The 5 Best Leather Backpacks for Men | Casual, Work, Value, Toughest, and More

If you think you’re too old for a backpack, I urge you to consider the leather backpack: the most grown-up way to carry your stuff comfortably.

I’m a leather bag nerd so obsessed that I’ve not only visited workshops on three continents, but I’m even releasing my own line of bags. (Don’t worry, my own products aren’t on this list — that would obviously be biased!)

This list is a result of covering leather goods across the world for over seven years and testing a huge variety of bags to figure out what really makes a great leather backpack.

Different guys want different things from a bag, so I won’t pretend there’s one best leather backpack for anyone reading this — even though that’s the kind of listicle the internet really likes.

This is more to help you find the best backpack for you, so I’m going through business professional ones, rugged outdoorsy ones, versatile minimalist ones, one-man workshops, and more. I’ll write out my selection criteria in more detail at the end of this article, but let’s just get to the picks.

1) The Best Men’s Leather Backpack: Satchel and Page’s Leather Backpack ($595)

Pros

• The best bag leather I’ve seen: vegetable tanned the old-fashioned way in Tuscany
• Beautiful design: clean lines, large pieces of leather, and wearable with any outfit.
• Surprisingly functional: loaded with secure pockets, compartments, and laptop sleeves.
• Giant clamshell opening makes it easy to find your stuff.
• Attaches to the handle of your rolling luggage with a removable strap, so it’s not dangling there when not in use.
• Lifetime warranty: They honor it, too: they reimbursed me when I needed to get a zipper fixed.

Cons

• As the leather is made from cowhide shoulders, your bag will probably have distinct wrinkles — you might love it, you might prefer something with less character.
• Suede lining: it’s luxurious, but it makes the interior a little hard to clean and increases the price. One might prefer a lower overall cost to a luxury lining.
• Front pocket: I have no complaints, but some customers report wishing it were larger; most books won’t fit.
• Some prefer no zippers on their bags; it’s a breakable part, and zippers simply will break with time, but I know from experience that the warranty covers replacements.

Satchel & Page Backpack: A Mini Review

• 17″ x 12″ x 4.5″

Satchel & Page uses the best bag leather I’ve ever seen. Certified by the Italian Vegetable Tanned Leather Consortium, it’s made the old-fashioned way (as in ‘thousands of years old’ fashioned) in Tuscany through vegetable tanning.

The cheaper and faster chrome tanning largely replaced this process in the 19th century, but while it’s slower and costlier to make, “veg tan” leather is best for bags — and Satchel & Page’s is the best of the best. This bag will evolve into exactly what you think of when you envision a beautifully aged leather bag.

The leather is so good that I’d probably love the products no matter what they looked like, but the designs are perfect for guys: the backpack is masculine and minimalist, using large pieces of leather to minimize seams and let its quality speak for itself. I’ve carried it with every kind of outfit, from business casual to shorts and t-shirt.

The look is timeless, classic, and modern all at once: there’s simply no arguing with it.

It’s extra impressive that the bag looks so simple but has so much functionality: a separate compartment can store two laptops or tablets, the spacious interior has its own zippered pockets and sleeves, and the clamshell opening means it’s easy to access your belongings no matter where they are in the bag.

Downsides But Not Dealbreakers

You might not love the wrinkling that the shoulder cut leather will probably have, you might prefer a bigger front pocket (it’s hard to fit most books in there), you might not like zippers because they’re breakable, and you might wish the lining wasn’t suede, so the price was lower. But believe me when I tell you that this is a well-priced bag for everything you’re getting.

2) Toughest Leather Backpack: Saddleback Leather Co Thin Front Pocket Backpack ($579)

Pros

• Dense: ~24 square feet of leather in one backpack
• Thick: Pieces range from 7.25 to 10.5oz, averaging over 3.5mm thick, about as thick as a pencil
• No breakable parts like zippers, snaps, and velcro
• Available in 4 colors
• 100-year warranty

Cons

• Not versatile; super casual
• Bulky and heavy design; weighs 6 pounds empty
• Buckles are secure, but cumbersome to open on the go
• Chrome tanned leather; many enthusiasts prefer veg tan
• Lined with pigskin, which is disqualifying for some

Saddleback Thin Front Pocket Backpack: A Mini Review

• 12″ x 17″ x 7″

When I first started exploring leather backpacks, one name came up again and again: Saddleback.

At first, I couldn’t figure out why: the leather’s chrome tanned in Mexico, the bag’s made in Mexico, and the products seemed overpriced.

But when you dig deeper, the price makes sense: with some two dozen square feet of leather that’s thicker than any other leathers on this list, you’re getting more cow for the money. The bag also comes with a 100-year warranty, no breakable parts, stainless steel hardware, and the ability to carry 750 pounds without breaking.

Folks who dismiss chrome-tanned leather as “weak” are being too normative: this leather is crazy thick and will indeed last over a century. Check out the 11-year-old briefcase owned by our writer, Troy, above. <kisses fingertips>

Other cool features are the hidden compartment in the false bottom, ultra-secure buckle closures, and looking like you just rolled out of a temple you robbed.

Downsides But Not Dealbreakers

Something so distinctive is bound to attract detractors. The usual gripes are: purists prefer veg tanned leather, buckles are time-consuming to open and close, it’s an Americana-type product that’s made in Mexico, the laptop sleeve isn’t padded, and it’s so god damn heavy.

But hey, no brand in the space has a more devoted following. If you love this backpack, you love it.

3) Best Value Leather Backpack: Thursday Boot Co’s Perfecto ($349)

Pros

• Great value for the quality you’re getting; some bags are cheaper, but not better
• Large, single pieces of leather make a more durable and aesthetically pleasing product
• Versatile enough for any outfit
• Functional: seven internal compartments, rear pocket that can convert to attach to rolling luggage
• Spacious, with a larger external pocket than similar bags
• Multiple colors to choose from, and you can buy matching Thursday Boots in the same leather

Cons

• Chrome-tanned leather; some prefer veg-tanned tanned for bags
• Some find the spacious look too close to a schoolbag-like look
• Some prefer natural lining, like canvas, to the polyester here

Thursday Boots’ Perfecto Backpack: A Mini Review

• 15.75″ x 11.5″ x 6.25″

Your eyes might have been widening at the price of these backpacks so far: these cost more than a lot of resoleable boots. But it’s important to remember that these are actually pretty complex products to make that require more leather than a pair of footwear.

Bag brands save cash by stitching together smaller pieces of leather instead of large panels, but that has the twin downsides of looking ugly and giving the bag more places to tear. You might find a cheaper leather backpack, but not one with this kind of quality, this many pockets, or this level of versatility.

Look, I’ll be honest: the Perfecto is very close to my favorite backpack (the one from Satchel & Page), but it costs less because the leather’s chrome-tanned and the lining’s synthetic. And you know what? Most guys don’t consider the lower price worth it. I mean, polyester is way easier to clean than suede, and most guys don’t compare different leather tannages, do they?

Like Satchel & Page’s, the Perfecto is minimalist yet full of pockets: a separate zippered compartment for laptops, plenty of zippered internal pockets (I counted seven), and a nifty pocket on the back that I often stashed my wallet or a magazine into, but you can unzip the bottom of the pocket and use it to slip over the handles of rolling luggage. No need to carry around an extra little belt like you usually do for that purpose.

Downsides But Not Dealbreakers

I noted earlier that the front pocket on Satchel & Page is a little small. Thursday decided to make a bigger one that spans the width of the bag, and now the Perfecto has better carrying capacity, but some have said it looks too close to a schoolbag now. It’s hard to win!

Otherwise, some guys prefer a more “natural” bag, which is to say veg tanned leather and leather or cotton lining. But those changes would increase the price, and the truth is, the average person would rather take the savings.

4) Best Casual Leather Backpack: Cravar’s Daypack ($525)

Pros

• Multiple colors and two sizes available: Daypack is larger, Workpack is smaller
• Unique aesthetic; no one will have a bag like this
• No breakable parts, lifetime warranty
• Vegetable-tanned leather for great longevity and patina
• Large sleeves for laptops and papers
• Attaches to rolling luggage
• Exterior water bottle holders

Cons

• Stud closure system is secure, but slower to access than zippers
• Sunbrella lining is easy to clean, but it can pill
• Very casual; might be too eye-catching for some
• Stiff structure and stiff leather; it’ll take a while before you can use those water bottle holders

Cravar Daypack: A Mini Review

• Daypack: 12″ x 17.75″ x 6″
• Workpack: 10.6″ x 16.5″ x 5.3″

In the spirit of including a range of aesthetics so as to make this list useful to as many types of guys as possible, I had to include Cravar’s Daypack.

Made by a tiny independent company in Indonesia that has become world-renowned for its quality, I use their messenger bag more than any other in my collection. When it comes to backpacks, Satchel & Page has nicer leather and a more versatile look, but I find Cravar’s designs more interesting overall. It’s a good pick for guys who don’t mind standing out.

Pocket-wise, I’m a big fan of the roomy front pocket on the front of the bag: it can fit A4 documents and they’re perfectly secure when the flap is closed.

As part of the not uncommon goal of making a bag with no breakable parts, the Daypack has no zippers anywhere: you can separate your gear in the main compartment with slips, not zips, and it closes with a drawstring before the flap covers the opening and secures it closed.

After years of enjoying their gear, I actually visited Cravar’s workshop in Jakarta when I was in the region meeting bootmakers. Check out our interview below.

Downsides But Not Dealbreakers

Their signature stud closure (also used on those messengers) is way more secure than it looks and gives it a neat vintage Indiana Jones feeling. It’s a little slower to open on the go, but it’s more pickpocket-proof.

The lining is a synthetic fabric called Sunbrella, and while it’s marketed as resistant to piling, Troy noticed piling after about a year of using their C.O. briefcase. But I didn’t get any piling after several more years of using their F.C. messenger, so. Hard to say what’ll happen to yours!

I find myself missing internal zippered pockets to separate valuables (I like to know just where my keys are), but it’s a backpack worth highlighting: I’ve met a lot of guys who love Cravar so much it’s basically become part of their identity.

5) Best Minimalist Leather Backpack: Bleu de Chauffe’s Zibeline (~$590)

Pros 

• Vegetable-tanned leather that’s unusually soft
• Sustainably made in France
• A single artisan makes every bag
• Historically informed aesthetic that straddles dressy and casual in a unique way

Cons

• Small exterior straps, meant to hold an umbrella or axe, might seem superfluous
• Unusual design may not be for everyone

Bleu de Chauffe’s Zibeline: A Mini Review

• 17.3″ x 15″ x 12″

Bleu de Chauffe sells a lot of really cool backpacks that exemplify the brand’s unique approach to bags that incorporates elements of traditional French workwear, which has a different vibe from Americana workwear.

Their best known products are a leather messenger by vintage French postman bags and a twill number that takes its cues from fisherman’s bags. And yet their bags are really nice, deftly balancing a utilitarian, no frills philosophy with high quality components, eye-catching designs, and a sustainable approach to manufacturing.

Like a lot of other brands I cover, I had the opportunity to visit their operation in southern France when I was in the area, and I got to practice my French in the video below.

I picked the Zibeline for this list because of that unique aesthetic: leather backpacks tend to be minimalist chic or rugged outdoorsy, but Bleu de Chauffe’s Zibeline is both and neither.

Inspired by old hunting backpacks, you could attach a hatchet to those exterior straps, or you could just see them as ornamentation that helps keep this fairly unstructured bag from coming off as too feminine.

Like my favorite bags, it looks minimalist, but it has function to spare: a rainproof design, a zippered interior pocket for valuables, a zippered exterior pocket under the shoulder straps for extra valuable items, a padded laptop sleeve, and a deceptively roomy 25-liter capacity for your everyday carry.

It’s a rucksack, but it’s dressy, but it’s not. It speaks to you or it doesn’t. I like it.

Downsides But Not Dealbreakers

While it makes sense with the workwear spirit, some might find this bag a little unrefined for something so “nice”: the Zibeline is unlined and the edges are unfinished, so they’ll get fuzzy with wear. I like the way that adds some more rustic vibes, and the bag isn’t priced as though they spent all that extra labor on finishing.

For a bag made like this, with leather like this, in a place like that, Bleu de Chauffe offers remarkable value in this space.

How to Choose the Best Leather Backpack

I wrote an entire leather backpack buying guide you should check out, but I’ll put the main points in this article to save you a click. 

Leather

Leather is one of the most important features of a leather backpack. You want to buy something that’s both durable and aesthetically pleasing, which is why I’ve chosen a lot of vegetable-tanned leather: it’s very durable and acquires a lot of character as it ages.

The fewer pieces of leather, the better; seams and stitches can tear, plus it just looks better. Using a small amount of leather pieces increases the price, though, because it’s harder to make the bag from scrap.

Components

Components include pockets, zippers, buckles, magnets, velcro, padding, lining, flaps, and rivets. The guiding principle is fewer is better, except for rivets, which are very important to reinforce stress points like straps.

I like zippers for ease of access, but they are also a breakable component, so many prefer studs or buckles. (They can break too, but it happens much less often.) Backpack buying is often an exercise in compromise: few bags have everything you want. That’s partly because you can’t easily design a pocket to have both convenience and security; if a pocket is easy for you to access, it’s probably easy for a thief to access. Lightweight bags are easier to carry than heavyweight ones, but they’re less durable. A simple design will look nicer and have fewer parts than a feature-rich design that might offer more practicality, and so on.

Size, Fit, and Comfort

Another balancing act is finding the right-sized leather backpack.

Most leather backpacks I like hold between 14 to 18 liters. I think that’s the sweet spot for a bag that’s right for daily use and has a combination of elegance and practicality: bulky leather bags can easily look more out-of-place than bulky canvas backpacks, but a ~16-liter bag can be used for everyday carry, for work, as a carry on when you travel, and even for a hike. (If you’re OK with the weight.) 

Fit and comfort are also important. I have broad shoulders and use my bags during all seasons, so I prefer adjustable straps that can fit over winter jackets and t-shirts.

Comfort at this size means cushioning. Some leather backpacks have unpadded leather straps, which look cool but dig into the skin when the bag is loaded up. 

Brands

Lastly, I like to choose brands that are transparent, which means they tell you where they source their leather, hardware, and any other materials. I also don’t want to have to call them to find out if my 15” laptop and laptop sleeve will fit the bag; good companies invest in good product descriptions and tend to make high-quality products.

The bags I’ve chosen meet all of these requirements, which often means these are going to be a bit higher priced than cheaper alternatives, but they are far more likely to last a lifetime. 

Wrapping Up The Best Leather Backpacks

I’m proud of this list: I legitimately spent years on wear tests and visited craftsmen all over the world to get a better understanding of the materials, skills, and people that make a bag that’s worthy of resting against your body for years and years.

Here, you’ve seen minimalist backpacks that dress up, rugged ones for tomb raiding, and some wild cards that might have scratched an itch you didn’t know you had. Let me know your favorites below, and may your seams never split!