Saddleback Leather Company
by scotslawstudent
I’ve found myself reading the artofmanliness.com (links to a competition thread – very best of luck to anyone clicking it) over the weekend. I happen to think that it’s a really good idea — it’s a blog dedicated to the idea that it’s good to be manly, in a self-reliant and skilled way rather than a boorish or overly FHM way. I agree with this, I think it’s a good model for someone to aim to be. I actually think that’s a fairly good model for everyone to aim to be, just to be modern.
The blog mainly divides into posts about how to be manly — how to camp, how to put up shelves, that sort of thing — and things that are manly — the pocketknife, hats, Frank Sinatra, that sort of thing. In the second category lies the Saddleback Leather Company’s products, their site is frankly one of the most tempting boutique shopping sites I’ve ever seen. Generally I can look at boutique items and say “right, it’s lovely but it’s wholly impractical as well as very expensive” but in this case I’m looking at leather satchels and bags built to last for generations and thinking “it’s lovely and dammit that’s probably quite practical too.” I do like the idea of buying a bag that’s just not going to wear out, and I say that as someone with a cracked laptop from hitting pavement after a zip on a backpack burst.
I think the idea of me buying a briefcase just now, as an undergrad, would be a massively presumptuous act and I think the smaller items are disproportionately expensive compared to the bags to consider buying one – I think the $140 leather document wallet is a particularly shocking act of pricing that frankly reflects badly on the other items but that doesn’t change the central issue: those are some lovely looking bags. They’re too much money for a student to spend on a single bag in my view (I get by very well with a beaten up Berghaus daypack at uni – you just need something that holds your books) but I think these might be worth looking at when money is less tight even if just because they’re quite pretty.
Edit: I’m at the “know enough to be dangerous” stage of my tax education just now. Would someone get a letter from the revenue if they imported one of the $519 (small) – $607 (large) briefcases?
4dd6465fc78a86d0987870f88dffcb9c
Nice site … shame they don’t have an English version. BTW: I got myself a Visconti briefcase/bag which I’m really pleased with – http://www.viscontibags.co.uk/index.php5?do=product&pid=105
I have to agree. The internet lets you talk to the world but if you want to have some of their cool stuff that’s a more difficult matter.
That’s a really nice bag, does it seem hard wearing etc? I think a time comes in everyone’s life when they have to leave the Power Rangers backpack at home so I’m keeping an eye out for options.
Yeah it’s fantastic and seems incredibly hard wearing. I think I can expect many many years faithful service from it! I also really like it because it’s smart for the office without being overly ‘poncey’ or OTT on other occasions. I’d definitely recommend Visconti to others!!
Hi, I have to admit I have purchased two Saddleback items (Large Briefcase and overnight bag) after a long debate with myself. They are extremely expensive in my opinion but they are both used daily and absolutely bullet proof. If you want more info, go on the Saddleback Leather Facebook group. theres a lot more info from SBL geeks like me. I even paid extra to get them inported into the UK. But be careful, you
will get hooked
I definitely agree, there’s something about their products that really seems to mean people go out and buy quite a few. I think you really have to consider it very carefully before making a purchase because they are so expensive, I’ve never read a bad word against them though.
How much extra did you pay to get it shipped over here? I’m fairly sensitive to extra price increases on top of the bag.