Buying a Better Bag - The Short List (Updated)

Vermilyea Pelle

Buying a daily bag or briefcase is a bigger decision than just going out and picking up a pair of pants or a shirt. You might carry your bag everyday over years of constant use, and most guys out there won't own more than one at a time. A quality piece, though, usually commands a significant investment. Now, there are plenty of inexpensive options out there that should hold up fine if you need something in a pinch, but things that are well-crafted from top to bottom have a tendency to wear better - or more beautifully, I should say - than others down the road. On top of that, they're easier to form a real connection to. So while finding a daily carry for work and travel has been on my mind for quite some time now, I've taken my time trying to find the best bags on the market at around the $500 price point (or less).

Here are a few of my favorites, with a couple others to consider as well.

Bleu de Chauffe - $287-559

**10/9/17** - The main reason I'm updating this post is just to put Bleu de Chauffe on it. This French company was named after jackets worn by French factory workers and locomotive engineers and takes inspiration from vintage workwear designs. All production is done and signed by a single artisan per bag in their factory in Aveyron, France. The company also puts an emphasis on social and ecological consciousness, and notes that in addition to their own vegetable tanning, the water used in the process is then clarified and returned to the environment as pure as the waters of Lake Minnetonka.

What sets Bleu de Chauffe apart from the rest of this list is a keen sense of artistry and emotion in design. The aesthetic, perhaps a consequence of its source material, is soulful and romantic, emphasized by detailing throughout the bag - vintage-styled brass hardware, side bellows with adjustable straps, and tastefully-chosen raw edges in select areas. I even like the logo placed discreetly on the side, inspired by 20th century French faucets. 

I'm a little embarrassed I didn't know about Bleu de Chauffe sooner, and I should note that the quality of the leather from their own tannery is a relative unknown here as is the quality of craftsmanship and finishing, but after I discovered the brand I found they're also being carried now by some of my favorite stores, including Unionmade and Mr. Porter, which is reassuring. You can buy them cheapest directly from Bleu de Chauffe, which deducts 20% VAT for purchases outside the Europe with free worldwide shipping. I'm really considering buying I just bought that navy Postman bag below (look for that coming up).

Hrothgar Stibbon - $535 

Aside from just a kickass name, Hrothgar Stibbon, aka "Roth," is an eponymous single-man shop specializing in saddlery-style leather goods made from tough-as-nails locally sourced English bridle leather. If you're familiar with bridle leather products and briefcases, you probably know that they can be as extraordinarily expensive as they are famously durable. Roth is a great guy to deal with, his work is very well-priced compared to the market, and he enjoys doing custom work as well if you're looking for something a little special. A potential downside to consider is that bridle leather is very dense and relatively heavy, as leathers go, so all that bulk can add up. The converse to that is that it intrinsically makes a very structured bag without the need for additional components.

Occasionally you can find HS products on Massdrop, (usually belts, but they've done a limited run of one of the simpler bags recently), at which time they're an even better value than normal. Regardless though, Hrothgar Stibbon is definitely one of my top choices, though one of the highest priced on this list.

Vermilyea Pelle - $320-375 ($595-625 full leather)

Another one-man operation, Dustin Spencer grew up surrounded by leather products in his grandfather's horse tack shop. He started making leather products when he was 6 or 7 years old, eventually going on to found his own leather goods store, Vermilyea Pelle, in 2008. Dustin's products are at once both familiar in design and uniquely his. They have a similar aesthetic you might find with Filson, but reinterpreted in a way which suits the style beautifully. All products are handmade in Washington, USA and include a range of leathers from Horween as well as some of the more interesting and durable textiles from around the world. Dustin describes his work as "historically-designed, legacy-inspired, [and] honoring the expert craftsman that helped build this country." This is the type of talk that's more often than not just a bunch of marketing BS, and yet it rings uncommonly true here.

**Update 10/9/17 - I just want to add that if you're interested in getting in touch with Dustin, by far the best way is to call him, as he's very busy and replies to e-mails/Instagram/Facebook messages rarely. He usually sews from 4 AM -4:30 PM M-F and only has time to catch up on e-mails after the kids goes to bed. I've been discussing with him having a custom field bag made, and his prices are very reasonable compared to his stock models. The shop contact is (509) 881-0335.

Custom Hide - $439-579

Custom Hide is based out of Arizona where all their bags are made, including the iconic 1945 US Army briefcase shown here. Everything's well-designed and thought-out. Solid brass hardware, quality leather, and fine finishing - there's a wealth of information and experience out there further supporting Custom Hide's proven track record.

Notable Mentions

Gustin - $219

The popular one-time denim crowdfunding specialists have expanded in recent years to offer everything from tees to shoes. Their leather bags are incredibly inexpensive, offered previously in leathers like Horween Essex, Dublin, and Chromexcel. At the time of this posting there's a funding campaign for the Chromexcel briefcase in famous Horween Color #8 pictured here for $219 (!). That's considerably less than pretty much everything on this list for a proportionally much higher leather content - in fact, it's hard to imagine they're even making much money on these, honestly. Vermilyea Pelle, for example, makes full leather bags that hit around the $600 mark (though I'd argue their designs, and likely handwork, are probably superior).

Gustin's design is a bit blah and uninspired, as well as kind of bare-bones on features (no outside pocket, for example), and I have to say I hate the Gustin brand patch in the middle of the bag *apparently the branded patch has been removed from recent and future campaigns - a very welcome change on what was a dealbreaker for me previously. The current picture on the site has the patch photoshopped out as well. Using some of the softer leathers can also result in a bag that's mighty floppy, so unless there's additional structure built into the product that may be something to consider as well (a potential issue not limited to Gustin). But still, ~$220 is ridiculous. Also be aware that due to the nature of how crowdfunding works, there's a significant lead time on product being delivered from when you pay them; current estimates are 2-3 months.

Filson - $325

At the end of the day, there's always Filson. The 256 briefcase is nothing short of legendary, and their field bags are often slept on as well. Constructed from heavy duty twill cotton and bridle leather strapping, Filson has a proven track record. I must say, though, it troubles me Filson was purchased in 2012 by Bedrock Manufacturing, the same parent company that owns Shinola, one of my least favorite companies in the world. Remember how I said all that "historically-designed, legacy-inspired" type of talk is normally BS? Shinola may as well be the standard bearer for that offense. Bedrock seem to have a habit of trying to buy heritage appeal and then upselling it, more concerned about marketing and maximizing margins than the actual product. While that's left a sour taste in my mouth, though, Filson bags remain fairly insulated from the nonsense. At retail I think they're a little overpriced, but I'll never knock someone from buying one of their bags. They're just plain good. I mean, look at that vintage 256 below. Come on, now.

Billykirk - $495-550

Billykirk make a nice bag, though I don't think they're that impressive for the price. Still, I like the look of many of their products - an attractive brand of rugged minimalism that has wide ranging appeal. 

Linjer - $489

One of the newer companies on the scene, Linjer has made a name for themselves as a true value at their price point. A decidedly more minimally modern and dressy aesthetic, their slim briefcase is generally agreed upon as out-punching similar competition. For further reading, From Squalor to Baller reviewed one of their cases last year, though there's plenty of material out there to the same effect.

Saddleback - $479-789

I kind of feel compelled to include Saddleback on the list, if not for just the simple fact that they're so well-known. I'll be the first to admit they make a quality product, hands down, but I absolutely despise their marketing practices, which have been built off of putting down other companies' bags, claiming their work is second to none, and almost singlehandedly distributing a mountain of leather misinformation that's left thousands of men regurgitating straight nonsense for years. They're also horribly overpriced, in my opinion. Because of these reasons, I would never buy from them myself, though you could do a lot worse in terms of durability if you insisted upon it.

Don't Mourn, Organize! - $400

I have a bridle leather belt made by Scott Willis of Don't Mourn, Organize! It was actually one of the very first products I ever reviewed on this site. A lot of things have changed dramatically since then, including my tastes to a large degree, and yet the Don't Mourn belt is still my favorite belt among many. Scott's bag work has the same sort of rustic feel he instills into all his work and to this point are all custom-designed as one-offs, so the best thing to do probably is just to contact him through his website and get some ideas flowing if you're interested.

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So there they are, my top considerations and a few others to keep in mind. Let me know if you think I left anything off my short list or if you have your own experience with any of the above. I've been keeping tabs on the market segment the past few years, and hopefully I should be able to get my hands on a quality bag to review here in due time.