Review: @SatchelandPage Brown Leather Slim Mailbag

Thank you to Satchel and Page for sending this mailbag to me! I have opted to review it because I think it's pretty fantastic. The Slim Mailbag here was inspired by the US Postal Service mailbags from the early 1900s, and is a slimmer version of the Mailbag.

I have previously reviewed the Modular Leather Tech Portfolio - Daily Carry Mobile Office, and while it was gorgeous and helpful, it was not the perfect product for me. That unit was sent back to Satchel and Page and I now have a Slim Mailbag instead.

Satchel & Page handcrafts heirloom quality leather pieces, inspired by the founder's grandfather and his Map Case from WWII! Obviously, that map case holds a lot of history and is full of stories. Satchel & Page's designs are inspired by the designs of the 1940s, with added touches for today's technology. Satchel & Page launched on Kickstarter back in 2013, and I have been following them ever since, as my very close friend ended up backing and became a huge fan when he got his bag. He then got another piece because he loved them so much, so I've been an avid follower for some time. And envying his bags and wishing they were mine.

ABOUT & FEATURES

Leather

• Tanned and finished in Ponte a Egola, Italy
• Certified by the Genuine Italian Vegetable Tanned Leather Consortium
• Hide Origin: French Cowhide Shoulders
• Thickness: 6 oz. for bag, 8 oz. for flap, handles, and straps
• Tanning/Grain: Vegetable Tanned / Dyed-Through to Core / Full-Grain
• Finishing: Aniline dyed and hot stuffed with oils and waxes. The result is a natural, transparent leather. Lightly tumbled for softness. French cowhide shoulders have the distinct characteristic of prominent wrinkles. The leather has a soft hand and elegant hand-feel. 

Materials

• Hand-hammered, solid copper rivets
• Antique brass hardware
• Polyester 277 thread
• Shoulder strap pad stuffed with leather and forms to your shoulder

Specifications

• Interior compartment for 13" laptop, pockets for iPhone/Droid, pens, business cards, a key clip, and 2 side pockets
• Small handle for quick grabs
• Back pocket for iPad or magazines
• Details from the original mailbag like a pleated leather front panel, and a riveted side panel
• Adjustable leather shoulder strap (up to 55 inches)
• Height 11", Width 14.5", Depth 3.5" / 3.5 lbs
• Lifetime warranty

Note: The previous information is from the Satchel & Page product page. It was perfectly organized so I thought I would just share it here. 

PRESENTATION

The Satchel & Page Portfolio was sent in a large black dust bag with a leather thong drawstring. The bag has the Satchel & Page logo printed on it. These are nice for storing your leather goods. I appreciate the clean yet useful and simple presentation. I really don't need or want a box or anything.

APPEARANCE

The Slim Mailbag is a beauty. I was so excited when I was unboxing it because I had seen the product shots online at Satchel & Page but it's always different in person. This is a beautiful product that ticks all the right boxes for me. I love the slim profile, the flap, the small handle at the back, and the open pockets on the inside. It has a half flap that covers the main pocket, buckled in at the front. 

As I noted with the Port Series, the leather is absolutely gorgeous. It is a rich brown with warm red tones. The leather picks up scuffs and marks with use, and it pulls up in the areas that are softer. I think it is just beautiful: the entire package looks high quality, classy, and super elegant. 

PERFORMANCE & FEEL

The Slim Mailbag is quite stiff when it's brand new. The leather is firm; only a little supple. It holds its shape well, even if just sitting empty. It cannot stand up on its own but it will stay upright if it's leaning lightly on something.

I love the grab handle because the bag maintains its form so I can move it quickly without fumbling for the strap. The strap is attached to the sides of the bag so I did find the bag could slip if I moved around a lot while walking with it over my shoulder. After having used many shoulder purses for several years, my right shoulder feels the weight of bags/purses pretty quickly, so I tend to carry bags cross-shoulder if I can. If you carry it cross-shoulder, it's not going to slip.

The buckle to release the flap was a bit of a hassle to break in because it's so hard to move the strap at first. Not impossible, but not a one-handed operation either.

Its performance is very simple - I stuffed many items in it. The more you put in, the heavier it will get and it can feel too heavy while still having space for more items. It's a matter of having some balance of what you carry and the weight. The back magazine pocket turned out to be quite useful although if it was slightly looser, I could put more in there. On the other hand, if it's not as snug, things could fall out. It took weeks of use to break in the pockets a little so they were easier to put things in, especially the pen loops.

PROS

• Products backed by a lifetime warranty.
• Elegant, subtle branding.
• Leather is sourced from Tuscany, Italy, from a third generation, family-owned vegetable tannery in Ponte a Egola. The family is one of the founding members of The Genuine Italian Vegetable Tanned Leather Consortium, a group of Tuscan vegetable tanneries who follow strict quality standards and regulations. This means Satchel and Page's leather will be labeled with the official Quality Trademark certified by the Consortium.
• Excellent workmanship - no scrummy bits or edges. It's all very clean, well made, and robust.
• Leather pulls up and develops character so beautifully. I love it.
• The firm shape ensures your goods inside are protected.
• Zippers are high quality - they work smoothly and do not catch.
• Padded and adjustable shoulder strap.
• Great for business use.
• Great for personal use.
• Comfortable to carry in hand, or over the shoulder for longer carry. 
• The shoulder strap clasps are strong and can take a lot of weight. 

CONS

• It's an expensive piece. That's not to say it isn't worth it, but it is probably something you will want to plan for!
• The leather is on the stiffer side so it took a few weeks of use for the adjusted shoulder strap to finally flatten out from its original form. 
• The leather is stiff in the buckle so it took months for it to soften up enough to open relatively easily. 
• If thrown on one shoulder, and especially if it's not full and if you're wearing smooth pants or jacket, the bag tends to slide off the shoulder. I had to hitch it all the way up my shoulder or wear it cross-body style to make sure it was secure. 
• Even though it is the slim size, it's still a substantial bag so if you are looking for a very slim profile or if you're a small person, it may overwhelm you. I found it leaning towards being large but it was still a comfortable size. 

OVERALL

The Port series I previously reviewed was a truly fine piece of work. I loved the concept and it was beautiful. I found it quite useful but it wasn't perfect for my needs. I like bigger, open pockets so I can throw all sorts of things into my bag, with just a few options for organizing them. The Port required complete organization so the items would fit properly. The Slim Mailbag gives me a little more freedom to pick and choose my set up.

I love the Slim Mailbag. It's well-made, it's so attractive, I feel proud to carry it, and it's perfectly handy for me. Heirloom quality? Absolutely. Useful? Absolutely. Do I feel cool and classy? Absolutely. This is certainly a piece to save for and invest in because it's not inexpensive, but I understand the cost, given the materials and effort in crafting. It has a lot of nice little details that I like - the magazine pocket, the little pockets on the inside for smaller items, clipping my keys to the outsides, the padded shoulder piece, the branding, and more.

I received this item free of charge. I was not compensated monetarily for my review. Everything you've read here is my own opinion.