My VP complimented me on my work bag the other day so I thought I’d write a quick review on the bag I use for work. I have 2 main work bags, one is the Tom Bihn Synapse 19 Backpack (click here for my review) and the other is the Saddleback Leather Medium Satchel. The satchel comes with me to our headquarters and the backpack comes with me to our satellite offices and everywhere else.
I’ve been a fan of Saddleback Leather products for awhile now and have several of their smaller accessories along with the medium satchel. Saddleback is a company based out of Texas and their products are 100% full-grain leather and made in Mexico. Dave Munson, the President of Saddleback is a quirky, religious, and somewhat of a marketing genius. He stands by his leather creations, all of which are thick, stiff, heavy and beautiful. Is the leather the highest quality? Probably not, but it’s up there.
Saddleback products are a work of art. They are designed with an air of classic simplicity and are a throwback from a time where products just lasted forever. There are no breakable parts on Saddleback items and all their bags are built like a tank (and as heavy as one too). Some features include: thick, double-stitched thread, big copper rivets, nickel-coated brass rings and clasps, pig lining. Saddleback’s 100 year guarantee is both bold & alluring and just oozes with their focus and commitment to their customers.
Loyal Saddleback owners are immensely proud of the bags they own. I am no different. I hope to have my bag for decades to come. Anyway, below are some photos, I’ve also included a photo of what I carry in my bag.
Saddleback Leather Medium Satchel
This is the chestnut colored satchel. It measures 12″W X 10″H X 4″D on the outside and 11.5″W X 9.75″H X 3.75″D on the inside.
Close-up of the buckle & strap
The stitching is beautiful! I’ve used this bag for about a year and you might see some scratches….this is perfectly normal. As I mentioned, Saddleback products are thick, stiff leather. They are meant for the owners to slowly break in and add their own character!
View of the back. The pocket fits a magazine well (but will protrude above the top of the leather pocket)
Here’s a close up of the O Ring.
The O Ring can be used in what Saddleback calls, “backpack mode.” Basically, you unhook the shoulderstrap, feed one end through the strap and clip it to the D Ring on the bottom of the bag. Then you take the other end of the strap and do the same and clip to the D Ring on the bottom. I don’t use the backpack mode but I have tried it and is fairly comfortable if adjusted properly.
Here’s the inside. There are 2 pockets on either side and one pouch in the back.
The inside of the bag is very simple. 2 small pockets on either side and one pouch that is almost the width of the bag. This pouch is great. At first it seems small but you can actually fit quite a bit in there.
I took this shot so you can perhaps see the lining.
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The lining is pig skin and is very tough. The inside of the bag is almost fully lined in this pigskin. The only part that is not lined is on the sides (where the 2 side pockets are). The bottom is lined. The pouch in the back is actually a flap of this pigskin. The pigskin is great because you can wipe anything that you spilled.
Here’s the shoulder pad. It’s padded.
Even the shoulder pad is all leather and this one is nice because it’s padded and is very comfortable. My only complaint is that the pad is very slippery and I find that the strap is always threatening to slip off my shoulder.
OK, here’s the stuff I carry in the satchel.
Items I carry in the satchel: 13″ Lenovo laptop, large Moleskine notebook,
Here’s everything all packed in.
Everything fits……but….
My 13″ laptop fits but as you can see it bulges on the sides.
As you can see my 13″ laptop is not a perfect fit. Based on the measurements of the bag I mentioned earlier in this post, it’s only 11.5″W on the inside. My laptop is 13.5″W. Yes, it protrudes, but honestly, it’s not very noticeable. If you are in bad weather, this can be problematic and your laptop will get wet. I’ve carried this for a year and have not had any issues in light rain.
I didn’t get the larger satchel because I’m pretty small framed and wanted a smaller bag for work. Also, I think that as electronics are getting smaller, this bag will work well for me for many years to come.
3 minor complaints. One I’ve already mentioned….the shoulder pad is super slippery. I’m currently investigating ways I can make the pad more grippy. Second, when unbuckling the strap, the pin does not quite drop far enough and tends to snag as you pull the strap out. I emailed Saddleback about this but they said it was like that. If you use 2 hands and just push the pin down and use your other hand to pull the strap out, you won’t have any issues. The last issue is with the inside side pocket on the inside of the bag. The 2 pockets on the inside are NOT the same, one is flush with the side of the bag and the other protrudes out like a pouch. Because my laptop is a tight fit, the pouch that protrudes out sometimes gets in the way when sliding in my laptop. It’s not a huge problem but is slightly annoying.
Overall, I really love this satchel. It’s classy, fits what I need and it just feels good as an accessory when I head into the office.
Saddleback Leather – http://www.saddlebackleather.com
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