Buying a leather bag for men sounds like a straight forward enough proposition. You go into the shop, you find a bag you like, you buy it and you go home. Well no, it’s not quite that easy. A bag isn’t just a bag, after all. Just like a shirt isn’t just a shirt, shoes aren’t just shoes, and so on. A good leather bag is meant to last you for quite some time and picking out any old bag is not going to end well.
The versatility of a good leather bag is one of the key factors that will make it stand out from the rest. You may well buy one for a specific reason but before long, you’ll soon find yourself relying on it for all sorts of reasons. When you are looking to buy a leather bag for men, whether it be for yourself, or for a partner, or a friend, there are a number of things to look out for that will help you get the best bang for your buck. With that in mind, we’ve decided to run through what to take note of before putting down your hard earned dosh and making that all important purchase.
Price
Always a good starting point. The most basic rule you can set yourself is to put a budget in place. The last thing you want is to wander into a store, or browse online and make a rash decision. Sure, you can always get a return and a refund, but who really enjoys going through that hassle. Keep it simple, know how much you can afford and narrow down your focus to a core selection of bags.
Durability
As we mentioned above, you should want – and expect – your leather bag to last the distance – and then some. Verifying the quality of the leather hide is hard to do unless you are an expert, even if you pick one up in your hands but in general, you can tell the difference between good and bad leather. The stitching is equally as important, so make sure you check it is tightly sewn into place and not likely to start to thread.
Style
Of course, you are going to want your bag to look good. It can be a good price and durable but you’re unlikely to use it much if you can’t stand the sight of it after 6 months. Think about your own style and how it might fit in with your clothes. Colour will no doubt play a big part in your final decision, so again, think about how it compliments your current wardrobe and if you can see yourself being happy with the colour in a couple of years time.
Practicality
Naturally you need to make sure that the leather bag for men you buy is going to do what you need it to. Yes, it’s a bag and you can put stuff in it, but it’s not that simple. Think about what you are most likely to use it for and how often. The last thing you want is to buy a bag that is too small – or even too large – and it lets you down when you need it the most. Also think about where you might be using it; do you travel a lot, will it be for the boot of your car, hand luggage on a plane, or just used for regular trips to the gym?
Security
This seems like an obvious thing to cover but you’d be surprised how many shoppers tend to overlook it. Make sure there are enough buckles and clasps and that the zip closes up easily without catching. This also ties into the durability and quality of the bag because if it starts to fall to pieces, it also becomes easy pickings for those who are light of hand. Making sure the bag is secure in relation to what you are carrying is an important factor. If you need to put fragile or sensitive objects inside, make sure you have enough padding to keep them protected at all times.
Pockets/Pouches/Compartments
A good bag should always come with some extra little spaces to tuck away smaller objects. Whether they are positioned on the outside and/or inside, think about what use you can get from the extra zip pockets, or pouches. These can prove invaluable in the long run, especially for those nice weekend trips away. For some reason when you are packing to return home, getting everything back into the bag is a harder task and those pockets and pouches can be a life saver.
Online or Offline
Given the choice between the two, we would recommend sticking with the online option. We all know how easy and convenient it is to shop online and (for the decisive among us at least) buy that item in a matter of minutes. You probably have more choice online and be able to snag a good deal for your leather bag for men. It’s also the perfect option if you need to purchase a leather bag for men in a hurry, rather than having go out of your way and find the right shop that stocks it.
Sustainable Material
5-10 years ago, this was never even an after thought for most people. But the rise in awareness about the effects of pollution and damaged caused to the planet, most of us are more cautious about what we buy. This has also pressurised companies into being more upfront about where they source their materials and how the actual product is made. The great thing about the internet age is that all of this information is only ever a few clicks away, so you don’t have to head down to the local library or study for months trying to find out the relevant information.
Personal
Arguably, the most important criteria of them all (even though we put it last!). Despite what anyone says, advises or tells you to do, it can be hard to ignore that gut feeling about a product. At the end of the day, it is your money and you decide how you spend it. You know your style and what you can and cannot afford. Reviews are subjective and can’t always speak for directly for you, so when all is said and done, do what you feel suits you best!
We have a fantastic range of leather bags for men at Wombat and are always adding to our collection. Pop along to our website, or follow us on Twitter and Instagram, where you can keep up to date with all our latest additions.