Basader Bag Reviews

I have had my bag for about 1 week. I received this bag as a 40th birthday gift from my parents. They wanted to get me a briefcase for a new job I started. I did the research and they got me the bag. The bag was packed neatly and carefully in the box. A good sign. Opening the wrapping and the first sight of the bag took my breath away. The photos on the website do not do it justice. This bag is a stunner! The color is dazzling. Slightly more red then pictured. A deep, rich color. Just perfect. Every millimeter of the bag is expertly crafted. The stitching draws your eye in. Perfect, upon close inspection. The edges are clean are gracefully cut. The hardware is robust but not cumbersome. The bag is tough and inspires confidence. It is rather minimal yet very stylish. Classic and timeless. I am proud to carry this bag to work every day. I could not be happier. I am sure you will never see a review less than 5 stars for this bag from a verified buyer. Get this one!

Truly impeccable style of these briefcases without compromising functionality. I’ve had this bag for about one month now, and I am very pleased with the product. I’m a 175 cm tall, 75 kg heavy male that has the 16” bag if that helps you decide which size to order. Elin has been very open to modification suggestions, and the customer service she offers is top notch; Great response time and always sufficient information when asked for. We even managed to get a certain briefcase lock ordered from the UK (bag here:https://goo.gl/TeMSCp). I think there’s something really special when a company like this permits the customer to speak with the one actually making your bag. Sure, the lead time is long, but I can assure you that you won’t be disappointed by the product you receive.

The bridle leather feels very smooth, rigid at first, and of great quality. It isn’t very prone to scratch marks as opposed to the full grain leather seen on Saddleback Leather products. Granted, I’ve only had it for a month, so I’m very interested to see some patina and more character in the future.

There are no moving parts such as zippers (unless you want this modified somewhere) etc., and the brass I ordered seems to be very sturdy. Rivets are placed on all stress points of the bag, so it won’t start tearing up anytime soon.

Another good thing is the leather strap. It distributes the weight very well on the shoulder. I don’t have any problem walking whilst wearing this bag under a heavy load. One downside may be the adjustment part of the strap. If you’re gonna make it shorter, it may create this leather “tongue” that sticks a bit out. However, this doesn’t impair any functionality, and I’m being very picky right now. Neither have I needed to make any adjustments, fortunately.

The bag works great for a medical student like myself. I get to carry everything I need for the day, whether that being at the hospital or at the lecture hall. It really does stand out among todays’ nylon/polyester/cotton bags, so compliments come now and then.

Pros:
– Great leather quality.
– High quality hardware. Rivets at all stress points.
– Top notch customer service with the option of customization.
– Strap distributes weight evenly.
– Leather color is just as expected — Very nice.
– Leather edge compliments the leather color, while at the same time ensuring great protection.
– Light weight compared to other leather briefcases (e.g., Saddleback Leather).

Cons:
– Adjusting the leather strap to make it shorter may make a “tongue” at the end.

As you can see, the con is just a teeny tiny detail. Others may see the price tag as a downside, but you have to take in account to what you’re getting. If you’re gonna have ONE bag for the rest of your life, this is the one. Pay once, cry once. You should spend money on the things that you touch every day. I assure you, you won’t regret buying this bag!

An excellent bag which showcases the beautiful leather and minimalist design above all else. You can tell you’re carrying something special when you hold this bag, well worth the investment.

I’ll start by saying that Elin, the shop owner and “master bag maker”, was incredibly professional and took great care in my purchase from start to finish. She is a master at her craft and no doubt, her amazing skills and experience was clearly evident in the finished product that I received. She was very responsive to questions I had and took the time to educate me on several options along the way. In addition, she made several commitments to me that were both unexpected and above and beyond normal expectations which showed her genuine care and value for her customers. I’ll be the first to admit that I am very particular and have been called demanding on many occasions. I expect attention to detail, professionalism, and in many aspects perfection which she delivered in droves. Not only did she meet my high expectations but far exceeded them in many ways.

I’ve had the bag for about 3 months now. I’ve been using it regularly on a daily basis for work. I have also carried it on several trips out of town including a flight to Florida for a vacation. It is performing just a good now as it did when it was brand new. No issues whatsoever. I could not be happier about the purchase. The bag continues to impress and I consistently receive compliments everywhere I go.

I did exhaustive research before making a decision to purchase from Basader. Quality and value were my top priorities. I compared things like leather type, quality, weight in terms of oz. thickness, thread material, type of stitching, and double stitching vs single. Ultimately, the classic bags that Elin produces fit the bill perfectly in terms of high quality material, modern/clean and stylish design, craftsmanship, technique and build quality.

We corresponded several times to ensure she could or would accept the specifications of my request. I had a very specific custom order based on her “Handmade Classic Messenger Bag” with divided gusset. I had several items that I requested to have customized. I’m sure the shop has to balance custom order requests with the demands of her meeting her order commitments considering Elin is producing high quality handmade pieces. She met all my requirements to my exact specifications.

Leather quality:
The quality of the leather is apparent in the way it feels, looks, and drapes. The thickness is both substantial and robust, however not at all heavy or overwhelming to carry due to the expert engineering. My bag was made using 8-10 oz. thickness leather. The leather is sourced from a US tannery and is full grained vegetable tanned bridle leather. The color is tanned through as it is the same color on both sides. From the shop owner, Elin, “Our bags are made of a vegetable tanned leather that has then been drum dyed and soaked in a special blend of oil and wax, it has no synthetic finishes.” The type of leather was extremely important to me and was certainly a deciding factor when choosing who I wanted to purchase the bag from. I did lots of research in terms of bag makers that use Bridle Leather for their bags and found that you could easily spend multiple times the price of what Basader charges for their hand made bags and while I am sure the quality may be consistent, I highly doubt that the quality could be beat or would be any better than the bags produced by Elin/Basader. Ultimately, in my opinion it would be difficult if not impossible to find comparable value elsewhere.

Construction:
The entire bag was double stitched. While I knew that the bag was going to be reinforced with double stitching in strategic locations for strength, I did not expect the entire bag to be double stitched. This was a very welcome surprise and again speaks to the care and attention to detail put into the product produced. The stitch work is impeccable with all lines flawless and straight. There were no threads frayed or coming loose in any way (even after 3 moanths of regular use). All of the stitching is uniform and tight.

Ultimately, the finished bag that I received is exquisite and a piece that I have no doubt will last and look great for decades to come. It will likely be handed down to my son!

I purchased this bag 3 years back. It’s wears like steel and still looks great. I travel constantly and never leave home without it.

Love the high quality of everything about this keychain. best I’ve had

Velvety soft gorgeous leather. Top notch construction. Rivals thousand dollar bags in quality and construction…Thank you for this wonderful bag! Packaged and delivered with obvious care .

Bought this bag in 2015 and recently started using it again when my other bag fell apart on me. Even after years of use, this bag has held up remarkably well and has developed a beautiful patina .

I recently received my new Basader bag and cannot begin to say how pleased I am with my purchase. From the start, Elin was very helpful in answering many questions I had regarding my new bag. I had been researching briefcases for a year before purchasing this one and had some very specific modifications I was looking to make. After almost 20 emails back and forth, Elin was able to produce a bag that exceeds all expectations. The quality is impeccable. The attention to detail, material quality, design and functionality are more than I expected. If you are considering purchasing a quality leather bag, hand made in New Hampshire with USA sourced materials Basader should be at the top of your list.