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.
The 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.
It 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.
Seems 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.
Great 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.
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!
*someone might have to pick up where, y’know… we leave off.
Oh my gawd YES!
Absolutely yes. In for one!
Beaut, thank you sir!
beautiful – i have a dark coffee brown wallet and its also great
I’ve been eyeing Saddleback bags for years. So in love with the craftsmanship involved in all their products.
This bag is a classic.
Not my cuppa but clearly a well-made piece. Good luck, everyone!
I would totally use this every single day!
Don’t forget the cigar pocket between the two front pockets. I thought that was a cool feature.
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.
Would probably pay extra if it came with the whiskey and thin mints.
Gorgeous bag. Joe, what color is that? I assume it is the Dark Coffee Brown.
Joe, will you do a second drawing for thin mints? Also tagalongs plz
Fantastic product and worth every penny. Whoever comes away with this will be incredibly happy.
girlscout cookies?
Thanks for another great giveaway.
Great timing as my bag just suffered an awful accident.
In it to win it!
Beautiful!
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
Sartorial Gods be with me! I want this bag so badly!
Come on.. no whammy.. no whammy… beep boop
nice!
Hot damn! I hope I finally get lucky
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. 😉
So good!
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.
Cool contest
that would be sweet.
Love this. Fingers crossed!!!
Ohmygosh, would I ever love to have one of these! I’ve been admiring Saddleback bags for quite some time. This one is perfection.
I’m going to win one of these Dappered contests one day!
Who won?
A Saddleback is absolutely on my list for the next grail item purchase.
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.