Win it: The Made in the USA Tough Luxury Weekender

Blue Claw Co. Worton Weekender – $298.00

Head to the airport with an all nylon duffel and you’ll look like you’re on the way to a weightlifting tournament.  All leather weekend bags can get real expensive real quick.  Working both leather and nylon or canvas into one bag can be ideal, and while close to $300, Blue Claw’s made in the USA Worton Weekender is a rare find that balances durability and distractingly good looks.

Contrast.  Gotta love that contrast.  Made from non-rip ballistic nylon and imported leather, the lighter tan option combines 21st century materials with a golden age of travel color scheme.  The leather is surprisingly thick.  It’s the real stuff.  No barely-leather melted down pieces on this thing.  The substantial quality of the leather adds a noticeable but not cumbersome weight.  The strips down the side panels make it look like anything but some old gym bag.  Light leather on a dark background might not work for everyone, so they offer a darker leather option too.

Carry-on approved, Blue Claw Co. claims it “fits in a regional jet’s overhead bin.”  That may be true, but stuffing this thing to the gills might make that fit close to impossible.  It’s not a small bag, and there’s plenty of room for more than a day or two away.

Just one criticism and it’s minor.  The thick leather on the top of the bag doesn’t seem to allow the opening to spread all that wide.  So while it looks and feels awesome, at first it’s a bit awkward getting things in and out while avoiding the teeth of the zipper.

If almost $300 is too steep of a price, or maybe you just don’t need all of that 21.5″x11″x11″ space, they do offer a slightly smaller, rounder style duffel for more than $100 less.  Another option is their overnight bag, which offers about half the space of the Worton and comes in at $198.  A dopp kit, shoe bag, and garment bag are also in the Blue Claw Co. Arsenal.

Made in the USA, tough as nails, and great looking.  Nobody loses here.  Except maybe the poor guy behind you getting off the plane who’s stuck lugging a torn up old duffel with a puma on the side.

Win it: To enter for the Blue Claw Co. light leather Worton Weekender, send your first and last name in an email to contests@dappered.com with the subject: Worton.  One entry per person.  Deadline is 11:59pm E.T. on 1/31/12

UPDATE:  Congrats to Chris C. who won the drawing for the Worton Weekender.  Thanks again to Blue Claw Co.

The Dark Leather Worton Weekender as carried by someone much better looking than most.  For the full pic as well as more pics of her (and the Worton in action) head to the Blue Claw Co. Facebook page.