Leather Travel Bags for Men

Benefits

A high-quality leather travel bag will help you feel good, look good, and carry your items safely to and from your destination. Let’s take a closer look at the advantages.

Unparalleled Durability

Constructed with care, using high-quality leather and other components, leather travel bags are among the most durable travel items.

They withstand the scrapes and bangs of travel and stowage, and where other materials degrade and look shabby with use, a high-quality leather bag will patina, and look better with each trip you take.

Stylish and Classy

Leather travel bags combine that durability with timeless style. Whether it’s the rustic component to business attire, or the classy accent to jeans and jacket, these bags suit almost any situation with lasting style and class.

Versatile Storage

One of the best features of these bags is the versatility of the main compartment. It can handle all your essential items, garments, gadgets, and a few things to keep you entertained – and snacked up – on your journey.

Organisers, pockets, divided compartments, and clips keep your items in their proper places, safe, secure, and easy to find.

Travel in Comfort

Equipped with comfortable, sturdy handles, detachable shoulder straps, trolley sleeves, and other conveniences, these bags are convenient, easy to use, and stow away easily in a wide variety of compartments on airplanes, trains, and busses – adapting to different compartment dimensions as the need arises.

Ideal for Various Travel Situations

As a primary bag for a short trip, or a carryon for longer ones, a leather travel bag makes sure your essentials stay with you no matter what happens in the main luggage holds.

Their adaptable styles and unwavering versatility make them the go-to choice for travel, long or short term, business or pleasure.

Compatible with Various Brands and Lifestyles

Whether you travel in designer clothing and frequent the most elegant retreats or have a more casual approach and prefer to kick back in a rustic café, there is a highly-functional, reliable bag that fits your style.

Perfect for Business Travel

When conducting business on the road, a leather travel bag can communicate a lot to prospective customers or partners. Professionalism, refinement, practicality with style, and even confidence can be implied by the right choice of leather travel bag.

Elevate Your Travel Experience

Holding a high-quality leather travel bag as you stroll through the airport, cross the hotel lobby, or board a train, will give you a great feeling inside too.

Knowing that you look good, that you are prepared, and that your bag can be relied upon to do its job well – all of this adds pleasure and luxury to a trip.

Investing in a leather travel bag will be a decision you will smile about time and time again, enjoying the durability, versatility, value and style of it, each time you travel, and for years to come.

Size and Capacity

The goal here is to make sure the bag fits everything you need to have on hand, but that it isn’t so big that it becomes a problem to carry or cramps your style.

Don’t make the mistake of choosing a larger bag for longer trips and a smaller one for short trips – it’s better to do it the other way around!

For longer trips, you’ll have a checked bag for most of your items, and the smaller leather travel bag will be for your essentials and valuables. Keeping it small means easier movement to and from planes or trains, and more comfort when waiting in lines.

On a shorter trip, however, you may want to bring just the one bag, and in that case, a larger leather travel bag will suit better, and keep your style and elegance intact – without needing to drag along a second bag.

Material Quality

The best choice here is always genuine, full-grain leather. It is stronger, ages better, and actually gets more beautiful with the usual wear and tear of travel.

The next-best option is top-grain leather, which can have a smoother finish, but isn’t quite as durable in rougher travel situations.

Design and Style

Choose a bag that fits your style, but with the ability to elevate, or relax with it. If you tend to dress very formally, choose a bag that is able to augment an elegant outfit, but can also be the classy addition to something a bit more casual.

If you are a casual dresser, then choose a bag that will add elegance to your casual look.

Functionality and Organization

Consider your needs – laptop, makeup, clothing, travel documents, gadgets, etc – and then consider the compartments, pockets, dividers, key clips, and so on.

You will want enough pockets for each of your items you know you will carry, and it’s a good idea to include an extra one or two in case you pick something up in your travels – business cards, a small souvenir, or cough drops or medicine if you start to feel ill during travel.

Carrying Options

All bags will have carry handles, a shoulder strap, or both. It’s a good idea to have carry handles for those times when you need maximum control of the bag – such as placing it in an overhead bin or weaving through a crowded café or lounge.

A shoulder strap is a great feature to have when walking longer distances or when you need both hands for things like ticket and passport checks, or eating.

A great feature to include if you also have a roller board or large rolling suitcase, is a trolley sleeve. These are flat panels of leather that allow the handle of a roller board suitcase to slide through them, attaching your leather bag to the handle of your roller. This takes the weight off… and elevates the style of your roller board too.

Stitching Quality

Great leather is step one, but if it isn’t manufactured well, the bag as a whole will not endure. Look for tightly stitched seams and reinforced stress points. With full-grain leather, there may be a small amount of irregularity in the stitch spacing – this is fine, providing it is solid and tight.

Hardware Durability

All zippers, buckles, clips, chains, and snaps should be durable and resistant to wear. If they are plated in chrome or gold, or painted, make sure the coverage is complete. Brass and stainless steel are the best materials for hardware.

Customization Options

If the items you are considering offer custom options, or you decide to add some after purchase, make sure the quality is high. Monogrammed initials, color options, hardware finishes, or different strap choices can all help to make your bag unique to you.

Weight and Portability

If you are likely to carry the bag for extended periods, opt for a lighter – which sometimes means smaller – bag. Trolley sleeves and shoulder straps can help, but a really heavy bag is still a really heavy bag.

Brand Reputation

Well-known brand names or designer labels don’t always mean durability. Whenever possible, check out the reviews of a particular brand or bag, and make sure it suits your needs and travel style.

Warranties and guarantees are great indicators of how confident the manufacturer or retailer is in the quality of the item. Look for solid reviews and a great warranty.

Price and Value

It is worth investing in a good bag, but not everyone has an unlimited budget. Decide how much you can spend, and then determine the best value within that price range.

Consider not just the look of the bag, but the durability, quality, features, and warranty. This item could last you for years, so it is worth both some investment, and some careful consideration when making a purchase.

Customer Reviews

Read genuine customer reviews – not just those provided by the seller – and consider both the positives and the negatives. Many times, a low rating is due to a delivery problem, a poor choice on the part of the buyer, or some other factor that would not apply to your situation.

With some care and forethought, the leather travel bag you choose can be the ideal travel item to make your trips function, fun, and full of style.

Sustainable and Ethical Practices

Care of the environment is good in its own right, but can also signal overall care and responsibility within the company as a whole. Look for certifications that signal special care, such as “vegetable tanned” or “responsibly sourced leather.”

Leather Care

Proper care of your leather item will keep it looking great, even through years of regular use.

Each type of leather and finish will have a slightly different maintenance need, but instruction should be provided with the bag at the point of purchase.

Common products and practices include leather conditioners and/or cleaners. These help to protect your bag from stains, sun damage, and other types of wear.

Leather Origins

Leather is a product produced and used the world over, though some areas are known for better leather tanning and processing than others. Italian leather has long enjoyed a reputation as one of the best leather materials in the world, with tanning traditions reaching back thousands of years.

The Italian leather industry has protected this reputation through guilds and other regulatory measures, working to ensure not only high standards of craftsmanship and manufacture, but environmental responsibility as well.

American leather, by comparison, is known for rugged durability, associated with saddles and other hard-wearing outdoor and work equipment.

Handcrafted vs. Mass-produced

Handcrafted manufacturing methods usually ensure detailed care over each inch of the item, but a good mass-production system can provide a high degree of uniformity as well, with the added advantage of faster production and a lower price due to that efficiency.

Hand-made carries with it a sense of exclusivity and tradition, with a higher price to pay for the care and slower production. Which one you choose depends on your preferences and what you ultimately want in your leather item.

Types

Leather travel bags are not all alike; there are several sub-types to choose from too. Each of these has distinct characteristics, so you can find the one that best suits your travel needs,

Leather Duffel Bag

For the best in style and effortless elegance, a leather duffel bag combines sturdiness with ample room for clothing and all your essential items. Versatile for both shorter and longer trips, the leather duffel bag fits in on business trips and weekend getaways.

Leather Weekender Bag

For those who prefer a minimalist approach to travel, the leather weekender bag is smaller and easy to carry, while still providing enough room for essential items and a few pieces of clothing.

Leather Garment Bag

For more formal styles or events, the leather garment bag keeps suits and dresses looking fresh and ready to wear, and often include interior compartments for other items.

Some of these also come with wheels to allow for heavier packing with ease of transport.

Leather Backpack

For a hands-free option, the leather backpack elevates casual style while providing a high degree of convenience, even with heavy loads.

Spacious interiors and multiple pockets keep your items safe and organized, while the shoulder straps allow for easy carrying. Some also have a carry handle at the top for maneuvering through crowded areas.

Some even feature hidden pockets for valuables or travel documents.

Leather Tote Bag

The leather tote bag moves effortlessly between more formal and casual situations.

Chic, stylish, and practical at once, these bags can carry laptops, clothing, books, and personal items through any situation, turning the need to carry something into a chance to show your style. The open-top design gives easy access, while internal pockets and compartments keep your items organized and safe.

Choosing the right sub-type for you is easy and will pay you back each time you use it, for years to come. Explore the features, keep a list of those you really like, and zero in on the perfect bag for you.

Alternatives

During the process of deciding which type of bag is best for you, a comparison of different types is often valuable.

Leather Duffel Bag vs. Suitcase: The leather duffel bag is best for short trips or carry-on use, as it is more versatile and flexible than the suitcase option. Suitcases are best used when a lot of items and clothing are required, and when checking the bag is necessary or preferred.

Leather Weekender Bag vs. Backpack: The leather weekender bag marries style and functionality for shorter trips. It transitions better into more formal business or social situations, while the leather backpack may be too casual for some settings. Both types function well as carry-on items.

Leather Garment Bag vs. Carry-on Bag: Leather garment bags are best for transporting formal attire with minimal wrinkling or disturbance. They are less convenient and less maneuverable than a carry-on bag but provide much more protection for the state your clothing will be in when you arrive.

Carry-on bags are meant to fit in carry-on compartments – garment bags often need special space or even special transport designations. Unless you are traveling in business or first class, you are unlikely to be allowed to take your garment bag on board with you.

Leather Tote Bag vs. Crossbody Bag: A leather tote bag is a great fashion item while providing a roomy interior and open-top access. Crossbody bags are similar, but they tend to be better at providing hands-free carrying and security of load placement when on the move.

The tote might be at home in slightly more formal situations, while the crossbody bag prefers casual to casual-chic environments.

Post-Purchase Considerations

Okay, you’ve purchased your leather bag and it’s there, looking and smelling great, and ready to use. But how to keep it looking and smelling great? How to make sure your investment lasts you as long as possible?

Here are a few easy tips.

Leather Care

Purchase the recommended leather conditioner and apply it as per directions right away. Set a note in your phone’s calendar for the next scheduled application, so you don’t forget.

If your bag goes through a time of more extreme wear – such as a spill, getting caught in the rain, or accidental prolonged sun exposure – then you can always give it an application sooner than scheduled.

Aging and Patina

If you purchased a high-quality leather, don’t worry about the development of a unique patina over prolonged use. These markings, often showing as a deepening of the appearance of grain or imperfections in the leather, are a desired part of high-quality leather construction.

They show each bag as a unique, high-quality item. If you are concerned about how your particular bag will age, discuss this with an informed retailer.

Durability and Longevity

If your bag shows premature signs of wear, such as a loosening of a seam or strap fastener, or if hardware appears to begin to fail, there are a couple of good options to consider. First, make use of the warranty or guarantee provided by the manufacturer or retailer. Even if it is past the official date, many high-end retailers will honor it and help you out, especially if there is a brand name in question.

If you don’t have a warranty, it has expired, or is for some other reason unavailable to you, there are still options. You could take it to a shoemaker or saddler for repair. These specialists have the equipment and experience dealing with leather stitching and care, and your item may return looking as good as ever.

Storage

Store totes and duffels in a stuffed placement rather than folded or crumpled. Folding leather in the same place repeatedly can cause creases and eventual cracks in the finish, diminishing the look.

Some use tissue paper to fill them, but others use the bags to store out-of-season clothing, such as jumpers or heavy socks in the summer, thereby keeping the leather item in good shape and their unused items out of sight.

Make sure the bags are stored in a dry place out of direct sunlight too, and prolonged exposure to moisture can cause mildew, and too much direct sunlight can cause any material to get brittle or fade.

Warranty and Customer Support

Keep your warranty in a specific place. Some keep a general warranty space in a drawer or cupboard, and some keep a warranty card (if it is small) in one of the pockets of the item itself. When seeking help on warranty, it is best to return to the same store at which you purchased the item, but this is not always necessary.

Any store that carries the same item will have access to a manufacturer’s warranty and may be able to help on that basis. If a bag’s construction fails, the seller may repair the bag or replace it with a new one of similar style and value – be sure to discuss options with them.

FAQs

How do I care for and maintain my leather bag?

Store it in a clean, dry place out of direct sunlight. Ideally, store it in a filled position, rather than folded or crumpled.

Use a recommended leather conditioner on it before first use, and regularly afterward. Use your phone’s calendar feature to remind you of recommended cleaning intervals. This may only be a couple of times a year, or even annually.

Will the leather develop a unique patina over time?

Genuine, full-grain leather will patina over time. This is a highly desired feature of the material and makes your bag unique to you. Top-grain leather is often coated in a coloring or finish and won't