A leather travel bag is a great way to level up your luggage while protecting it from the elements; they’re sophisticated and sturdy –and these leather bags for men will likely last longer than one human lifetime if cared for properly.
Yeah, man. Heirloom quality.
Unfortunately, there’s about 8 billion people on the planet and leather is in high demand. As a result there are tons of low-quality lookalikes, fakes, scraps, and imposters being sold on the market.
What passes for “genuine leather” today is really a deceptive joke, IMO.
We picked out some of the best leather duffle bag, carry-ons, and leather laptop bags for men available on the market, and explain the terms used to measure their greatness.
tl;dr — If you’re on the lookout for quality leather bags for men and stuck mulling over your options, or the terms used to describe leather quality, or wondering why they’re priced the way they are –I’II explain as I expand on what we consider some of the best leather duffle bags for men who travel frequently (in no particular order).
Cheap “genuine leather” bags last years, these bags last decades. I’ll clarify how to distinguish quality leather from the glued-together, virtually disposable landfill kind of leather bags that department stores sell, so you can choose the best mens leather travel bag for your needs and style.
Table of Contents
Heirloom Quality Leather Bags for Men
First, let’s look at these leather bags for men. After that I’ll explain some of the terminology used, like “full grain” and “top grain”, et al.
A majority of those we selected are of a similar form-factor, yet vary by leather type, sizing, and features.
POLARE Men’s Italian Leather Weekend Bag
| Dimensions: | 21” x 10” x 11” |
| Material: | Natural thick Italian full grain cowhide |
| Weight: | 2.8 lbs |
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| Colors available: | (Ron) Burgundy |
Style and craftsmanship are what make the Polare 21” mens leather weekend bag a great option. It comes in a rich deep burgundy color that retains its lustre over time, although if you prefer black leather you may want to look at their slightly larger 23″ leather bag.
The zippers go all the way down to the sides so packing is a breeze and it even has a large zippered pocket inside for storing your personal items. Carry it how you like it with its double handle and detachable shoulder strap.
See what people are saying about this bag on Amazon.
S-ZONE Vintage Crazy Horse Leather Travel Bag
| Dimensions: | 19” x 10.5” x 11” |
| Material: | Waxed full grain cowhide (saddle leather) |
| Weight: | 3.7 lbs |
| Main features: |
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| Colors available: | Dark Brown |
A quick glance at this S-Zone leather duffle bag and you already know it’s very sturdy. It’s made of thick waxed full grain leather; when scratched or rubbed, its changes its natural hue giving it a distinct vintage look.
The inside of this men’s leather travel bag has plenty of room and a zippered pocket, while the outside has zippered pockets on all sides.
Worth mention is that S-Zone has a lot of high-quality bags that are comparable to bigger brand names for a lower price. Don’t let the KPOP boy band sounding name turn you off, this leather carry-on comes highly recommended.
See what people are saying about this leather bag for men on Amazon.
RAWLINGS “Heart of The Hide” Duffle Bag
| Dimensions: | 21” x 11” x 10” |
| Material: | Top grain steer hide (baseball glove leather) |
| Weight: | 5.6 lbs |
| Main features: |
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| Colors available: | Black and Tan |
Rawlings is already known for its high quality baseball gloves, and they’ve upheld that reputation with this leather gym bag that sports enough room for a week away.
The compact, minimalist look along with its decent storage size and advanced durability make this the best leather duffle bag for short trips and the leather luggage tag is a nice touch. I’ve got a home base in the Philippines and hop around on a regular basis –the size is perfect and its durable baseball glove leather will survive just about anything the tropics can throw at it (assuming I treat it properly, don’t throw it in the ocean or leave it outside during monsoon season).
Verified buyers on Amazon have reported that it holds a surprising amount of luggage –“I was able to pack enough clothes for a 5 day trip and have room left over for the matching travel/toiletries bag”.
The handles, sides, and bottom are all reinforced to ensure maximum durability. If you look at the zippers you’ll notice it’s got a slick approach to the outer pockets and it’s got another one on the inside.
It’s tough, it’s high quality, and best of all –most people who bought it didn’t get buyer’s remorse in spite of the premium price tag.
See what people are saying about this leather travel bag on Amazon.
SAMSONITE Columbian Leather Laptop Bag
| Dimensions: | 16” x 12” x 4.5” |
| Material: | Full grain Colombian cowhide leather |
| Weight: | 4.4 lbs |
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| Colors available: | Brown with brass hardware, Black with chrome hardware |
Samsonite extends its promise of creating quality luggage with this leather laptop bag for men. It has all the compartments and slots you’d expect for easy access whether you’re booting up on a commute, at home, a coworking space, or the office.
Its well-padded interior ensures your digital devices don’t get damaged and your paper documents don’t get crumpled. Outside the main compartment is another open pocket with an organizer for storing smaller odds and ends. You can put your entire workspace in this bag without it ever feeling to bulky.
See what people are saying about this leather laptop bag for men on Amazon.
TEXBO Multi-Pocket Laptop Backpack
| Dimensions: | 12.5” x 5” x 17” |
| Material: | Full grain cowhide |
| Weight: | 3.7 lbs |
| Main features: |
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| Colors available: | Dark Brown and Light Brown |
This men’s leather travel bag by Texbo is as functional as it is unique, and you won’t have a hard time getting what you need as there are five easy access pockets in the front and two elastic pockets on the side.
The breathable mesh back keeps you cool while the side handles allow you to carry this leather bag by hand. Everything in its right place.
See what people are saying about this leather bag for men on Amazon.
FRYE Logan Overnight Leather Duffle Bag
| Dimensions: | 17” x 10.5” x 10.5” |
| Material: | Full grain leather cowhide |
| Weight: | 3.8 lbs |
| Main features: |
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| Colors available: | Dark Brown, Cognac, and Slate |
Frye’s Logan travel bag is not your typical leather luggage, and this is my pick for the best leather duffle bag for longer trips. It’s a great carry on, yet it’s spacious enough for a savvy traveler to pack clothes for a 1-2 week trip.
The worn look adds to its vintage appeal, and its clean lines show the level of care put into it. The sides can be latched to meet carry-on size requirements and can be expanded to add more items.
This leather duffle bag comes with an adjustable leather strap and the signature Frye leather tag and trinket.
When you open the bag, it’s very deep and spacious with one zippered and a slot for cards. The interior is lined with textured fabric so the items inside don’t damaged.
See what people are saying about this men’s travel bag on Amazon.
LEATHERFOCUS Retro Carry-on
| Dimensions: | 22” x 12” x 8.8” |
| Material: | Top grain cowhide leather |
| Weight: | 4.3 lbs |
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| Colors available: | Brown, Dark Brown, and Black |
LeatherFocus takes men’s weekender bags to the next level with its dedicated shoe compartment. Not that it’s the only cool thing about this leather travel bag.
The main interior is very spacious and has three slide pockets for holding your smaller items. The bag comes with a removable/adjustable padded shoulder strap and a leather ID tag in case of emergencies. The cool matte shade makes this bag look elegant without being tacky.
See what people are saying about this leather bag on Amazon –the volume of positive reviews on this one also worth pointing out.
WEEDEE Crossbody Sling Bag
| Dimensions: | 5.9” x 11.8” x 3.2”, strap length 51” |
| Material: | Full grain cowhide leather |
| Weight: | 1.12 lbs |
| Main features: |
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| Colors available: | Black, Brown |
The Weedee Crossbody Sling Bag is one of the best leather bags for men, holding some of your most valuable items like your phone, wallet, tablet, books, passport –and it’s under $50.
The multiple compartments in the front and back keep your stuff organized while the adjustable shoulder stop ensure your bag stays close to your body. Extra points for the headphone port which makes listening to music or podcasts easy while on the go.
See what people are saying about this leather sling bag on Amazon.
FLOTO Roma Leather Duffle Bag
| Dimensions: | 21” x 12” x 11” |
| Material: | Full grain calfskin leather |
| Weight: | 5.5 lbs |
| Main features: |
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| Colors available: | Brown |
The Floto Roma is a no-frills leather duffle bag from a brand that comes highly recommended by male travelers. And it just happens to be one of the biggest deals, coming in at under half the price of other bags on this list without sacrificing build quality.
It has two side flaps which can be latched or unlatched depending on how light or heavy you want to travel.
The main compartment is quite spacious and has a large zippered pocket for those loose items. The exterior has a discreet zippered side pocket for keeping stuff you need to access easily like your phone or passport.
See what people are saying about this leather bag for men on Amazon.
KATTEE Men’s Crazy Horse Leather Laptop Bag
| Dimensions: | 15.5” x 10.3” x 3.3” |
| Material: | Waxed full grain cowhide (saddle leather) |
| Weight: | 3.3 lb |
| Main features: |
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| Colors available: | Brown and Dark Brown/Coffee |
The Kattee leather messenger bag has all the bells and whistles you should expect from a premium brand.
This leather laptop bag has multiple pockets inside to organize all your items, and an exterior pocket in the bag for safe and easy access.
The main interior is wide enough to fit a 14” inch laptop and you never have to worry about the bag giving in because it’s made with superior horse leather stitched with heavy duty poly thread.
See what people are saying about this leather laptop bag for men on Amazon.
Leather Buying Tips
Here are some some advanced tips to help you find and maintain a superior bag that you can use long-term, every trip, all seasons.
Understand Leather-Related Terms
There are a lot of factors that help determine the price and quality of leather goods. Below you should find enough information to make an educated decision about any mens leather travel bag.
Here are the most common terms used to label leather bags:
Hide
Hide is derived from “haut”, a German word for “skin” which refers to the animal skin used to produce leather.
Cowhide is the most commonly used leather for producing leather products, although it can also come from other animals like buffalo, pig, sheep, lamb, goat, horse, kangaroo, snake, deer, elk, or crocodile.
Calf leather is typically softer, and steer leather is tougher.
Top Grain
Top grain leather is the top layer of the hide and is considered to be the strongest, most durable type of leather. It is also quite resistant to moisture and develops a unique patina as it absorbs oils from the person handling it over time.
A men’s leather travel bag made of top grain leather is quite sturdy so it’s a little more challenging to produce, yet ages extremely well and gets softer to the touch the longer you own it.
Full Grain
Full grain leather is the second best kind of leather you can get. It too is very durable, although it’s a bit more stretchy than top grain –you may find that a bag made of full grain leather will expand and stretch over time. And on a duffel bag, that may not be a bad thing.
Crazy Horse
Crazy horse leather is another term for waxed full grain cowhide. It’s typically used in saddles for horses, thus the ‘crazy horse’ in the name.
The wax enriches the fibers within the leather making scratches and worn areas change shade to give it that antique, vintage look.
The combination of wax and full grain leather make this kind of leather bag immensely durable.
Split
You will come across a lot of mens leather travel bags that come with the label “genuine leather” –do not confuse this for any kind of authenticity.
“Genuine leather” is another name for split leather and it is a low grade leather that has a tougher texture so it’s sanded to get rid of its imperfections.
Split leather is then spray painted and embossed to have that more high-quality, natural look. This affects leather’s breathability and lifespan, although it’s still one of the more commonly used types of leather out there.
We avoided split leather for this list.
Bonded Leather
Bonded leather is the lowest quality leather and is simply made of the leftovers from the hide. They are held together by polyurethane or latex placed over a fiber sheet.
Crap.
Leather Thickness
Manufacturers typically use the thicker hides for leather bags, belts, shoes, and so on. As much as you want to travel light, you have to consider the weight of your leather bag.
Sure, it may be a bit heavier than your regular canvas weekender bag but nothing beats a bag that’ll outlive you.
Check the Hardware
Check the buckles, locks, rings, shoulder strap fittings, handles, and zippers because these are usually the first to fail with leather bags. When shopping on the internet, utilize the zoom feature to inspect the hardware.
As mentioned in our hardside luggage roundup, the best zippers in the world are YYK zippers. I’m not a fan of Slate by any means, but they’ve got a writeup about these zippers here that should suffice –the anime video in the article is splendid.
Check the Stitching
Are the handles glued to the bag or are they held together with reinforced stitching? This part of the bag is also prone to breakage so you want the craftsmanship of the bag to be very high quality. You can usually tell if it’s good if it has double stitching and looks straight and neat.
Plan For Your Lifestyle
Don’t pick a bag just because it looks nice or suits your taste in fashion alone. Let your needs and lifestyle dictate which mens leather travel bag you choose, not the other way around.
If it’s going to get tossed around a lot, consider choosing a leather duffle bag without a shiny finish to avoid scuff marks. If you tend to take longer trips or overpack, opt for a larger leather travel bag to avoid overstuffing your luggage which could stretch leather or put unnecessary pressure on stitching and zippers.
And then of course you can’t go wrong with baseball leather –it looks great and holds up for a really, really long time.
Clean and Protect It
The best thing you can do for your leather is clean and maintain it with products like saddle soap. Every bag has its own story, so you may need to do a little research to figure out which is best for your leather travel bag.
Fiebing’s Saddle Soap has never done me wrong, it’s the Apple Care of leather bags.
You Dig?
Did this guide help you gain clearer insight into mens leather travel bags and what to look for when shopping for one? If so, happy to hear it. If not, let us know why!
Feel free to throw down in the comment section if you’d like to share your thoughts, ask a question, or give us a shout. Share it on Facebook if you’re trying to drop subtle hints before gift-giving season –a top notch leather bag is the ultimate men’s travel gift.
