What is Silverback?
Designed For Silverbacks, Not For Chimps
Just The Silverback Collection is a more sleek and refined, sophisticated executive style collection of leather goods of Saddleback Leather. Is Saddleback Classic or Silverback your style?
Indiana Jones Style
In 1999, teaching English in southern Mexico, I asked myself, “What would Indiana Jones carry?” and then designed a bag like I had in my head. I called it Saddleback. That same year, I chose my first email address, [email protected].
James Bond Style
In 2010, gorilla trekking on the edge of the Congo, I asked myself, “What would James Bond carry? and called it Silverback. But not just any James Bond. I wanted a James Bond that bleeds. Sophisticated and sleek yet strong and masculine. I imagined someone carrying this timeless leather bag, wearing a fine bespoke suit from Savile Row, but with a bloodied lip and busted up knuckles.
Why the name Silverback?
As gorillas age and mature, the hair on their backs grows silver, like some of us, and therefore the name Silverback. The whole family depends on them to lead and to protect them for survival. Are you a Silverback? I’m not asking if you have silver hair on your back, but are you one of the wisest, most respected, most powerful and dominant in your world?
Saddleback Classic or Silverback?
Just Indiana Jones or James Bond? Whose style do you identify with?
Indiana Jones - He was a down to earth university professor who wore a Harris Tweed wool suit, unless he was traveling, then it was a dark brown leather jacket with quality rugged leather boots. He was a more regular kind of guy who spent a lot of time outdoors and preferred a more down to earth style. He preferred classic and simple offroad vehicles for just in case situations.
James Bond - He wore bespoke suits or a collared shirt with a suit coat, with cufflinks, of course. He was sophisticated and had a taste for the finer things in life. He sipped fine wines and martinis and vacationed on sailboats or at a casino in Monaco. He preferred classy high performance English cars like Aston Martins. For the sake of this conversation, let’s set aside his light character flaws of being a compassionless man with a seared conscience, who was a womanizing, lying murderer.
Both scream quality, professionalism and strength, but neither is stronger or better than the other. They are just different styles for different occasions. Strong down to earth professionalism or sophisticated refined professionalism. Choose the one that you identify with most.
Saddleback Classic and Silverback
The Same Saddleback Ethos with Distinct Differences
Similarities
- Same durable, no breakable parts construction i.e. zippers, snaps, magnets, velcro etc.
- Same 100 Year Warranty
- Same reinforced stress points
- Same custom overkill 316 Stainless Steel hardware, the strongest we know of on any bag in history
Differences in Materials
- Both are lined with skin.
- Classic Saddleback designs are lined with tough and luxurious pigskin.
- Silverback designs are lined with durable and buttery goatskin.
- Both are built with the toughest leather on the planet, Full Grain.
- For Classic designs, we chose 2 - 2.2mm thick Chrome tanned work boot leather for many specific reasons, like a strong patina and the broken in look.
- For Silverback designs, we chose the same smooth and more buttery 1.8 - 2mm thick Italian vegetable tanned leather we use for our high level Officer’s Boots. It has a tighter fiber structure. We also finished the leather so it does not patina as much
Similarities in Design Aesthetic
- Same natural marbled leather to remove all doubt it’s leather.
- Same triangles and threes in design
- Same Saddleback curves and corner radiuses
- Same contrasting hardware
Differences in Design
- Both use industrial strength single filament Polyester thread:
- Classic designs are usually double stitched for a sturdy over-engineered look. Silverback designs are single stitched to give it a sleeker more refined look.
- Classic designs are sewn with a heavy gauge thread at 5 stitches per inch to give it a more rugged texture. Silverback designs are sewn with a thread one gauge thinner and at 7 stitches per inch to give a smoother cleaner appearance.
- Saddleback Classic designs have lose straps and more shadows to give more depth. Silverback designs have sewn on straps and fewer shadows to give it a simpler look and feel.
- Classic designs have raw edges and Silverback have cleanly painted edges
- Classic Saddleback has rivets refinforcing all stress points. Silverback has extra stitching reinforcing and no rivets except for the three nickel plated rivets on the Saddleback shield.
Match the Accessory to the Occasion
Doctors, Lawyers, Pilots, Judges and Engineers all love our professional yet down to earth and approachable style of the Saddleback Classic leather goods. But there’s something else in me that needs a little more sophisticated looking bag for more serious or formal occasions. Just as you don’t wear only one pair of shoes for all occasions, so it is with a leather bag. It should be an accessory to what you are wearing.
Rolls Royce put Saddleback Leather’s Trunk in their coffeetable book and I went to London for the launch. A well dressed man walked by carrying a leather briefcase that would have looked the part on the train or in the office, but not at that event. It was clear to everybody, the dude borrowed the suit. He was clearly not a Silverback because he was not carrying a bag like a Silverback would have carried at an event like that. Don’t be that guy. Carry the style of briefcase that fits the situation.