Sandstone Leather Briefcase (Tan)

You looking to find the "Sandstone Leather Briefcase (Tan)" Good news! You can purchase Sandstone Leather Briefcase (Tan) with secure price and compare to view update price on this product. And deals on this product is available only for limited time.

Price: $389.95    

Product Feature

• Handcrafted from Full Grain, Cowboy-Tough Leather
• Dimensions: 16 x 14 x 8.5 inches, Weight: 7 pounds
• Fits most 15" Screen-sized Laptops
• 6 Interior Storage Compartments, 3 Exterior
• Reinforced, comfortable handle

Product Description

Take it to a meeting and impress, or take it with you into the wild for an adventure. This is the perfect bag to accompany you in all your travels. The Sandstone Rustic Briefcase is Hand Crafted using the the best Rugged and Tough Leather available. Riveted and reinforced construction for durability to make this bag last generations. Use the included shoulder strap as normal, or loop it through the large O ring to convert the case into a backpack. The bag has storage for a 15" screen-size (or smaller) laptop, as well as a key ring holder, secret storage compartment (we'd tell you where but it's a secret), extra shoulder pad (for backpack use) and soft suede interior. Each bag is unique due to the qualities of the full-grain leather complete with natural variations in the color and leather. Ages beautifully with time. Use it well. To give back, Sandstone plants one tree through the National Forest Foundation for each briefcase sold. Enjoy your own adventures with the Sandstone Rustic Briefcase.

Sandstone Leather Briefcase (Tan) Review

I have not reviewed an Amazon product in some time; however, due to the low review count on this item, I felt it necessary. I also want to note that this review will focus on the relationship of these bags to their clear inspiration; the Saddleback Classic Large Briefcase.

After seeing a friend's large Saddleback briefcase, I knew I had to have one. The thing oozed a sense of rugged-refinement that really appealed to me. The idea that, through my own use, it would become softer, scuffed and nicely worn-in in a few years of ownership made it feel more personalized than other aesthetically oriented leather items I have seen. Now I know this isn't the Saddleback, so what gives?

One thing nagged at me ever so slightly about my friend's bag; the price. Saddlebacks can range from $600-$750 depending on shipping and tax. I am not saying that they are not worth every single penny, but for a recent college graduate, spending over $400 on a bag is hard to stomach. So, I spent weeks on amazon and other leather forums looking for a reasonable messenger bag or briefcase alternative that had the same level of refinement at a more affordable price point. Plenty exist, and plenty try to emulate the Saddleback design to varying degree's of success (see Leyden and Sons, Crazy Horse, and less so Vagabond Traveler). My issue with many of these copies was in treatment of the leather. All of the bags researched had a pre-distressed look to the leather; a pre-worn, pre-scuffed, fake patina that I am less than fond of and no mention of Full Grain. Enter the Sandstone Leather Briefcase.

The Leather of the Sandstone briefcase in chestnut looks and feels identically to the Saddleback. It has a nice, high gloss finish that is not pre-scuffed or distressed and looks as if it could shed water. In fact, as far as I can tell, only three differences exist between the Sandstone and the Saddleback. The first is the logo on the front-middle strap. This bag has a wider Sandstone logo while Saddleback has a smaller logo'd middle strap. The second is the metal hardware. Saddleback uses nickle-plated (shiny) hardware while this bag uses a more rustic looking hardware. The clasps of the Sandstone are also the pelican style that Saddleback used pre-2010 (two half circles that close on eachother), while Saddleback now uses the dog leash style clasps. Finally, this bag is soft suede lined on the inside while the Saddleback uses a durable pig leather. Again, this is a personal choice, however it should be known that Saddleback offers (or at least used to offer) the suede interior at an extra cost.

Everything else, and I mean everything, is the same. Both bags appear to have the same type of leather in the same three colors (chestnut, natural, dark chocolate). Both bags have the same hidden pocket in the bottom of the rear compartment. Both bags have the same dimensions, weights, pockets, and strap layouts. What even shocked me was the fact that the same cuts of leather are used. Saddleback prides themselves (and rightfully so) for using as few whole-leather pieces as possible to make the bag, most prominently using only two long pieces to make the bottom and sides and one long piece to make the back and flap. Other bags have stitching on the bottom where smaller pieces of leather were combined to make a section long enough. Both the Sandstone and Saddleback use single, long pieces to accomplish this with no stitching on the bottom. Also, they are both manufactured in Mexico from American cattle hides. To be honest, I would not be surprised if the manufacturing plant that Saddleback uses for their product is also responsible for making the Sandstone bags during down time. They are almost too similar.

So they are both great quality bags, and if you know you don't mind a little extra weight for full-grain leather and enjoy the styling of both bags, you should get the cheaper Sandstone over a Saddleback, right? The answer to that is... maybe. Before pulling the trigger, consider a few things. Saddleback has a 100 year warranty and this item does not. Now I have to say, these things are built like tanks, and would suspect that Saddleback does very little warranty work (it is more of a sales tactic than anything). Also, no one knows if Saddleback will be around in 10 years let alone 100, so unless the warranty claim has a vast insurance policy, it shouldn't be a huge factor for repairs down the road. While I have no doubt both bags will last forever, the warranty actually greatly increases resale value. Saddlebacks hold their value quite well over time. This means that if you really aren't sure if you like the bag or if you just like new things every few years, the Saddleback might be a better option to sell down the road. Also, in the event something does go wrong, Saddleback is known for good service; I currently have no experience at all with Sandstone's service and repair policy. Finally, if name brands at face value mean something to you, the Saddleback name carries much more weight (although most people still won't know what Saddleback is, even fewer will have heard of Sandstone). Deciding if these things are worth 50-100% more to you is your only dilemma.

I set out looking for a cheaper alternative and what I found was an almost exact replica of equal quality and lesser price. I believe the bag will last many years and I have no intention to sell it, so the extra cost for warranty and service was not worth it to me. I have to say, Saddleback products are great, and as of now, Sandstone only has one bag in three different colors, so I fully intend to buy other leather products from Saddleback in the future. However, I still have to suggest that before you buy a Saddleback large Briefcase, you first consider a Sandstone.

Most of the consumer Reviews tell that the "Sandstone Leather Briefcase (Tan)" are high quality item. You can read each testimony from consumers to find out cons and pros from Sandstone Leather Briefcase (Tan) ...