Dappered

Affordable Men's Style

  • Don’t Miss Anything
  • Start Here
  • Essentials Shop
  • Latest Deals
  • Style Scenarios
  • Reviews
  • Forum

Win it: The Saddleback Thin Front Pocket Briefcase

March 10, 2014 By Joe | Heads up: Buying via our links may result in us getting a commission. Also, we take your privacy rights seriously. Head here to learn more.

Saddleback Leather “Thin” Front Pocket Briefcase – $478.00

First… there’s something odd about calling a Saddleback case “thin”. Compared to the 7″ – 8″ deep standard Saddleback behemoths, yes, the thin line is comparatively svelte at 3.5″ – 4.5″ deep. But they’re still five or six pounds when EMPTY. They’re beasts. The only thin thing about these Saddleback briefcases might be their owners… since it could be tough to keep weight on when burning all those calories lugging it around.

Yet any Saddleback owner will tell you that extra weight is well worth it. Because with the weight comes quality, durability, and the often talked about 100 year warranty each Saddleback leaves the factory with.

A review of the Saddleback Thin Front Pocket Briefcase on Dappered.comThe new Front Pocket Brief. Notice, if you will… the front pockets.

 Most of us are familiar with their standard, Medium Thin Brief. It’s a goal-worthy briefcase for some of us, and the Year 3 report of our 100 year test* should show up on the site in the next few weeks. The one complaint about the standard thin brief seems to be the lack of compartments available to store & contain smaller to medium sized items. To rectify that, Saddleback has introduced a new, additional case to their lineup: The Front Pocket Brief. It’s a bag, with saddlebags.

saddleback fits the essentials / Dappered.comIt may be the “thin” option, but you can still carry all the essentials.
(Whiskey, type writer and Girl Scout cookies sold separately)

And those extra pockets aren’t tiny. Their interiors measure 5 ½” wide x 6 ½” high and a good 1 ¼” deep, with extra room to flex a bit thanks to the tough but soft full grain boot leather. Behind each pocket is a slot to store maps, a newspaper, or other thin items. It’s a detail that’s easy to miss, but offers quick access to an item without having to unbuckle those front pockets.

Speaking of unbuckling those things… it ain’t the easiest thing to do out of the box. The leather is so thick that it doesn’t want to bend all that easily. But Saddleback briefcases can take a little while to break in, and it’s fair to assume that these’ll get nice and flexible as time goes on.

Saddleback Thin Front Pocket Briefcase on Dappered.comSeems a little curvier through the top than the original Thin Brief?

Compared to the Medium Thin Brief, this new front-pocket briefcase looks more… rounded? The flap over top just doesn’t seem to square off as much as the boxier, Medium Thin Brief. The lines on this new version look a little more country, while the original Thin Brief has a bit more of a polished, sharp look to the exterior.  

Saddleback Thin Front Pocket BriefcaseGreat hardware, pigskin lined, and an internal key strap.

The interior is lined with soft pigskin, there are rivets at all of the stress points, and the hardware like the buckles and D-rings are good and thick. Unclip the shoulder strap and run it through the circular ring at the top near the grab handle, and you’ve got a backpack. It’s a Saddleback through and through.

Win It: Saddleback Front Pocket Briefcase - enter by 3/11/14 on Dappered.com

If you’re the type who likes to travel with less clutter, stick with the original Medium Thin Brief. But if by choice or by work obligation, you’re carrying all kinds of items, gadgets, and do-hickeys (technical term) on a daily basis, maybe consider the extra compartment equipped Front Pocket Brief.

Enter here to win this Saddleback Thin Front Pocket Brief in Dark Coffee Brown. One entry per person. Deadline for entry is 11:59 pm ET 3/11/14. Thanks to Saddleback for providing the case. Good luck!

UPDATE: Congrats to Ian G. who won the drawing for the Saddleback. Thanks once again to Saddleback for providing the case for the review and giveaway!

Saddleback Briefcase on Dappered.com

*someone might have to pick up where, y’know… we leave off.

Filed Under: Accessories Tagged With: saddleback, saddleback front pocket brief review, saddleback review

Continue the Conversation …

Want to share your thoughts on this article? Send us a tweet, join the discussion on Facebook, or start a discussion on Dappered Threads, our forum!

Don’t Miss Anything

Subscribe via email to get articles in your inbox or add Dappered on Flipboard. You can also follow us on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram. Or subscribe to push notifications to get alerts immediately.

New Here?

Well, welcome to Dappered. Here are what we consider the most useful posts on the site if you're looking to put a little more effort into your appearance. Just want to see our favorite menswear products? Shop our essentials here.

The Dappered Space: Most Wanted Affordable Home Style April 2021

The Dappered Space: Most Wanted Affordable Home Style April 2021

From melamine to motivation, here’s this month’s home picks.

In Review & Win It: The Q Timex 1978 Reissue

In Review & Win It: The Q Timex 1978 Reissue

Lots of class. Classically sized but not tiny. Quiet. Yes. Quiet.

Style Scenario: Chinos Chukkas Polo – Black, gray, and brown

Style Scenario: Chinos Chukkas Polo – Black, gray, and brown

It’s back. Chinos, Chukkas, Polo. Yes, black and brown together. Plus deal stacking retail magic.

Follow Dappered on Instagram »

Comments

  1. Lieutenant says

    March 10, 2014 at 5:18 AM

    Oh my gawd YES!

  2. NC says

    March 10, 2014 at 5:26 AM

    Absolutely yes. In for one!

  3. Jason M says

    March 10, 2014 at 5:34 AM

    Beaut, thank you sir!

  4. pierrot says

    March 10, 2014 at 5:59 AM

    beautiful – i have a dark coffee brown wallet and its also great

  5. thekarlos says

    March 10, 2014 at 6:26 AM

    I’ve been eyeing Saddleback bags for years. So in love with the craftsmanship involved in all their products.

  6. Yehudis Lewis says

    March 10, 2014 at 6:32 AM

    This bag is a classic.

  7. RJC says

    March 10, 2014 at 7:35 AM

    Not my cuppa but clearly a well-made piece. Good luck, everyone!

  8. Max says

    March 10, 2014 at 7:37 AM

    I would totally use this every single day!

  9. Tyler Lesley says

    March 10, 2014 at 8:24 AM

    Don’t forget the cigar pocket between the two front pockets. I thought that was a cool feature.

  10. diversification says

    March 10, 2014 at 8:36 AM

    This would be invaluable for farmers, I think. Walk this bad boy around the farm once and you’d never catch back-sass from one of your animals ever again.

  11. Graig says

    March 10, 2014 at 8:44 AM

    Would probably pay extra if it came with the whiskey and thin mints.

  12. PSR says

    March 10, 2014 at 8:45 AM

    Gorgeous bag. Joe, what color is that? I assume it is the Dark Coffee Brown.

  13. MJ says

    March 10, 2014 at 8:50 AM

    Joe, will you do a second drawing for thin mints? Also tagalongs plz

  14. Kyle says

    March 10, 2014 at 9:06 AM

    Fantastic product and worth every penny. Whoever comes away with this will be incredibly happy.

  15. Tony, from River City Miami says

    March 10, 2014 at 9:21 AM

    girlscout cookies?

  16. drspaceman says

    March 10, 2014 at 9:27 AM

    Thanks for another great giveaway.

  17. Zach Stokes says

    March 10, 2014 at 9:39 AM

    Great timing as my bag just suffered an awful accident.

  18. Peter says

    March 10, 2014 at 10:32 AM

    In it to win it!

  19. Thomas says

    March 10, 2014 at 11:00 AM

    Beautiful!

  20. Ryan N says

    March 10, 2014 at 11:29 AM

    There’s confidence in your product, and then there is Saddleback.

    Dave literally made a video to show you how to cut corners and create a Saddleback knockoff. Not only does it succeed in making knockoffs look incredibly foolish, it’s also very insightful into their process and shows you exactly why their bags cost what they do, and exactly what kind of care and detail makes them last 100 years or more.

    http://m.youtube.com/watch?v=a11wlngpuSY

  21. Alan R. says

    March 10, 2014 at 12:18 PM

    Sartorial Gods be with me! I want this bag so badly!

  22. Invictus says

    March 10, 2014 at 1:53 PM

    Come on.. no whammy.. no whammy… beep boop

  23. thesupacoopa says

    March 10, 2014 at 2:21 PM

    nice!

  24. Jarrad McCarthy says

    March 10, 2014 at 2:25 PM

    Hot damn! I hope I finally get lucky

  25. Rob F. says

    March 10, 2014 at 9:55 PM

    I chuckled at the “essentials” you’ve stuffed in there, Joe. I can totally get behind two of those three items… but man, those Girl Scout Cookies are a racket. 😉

  26. John M says

    March 11, 2014 at 6:39 AM

    So good!

  27. David Bjerke says

    March 11, 2014 at 8:02 AM

    Woot. Entered.

    Question though: will this thing be able to carry my Filson Original briefcase? Wouldn’t want to leave the house without either of them and by the looks of it, I wouldn’t have to. I could stuff my Filson into the typewriter compartment.

  28. snasta says

    March 11, 2014 at 12:27 PM

    Cool contest

  29. drocpsu says

    March 11, 2014 at 12:33 PM

    that would be sweet.

  30. Eli Park-Yanovitch says

    March 11, 2014 at 6:32 PM

    Love this. Fingers crossed!!!

  31. Patch says

    March 11, 2014 at 7:45 PM

    Ohmygosh, would I ever love to have one of these! I’ve been admiring Saddleback bags for quite some time. This one is perfection.

  32. Yousef says

    March 12, 2014 at 7:17 AM

    I’m going to win one of these Dappered contests one day!

  33. Kevin says

    March 12, 2014 at 8:45 AM

    Who won?

  34. sweet vandal says

    March 12, 2014 at 12:57 PM

    A Saddleback is absolutely on my list for the next grail item purchase.

  35. swoopingmagpie says

    October 23, 2014 at 6:21 PM

    Quality is hard to ‘hide’ – love books, especially, The Book, and a bag that can do it justice has got to be of this genre.

Men’s Fashion or Affordable Style?

Men's Fashion or Affordable Style?

Fashion is temporary and expensive. Style is timeless and affordable. Dappered® helps you work the retail system so that you can be comfortable, look sharp, and save money.

Want to share a great product? Email Us.
Continue the discussion at Dappered Threads.
For a fit perspective, see Joe's measurements.
Make sure to read our affiliate disclosure.

Connect with Dappered

  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • Pinterest
  • RSS
  • Twitter

Most Popular on Dappered

  • Cheap Tech Pants, Target’s Furniture Sale, & More – The Thurs. Men’s Sales Handful
  • Monday Men’s Sales Tripod – Crisp Spring Joggers, Extra 25% off Nordy Rack Clearance, & more
  • Steal Alert: The new Clarks Bushacre 3 for under $40
  • The Best in Affordable Style from the Month that Was – March 2021
  • 10 things a well dressed guy might worry others think about him
  • Steal Alert and in Review: J. Crew’s new Suede boots in Navy or Snuff for $85 ($278)

Popular Topics

  • Best dress shirts to own
  • Best looking watches under $100
  • Best men’s dress shoes under $200
  • Nike Killshot sneaker alternatives
  • How to wear a suit without a tie
  • Suitsupply store review
  • Suitsupply Blue Line review
  • J. Crew Factory Thompson suit review
  • How much does it cost to tailor a suit?
  • Dopp kit essentials
  • Brown shoes with gray pants
  • Men’s style buying guide

RSS Latest on Dappered Threads

  • Persol 714
  • Spier and Mackay Sweatshirts for 2021
  • Tuxedo
  • How do you dress when doing yard work?
  • Looking for Military/Field Shirt

Copyright © 2021 Dappered.com | Dappered, LLC | Dappered® is a registered trademark of Dappered, LLC

Hat tip: Magazine Pro Theme On Genesis Framework

Dappered does not collect or sell its users personal information | Disclosures: Privacy and Affiliates, Gilt.com, FTC

WPE

We work with partners that use cookies to understand how visitors use our site. Find out more.