The choices for men to be fashionable have always been significantly less in comparison to women. The disproportionate options at men’s disposal is down to a fundamental difference, men are simply more conversvative in the way they dress. Consequently, menswear designers have to comprehend with limited clothing options. An effective way for men to glam up is to be smart about how they accessorize themselves. A leather messenger bag is one such everyday accessory that men can use in every season. Apart from being useful, leather messenger bags is a category that keeps evolving with several permutations and combinations of styles, textures, and colors.
From students to working professionals, everyone has a bunch of things they need to carry around daily. Laptops, tablets, smartphones, books, pens, keys, files, folders, headphones, chargers, and documents are the typical personal effects that an average man carries with him today. Putting them all together in a duffel bag or rucksack is not the most practical thing to do as it will inevitably lead to an entangled mess. A messenger bag has dedicated compartments for organized storage and easy accessibility. Leather messenger bags come in several versatile options that suit individual style, comfort, and agility.
Top 5 Best Leather Messenger Bags
1. KomalC Leather Briefcase Messenger Bag
This briefcase-styled bag from KomalC is a premium-grade leather messenger bag made up of full grain buffalo hide leather. With an ultrafine leather surface that is meticulously scarred to reflect the retro style and wilderness, all at once. The bag’s charcoal black leather finish lends it a rustic vintage look that is further accentuated by genuine buffalo hide leather. It features concealed snap closures and an adjustable shoulder strap for greater convenience and accessibility while making a style statement.
Design and Material
The bag is made from genuine full grain buffalo hide leather and lined with high-quality canvas. This briefcase-styled leather messenger bag is hand crafted by skilled artisans with decades of experience in leather work. The leather surface is finely wrinkled to present a retro look that exudes a unique style. Built to last with increased durability, this messenger bag comes with heavy-duty brass fittings, YKK zippers, sliders, double cap brass rivets, and a thick handle with increased strength.
Pros
Genuine full grain buffalo hide leather for durability
High-quality canvas lining and double stitching
Hand crafted by skilled leather artisans
Padded compartment that fits a 15.6 inch size laptop
Sizable pockets to accommodate iPad, files, cards and other accessories
Cons
Minor issues with the buckle, strap, and zipper quality
The top handle is flimsy and not very durable
2. Mens Messenger Bag 15.6 Inch Waterproof Vintage Genuine Leather
This leather satchel bag is elegantly crafted with genuine crazy horse cowhide leather that has intricately carved wrinkles and scratches. Embellished with a special type of skin effect, the bag presents a unique style statement completed by a vintage look. This premium-grade leather messenger bag provides ample space to store everyday essentials including laptop, chargers, files, documents, electronic gadgets, and other accessories.
Design and Material
The bag is made up of high-quality crazy horse cowhide leather and superior canvas to provide a beautiful skin effect. The briefcase is finely carved with wrinkles and scratches to give it a retro look. Meticulously designed to perfection, it contains superior slip pockets, side pockets, adjustable shoulder strap, rugged handle, and a padded compartment that fits upto 15.6 inches Laptop.
Pros
Genuine crazy horse cowhide leather
Water resistant and highly durable
Robust handle and high-quality adjustable/removable strap
Ultrafine magnetic snap and padded laptop sleeve (up to 15.6 inches)
Ample storage space for laptop, files, documents, gadgets, and other accessories
Cons
Several customers have reported issues with the magnetic snaps
Minimal leather work, only in handle and straps
Strap quality is not very impressive and bottle sleeves are less functional
3. Kenneth Cole Reaction Risky Business Messenger Bag
This full-grain Colombian leather messenger bag with a leather flapover is a perfect choice for students, travellers, and working professionals. It is made from full-grain cowhide leather, featuring high-quality leather exterior and fully lined interior to accommodate a variety of files, documents, gadgets, and accessories. The large padded compartment effortlessly fits laptops up to a 15.6 inches screen size. It provides increased convenience and accessibility with a 60 inches adjustable shoulder strap, sizable pockets, and magnetic closures under the leather flap.
Design and Material
The bag is made from full-grain Colombian cowhide leather and features sleek pockets, spacious compartments, lined interior, leather flapover, rugged handle, and adjustable shoulder straps. It contains a double strap for increased convenience and a large padded compartment that accommodates laptop with up to 15.6 inches screen size.
Pros
Crafted with authentic high-quality Colombian cowhide leather
Sleek design, increased durability, and secure storage of items
Robust and convenient leather grab handle for easy carrying
Double shoulder strap and leather flap with magnetic snap closures
Cons
Laptop compartment is relatively small and is more suited for keeping 13 inches MacBook Air rather than 15.6 inches laptop
Quality issues with the front magnetic snaps
Leather quality not very impressive
4. KPL 18 Inch Rustic Vintage Leather Messenger Bag
It is an ultrafine rustic vintage leather messenger bag from Komal’s Passion Leather collections. Handcrafted by the finest artisans, the bag is made from full-grain leather hide that is robust, durable, water resistant, and scratch-proof. The high-quality fabric is embossed with intricately carved scars and wrinkles to give it a classic look. Built to last with natural leather without any lacquer, it provides increased convenience and ample space to safely keep items like laptop, iPad, files, documents, and other accessories.
Design and Material
The bag is elegantly designed with high-quality natural leather and provides easy storage, handling, and accessibility for a wide variety of everyday essentials. It comprises heavy-duty fittings, high-quality zippers, sliders, double cap brass rivets, and a rugged handle for easy carrying. The briefcase-style bag also features an adjustable shoulder strap, sizable pockets, and large padded compartments, complemented by premium canvas inner lining and double stitching.
Pros
Handcrafted with high-quality leather by skilled and experienced craftsmen
Sleek, stylish, lightweight, durable, and easy to carry
Ample storage space with multiple internal/external pockets, and a large padded compartment for laptop
Adjustable shoulder strap and a robust handle for easy carrying
Rustic vintage look that exudes grace and simplicity
Cons
Quite heavy in weight and not very convenient to carry
The leather scent might be unpleasant
A handful of customers also complained about the leather quality
5. Rustic Town Vintage Crossbody Genuine Leather Laptop Messenger Bag
Made from high-quality goat leather, this crossbody messenger bag from Rustic Town provides easy storage, accessibility, and ample space to keep your everyday essentials safe and organized. Rather than following a chemical process, the leather is embossed using a traditional process called ‘vegetable tanning’ to retain the original leather characteristics. The process makes it a unique product, crafted to absolute perfection.
Design and Material
The bag is handcrafted by artisans using genuine goat leather that is organically mounted through ‘vegetable tanning.’ The bag is meticulously designed, crafted, oil-rubbed, and distressed to give it a vintage look. Containing brass buckles, heavy-duty fittings, internal linings, and high-quality YKK zippers, the bag provides increased durability. It comes with a fully-adjustable leather strap for easy carrying and also features a velcro security strap to keep things secure and organized.
Pros
Elegantly crafted with high-quality genuine goat leather
Increased durability, convenience and better comfort
Organically mounted leather to retain its original characteristics
Brass buckles, heavy-duty fittings, internal linings, and high-quality zippers
Multiple internal pockets and a large padded compartment for laptop
Fully adjustable leather strap for easy carrying
A velcro security strap to keep the items safe and well organized
Cons
Thin leather straps that are not very durable
Not ideal for carrying heavy items
How to Choose the Best Leather Messenger Bag?
There is a wide variety of leather messenger bags that are available in varying shapes, sizes, utility, and fabrics. The sheer variety of messenger bags can make choosing one that is right for you a daunting task. You have to pay close attention to bag features and your own requirements to avoid any regrets after making a purchase.
For instance, if you only need to carry a MacBook, a few chargers, headphones, and a handful of other accessories, a small briefcase-style tote messenger bag is an ideal pick. Similarly, for a sales person, a square-shaped hobo bag may be a great choice. Students can also use the same type of bag as they need to carry a handful of books that fit perfectly inside a hobo bag.
We have put this article together to hopefully guide you in the right direction.
Types of Leather Messenger Bags
When broadly categorized, there are mainly seven types of leather messenger bags. Read further to know about these bags and their use cases.
The Briefcase / Attache
This type bag is best suited for corporate employees and working professionals who commute daily between their homes and workspaces. Briefcase-style messenger bags are ideal for carrying laptop, chargers, iPad, files, documents, and other accessories in a convenient and organized way. The bags usually come with a classic shape, single strap, buckles, leather exterior and internal compartments to store documents, laptop, and accessories.
Vertical Messenger Bag
A vertically inclined rectangular-shaped leather bag is an apt choice for professional and aspiring photographers. It provides ample space to store multiple cameras and accessories like lenses, batteries, chargers, tripod stands, and other photography equipment. Vertical messenger bags are also preferred by tourists and backpackers who usually carry multiple items for travel and photography.
Classic Leather Messenger Bag
The classic messenger bag has a rich history as it was traditionally used by all sorts of messengers in the past. The modern day bags, however, exude a sense of uptown sophistication while also reflecting the vintage style and look. This type of bag is increasingly used by students, hipsters, and working professionals to carry their everyday essentials.
Tote Messenger Bag
Tote bags are by far the most extensively used leather messenger bags that can be seen hanging around the shoulders of corporate employees and working professionals. These bags come in different shapes and sizes to match the varying needs of customers. Being a modern approach to the classic briefcases, these bags look elegant when paired with a business attire.
Duffel / Carry-all Messenger Bag
Looking for a classic, one-size-fits-all carrier bag for your recurrent business trips? The elegantly designed duffel messenger bags transform the heavy and bulky luggage into sleek and stylish carry-alls. The bag provides ample space to store travel essentials and the leather exterior provides a refined look with a touch of minimalism.
Hobo Bag
A hobo bag is best suited for a salesperson, while it is also increasingly used by students, athletes, and fitness trainers, depending on the shape and size. While these types of bags were mostly square-shaped, new varieties of hobo bags have arrived in the market, coming in different shapes and sizes.
The Sachet
The sachet is quite similar to a normal messenger bag except for its classic canvas exterior that makes it a little less formal. Also known as the newsboy bag, it’s like a casual briefcase that usually comes with two vertical straps and multiple buckles. Despite a fairly vintage look, the bag exudes style and grace, making it a perfect for students and university scholars.
Things To Consider While Choosing a Leather Messenger Bag
Now that you know you are familiar with different types of leather messenger bags and their use cases, let’s explore some other factors that must be considered while choosing a messenger bag.
1. Types of Leather
The cost and quality of messenger bags depend on the type of leather you are willing to buy. There are four main types of leather used to make a messenger bag.
Cowhide Leather
Cowhide is a high-quality leather that is comprised of the natural, unbleached cowskin. The leather is increasingly durable and is best suited for making bags and purses. Cowhide gives a luxurious appeal to the bags and is widely used to make messenger bags. This leather is of the highest quality and bags made from it belong to the elite class lineup.
Lambskin Leather
Lambskin or sheepskin leather is yet another popular leather-type that is used in a wide range of clothing, bags, and footwear. As the name suggests, it originates from sheep skin and is known for its warmth and softness. The main selling point of this leather is the soft fabric that feels warm and comforting. However, the leather is slightly less durable and prone to deformities.
Faux Leather
It is an artificial or synthetic leather which is being used since the 1940s to make high-quality leather products including jackets, bags, and purses. Also known as ‘vegan leather,’ it is widely used to make bags and purses. It is relatively cheaper than the real leather and yet retains higher quality standards. Because of its superior quality, it is hard to differentiate between the real leather and faux leather.
Patch Leather
A patch leather is generally comprised of several different types of leather (mainly cowhide and lambskin). The main benefit of patch leather is that it is relatively cheaper and is ideal for bulk production. The messenger bags made using patch leather are quite affordable and yet more durable than their lambskin counterparts.
2. Load or Carriage
Another crucial aspect that must be considered while choosing a leather messenger bag is the load or carrying capacity of the bag. For example, a sleek tote bag might not be the best choice for carrying hard and bulky items on a business trip. For that purpose, we have the carry-all messenger bags as mentioned above.
3. Personality
Most importantly, the bag you purchase must also match your personality in terms of height, weight, and physique. It all comes down to making a long lasting first impression. You should be mindful about the shape, size, and color of the bag you are going to buy. For example, a tall and lean person should always look for the sizable options. Similarly, fair complexioned men should ideally choose dark colored bags and vice-versa.
Conclusion
The above listed leather messenger bags are thoroughly reviewed by our peers and are ranked based on their popularity on Amazon and other online marketplaces. These are best-selling products on Amazon with an average 4.5 rating, making them worthwhile to spend your hard-earned money. We hope this article helps you choose the right bag that matches your personality, look, and varying everyday needs.
