There are times when you want your bag to be more than simply a sack to carry your laptop or loose items. You want it to act as a true accessory and complete your look, the way a nice belt or pair of shoes does. Nothing says sophistication like fine leather, and few do it better than Danny P.
I’ve been using a bag of some sort to lug my everyday carry items ever since college. Whether it be a backpack or satchel or messenger bag, I’ve been on a constant hunt for my next favorite bag. I find that the older I get, the more I care about the quality and longevity of the items I use in a daily basis, so when I was asked to review this fine leather messenger bag from Danny P. I was thrilled. Could this finally be the bag?
Yes, it smells as good as it looks.
Quick Specs
- Fits laptops up to 15”
- iPad pocket – could fit 10” tablet or Kindle
- an umbrella holder and a bottle holder
- 3 small compartments
- outside zippered pocket
- removable & adjustable shoulder strap
- protective metal studs on the bottom corners
- dimensions: 16.06 x 11.69 x 3.5 inches (408x297x89 mm)
The Feel
Right off the bat, this bag exudes simplicity, minimalism and timeless style. The leather is smooth and supple and moves easily while retaining its rigidity. The bag itself is skillfully handmade that shows in every little stitch and fold. All of the elements — zippers, snaps, interior cloth, thread — are very high quality. The color, dark brown in the case of this review bag, is rich and seems to go with everything.
I love the thread color they went with.
This is the first bag I’ve used that I’m honestly a little self-conscious about carrying around because it’s exactly the sort of bag that gets noticed. Even in my short commute from the parking lot into the office, and in the office itself, I received several compliments on the bag. Nestled on the passenger seat of my car in the morning, I found myself saying “Jeez that’s a nice bag.”
I love this thing, in case you couldn’t tell.
It came with a removable shoulder strap, which I didn’t use much. But it’s a nice strap. Almost a shame not to use it. I’d consider adding it back on if I had to walk further than across a parking lot.
I was almost sad to not use the shoulder strap.
I like the large, stitched-on handles, and prefer to carry the bag like an old doctor’s sack. It just feels right.
Showing off those long handles.
If I had one minor quibble about those handles, it’s that they sort of stack vertically when carrying the bag, as the handles are just a bit too wide to comfortably squeeze them side-by-side in your hand. The handles are a bit tapered, so they do naturally slide into that vertical arrangement.
Nibbles hands that dig too deep.
There is a single small zipper pocket on the outside that’s deep enough to make it a little hard to snag a chapstick from the bottom. I wouldn’t want to keep anything too thick in that pocket for fear of stretching a shape into the outside of the bag.
On the Inside
Danny P. put just as much thought to the inside of the messenger bag as the outside. Their fabric choice — a brown plaid — is complimentary and safe, which I can appreciate. It wouldn’t surprise me if the interior was some crazy florescent orange, but I’m really glad it isn’t.
An understated pattern, but classy.
In the large side pocket, I can easily fit my iPad Pro with the smart keyboard case and a folder, which is secured with a snap. It would handle an average 15” laptop or smaller.
On the opposite wall, there is a medium pocket that was apparently made for an iPad or tablet, but I’ve been using it for cables and my headphones. Next to that is a stack of 3 accessory pockets. There is also a pen holder in between them.
Get organized. Note the water bottle loop folded against the side. It feels like a strange appendage in there if not in use.
The width of the main compartment is enough to fit my Nintendo Switch case, can of Progresso soup, honey crisp apple and a pair of gloves. The bag does bulge out a bit when necessary… the leather feels like it’s already broken in and wasn’t stiff at all.
Hello, dedicated umbrella loop.
Stitched into the inside of the short sides are two thick fabric loops which act as an umbrella holder and a water bottle holder. I am making use of the umbrella holder, and that’s come in handy more than once during late-afternoon autumn downpours. The water bottle holder, I’m not much of a fan of, mostly because all my bottles are too fat for it. That loop is easy enough to fold flat against the inside of the bag.
Conclusion
I’ve used a lot of bags over the years and this is unequivocally my favorite. I’m having a hard time finding many negative things to say about it. If anything, this review feels like a long-winded justification of its cost.
The leather messenger bag by Danny P. is available on their website for $489 and comes in black, brown or dark brown.
While that price is a fair bit of money to invest in any one thing, I feel it’s comparable to other leather bags I’ve drooled over. This bag could easily last you 10-20 years, perhaps even longer with care, and will only look better with age. It could easily become an heirloom piece.
Source: The sample for this review was provided by Danny P. Visit their website for more information or to order.
Product Information
| Price: | $489 |
| Manufacturer: | Danny P. |
| Pros: |
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| Cons: |
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Filed in categories: Reviews
Danny P. Leather Messenger Bag review originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on October 20, 2017 at 10:00 am.
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