Steal Alert: Fossil Haskel Leather Briefcase for $150 (black, espresso, or cognac)

Fossil Haskel Leather Double Zip Briefcase – $150 ($250ish)

Note: Links in the post point to Fossil direct, since they have all three colors there, and Amazon only has the black and cognac. Same price at Amazon though, and significantly faster shipping. But! Know that Fossil also does free shipping and returns as long as you haven’t had them emboss/personalize the item. 

Currently on sale in black, “espresso” brown, and cognac.

Original full review can be found here if you’d like it. But here’s the TL;DR version:

Pros

• Decent leather exterior. The leather is soft, not plasticky, and has a little texture to it.
• Two top grab handles + shoulder strap. You want grab handles and a detachable shoulder strap for longer hauls. It’s more professional than having to sling a shoulder strap over your head each time.
• A good amount of space, but not too much space. 16″L x 2.5″W x 12″H. Room without bulk.
• It’s professional without being stuffy. It’s leather, but it’s also soft/not a hard side.
• The branding is minimal. Fossil can go overboard with branding. Not with the Haskel.

Professional looking without requiring upper management-level money.

 

16″L x 2.5″W x 12″H. Space, without being cumbersome

 

Barely-there branding. 

 

Cons

• The leather is just… fine. The leather looks good, but it’s not thick. If you want really nice leather, try WP Standard or another brand that uses full grain leather.
• The interior feels flimsy. It’s a basic fabric interior and while there’s a few different pockets and dividers, it feels cheap and flimsy.
• The fabric strap is super cheap. It looks and feels like a true afterthought/way to cut costs. It doesn’t even really look like it belongs on the bag.

Interior fabric is basic. A little flimsy. Doesn’t inspire confidence.

 

Strap looks and feels cheap. Hardware is good,
but the strap itself is cheap and uncomfortable. 

 

Bottom Line:

• Things (all the things) got pretty expensive pretty fast these last few years.
• Finding a leather briefcase under $200 which doesn’t feel like cheap junk is difficult.
• The Fossil Haskel is a good briefcase.
• $150 is a great price for it.
• Shipping and returns are free, so if it shows up and you don’t like it, you’re covered.