Not everyone (anyone?) wants to carry a Zero Halliburton. And for many, a cheaper case will do just fine. But along with shoes and suits, plenty others feel like a splurge on a briefcase is worth the cash. It just has to be something built to last and in possession of some timeless looks. Enter the all leather throwbacks below. Each has vintage style cut from high quality leather. Both are made by companies that specialize in leather goods. With the looks & quality comes a nasty price tag, but there’s no harm in looking. Your pick should go in the comments section…
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The Champion: Saddleback Leather Co. Thin Briefcase – $411.00
A beast. No breakable parts and comes with the well known 100-year-warranty. Lined in Pigskin. Word is these are made in Mexico. Constructed of 100% Full Grain American Boot Leather. Weighs in at 4.25 pounds. Full review here.
The Challenger: WILL Leather Goods Jacques Portfolio – $495.00
Antique looking luggage lock designed to be similar to those seen around in the 1920s. Hand burnished veg tanned leather. Available 7/15 but they’re taking pre-orders now. No word on where these are made or if there’s any warranty.
Imagine if you were lucky enough that you had to choose. Which one would you go with & why? To the comments…
The saddleback. It’s incredible, and looks way better
The WILL looks like something that Atticus Finch would carry while the Saddleback looks like something Prof. Indiana Jones would carry.
I’d go Saddleback, seems to be more convenient since it incorporates the option of a shoulder strap. However, props to the WILL, very classy looking.
So tough, both great-looking bags.
I’d opt for the WILL, I rarely need the larger size of the Saddleback.
They both look outstanding but a shoulder strap really comes in handy for day-to-tday
Saddleback in a heartbeat. The appearance oozes quality, while the WILL bag looks a bit more… fashion-focused? I suspect it’s a quality piece, but it doesn’t tug at my heart like the reigning champion.
Saddleback. Hands down.
They are FANTASTIC in everything. The quality, customer service, everything!
Saddleback; or the shoulder strap if nothing else.
Both are amazingly handsome pieces. The saddleback looks like it could fit much more than is necessary to transport on a daily basis. My vote is for the WILL. No need to lug around the huge saddleback when the WILL will fit everything you need.
Saddleback, no contest.
It depends on your needs, but for pure carrying capacity, durability, and detailing, you have to go with the Saddleback. The Will is nice if you want a portfolio, but I can’t imagine spending that much on something that will only hold a few papers or a notepad at the most.
I’m going to prepare myself for the onslaught here, but I’d never carry that Saddleback bag. It’s to bulky and clunky looking. I know a lot of folks live and die by that brand, but I think it sticks out like a sore thumb (in a bad way) in an office environment. That being said, I really like their notepad holders and wallets (among other things), but the briefcase looks way too over the top.
The saddleback. The shoulder strap is definitely a plus.
The Will is beautiful, but I would have to choose the Saddleback for practical reasons.
the saddleback just looks so much….you know… better.
it’s monday, words fail me.
The Saddleback, hands down. It’s better looking, has more character, more versatile, and the 100 year guarantee (a whole century!) is fantastic.
The Saddleback is just way too casual. And the Will is far better looking.
Going on a year with the Saddleback and still have no regrets.
Neither one looks as functional as my Samsonite laptop bag. It’s burgundy leather, has over 400,000 air miles on it – and it actually has pockets and padding to put place things commonly needed for work and doesn’t weigh more than my laptop.
I’d feel like an apothecary or Civil War-era Dr. if I was rocking that Saddleback.
I had my eye on the Saddleback for a while, but ended up getting the Rustic Leather briefcase instead. Deeper than the Saddleback thin briefcase, shallower than their maxi version.
I personally do not like the unfinished state that both Saddleback and RL ship their bags in (The leather just looks unhealthy and completely devoid of oils), so I did a bit of coloring, oiling/conditioning and burnishing myself. The results are as below:
https://fbcdn-sphotos-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-snc7/428952_10150929169663196_1630511576_n.jpg
$299 + about 3 hours of my efforts in getting it into the shape I want. Perfectly happy with it now.
I always appreciate Saddleback’s work, but there’s no way I’d carry something that looks like it should literally be used by some sort of cowboy from the 1800’s into my office every day. The WILL piece isn’t exactly my style, either, but I’d take its vintage look over Saddleback’s rawhide nine times out of ten for regular use.
Agreed. I do appreciate the style of Saddleback, and it always looks like you could run over it with a semi and still have it hold together, but it just wouldn’t match my style at all. It’s hard to imagine carrying that into the office every day.
saddleback!
It might be a little too casual for some but I rock it all the time at my office. It doubles as my laptop bag for work (thinkpad T60) and for my personal (MBA with saddleback sleeve) use.
The other thing to consider is the weight. If you’re not used to lifting heavy things then the saddleback, when loaded up, can get quite heavy.
I think the Will looks better for professional use, the Saddleback for everyday use.
@Lee /agree with the “Atticus Finch vs. Indiana Jones” comparison. You nailed it.
My office is casual, the top brass locally is generally a polo+khakis. Stylistically, either works. These have the advantage of showing quality materials and construction, so should be readily recognizable as a $400-500 bag.
The WILL has a shoulder strap. It attaches to D-rings on the back and can be seen at the URL linked in the item name.
I have a Saddleback satchel, which on the outside looks like a smaller version of the briefcase above. It’s just right for an iPad+case, Kindle, snacks, shades, and whatever junk I need for an afternoon of reading or writing to meet a deadline. The flap is a bit long, making it a bit difficult to unbuckle. It’s thick, it’s indestructible, it’s heavy. When I set it down, the leather is stiff and does not crumple. Compliments are frequent, even after a couple of years’ traveling.
I keep thinking about moving to a Saddleback briefcase; I’m currently using a Duluth Trading Co. Bashful Billionaire’s Briefcase (BBB).
Looking at the WILL above, the construction looks similarly thick – so does the BBB. The rear image shows a crumpled back panel. Crumpling panels is one of my key frustrations with most leather briefcases. The leather flexes and bends, causing the briefcase to tip. That’s my frustration with the BBB, and something I would not like to have continue in a bag costing half a grand.
I also tend to stuff my bags; I’m a pack rat. The Saddleback lets me stuff more in. The WILL would be better at forcing me to keep the contents trimmed, since the top doesn’t adjust.
Overall? Still waiting, slight advantage to the Saddleback due to crumpling in the WILL picture.
I have a saddleback and I have to say, put yours down next to mine and I’m not sure I could tell which is which without awfully close inspection.
The resemblance is definitely there, but the RL bag seems to have a more thoughtful design, which is the reason why I finally went with it. While the Saddleback bag is basically a box made out of leather (A near indestructible box, yes), RL bags have some neat extra fittings such as a flap for one of the outer pockets, two saddle hooks inside for hanging one’s keys (I can’t reiterate enough how useful these are), cubbyholes for your card holders, pens, USB drives etc.
The leather on the Saddleback bags are definitely better, but this one’s very close.
I’m a Saddleback partisan, or I should be, as I own the messenger bag, two wallets, card holder and the weekender. But if I had to wear a suit, I’d go with the WILL. I love Saddleback’s style, but that very style makes causes some definition problems. About 90 percent of the time I’m in dress pants and a collared shirt; the Saddleback messenger bag works great. Put on a suit or wear a blazer and carry Saddleback and now you’re in ‘Cowboys vs. Aliens.’
I have a Weatherfield Designs bag with houndstooth and an airplane lap belt buckle that I use when I have to dress up a little bit.
These bags are amazing, but really pricey. Same quality (or better) than Saddleback but a little more refined cause they are finished better. http://www.mitchell-leather.com. Plus, its neat to see the video on the family business and leather working.
saddleback clasp looks cooler
the saddleback looks like it would just be heavy carrying it with nothing in it
I own a Saddleback Thin brief (large) just like the one pictured. It is awesome, rugged, and unique. I get compliments on it all the time.
That said, I work in a corporate, but fairly casual office, and I manage a field service organization, so I’m out of the office in the field a lot. The look of the case goes with slacks/sportcoat normal wear.
I don’t care for the WILL bag, but I carry a laptop. If I didn’t, and only carried files/iPad, I might go for the smaller bag.
my briefcase is from morocco. It’s the most badass thing I own. super simple almost childlike stitching with real, raw and thick leather. these just both look a little too fancy pants for me now… also it only cost me 25$ canadian (after haggling).
Sorry- but the WILL is too… feminine? for my taste.