Leather – Page 7

Daniels NYC Leather Briefcase review

When my sister finished her Master’s program, I gifted her with a leather portfolio/briefcase. When I finished mine, an aunt and uncle did the same for me. I still have the leather folio my dad was given early in his career. Leather briefs, it seems, are a rite of passage of sorts. They are cherished and used with joy not only because of the feel of the leather, but the knowledge of the expense and investment they represent. So, what if a leather briefcase could be had for less than $200, rather than two or three times that amount? Would it change the calculus of its value? Daniels NYC is asking us that very question with their new line of leather briefcases that cost only $149.

Note: Photos may be tapped or clicked for a larger image.

The Briefcase comes in two colors – brown and black. Both are made from cowhide tanned in Novo Hamburgo, Brazil, and then cut, sewn, and assembled in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam. The manufacture of the briefcase is top-notch. The seams inside are either fully folded in or covered with heavy bias tape. The zippers and pockets are decoratively top-stitched and dual layered. The quality metal zippers have heavy, molded pulls, and the sewn-in D-rings feel solid but are so snugly fitted that I cannot turn them to see if there is a weld. The full-length rear pocket’s magnet-enhanced snap closure is punched perfectly, as are the two on the front pocket flap. The smooth, seat-belt quality webbing in the handle is covered by leather where your hand will hold it. The pebble-grain leather feels lush to the touch.

The layout of the pockets is as follows: The front has a full-length zippered pocket with another flap-covered pocket about an inch in from either side. The flapped pocket has a 1” bellows, which will hide bulky items like power supplies, sunglasses cases, or a wad of keys. The zippered pocket is only about 7” deep, so will not hold full sheets of paper unless they are folded. On the opposite side, there is an open pocket a little deeper but it has a metal magnetic snap which is just inside the top rim. There is easily enough play to slip in a newspaper or magazine for reading on your morning commute. A flat zipper pocket on top of it measures 11” across, but is only 6.5” deep.

The middle (main) storage area has a full-length padded laptop pocket, with a Velcro-fastened strap centered. There is no real padding in the bottom, but the pocket is protected from anything within the rest of the interior. On the back of this is a 6”x10” zippered flat pocket with an exposed zipper. (Your computer or iPad may be scratched by this zipper if it does not have a case on it.) Across from the laptop pocket is an organization panel that has three very tight, skinny pen holders, a 4” flat patch pocket, and a 3” bellows pocket. The flat pocket would just hold my iPhone 6s Plus, with about an inch sticking out, and the bellows pocket could hold a credit card wallet or business card holder. To the side of the bellows pocket is a key clip.

At either end on the exterior, there is a sewn-in brass-colored metal D-ring. The D is about 1.5” across. This is held to the case by a 2.5” tab of leather doubled over and box-stitched in. The strap has matching hardware, with smooth webbing connecting the hardware. A leather stress pad slides easily along the length.
At 16” x 10.5”x 3”, the case is a great size for a laptop, papers, and presentation supplies. If you’re going to be doing tech-heavy work, or need a protein bar or change of clothes, this is not going to be a good case for you. But if, as the setup in their website states, you’re one of the “young, intelligent, and ambitious men off to their first interviews, internships, and eventually, jobs… wearing…suits and ties…carrying backpacks,” this case is made with you in mind. It’s certainly formal enough for any office I’ve worked in but can be dressed down for any environment.

I’ve been carrying it with my iPad Pro 12.9”, my Logitech K811 Bluetooth keyboard, and a few other essentials. It’s easy to load or access the contents, and not so cavernous that you tend to overload it with your full portable assault gear, which makes it less stressful on your shoulders. I’ve not noted any scratches or scuffs as yet, maybe because it tends to bring out my inner gentleman who doesn’t get into scratchy, scruffy situations. It’ll be interesting to see how this plays out over time. Maybe it’ll compare with my dad’s folio in years to come.

Source: The sample for this review was provided by Daniels NYC. Please visit their site for more info.

Product Information

Price:	$149
Manufacturer:	Daniels NYC
Requirements:	none
Pros:	Affordable briefcase of real leather heavy-duty hardware quality workmanship
Cons:	Not full-grain leather Exposed zipper inside laptop compartment

Filed in categories: Reviews

Tagged: Bags, Leather

Daniels NYC Leather Briefcase review originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on November 7, 2017 at 10:17 am.

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Danny P. Leather Messenger Bag review

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:	Very high quality leather Plenty of interior pockets Heavy-duty handles Not too big or too small Will last a very long time
Cons:	One caveat: price

Filed in categories: Reviews

Tagged: Bags, Leather

Danny P. Leather Messenger Bag review originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on October 20, 2017 at 10:00 am.

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Pad & Quill Roll Top Leather Backpack review

My favorite type of gear bag is a backpack, especially if you need to carry your items around for long durations of time. My favorite type of backpack is a high-quality leather backpack and thus, I was eager to review the Pad & Quill Roll Top Leather Backpack. While using this backpack over the last few weeks, I found that it is very well made using high-quality materials and holds all that I need to carry. It may not have many external pockets and getting things out of the backpack takes time, but the main compartment’s quick side access zippered slot is available to help alleviate some of those troubles (if the items are small enough to fit through the zippered access that is). This backpack has easily become my favorite bag!The Pad & Quill Roll Top Leather Backpack came with a “Welcome to the Family” card attached. This card states the following:

Welcome and contact information – if you have any questions about your item, contact Pad & Quill at SayHello@PadandQuill.com.
100% satisfaction guaranteed – “For the first 30 days, if you are not 100% satisfied with you Pad & Quill item, no matter what it is or why send it back in like new condition for a refund.”
25-year leather warranty – “If one of these [leather] items fails during the next two and a half decades due to a manufacturing defect, we failed – which is why we pledge to make it right with an exchange or repair.”
Leather and canvas care – “For cleaning, simply use a damp cloth to remove dirt or diminish scratches. Occasionally refreshing the leather with our Pad & Quill Leather Oil & Balm will help increase its lifespan as well.”

Design & Build Quality

When I received the Pad & Quill Roll Top Leather Backpack, I eagerly opened the box and was greeted with the wonderful scent of leather. The Whiskey colored backpack is a beautiful dark brown color when viewed indoors (upper photo) and has a lighter brown color like that shown in the lower photo above when viewed outdoors (other available colors: Chestnut, Chocolate, Galloper Black). This backpack is made using full-grain, tumbled American bridle leather; parachute-grade, UV resistant nylon stitching; hand-pounded copper rivets; and solid nickel hardware according to the Pad & Quill website. Its outer measurements are about 12″ wide x 16″ long x 4.7″ deep. The tumbled bridle leather of the backpack is soft and supple to allow for easy rolling and unrolling of the main compartment closure and yet it maintains its ruggedness. The roll-top closure is also weatherproof.

There is a quick side access zippered slot that allows you to insert or extract your smaller items without having to unbuckle and unroll the backpack. From this angle, you can see the zipper better.

This is a high-quality heavy-duty zipper and measures 8.75″ long. The other side of the backpack does not contain any pockets.The back of the backpack shows how the shoulder straps and the quick-grab handle are sewn into the top of the backpack and reinforced with hand-pounded copper rivets to help increase the strength of these stress points.The bottom of the backpack is about 12″ x 4.7″ (outer measurements) and 11.5″ x 4″ (internal measurements) as shown in the photo above.

The lower front of the backpack sports the tasteful Pad & Quill logo. You’ll also notice that the leather loops used to hold the straps close to the backpack are attached using rivets.

All of the straps of the roll top backpack are very thick. Each strap is made by sewing together two strips of leather, each of which measures about 2mm in thickness and thus the straps are 4mm thick. You’ll also notice how all of the leather edges are raw edges (not burnished) as shown above. This is true throughout the backpack.

The shoulder straps consist of two leather sections connected by copper rivets. The length of the shoulder straps can be adjusted using the buckles located on the lower sides of the backpack. The buckles used to adjust the shoulder straps are attached with rivets and stitching to leather pieces which are sewn into the lower sides of the backpack.

The front of the backpack contains a small pocket which measures 6.75″ x 4.75″ (internal measurements) but will only hold materials that are about a couple of centimeters total in width. You’ll notice that the pocket is fastened using a leather strap and a metal ball stud fastener.
This pocket strap is easily unfastened by sliding the strap off the ball stud. There is a small thin strip of leather used to keep the pocket strap close to the backpack. That small strip is fastened to the front pocket using copper rivets.The inside of the pocket has raw leather on the front side and finished leather (from the front of the backpack) on the other. You can also see the rivets within this pocket and thus you might want to use caution when placing a small device in here as it might get scratched.The thread used to assemble the backpack is a heavy duty parachute-grade, UV resistant nylon stitching. The above photo also shows how the buckles used to close the roll top opening are attached to the backpack using stitching and rivets as well. Roll top leather backpacks use a lot of leather making the backpack look rather long when opened (it’s about 24″ tall when opened).The roll top also makes the interior look rather cavernous/voluminous. You’ll also notice the rivets inside the backpack used to attach the loops and buckles on the outside. Again, you’ll want to be careful if you are placing any of your devices inside here because they could get scratched. Looking inside the backpack, you’ll notice that there is a nice internal leather pocket available to store a tablet or a small laptop (although it is not padded). This pocket is about 10.5″ wide x 12″ deep (internal measurements). The Pad & Quill website states that this pocket will hold up to a 15″ laptop (I do not have a 15″ laptop to test this).

The tablet/laptop pocket has attached to it a small pocket which is enclosed by a zipper. This pocket measures 6.5″ deep x 6.5″ wide (the zipper is 6.5″ long but the pocket is actually almost 8″ wide internally).

Use

I was able to pack two one-inch binders, two paper folders, my portable keyboard (in the tablet/laptop pocket), and my pencil case inside the backpack. When the backpack is this full, the quick side access zippered slot is difficult to use unless the items are small enough and placed right in front of the zipper (like a bottle of water or pencil case).
I was also able to store my small zippered pouch (which measures 6.25″ long x 4.5″ wide) and my Nexus 6 phone (6.375″ long x 3.375″ wide with the case on) in the front pocket. With just these two things, this pocket was full.

The backpack fits well and is comfortable to wear for short periods of time (I haven’t yet tested it over a long period of time). It fits all of my materials that I need to carry around with me in a compact way and feels like it will last a long time. It takes a bit of time to access my materials in the main compartment but I consider that a minor inconvenience. The quick access zipper closure on the side of the backpack is useful if I have to quickly extract a small item from inside, but I don’t usually have to do this. One of the benefits of the Pad & Quill Roll Top Leather Backpack is that its roll-top closure allows it to easily adjust to tall or small items and still be closed using the adjustable buckles.

Final Thoughts

The Pad & Quill Roll Top Leather Backpack is a fantastic, beautiful, well-made, very high-quality leather backpack that sells for $319. I love using it. It is made using 2mm thick full-grain, tumbled American bridle leather; parachute-grade, UV resistant nylon stitching; hand-pounded copper rivets; and solid nickel hardware. The Pad & Quill backpack fits well, allows me to carry all of my necessary materials, and has a 25-year warranty. It is important to note that it takes time to extract your materials from the backpack even with its quick side access zippered slot, but I found this to be a minor inconvenience. This backpack is now my favorite backpack and I highly recommend it.

Source: The sample used in this review was provided by Pad & Quill. Please visit their website for more information or to purchase one for yourself.

Product Information

Price:	$319.00
Manufacturer:	Pad & Quill
Pros:	Well-made, very high-quality Carries all my necessary materials Has 25-year warranty Has an unpadded tablet/laptop internal pocket (for 15" laptops) Has quick side access zippered slot
Cons:	Backpack alone weighs 4 pounds You cannot access your materials quickly (although the quick side access zippered slot helps this if the items are small)

Filed in categories: Reviews

Tagged: Backpack, Bags, Leather

Pad & Quill Roll Top Leather Backpack review originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on October 15, 2017 at 10:00 am.

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Mr. Lentz leather briefcase review

When I opened the box, the smell immediately hit me. That smell of well-tanned leather. You know the smell. You hold it up to your nose and leave it there for awhile. Yeah, it was like that when I opened the box on the Mr. Lentz leather briefcase. I have had ‘genuine leather’ goods my whole life that turned out to be not so genuine. So I was very curious if Mr. Lentz could make a leather good that truly was of the highest quality. So let’s jump right in.

I’ll go ahead and let the cat out of the leather bag and tell you that this leather briefcase is just about as fine as they come. And for the price of $398 (plus more if you want it personalized or with the optional inside storage add-on that I got), it better be good, right? But before I go further, let me provide you what Mr. Lentz states about the size and details of this briefcase:

LARGE: The exterior of this size measures 15.5 inches wide x 11.25 inches tall x 3 inches deep. The interior space is: 14.75 inches wide x 11 inches tall x 2.75 inches deep. The large size will fit Macbook Pro 15″ laptops.
*Hardware change note: the shoulder strap now contains two steel clips on either end that clip onto the hardware on the sides of the bag.

INTERIOR POCKETS ADDON: These are 2 pockets total attached to the interior via 6 heavy duty military grade snaps. The pockets are both 6 inches wide x 5 inches tall, and one contains a flap closure, the other is open with a small key ring attachment.

PERSONALIZATION LOCATION: If you choose to get your Briefcase stamped or branded with initials or a name, the personalization will go on a small tag of leather that will be riveted to the main body of the bag. It will be located under the top flap, near the opening of the bag.

Additional details:

Included is a free tin of Mr. Lentz handmade leather conditioner
100-year warranty against defects
Handmade per order in the USA
Solid brass rivets
Full-grain vegetable-tanned leather

What I liked

This bag is top notch. There isn’t a stitch on the entire bag, as every piece of leather on the bag is attached using rivets. Just about every leather good I have ever owned has started to come apart at the stitched seams sooner or later with normal wear and tear. But with nary a stitch in sight and with a 100-year warranty on defects with this product, this bag is going to last me a very long time. And just as with all leather goods, I expect it to get softer and more supple over time.

The inside of the bag is natural and unlined and the buckles are stainless steel and very high quality. The handle on the top is soft and easy on the hand, and the straps that buckle and close the bag on the front actually wrap around the bottom and snap into place at the top of the back. What that enables you to do is unsnap the straps on the back and insert like a newspaper or something there, then snap it back to hold the item tight. There is also a pocket on the back of the bag that can hold a small stack of papers or folders, and it has one snap to hold it closed.

I got the bag with the optional inside storage add-on that is basically 2 pockets. One of the inside pockets is open with a key ring attachment, while the other has a closeable flap. Having the inside storage is definitely nice for your phone/keys/etc, but it does take up room inside the bag. The removable adjustable shoulder strap is wide and spreads the load on your shoulder, so that is nice.

Other things to consider

I didn’t really dislike anything about this briefcase, but there are some things to consider if you decide to purchase this. I was able to fit my 15″ laptop with power supply inside the bag, but it was tight. With my laptop inside (it is old and pretty thick) I wasn’t able to get much more inside the bag. So I had to utilize the outside pocket to hold folders and papers. Finally, it is expensive, no doubt. Dropping over $400 for a leather briefcase isn’t a small thing, but I truly believe that you have to pay for quality.

I have thoroughly enjoyed this briefcase and it has become my daily go-to bag for carrying to meetings. The quality is outstanding and I doubt anybody can outlive the warranty. I highly recommend this bag.

Source: The sample for this review was provided by Mr. Lentz. For more info visit his website to order and check out some of their smaller leather goods on Amazon.

Product Information

Price:	$398 standard price
Manufacturer:	Mr. Lentz
Retailer:	Amazon
Pros:	Beautifully hand-crafted American-made product Removable shoulder strap Personalization options and addons available for extra
Cons:	Price

Filed in categories: Reviews

Tagged: Bags, Leather

Mr. Lentz leather briefcase review originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on September 10, 2017 at 9:31 am.

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This is a Saddleback Leather product that I’d use every day

I love the products that Saddleback Leather Company makes. Let me back up a sec… I love the way Saddleback Leather Company products look. The way they feel and the way they are constructed. I just don’t like using them because they are too heavy and bulky for my own personal preference. But their new Keepsake Box is a SB product that I would actually use every day because looks gorgeous and isn’t something I would be carrying around on my shoulder.

The Keepsake Box is just what it sounds like it is. It’s a storage box that you keep things in.

The 5.5” H x 17” W x 7.125” D sized box is made of wood that has been wrapped in chrome tanned leather and lined with smooth pigskin leather.

The roomy interior of the box has been designed with four sections that can be customized using six thick leather dividers.

The box would be perfect for holding your EDC gear, your pen collection, anything really.

The Keepsake Box is available in four colors and is priced at $279. You can get all the details and order one from Saddleback Leather Company.

Filed in categories: News

Tagged: Leather, Organization

This is a Saddleback Leather product that I’d use every day originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on September 6, 2017 at 8:00 am.

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