Alexander Leathers

[Alistar79]

http://www.barbourbymail.co.uk/Barbour-Leather-Medium-Travel-Explorer.html

Am more then happy with this bag that i picked up in a sale a couple of years ago.
Other brands that are similar to this one are usually double or more in price.
This bag travels with me on short/long trips and never disappoints.

 

[Highwaymanman]

I have two saddlebacks and they aren't for everyone, that's for sure. I think people buy them thinking that they are getting a versatile, multi use bag. Wrong. They aren't versatile at all. The fact they are indestructible doesn't mean they are useful in many situations.

I carry a medium thin briefcase to work and it's great. Not so heavy I hate carrying it and it fits loads of stuff too. Strictly a work item though, it really is a briefcase. I also have a messenger bag and this is more problematic. Basically.... it's enormous, weighs a ton and you feel like a tool carrying it sometimes. Not for everyday use to be sure. What I have found is that it makes a phenomenal carry on bag for short trips and it's really great for family picnics.

The patina on each one, after a couple of years now, is just beginning to come into it's own. I cannot wait to see what it will look like in ten years.

 

[Edward]

Their own label shoes weren't too shoddy (pun alert) either. Obviously the just shoved their name on them, but I had a pair of suede brogues that lasted me for years. The days when they did really nice Red or Dead stuff are long gone though, it's every flavour of trainer you can imagine nowadays and a smattering of boots[huh], but I see they're about to open a flagship store in London.

Yeah, they did shift into more of a trainer shop than anything quite quickly. I suppose that's where the money was, with the mainstream. Making a success of a niche market is always going to be the harder trick to pull off.

Odd to see AL trying their hand at something like a ladies bag though, my impression is that it's very much a label-led niche. [huh]

That would have been my impression too, though I claim no expertise. Manbags seem to be more driven by the sorts of things to which AL aspire.

Trouble is, finding a truly decent leather bag or briefcase is no easy matter.

I dipped my toe into that water, had a bad experience and just gave up as nothing seemed to be ideal, no matter what the price was.

I gather that Filson is pretty good, SAB much better but about £1,300 and Saddleback seem heavy and over-rated.

I'd love some Saddleback bits. The weight is a plus for me: I like tough luggage. All to personal taste, of course, but as soon as advertising copy starts using words like "buttery soft", I stop reading. I really have my eye on their suitcases, though I suspect the price of those is a long way off for me, unless the dollar has another crash (so many things I regret no jumping on in the 2007 glory days of USD2.20 to the pound!). When you work it out against the cost of all the "cheap" cases I've had to replace over the years it's not that bad, really, but it is a big upfront outlay. I have a couple of Saddleback's ID Wallets, which are fantastic. Wanted to simplify my wallet issues (kept ending up with an overstuffed one full of crap I need not carry around; this sorted it). Quality is superb.

Those HTLeather bags Xenophone links to look really nice. I'm confused by the pricing structure - is the one in the main picture the bag plus all the extras - which would push up the bolded price considerably? These look really nice for work use. I have a very nice, serviceable leather back for the office now, but in ten years' time if it needs replaced... I do like the backpack shaped one.

 

[nicholasb]

Hmm, I'm not at all convinced by their bags but perhaps that's not fair as I can only go by the pics on Ebay. Also noted that all sales are final....

If you're looking for a manbag or small backpack at a reasonable price I think you could do worse than check out Henry Tomkins' site: http://www.htleather.co.uk It's not Nigel Cabourn but then neither is the tag.

Thanks for posting this site. Nice stuff and from the great city of Exeter (same as me). This has turned from AL thread to a bag thread. Alexander leathers incredible bargain sale has closed. Maybe surplus stuff will appear as Ebay listings now.

 

[wdw]

There are enormous threads galore on Style forum about leather bags, but I just didn't feel enthusiastic about any.

I ordered a Custom Hide, but they c*cked up the order and after reading more reviews I was glad I was able to pull out.

The Saddleback spin sounds great, but there are some off-putting negatives around, plus the massive weight thing seems to be a major issue.

 

[nicholasb]

Edward - I have the Saddleback id wallet too. Its a wonderful thing. I also bought a small gadget pouch for my iPhone which is equally useful - I couldn't be without either. The price to get Saddleback to the UK is horrible. i paid a fortune in import tax on the little iPhone pouch. The best bet would be to score something used from Ebay.

 

[Sloan1874]

That's the problem when you try to move into another niche, though, comparisons are automatically made and alternatives offered. Nothing wrong with that, it's to be expected. As it is, a quick Google shows it's a pretty congested sector with plenty of choice, quality and price differential - though for £1,300, I'd be expecting a bag to carry itself :eeek:. So, and just to bring it back on thread, it's probably going to be tricky for AL to get a toe-hold if they're going to make a go of it, as I get the impression from the up-scale websites that those who like 'em are equally demanding in detail, build and quality as jacket-fiends!

 

[ButteMT61]

Thanks for posting this site. Nice stuff and from the great city of Exeter (same as me). This has turned from AL thread to a bag thread. Alexander leathers incredible bargain sale has closed. Maybe surplus stuff will appear as Ebay listings now.

Sure, just search for "Aero Bags". lol

 

[Sloan1874]

 

[ButteMT61]

I'm afraid I don't know what a murse is. But I do know that not long after this topic was raised here some toss pot put a bid in for my bag!!

Murse:Man-Purse lol

 

[tonypaj]

Edward - I have the Saddleback id wallet too. Its a wonderful thing. I also bought a small gadget pouch for my iPhone which is equally useful - I couldn't be without either. The price to get Saddleback to the UK is horrible. i paid a fortune in import tax on the little iPhone pouch. The best bet would be to score something used from Ebay.

I have a Saddleback wallet, which I find perfect for my needs. I bought a smaller one for my son, which he finds perfect for his needs. Then I have a thingy of theirs both for my phone and laptop. Perfect for my needs. I also bought a sleeve for my daughter's iPad, she hates it.

Bags by them, I'm not so convinced about. For small trips I use my age old Ghurka or a French dude's bag (I'm in France, after all), he's called Alexandre Mareuil. Cool stuff. For longer ones, I'm happy with one of the Orvis older, heavier Battenkills. These are getting tired and old now, but have given many, many years of service and lots of travel...

As far as Alexander leather go, I have one jacket of theirs. I don't really need it. Should anyone want a Dakota, size 46, seal horsehide, it goes for 300 Euro delivered in Europe.

 

[jlanderson]

Sure, just search for "Aero Bags". lol

people in the newsroom just now looked into my office to see why i was laughing so hard!

 

[Sloan1874]

Funny, something similar happens quite often when I read this thread...lol

 

[Edward]

There are enormous threads galore on Style forum about leather bags, but I just didn't feel enthusiastic about any.

I ordered a Custom Hide, but they c*cked up the order and after reading more reviews I was glad I was able to pull out.

The Saddleback spin sounds great, but there are some off-putting negatives around, plus the massive weight thing seems to be a major issue.

The weight of their bag wouldn't bother me for general use, though I might think twice about flying with one of them. They're certainly tough enough to withstand the abuse baggage handlers the world over dole out to other people's belongings (half the attraction for me), but I could see the additional weight being an issue re the skimpy baggage allowances these days (I do quite a few short hop flights where it's only 20KG.... fine in Summer, but in the Winter....). There's luggage that isn't pig ugly, there's luggage that won't get destroyed the first time of flying, and there's affordable luggage. Sadly, it is an unbreakable law of the universe that I will only ever be able to find luggage which is a maximum of two of these.

I'm a big fan of leather bags, though, as an all-weather option. A canvas bag is great in dry Summer weather, but no use in the wet.

Edward - I have the Saddleback id wallet too. Its a wonderful thing. I also bought a small gadget pouch for my iPhone which is equally useful - I couldn't be without either. The price to get Saddleback to the UK is horrible. i paid a fortune in import tax on the little iPhone pouch. The best bet would be to score something used from Ebay.

I didn't seem to do too badly, that I recall... though as ever the RM's £8 "handling fee" grates (just the other week I collected something I'd bought from the US, and the handling fee was more than the import tax + VAT....). The postage looked like it was going to be hideous based on the Saddleback site, though I emailed them about that and they sorted out a deal (I paid on the site and then they refunded most of the postage charge on the website). I'll be picking up some more bits from them in future, including some Christmas presents. The RFID shielded passport wallet is on my list.

Murse:Man-Purse lol

Probably the term "purse" that caused confusion... Over here, what you call a purse is called a handbag - thus 'manbag'. A purse is essential a feminine form of wallet, most traditionally like this:

 

[Sloan1874]

That looks like a storse murse to me...

 

[HoosierDaddy]

That looks like a storse murse to me...

Yeah. It Drifted into Production.

 

[ButteMT61]

OMG, I almost spat water on the keyboard. Stop guys. Please lol

 

[eggleman]

Yeah. It Drifted into Production.

:eusa_clap

 

[Sloan1874]

 

[eggleman]

Suits You Sir !