Horsehide leather briefcase from mw-traveler: comments?

post #46 of 59

12/29/09 at 11:51pm

Concordia

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Very nice looking indeed.

I just ordered a Hulme Portfolio (Heritage), but would have gone for this one if I didn't already have an even larger-sized briefcase from another shop.

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post #47 of 59

2/16/10 at 4:08am

nabi

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It's been very informative posts. I'm about to make purchase a laptop carrying bag, and of course MW bag is one of top contenders thanks to you guys:-) Those who have the bag, can you share your thoughts after a few months of use? Especially how do you think of the quick release? A few articles (at Glaser design and Mitchell-leather) suggest that there is no dependable/durable quick release device, and insist belt/buckle are still way to go...

Thank you for sharing your experience.

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post #48 of 59

2/17/10 at 3:32am

nabi

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Anyone with MW Traveler laptop case experience to share?

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post #49 of 59

2/17/10 at 7:36am

Dob

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I have been happy with mine - the quick releases seem to work very well and are easy to use. No issues there. That said, I will be listing mine on the sale board as I have my eye on something else.

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post #50 of 59

2/17/10 at 11:18am

waldenbags

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Quote:

Originally Posted by nabi

It's been very informative posts. I'm about to make purchase a laptop carrying bag, and of course MW bag is one of top contenders thanks to you guys:-) Those who have the bag, can you share your thoughts after a few months of use? Especially how do you think of the quick release? A few articles (at Glaser design and Mitchell-leather) suggest that there is no dependable/durable quick release device, and insist belt/buckle are still way to go...

Thank you for sharing your experience.

Great points by both Glaser and Mitchell. Solid brass pullsnaps are nicely engineered, but there's just no way they're going to hold up under serious loads over a moderate period of time.

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post #51 of 59

3/22/11 at 3:32pm

ridders

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I've been in communication with the folks over at MW (they've been very responsive and kind to my barrage of questions) i'm about to order one of their laptop bags in Brown Steerhide (I've read up on the horsehide hype- for some reason I'm compelleled to stick to cow based hides, even though they're heavier). I'm a bit nervous, upon close inspection of their website, I noticed that they've changed their design such that the shoulder strap now attaches to the top of the bag- as near as i can tell 99% of flap over bags seem to attach at various difference points on the sides of the bags (depending on the design...coach seems to be the exception with their Thompson, Large Transatlantic and Tyler bags all attaching at the top, though all 3 of these are discontinued... as well as a few customhides as near as I can tell). The reasoning from MW was logical- people were experienceing bunching along the area where the D ring was located. It appears that Mitchell may have come up with a solution by knotching the flap a bit where the strap passes over side/top of the flap. I'm going to take the plunge and see if I like it....

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post #52 of 59

3/22/11 at 4:46pm

SirGrotius

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Great bag. Looks solid and traditional. This is the opposite of fashion forward, so if you're into trendy things steer clear, if you're like most of the people of SF, purchase it quick.

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post #53 of 59

5/6/11 at 3:25pm

ridders

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Hey everyone- Just wanted to provide an update. I ordered and received a M&W Laptop Brief in Steerhide (brown) color. Pre-sales communication was excellent, often with answers coming back in an hour or two. Shipping was fast, because they had the item in stock. The bag itself was lovely- rich color almost closer to a cherry brown, as opposed to the examples on the website. I immediately realized the bag was a bit too big for my needs. About a week in, I experienced an issue with the back pocket, the leather tore right at the seam as i went to grab the bag (it was sitting shot gun in the car and I made a sudden stop). The folks at M&W where excellent about the matter. They immediately offered a replacement (thought it would have to be made)-then after a day or two, responded that they had identified a production issue with that particular run and were addressing in the run that would include my new bag. Their honesty and integrity was top notch. I have every confidence that they will fix what ever was off in that run. Ultimately however, I realized that it wasn't the bag for me, and returned it--before the replacement was finished. I highly recommend the bag for anyone with a large laptop-the quick open mechanism was great, and the front pockets hold a ton of stuff. Hope this is helpful for anyone researching or on the fence about getting the bag.

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post #54 of 59

5/6/11 at 5:32pm

Wilfried

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Quote:

Originally Posted by ridders

I'm a bit nervous, upon close inspection of their website, I noticed that they've changed their design such that the shoulder strap now attaches to the top of the bag- as near as i can tell 99% of flap over bags seem to attach at various difference points on the sides of the bags... The reasoning from MW was logical- people were experienceing bunching along the area where the D ring was located. It appears that Mitchell may have come up with a solution by knotching the flap a bit where the strap passes over side/top of the flap.
I'm going to take the plunge and see if I like it....

As a subway commuter, the major drawback I see to having the strap attached to the top is that you can't open the bag and root around in it while standing up. You pretty much have to put down on something before you can get inside it. This may not be an issue if you just go from car to office, but would be a major drawback for someone who uses it wandering around the city.

I have a Custom Hide bag with a very similar design, and it's also true that attaching the straps on the sides is also less than ideal. The leather does twist, flex and stretch. It doesn't help that I often wear the bag messenger style (often the only sensible way when running around). However, for me, not being able to open the bag on the go would be a bigger issue.

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post #55 of 59

8/23/11 at 12:47am

Macpod

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Quote:

Originally Posted by ridders

Hey everyone- Just wanted to provide an update. I ordered and received a M&W Laptop Brief in Steerhide (brown) color. Pre-sales communication was excellent, often with answers coming back in an hour or two. Shipping was fast, because they had the item in stock. The bag itself was lovely- rich color almost closer to a cherry brown, as opposed to the examples on the website. I immediately realized the bag was a bit too big for my needs. About a week in, I experienced an issue with the back pocket, the leather tore right at the seam as i went to grab the bag (it was sitting shot gun in the car and I made a sudden stop). The folks at M&W where excellent about the matter. They immediately offered a replacement (thought it would have to be made)-then after a day or two, responded that they had identified a production issue with that particular run and were addressing in the run that would include my new bag. Their honesty and integrity was top notch. I have every confidence that they will fix what ever was off in that run. Ultimately however, I realized that it wasn't the bag for me, and returned it--before the replacement was finished. I highly recommend the bag for anyone with a large laptop-the quick open mechanism was great, and the front pockets hold a ton of stuff. Hope this is helpful for anyone researching or on the fence about getting the bag.

regarding the Strap anchor issue. did you have trouble opening and reaching things inside the bag while wearing the bag on the traps?

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post #56 of 59

3/10/12 at 12:19pm

hanskl

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X-post from "Made in the USA briefcases"

Just received my M&W Traveler Laptop Briefcase in brown Horween horsehide. I am very pleased with the bag, and the quality of the construction.

Although there is one thing that irks me a little.. I've have attached a picture showing how the straps that goes around the whole bag is attached. All the way around the strap is made of dual layer thick leather. However, the strap is only connected to the bag through the male part of the pull snap, and it seems the leather has been shaved very thin. I fear the leather has been shaved too thin, and it impacts the strength of the strap.

What do you guys think?