I’m not too thrilled about today’s post.
Don’t confuse that with not being thrilled about this bag. It’s awesome – which is the exact reason I’m sad to give it away. However, my loss can potentially be your gain.
As part of the review of this review, I agreed to do a giveaway of the bag. It’s been my daily companion for a couple of months now, but it’s just barely getting broken in.
When it comes to leather goods, Saddleback has the reputation they do for a reason. While many companies will cut corners in one or many places in the process, Saddleback’s whole purpose is to create ridiculously strong, long lasting, great looking bags. Are they expensive? Absolutely they are. And in a time where nearly every company tries to tout the longevity – both from an aesthetic and durability stand point – of their product, the idea of something being so good your kids will fight over it can sound trite.
But Saddleback have been doing it right for a long time. They’re serious when it comes to making quality products, but not too serious when it comes to fun ways they’ve discovered to test that durability, or to explain why their products are superior.
When the company first reached out to me, I was a bit skeptical about whether one of their bags would meet my desired look for a work briefcase. Most of their offerings skew as far Rugged as one can get, and with my daily use being a bit more Refined, a case based on a rough-riding saddlebag wasn’t going to pan out. Thankfully, they have a small-but-budding line of business bags that keep to the tradition of the company’s build standards, while trimming down the look and adding a more luxe feel.
They sent me their Medium Thin Briefcase. Like all of their other creations, it has no moving parts. No zippers or snaps that can easily break and create a weak point in the construction. The leather is thick, full-grain stuff that is stiff and heavy. I haven’t had the bag long enough for it to break in, but I’ve held some that have been through more abuse, and the man who wins this is going to have a great time giving this thing some character.
Internally it’s lined with pigskin, meaning it’s still durable, but also softer so as not to scratch laptops, phones, etc. There are two main compartments, with a couple of smaller pockets and a keyring peppered throughout. This thing is minimal. It’s not one that has specialized compartments for every gadget the urban man tends to carry, but I like the simplicity. I keep a laptop, sunglass case, extra pouch of ear phones, moleskin, some business cards, laptop cable, and an extra magazine for a handgun in their with enough room for everything to be comfortable.
Of all the finishes and colors, I felt the Chestnut was the most business appropriate and versatile, so that’s what you’re going to get. It also comes with a shoulder strap, but I’ve avoided using it as it ends up looking a bit too much like a purse to me.
Speaking of negatives, there are only a couple. The biggest being the fact that there are different metal finishes on the D rings and rivets. It’s small, but for an OCD, detail-oriented person, it’s enough to be annoying. The other is more of a trade off than a negative. This is not a light bag. While it’s durable enough to be thrown around, it’s not easy to do so. I acclimated to it quickly but men who are interested in an extremely lightweight bag will want to look elsewhere.
So, like I said at the beginning, I’m giving this thing away. There are a few things I need you to do to get in on the action, and each will give you more entries. First is to sign up for the newsletter. This is the biggest and is worth five entry points. Once that’s done, there are nine other entry points that can be earned based on a few different actions.
As a quick heads up, I’ll be shipping this for free to the winner if he is in the continental US. If not, the cost of shipping will fall to the winner – so you out-of-country guys should keep that in mind when entering.
Oh, and to make things better – Brock over at The Modest Man is running a giveaway for a Saddleback bag as well. We timed it together on purpose and are excited to double your options to get one of these incredible bags.