The Definitive MANBAG Thread Part I: 2009-2014

[zoose]

Originally Posted by rach2jlc

the one on the bally site has no card holder... as I agree it looks really weird. The black one on the Bally site has a simple open construction on one side, pocket on the other.
Sadly, the 360' view on the Bally site shows the same card holder on the back. Amazon agrees, with the card holder showing on both black and brown versions of the Metode. Large is showing the same thing. Maybe that's why it's such a good deal :-/ My search continues. Keep posting great bags and I'm sure I'll find something eventually

 

[just another fool]

saw this on the top of bag page at topman, but not in the store. can anyone help find out what this is or point me in the direction of something similar?

 

[Alter]

Originally Posted by zoose

Sadly, the 360' view on the Bally site shows the same card holder on the back. Amazon agrees, with the card holder showing on both black and brown versions of the Metode. Large is showing the same thing. Maybe that's why it's such a good deal :-/

My search continues. Keep posting great bags and I'm sure I'll find something eventually

Take a poke around here for some leather bags made in Japan. I have some small pieces from them and they are great:
http://item.rakuten.co.jp/porco-rosso/c/0000000348/

 

[dron]

zoose: may i reccomend mismo. i have their smaller briefcase (fits 15"mbp with sleeve) and it is extremely nice.

 

[pronxs]

Originally Posted by zoose

So I started on a techy forum, Hacker News, and saw a post about Saddleback Leather. I decided I wanted a new bag. Rather than buy right away, I started doing research. I went from HN, to Saddleback, to Walden Bags, to various leather bag companies like Glaser Designs, to Styleforum, to Filson, to the Manbag thread, which I've now read from start to finish.

Somehow, finding 'the right bag' turned into an obsession, and all of my original assumptions of this field have been turned on their head. I'm now looking for advice.

* Purpose: Carry a laptop to and from work every day
* Price range: up to $800
* Style: I'm uncouth - a previous remark about 'looking like the IT Officer' really hit me, so now I'm trying to change. Generally looking at briefcases and messenger bags

Here's what I've found so far and my thoughts on them.

Filson - 256 Original Briefcase $200
* Like: ubiquitous, practical, good quality, good warranty
* Dislike: ubiquitous, field-and-stream / country styling

Ernest Alexander - Hudson Messenger Bag $365
* Like: solid construction, lots of space
* Dislike: buckles, pre-distressed, urban hipster

Billykirk - Zippered Briefcase $345
* Like: rach-approved, quality construction, minimalist, traditional yet modern, unique
* Dislike: lack of functionality - only one inside pocket, no outside pockets, no dividers

Tumi - Arrive Narita Slim Brief $595
* Like: extremely functional
* Dislike: black luggage fabric, price

Porter - Something Somewhere Someprice
* Like: rach-approved, quality, functionality
* Dislike: hard to find, hard to decide, potentially expensive. Rakuten is the most confusing online store I've ever been to

Originally Posted by drøn

zoose: may i reccomend mismo. i have their smaller briefcase (fits 15"mbp with sleeve) and it is extremely nice.


hi zoose, i am in the same situation as you, but with 1/2 your budget. i am now im my last year of college, so i wanna buy one bag that will serve me in college + future work. i am using jack spade and i love it, but wanna upgrade to something nicer. had filson but boy its HEAVY. durable, good quality but my shoulder is dying.

dron, i just saw this mismo and i creamed in my pants.

ive found bags from far horizon traders as well. looks decent and great price to boot. can anyone comment about quality?
im not sure if i should get leather/canvas but i dont mind both. price & weight is rather sensitive for me. i like the leather ones rach has posted, but not for 500-600.

any suggestion would be appreciated.

 

[PaulYAY]

I just placed a proxy for a new bag, another Porter. I had planned to look for a leather and/or lighter colored bag for summer, but ended up getting another black one. It would be nice if Porter would make more tan/beige bags in the cordura-type materials- i.e. any materials that won't become grimy-looking fast with daily wear. I don't drive, so I end up carrying a bag around quite a bit.

my other Porter:

 

[Daseinflaw]

What do you guys think of Andrew Marc? His bags fit well into my price range (e.g. this: http://www.bluefly.com/Marc-New-York...201/detail.fly)
Anyone with any experience?

 

[randomkoreandude]

any goruck users? more military style backpack

 

[SmallFishWang]

Hey Rach, can you share with us on some pointers on how to tell good leather from bad? Or do you have a site/book that you got the knowledge from? Thanks

 

[rach2jlc]

Originally Posted by SmallFishWang

Hey Rach, can you share with us on some pointers on how to tell good leather from bad? Or do you have a site/book that you got the knowledge from? Thanks

Unfortunately it mostly requires just seeing it, touching it, and getting used to it in person. With photoshop, clever lighting, and better synthetics, it is hard to tell from a picture, video, etc. the quality. SO, hard to tell online.

Nevertheless, one easy way is to start with the very best and go from there. SO, if you are talking 'real' items, go to an Hermes store and look around. Touch the bags (they'll let you touch them, don't let them intimidate you!), look at the different styles... clemence, togo (grained calf), box calf, epsom, etc. get used to what those look, feel, even SMELL like.

Then go from there. Go to a Kenneth Cole, Calvin Klein, Wilson's Leather, etc. and look at the same "types of leather." You'll notice the differences right off in texture, look, even smell.

Online, too, start looking at different things, top and bottom (Hermes vs KC.) Then, you'll slowly start to see what makes good leather good, and bad leather bad. You'll also see some very "expensive" brand items using really sub-par quality. (cough, Dior... cough, Ferragamo... cough, Givenchy)

Givenchy is my "worst offender" brand right now; they used to be decent with Boateng, but lately they've switched most of their manufacture for the men's bags to China and eastern europe/turkey, etc., and are charging $1000+ for crappy, crappy stuff. The stuff still made in France/Spain is so expensive you might as well buy a new car instead.

SO, sorry this doesn't give many hints, but I think it works much better to do it on your own and enjoy the process.

That being said, perhaps others can give some general "pointers" for identifying.

 

[kwoyeu]

that's a very helpful tip, thanks. relatedly, i was at barneys today and was really surprised at how nice some of the margart howell items look and feel in person. i would have no idea just by looking at pictures.


on a different note, i'm in the market for bag for grad school and have narrowed down my choices to the following few. Which one should I pick? Comments about quality/style? Suggestions for similar styles? Any input would be appreciated..

MMM SS11 Teacher briefcase $1400

Lotuff & Clegg English Men's Leather Briefcase $800

Jil Sander SS11 Shoudler Bag$1400

Hard Graft 2UNFOLD Laptop Bag €389.00(=$565)

This multi-use laptop bag is something of a sartorial transformer - carry it unfolded as a briefcase, shoulder bag, backpack or fold it into a courier or clutch bag

Bill Amberg Classic Tote £565.00 (=$933)

(cannot embed image)
http://www.billamberg.com/shop/work-...400&height=400
http://www.billamberg.com/shop/work-...400&height=400





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[Gus]

^^^Porter bags are so nice. Great details.

 

[randomkoreandude]

i dont have that specific hard graft piece but ive owned and handled the sleeves and other stuff. great design and really durable. that transformer piece is pretty interesting and looks useful. but very diff aesthetic and design compared to your other choices

 

[bdeuce22]

Originally Posted by kwoyeu

that's a very helpful tip, thanks. relatedly, i was at barneys today and was really surprised at how nice some of the margart howell items look and feel in person. i would have no idea just by looking at pictures.


on a different note, i'm in the market for bag for grad school and have narrowed down my choices to the following few. Which one should I pick? Comments about quality/style? Suggestions for similar styles? Any input would be appreciated..

MMM SS11 Teacher briefcase $1400

Lotuff & Clegg English Men's Leather Briefcase $800

Jil Sander SS11 Shoudler Bag$1400

Hard Graft 2UNFOLD Laptop Bag €389.00(=$565)

Bill Amberg Classic Tote £565.00 (=$933)

(cannot embed image)
http://www.billamberg.com/shop/work-...400&height=400
http://www.billamberg.com/shop/work-...400&height=400





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jil. i have a couple leather pieces from jil and absolutely love them. i'm eyeing that bag as well, but will try and hold off to sales time.

 

[Kagemusha]

Just proxied this, larger depth than Pauls.: