Polare Men's Thick Full Grain Leather 16'' Briefcase Shoulder Messenger Bag Fit 15.6'' Laptop (Dark Brown)

Originally I ordered a black case from Polare, but they were out. I settled for the dark brown, but now I'm really happy that I did. The color is a little darker than milk chocolate. After an application of leather honey it turned a bit darker which really looks fantastic.The briefcase arrived boxed in a flat box and sealed in a vacuum packed bag - very nice and we'll protected. The seller sent the item with 2-3 days of my order and it arrived as expected.The case is very big and easily holds my iPad pro, 15 inch laptop, 2 full size folios and a host of travel gear, chargers, and various pens, cables, glasses, and miscellaneous tchotchkes I carry while traveling. I fly frequently and really find the strap / backpack conversion extremely useful. My carry on usually weighs around 20 pounds so this helps my aging back.Like many others, I converted 2 of the buckles to quick releases from buckle guy. I just find it faster to access the things I need while on the go. I also added a carabiner to the strap so the conversion from shoulder strap to backpack is much faster. As other posters have suggested, you should clean the leather as the color can potentially come off on your cloths. Leather honey is perfect for this task.Pros:This bag looks like it cost at least twice as muchThe leather and stitching seem to be well made and look fantasticTons of space for just about everything you need to carryCons:One of the side pockets could be bigger. It's too small to hold a water bottle which is a problem for people who carry water.I would prefer more pockets and a bit of padding on the inside. Like most people I carry a lot of tech which can be damaged if I put my bag down to hard. I zipper pocket on the inside would be perfect.All in all - great purchase, very pleased and would do it again.

This briefcase is amazing. When I was a kid, my retired grandfather gave me his well-used Air Force leather briefcase, which had lasted through decades of rugged service. I abused that bag, and it continued faithfully to serve through my abuse, until it disappeared in one of our many moves. This Polare bag is the closest thing I've found to that old USAF briefcase.First of all, it's substantial, which is important. I carry lots of heavy files, and generally ruin even the sturdiest briefcase within a few months. That won't be a problem with the Polare. The briefcase itself weighs several pounds, a heft borne of full grain leather, generously cut, and ruggedly stitched. It smells amazing. I generally work 60+ hours per week, which sucks. But sitting at my desk smelling the leather Polare improves my mood.It's ridiculously secure. As you can see, it has THREE belts, which is actually something of a pain: No quick zip, in-and-out with your files. Nothing is falling out (of the interior) of this briefcase accidentally. There's a pocket on the back, with leather just as substantial as the rest of it, which means that it's NOT terribly secure. But if your briefcase somehow falls out of your car driving down the highway, the nonfragile contents will be okay.Finally, it's just cool. I'm a lawyer. It's rarely the excitement you see on TV. The requirement to be prepared and represent clients zealously mostly means lots of work. It's a grind. But walking into court with this bag draped over my shoulder? Well, maybe being in court isn't cool, but if FEELS cool, with this briefcase.Sure, it's kind of expensive for a briefcase. But think about all the bags you've bought over the years. Where are they now? Buy this, and you know what you'll be carrying as long as you want it...or until it gets stolen. More likely, until you die. Because, just like that old Air Force briefcase, your Polare briefcase is going to take whatever abuse you throw at it over the decades, with quiet aplomb and timeless style.

The bag is awesome, but even though I ordered a black one and the package said black, it is dark brown. Maybe it was a mistake, but I'm not sure. I decided to keep it because I don't want the hassle of returning it only to find that dark brown equals black.

This *will* stain your clothes. It will do it without it being in the rain. The stain is extremely persistent, and no methods could remove it.

The bag looks gorgeous and it's solidly constructed, but there's one kinda big problem: the leather dye will ruin your white clothes. I think some of the other reviews mentioned this too, but other reviewers said it wasn't a problem for them. Unfortunately, for me it was. Maybe I got part of a bad batch? Against all-white clothes (eg a doctor's coat) it is extremely noticeable. Had to buff out as much as possible with an old tshirt, will see if it makes any difference.