Saddleback Leather Canvas Indiana Gear Bag - Scottish Waxed Canvas Satchel Bag with 100 Year Warranty

I’ve been contemplating buying a Saddleback bag since at least 2012, and I finally did it! I settled on this canvas Indiana bag for several reasons– it’s light (I walk a lot), it looks amazing (all Saddleback bags do), it replaces and improves upon a rather lovely camel leather bag I used to carry books & whatnot before it mysteriously disappeared (which smelled like I imagine the fictional archeologist smelling) and my husband can carry it as a diaper bag. We’ll see about that last one, (sharing is hard) but I’ve already used it for a short trip with baby, and it worked beautifully.Like all great bags, it holds more than you might expect, and the two pockets come in handy all the time. Can’t wait to break in the leather on the strap, which is comfy, relatively easy to adjust (I’m 5’6” and had to shorten it quite a bit from factory length), and stays where it’s putI rarely write reviews, but this seemed like the time to make an exception. I love that I don’t have to baby the bag– it’s obviously tough, and the rare scuffs that make it through will just make it look more like a fantastic adventure movie accessory.Love the bag, love the canvas, love the company, love the whole thing.What’s not to love?

So I've had this bag for a few years at this point. Honestly I felt as though I should go back and give it a review so if the company ever decides to re-make this model it has some ideas to go over. Additionally, I felt as though some of the other reviews were overly positive and were of the opposite mind as I--so here's a bit of a differing opinion to balance things out and give people something to chew on. For context, I used this as my EDC bag for a good year.First, the good (which are all pretty obvious): The look is phenominal. I've never gotten so many compliments on something I was casually carrying. It feels like you're about to get off the front-lines of WWI, threw this up on the bar of a deserted french bistro, and are about to pen a letter to your hearthrrob back home. You know the one, the one with the great gams. The entire bag is a vibe. This bag feels like it's telling a story, and it's easy to revel in it. The quality of the materials is bar-none and outstanding. It smacks of sturdiness and reliability. However, herein lies a fundamental truth, but one that feels as though it was taken too far and affected other areas of the design. Most noteably in its weight and some of the material choices.This thing weighs a ton. I realize that the company prides itself on overengineering, but you'll soon realize that the bag itself typically weighs much more than the things you hope to put into it--and afterwhich it feels as though it's usefulness drops. It becomes a thing of vanity rather than utility--which belies a bit of it's overall charm. I would have gladly had a less-robust warranty as a tradeoff for a more everyday carry friendly design.Undue weight (appears to my untrained eye) to be located in three primary parts. The large leather piece on the back to prevent the bag from catching on your pants/belt is VERY thick, and it feels as though a thinner piece could have been used and still maintained that functionality. The leather shoulder strap/rest is the second point of contention, which seems to be made out of the same thickness of leather as the piece on the back. Especially as a shoulder strap/rest this seems like a poor choice, being that the thickness of the leather also makes it less pliable--becoming more uncomfortable on the shoulder if the bag is loaded down. Lastly would be the weight of the canvas, which is thick enough that it feels rigid. As a nitpick, I would also change the hardware that connects the bag strap to the bag. It is chromed, as opposed to a brass or something that would fit the brown aesthetic of the canvas/leather better. Additionally, it is VERY squeaky. Rubbing in some graphite powder helps, but only temporarily before I lose my mind trying to walk while being chased by what sounds like a mouse trying to express his displeasure with my life decisions. Can't say I disagree, little dude. You make a fair point.Do I regret my purchase? Not at all. Would I purchase from this company again? Most certainly, but I would be more picky about which item I chose. Fundamentally I believe that they need to balance their aesthetic beyond driving home the sole point that sturdier is better. Sturdier may be better in some instances, but if it becomes uncomfortable enough to use that I don't want to use it--what's the point? In a nutshell I hope that they can envison the use-case for the future product they're creating and make design/material decisions based around its intended purpose rather than centering the entire design around the central drumbeat of: make it last until the end of time.

The materials and build of this thing are superb--way over the top! I like the size, look, quality, color, and design.I have three other Indy-style bags that are made of Cordura Nylon--really tough, but this bag is just plain sexy.A couple of things would improve the design and usability: 1) the pen holder is over-kill and takes up valuable space. A couple of loops would be less sexy, but much more usable. 2) The back inside pocket doesn't go all the way to the bottom of the bag, making it far less usable than it should be. A 10.5" iPad Pro doesn't fit in the back pocket, and is further blocked by the bulbous pen holder. 3) put a ring/clip/key holder in the thing. Every bag needs one. I'm a long-time/long-term Saddleback Leather owner, but I sold the others in favor of lighter bags. This one is a keeper, but needs those adjustments to make it the best thing out there!

This is an amazing satchel! I have owned saddleback leather bags in the past and carry one daily for work. Beautiful bags! I'd been watching this particular satchel for a little while and read numerous reviews before I pulled the trigger. Let me start off by saying that this is 100% Saddleback quality! This thing is over-engineered to the extreme and that is not a bad thing! Have only had less than a week at this point but I expect many years of service. As they explained, there is a thick wax to the canvas that I expect will keep it waterproof for a long time. Until the wax rubs off a bit more (as they say it will) I am keeping some things in a plastic Ziploc so they don't get the wax on them. This satchel is seriously heavy duty. I guarantee I will never be able to wear it out, even if I carried it daily for 100 years. Absolutely top notch quality as you would expect from a saddleback... I agree with Dave, "Buy the best, cry once."

Fantastic bag. Simple, just the right size for a regular iPad and other daily needs. The leather trim on the back and bottom is great--provides structure plus an additional pocket. The bag is sturdy beyond belief. I have no concerns about it suffering wear and tear in any negative way. Despite this, it is fairly lightweight. The little pen sleeve is largely useless for pens, but it is a useful anchor point for things I want to easily access that I can keep on a tether, e.g., keys.