefcase has a false bottom to hide your passport, spare cash, and other secret things. The d-rings are great for strapping on blankets, jackets, and wet sandals. And the main strap has a hole at the very tip, just in case you overstuff your bag or want to put an umbrella under the flap. The two front pockets actually have hidden pockets behind them too.
This leather briefcase is made of full grain leather, which is the strongest there is. And then, we line the leather with pigskin, which is more durable than cow skin. Our thread is some of the best in the world. The strong industrial marine-grade polyester thread doesn't deteriorate like Nylon when the sun touches it. Our custom hardware is 316 Stainless Steel which means our clasps can hold up to a 750 lb. bag of cats. It's the metal of choice for when your life depends on it.
We only use full grain leather. Sure, we pay a higher price to purchase full grain leather to make our bags. And we pay more by using traditional craftsmanship. To us, these are essentials to offering a leather briefcase with a 100 year warranty. Leather is like a roof. First, there is plywood, tar paper, and then shingles. The grain is like shingles. It's the toughest and most water-resistant part of the leather. A lot of companies shave off that grain to get rid of scars or blemishes so they can use more of the hide, but by doing so, they get rid of the toughest part. We don't do that.
Did you know pigskin is actually stronger than cowhide? It is, and that's what we line our leather briefcases with. Not only is it stronger, but it is also more flexible and has a nice feel. We could have left it with just thick full grain leather, but we wanted to give you the best of the best. By using both, you get the best for the inside and the outside of this large leather briefcase.
The hardware on this backpack briefcase is all 316 Surgical Grade Stainless Steel. That's the good stuff. The kind that doesn't corrode, pit, or rust like other metals. It's the best for when your life depends on it, and it's what we use because your life could depend on this briefcase (ya never know, right?).
Polyester is awful for underwear or sheets, but it is the best for thread. We found the strongest polyester thread and used it in our leather bags. It's a marine-grade, UV resistent polyester thread that doesn't deteriorate when sun hits it.
Two small internal pockets are located in the main compartment, which is great for holding things such as pens, pencils, and other things that you might put in small pockets. The internal compartment is split into two main areas with a large capacity to hold a large laptop or two. So you can fit that huge 17" laptop in here without a problem.
The two front pockets on this briefcase are large and ideal for holding chargers and cables, passports and travel docs, phones, glasses, and a multitool. And behind each external pocket, you've got a hidden pocket. These pockets are great for things you might access more often, such as a cell phone or a USB hub, depending on how secure you need it to be and your own packing method.
Yes, this briefcase has a hidden compartment that is large enough to fit a passport. It is located on the bottom of the leather bag and can be easily accessed by lifting a strip of leather. You will see it right away. The false bottom is great for hiding things such as money, your passport, or anything else you might not want anyone to find.
When I tell you we thought of everything, we did. In between the front pockets is a pocket that is good for carrying a cigar, a flashlight, pens or pencils, or Epi pens.
Not everyone wants a shoulder strap; they might prefer the hand strap or the backpack feature, so we made it removable. The durable shoulder strap is also made of full grain leather, just like our leather bags, and has the same quality stainless steel hardware.
It is also functional as a great carry-on for short trips or long trips. You can fit your large laptop and maybe even a change of clothes and other gear. For example, you might not want to put your suit jacket inside, but an extra t-shirt and shorts to wear. The Front Pocket Leather Briefcase fits nicely under seats on the airplane.
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've carried a lot of briefcases and/or computer bags over the last 20+ years and this Front Pocket Briefcase just blows me away. I wanted to climb in the box with it when I opened it, the smell of new leather just blasts you in the face (reminded me of the smell of new horse tackle back when I was a kid and used to ride a lot). Not sure if this makes sense but it is quite simply "perfectly flawed". What I mean is that it is not perfectly square everywhere but instead exudes quality and craftsmanship that says "yeah, I'll be with you for a while, I won't let you down and we'll look good doing it." I ordered mine in Chestnut and was a little worried it would be too red but my worries couldn't be further from the truth. It is exactly that reddish brown I love - a rich color that will be just as spectacular in the office as it will when I shuck the "monkey suit" in favor of riding boots and a leather jacket. With all the tie-down points it will be a breeze to bungee cord to the trunk of my bike (I ride Iron Horses now...). Another concern was whether or not it would hold all my corporate road warrior gear, it does with room to spare. I did get one of those bungee strap organizer cards for all my gadgets, cables, mice, chargers, etc but that was really because I prefer organized chaos in my bag and I did have to give up the internal zipper/Velcro secured compartments when I ditched the Eddie Bauer Messenger bag. End of the day, no regrets! It's everything I expected and more. Thank you Saddleback, a little piece of you and I will be covering some miles together and sharing some experiences for a long time to come.
Yesterday, I received the Front Pocket Briefcase in Chestnut and am in the process of breaking it in. The bag was on Daveâs Deal at 10% off but like many I could not spot any major manufacturing fault immediately. May be, I will need to try harder! Below are the first impressions. First of all, the color choices offered by Saddleback is excellent. I wanted a color that could go well with both black and brown shoes, along with the accompanying attire. This meant that I had to choose b/w Chestnut and Tobacco colors. Chestnut color is relatively more formal so went with it. I must say that the bag looks stunning in it and would go nicely with a suit as well. Many reviewers have touched upon the bagâs built quality so will not go in to details but will acknowledge that that the built quality is excellent. With the built quality positively crossed out, letâs look at the functional aspects of the bag. Starting with the outside, the front pockets are very useful. I havenât used the bag outside but from the comfort of my living room, in my initial trial, I could easily put a slim laptop charger in the front pocket. I can see myself using the âcigarâ pocket as well to stuff things such as pens. In the side pockets, I could fit a small relatively slim water bottle. The back pocket would be useful to keep magazines and documents that you would need to access quickly. The interior is divided in to two compartments, letâs call them front and rear. I could fit my 12.5â X230 Thinkpad laptop in its sleeve in the rear compartment snugly. With the laptop in, there could be enough space to fit an iPad or a notepad. In the front compartment, I would fit in a fat letter-sized portfolio. The two side pockets in the front compartments had to be tucked in before I could slip the portfolio in. With the portfolio in, one could slip in a few slim articles like a notebook, notepad, diary, etc. The front compartment also houses a key holder which comes with a Saddleback keychain. The strap and the handle appear to be well built and comfortable. Please note that the bag is still not broken in. As for the areas of improvement â may be more attention to details. A couple of rivets on the handle are of different color. Other suggestions would be to offer options to a) not have the internal divider (However, I do admit that I do not know how removing the internal divider would affect the structural rigidity of the bag), and b) internal side pockets. And yes, the bag is heavy. But I feel that I am getting a little used to the weight. For those seeking a slimmer and lighter alternative, there is the thin front pocket version. Overall, I think this could be a brilliant every day office bag that allows you to carry the laptop and other necessary documents, notepads, etc. in style!
Most people here know they'll get one at some point. The first choice is which style, then size, then color. I was worried that one of those choices would be the wrong one, and I'd be faced with either settling or returning it. Not so... The bag is honestly one of the nicest things I've ever purchased. It's perfect and exactly as advertised. Yup, it's pretty heavy, and if you have never carried a bag, or carried only a small laptop bag, it may take a little getting used to. It's not overbearing, and I used to carry heavier, more burdensome bags laden with heavy laptops, tools etc, and this is nothing compared to any of those. Now, I have a 13" MBP and an iPad Air (in the matching SBL cover), some other small items in the pockets and it's actually lighter than most of my previous carry bags. I chose Carbon because it matches pretty much everything, and I like the contrast that the hardware brings out. Though Dave is a good marketer, and I can see how it would be easy to get sucked into it, the quality and craftsmanship is every bit of what he claims. I actually think there are some features/points he misses. I know they don't want URLs here but I did a review that goes a little more in depth than I can here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pqo_v-NSwZ8 They can delete that if they want.
I heavily debated for some time which of the SBL briefcases would serve my purpose as an everyday bag. I felt the Classic Briefcases would be too deep for my needs, the Thin models too thin, and both of those models lacked the organization I wanted. The Front Pocket Briefcase appeared to provide the best compromise on size, plus it has the external pockets. My 15" laptop (a Dell) doesn't fit in it without really (really) cramming it in there, but that's my problem for having a too-bulky (and heavy) laptop. I can tell it will stretch out some after a long time of use. For now it does the perfect job of carrying all I need to carry on a regular basis, and the external pockets are a great help with organization. There are "slip pockets" behind the front pouches that allow for extra stashing of a business card holder, small notebook, iPhone charger and earbuds, checkbook, and more. The front pockets are great for things like emergency kits (first aid, spare knife, lighter), and other things that gearheads and preparedness nuts like to carry but wouldn't want loose or taking up space inside the bag. I felt the side pockets (on the ends) might not be of great use because they seem small and tight, and the seam that holds the divider between the compartment takes up a good bit of real estate within the pockets. My opinion is changing on the side pockets as they have stretched a little with light use. I think they might hold a narrow water bottle with some more use, but will likely never hold your travel coffee tumbler (unless very narrow). A flask would be a great fit, though, if you are so inclined. As another reviewer indicated, it might be nice to see this come in a couple sizes, but all in all and for my purposes, this is just about perfect. The chestnut color is beautiful. I thought it would be too pretty for me (I'm a waxed canvas and harness leather and rugged wool kind of guy), but the very slight imperfections in the leather, like very mild stretch marks and other subtle character, make it perfect and interesting. When you do scratch or nick it, Chamberlain's Leather Milk does a good job of blending those owner-inflicted character marks into the color of the leather. As for weight of the bag, it doesn't seem like an issue to me at all. If you really do load it down, converting to backpack mode seems to reduce the perceived weight. Because this is a couple inches shallower than the Classic models, it would be difficult to load it to the point where weight was really a concern, unless you are of very small frame or slight strength. As seems to be the norm, I've received numerous unsolicited compliments. Warning: you will make a lot of people really jealous, and will likely spend far too much time packing and unpacking it just to spend time with it. I am a "quality nerd" with a "buy it once" mentality. If you share a similar mentality, I highly doubt that SBL will let you down.
I had the original briefcase for a little over a year and found I was always adjusting the strap buckles... I didn't like them hanging down in front. When I saw this bag, I thought it looked beautiful and having only one strap to hold the front flap down appealed to me. I recently sold my Original briefcase and bought the Tobacco Front Pocket briefcase and I absolutely love it. I Love the texture of the new leather, and the scars make it look so cool and unique. This fits my personality a little better and I think it will break in faster and be in my family for years to come. Awesome bag, recommend it to everyone who is thinking of pulling the trigger. Yes, you NEED this bag!
