Best Leather Briefcase – Top Choices 2020
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Who needs a briefcase?
A briefcase is primarly designed for being carried short distances, for example between your car or commuter bus or train and the office. Or perhaps as your carry on personal item when flying, the piece of luggage that fits under the seat in front of you. But you may be surprised to find that some of them also has the ability to convert to a backpack!
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A briefcase often signals that you are an organized person, and also indicates that you are in some manner a professional. Having a good quality briefcase when going to a business meeting or maybe job interview can strengthen your self esteem compared to carrying a flimsy textile bag (that has its uses too in another setting).
In this review article we focus on leather briefcases only, because we believe they deserve a space of their own on our site. Leather of good quality is an outstanding and sustainable material! (And that's why we also have an article about backpacks made with leather!)
We know how time-consuming it can be to go through a lot of information trying to find the best choice, so we have done the job for you. All of the briefcases below are excellent quality. Simly choose the one you think will fit your needs and wallet the best.
Jump directly to the bag that interests you most by clicking on it in the Quick Navigation at the top, or keep on reading!
Quick Comparison Table Best Leather Briefcase
| Bag (Click on name for price and availability on Saddleback and Amazon) | Size (exterior) | Weight | Warranty | Holds laptop size up to |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Samsonite Leather Expandable Briefcase | 16.8" W x 12.2" H x 7.2" D | 3.5 lbs. | Limited 3 Year | 15" |
| Fossil Men's Haskell Double Zip Briefcase | 16"L x 2.5"W x 12"H | N/A | 1 Year Limited | 14" |
| Polare Men's Thick Full Grain Leather 15.7" Briefcase | 15.7" L x 5.1" W x 11.8 H" | 4 lbs. | 1 Year Limited | 15.6" |
| Classic Briefcase Saddleback Leather | 16" W x 12" H x 9" D | 7 lbs. | 100 Years Limited | 17" |
| Front Pocket Briefcase Saddleback Leather | 17” W x 12” H x 8” D | 7 lbs. | 100 Years Limited | 17" |
| Slim Briefcase Saddleback Leather | 15.5" W x 11" H x 4" D | 5 lbs. | 100 Years Limited | 15" |
| Thin Front Pocket Briefcase Saddleback Leather | 15” W x 11.5” H x 3.5” D | 5 lbs. | 100 Years Limited | 15" |
Samsonite Leather Expandable Briefcase
- Size: 16.75" x 12.25" x 7.25" (can hold most 15" laptops)
- Weight: 3.5 lbs
- Warranty: Limited 3 Year Global Warranty
Samsonite is indeed a well known suitcase brand, and it's nice that they also make smaller items like briefcases. This stylish and practical black briefcase is a great addition to their product line!
Read on or check it out at once on Amazon.
Main Features
Conclusion
This is a great budget choice if you want a briefcase that looks good but also features good functionality. You have plenty of organizational opportunities with this one, so in that departement you will not be disappointed!
It has an amazing average rating of 4.4 out of 5 on Amazon - and 542 customer reviews!
Fossil Men's Haskell Double Zip Briefcase
- Size: 16"L x 2.5"W x 12"H (can hold most 15" laptops)
- Weight: xx lbs
- Warranty: 1 Year Limited
The brand Fossil is perhaps best known for their watches, but they also make good quality briefcases and other bags, several of them from leather.
This briefcase from Fossil is a good choice. When searching on the web for opinions on the quality most are very satisfied with the bags. On Amazon it has (when writing this) 26 reviews with an average rating of 4.6 out of 5 stars!
Main Features
Conclusion
Compared to the Samsonite bag above this one has slightly less organizational opportunities. We still like it and believe you will not be disappointed with the quality.
The looks of it are a bit more elegant than the Samsonite which in our eyes has kind of a cheap look to it. Not surprising though since it actually is cheaper than this Fossil briefcase.
If you're looking for a midddle priced briefcase of good quality and made with leather, this is a strong candidate.
VMATE Men's Full Grain Leather 17'' Laptop Briefcase
- Size: 17.7" (L) x 5.5" (W) x 11.8" (H)
- Weight: 3.96 lbs. (black 3.2 lbs.)
- Warranty: "100% money back if you are unsatisfied"
Work in progress!
On Amazon this bag has (so far) 10 reviews, all with a 5-star rating!
There doesn't seem to be a website for the VMATE brand. We usually do not include brands that lack this in our reviews but we decided to go for this one anyway seeing it has great ratings and users seem to be very happy with it.
Lets look at the features!
Classic Briefcase from Saddleback Leather
- Size: 16" W x 12" H x 9" D
- 7 lbs
- Adjustable strap length: 34” - 59”
- Holds 17" laptop
- Warranty: 100 years (yes, it's true!)
About Saddleback Leather
Saddleback Leather Co has been around for 15+ years, and from the start they set out to make bags of premium quality, made from full grain leather (you can read about leather qualities here). Today they have a wide range of leather luggage, wallets, handbags, backpacks and even jewelry!
Their warranty is second to none. For defects in material and craftmanship it is a breathtaking 100 years. Can you believe that? Their slogan is accordingly: "They'll fight over it when you're dead". To us that shows supreme confidence in the quality of their own products.
At Travel Gear Depot we believe this is the best of the best when it comes to leather bags. They do cost a whole bunch of your hard earned money, but considering the longevity of them, they are actually cheap.
The Classic Briefcase is the very first bag Dave designed, as he wanted a kind of bag he could not find anywhere. Extremely durable, functional but also good-looking. It's still all that. As at home in a courtroom as it is on a mountain trail
Main Features
Watch the video for highlights of the main features!
Conclusion
So what is our take on this bag then? We have already praised the company and the overall quality of thier products. But what do customers actually think about the Classic Briefcase?
Of the (when this is being typed) 26 reviews on the Saddleback site, 21 have rated it with 5 stars, and 2 with 4 stars. This means that there are 3 negative ones. What do they say?
For one buyer it actually broke (doesn't say how though), to this review the owner himself replied and asked the buyer to please reach out for a repair or refund.
One complaint is about the weight. We don't really know what to say about this, since the weight is stated in the description, so you know what you get when you order it. If you think it's too much, then of course this is not the bag for you.
One reviewer considered it a bit short, as legal files fit with little room to spare. This person also mentions that the bag was run over by a car "and is none the worse for the wear"!
Do we recommend it then? Oh yes, very much so. It is an investment that cant go wrong.
Front Pocket Leather Briefcase from Saddleback Leather
- Size: 17” W x 12” H x 8” D
- Weight: 7 lbs
- Adjustable shoulder strap 34" - 59”
- Holds all 17” laptops
- Warranty: 100 years (yes, it's true!)
The Front Pocket Leather Briefcase is a lot like the Classic Briefcase above. The main difference of course being the two large front pockets that also has pockets behind them.
Main Features
Conclusion
Of the 122 reviews on the Saddleback site there are no 1 star ratings, only one with 2 stars and seven with 3 stars. The rest, 114 to be exact, are 4 or 5 five star ratings.
The only reviewer who gave the briefcase 2 stars considers it too heavy. Well, the weight is what it is.
Like the Classic Briefcase (above) we wholeheartedly recommend this as well. Worth every penny.
Slim Leather Briefcase from Saddleback Leather
- Size: 15.5" W x 11" H x 4" D
- Weight: 5 lbs
- Adjustable shoulder strap 34" - 59”
- Holds all 15” laptops
- Warranty: 100 years (yes, it's true!)
The Slim Briefcase is a thinner version of the Classic Briefcase. It easily converts into a laptop backpack. If you think the Classic or Frontpocket ones are too bulky, this might be just the right one for you.
Main Features
Watch the video to see how you can pack it!
You find the Slim Briefcase at the Saddleback site!
Conclusion
Right now there are 25 reviews on the Saddleback site for the Slim Briefcase, with an average rating of 4.7 out of 5 stars.
The only 2 star rating reviewer is unhappy with the width of the breifcase, a 15" MacBook doesn't fit if it has a protective cover that adds to the size of it. Well, that is what it is. And actually, another reviewer suggets downsizing the bag! Obviously, one can't make everybody happy.
The single review with 3 stars has a bunch of suggestions for improvements, but ends saying "Don't get me wrong - I love the bag in so many ways. Hope this feedback helps in your design process".
The remaining 23 reviewers have given 4 or 5 star ratings. Click the button below and check them out for yourself! We love this bag too 🙂
Thin Front Pocket Briefcase from Saddleback Leather
- Size: 15” W x 11.5” H x 3.5” D
- Weight: 5 lbs
- Holds most 15” laptops
- Adjustable shoulder strap 34" - 59”
- Warranty: 100 years (yes, it's true!)
As you might have guessed, the Thin Front Pocket Leather Briefcase is a combination of the Front Pocket and Slim Briefcases.
We won't bore with yet another listing of the features (and we do want to avoid repeating ourselves too many times!).
Simply watch the video below and let Dave show you! (Please note that they no longer manufacture the 17" size that Dave mentions.)
Conclusion
To be honest, we don't have much to say. As many as 59 out of 68 reviews on the Saddleback site are 5 star ratings. Average rating is 4.8 stars.
If we think this too is a good buy? You bet.
