Indiana Leather Satchel

Design of the Leather Indiana Satchel

This full grain leather satchel (a.k.a. Man Bag) is over-engineered with no breakable parts like zippers, snaps, buttons, etc., and is reinforced with polyester straps and rivets at all stress points. It's built with just two main pieces of leather, so there are fewer seams, and we sew at only five stitches per inch, so there's more leather between the needle holes and fewer holes to start a tear. This leather satchel is 10" x 11" x 3" so it will hold a tablet, a few books, and all of your daily carry essentials. The d-rings are great for strapping on tripods, light jackets, or some wet river shoes. I chose a buckle closure to be able to overstuff (with a hole at the very tip of the strap, just in case). The shoulder strap is adjustable and removable.

Origin of Leather Satchels

The word "satchel" comes from the Old French sachel, which itself comes from the Latin saccellus or saccullus, meaning money bag, or even deeper, saccus, meaning "bag" or "sack". The word was first used in English in the 14th century. The leather satchel has been around for many centuries, and its origins can be traced back to medieval Europe. It was initially designed as a functional bag for carrying books and other items, and it wasn't until later that it became a stylish accessory. In the old days, a schoolboy always carried his books in a leather satchel. And in the summer, he might even hold a frog or two in it.

Full Grain Leather to make a Satchel

Our cow leather is the super-strong full-grain leather (like boot leather, but thicker). Not Top Grain or Genuine, but Full Grain. Low-quality, low-life companies shave off the grain, which is the tough and resistant top part of the hide, to get rid of those eww icky scars, so they don't have to cut around them and throw the leather away. That is how they can use almost every bit of that hide. To make our leather satchels, we throw a lot of leather away because we refuse to shave the grain off. It's like they're shaving the shingles off of your roof. There ought to be a law.

The Lining of our Satchel

The pigskin lining is stronger than the cow leather, and that's why we use it instead of some pretty shiny nylon fabric with a neat world map on it. These are more features that represent the love that we put into our bags.

Abnormally Strong Thread to Keep the Leather Satchel Held Together

The thread is abnormally strong. It's actually a marine-grade UV-resistant polyester thread that they use to sew things that people's lives could count on parachutes, ship sails, etc. So if your life ever depends on this leather satchel staying together, you'll live to tell that story.

Hardware in the Leather Satchel

Our own custom hardware is the incredible 316 Stainless Steel (please please google it). It's the metal of choice when your life depends on it. It's complete overkill for our leather bags, but it's how we can guarantee the hardware will never fail you.

A Saddleback Satchel will last a Lifetime

Full Grain Leather is a tough, durable material lasting at least ten decades. Not only can it withstand the elements and keep your belongings safe, but it also looks good even after years of use.There's a reason why our leather satchels are so popular they're built to last! The sturdy design is designed to hold up under heavy use, so you won't have to worry about them falling apart on you as soon as you start using them. So when you invest in a leather satchel from us, you know it will last at least 100 years.