Buckle & Seam Sierra 15″ review: A most excellent leather messenger bag with a cause

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TA-ratings-93Back in February we covered Buckle & Seam’s #onebagonechild campaign which, is a very noble cause. The company sent over their Buckle & Seam Sierra 15″ messenger bag for us to take a look at and show you what you get when you order their bags. If you’re interested in the #onebagonechild cause, be sure to read our initial coverage for more information. For now, read on for the full review of the Buckle & Seam Sierra 15″ messenger bag.

Specifications

  • Handmade product
  • Premium vegetable tanned cow leather (min 1.8mm thick)
  • Padded laptop compartment (fits 13″ & 15”)
  • Hidden trolley solution, phone, business cards and pens adjusted pockets
  • Handle & removable shoulder strap (max length 1.6m/ 63″)
  • Measurements (30 cm x 39 cm x 9.5 cm // 11.8″ h x 15.5″ w x 3.7″ d)
  • Weight (1.5 kg / 3.3 lbs)

What’s In The Box

  • Buckle & Seam Sierra
  • Strap
  • Documentation

Design

The Buckle & Seam Sierra is a tanned cow leather messenger bag that exudes a classy and sophisticated look. When you first open the box it is wrapped in Buckle & Seam branded tissue paper and the smell of leather is immediate.

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When you pull the bag out there is no question as to what material is being used. The leather already has a decent patina on it but that will age, change and get better over time. The bag is very stiff when you first get it. As a matter of fact, mine is still stiff. It will take time for the leather to age and become more supple with some give to it.

 

Buckle & Seam Sierra
Ample storage for a messenger bag.

Upon inspection, it’s easy to see the craftsmanship here. The double stitching is all spot on and nothing looks as if it was half complete. The rivets and buckles are all made of solid high-quality metal and are super secure on the bag. The front buckle is branded with the Buckle & Seam logo and all of the zippers are of high-quality as well. The leather handle is sturdy and robust and also secured with strong rivets.

Storage begins on the back. There is a zipper which reveals one pocket suitable enough to carry some papers and documents. There is even a leather strap inside to help secure the papers so they won’t fly off when opening the compartment.

The rest of the action takes place inside. Opening the front buckle reveals a very nice lining which you can choose when you order your Buckle & Seam Sierra 15″. There’s plenty of room inside for a typical business day for most.

The closest pocket to the front is ample enough for more documents or other slimmer things you may want to store. There are three loops made for storing pens, a pouch made for business cards, and a pouch for your phone. The phone pouch had no problem fitting an iPhone X with a slim case. I was also able to fit the Huawei Mate 10 Pro without a case. I suspect larger phones with bulky cases will not fit here. There is also another compartment with a zipper above the pen and business card storage.

Buckle & Seam Sierra
Just awesome quality stitching.

The next compartment is the largest of them all. There is ample room here to place cables and your laptop adapter and power brick as well as other items that may be slightly larger. The last pocket is the laptop sleeve. This area has a bit more padding and fits most modern 15″ laptops with ease. I was able to get the Lenovo X1 Carbon in there without any issue.

Overall, the design of this bag is wonderful. There is no doubt that this bag is made of premium materials and crafted with care.

Protection

The Buckle & Seam Sierra offers up a decent level of protection but it’s not rugged by any means. This is meant to be a day bag for doing a day’s work and it offers enough protection for that scenario.

Buckle & Seam Sierra
Worth the money if you have it.

Price/Value

The Buckle & Seam Sierra is priced at $326USD which is pricey. That being said. This is all leather and premium quality materials. Some of the profits also go to #onebagonechild which is a worthwhile cause. I don’t think the price is far off from similar leather messenger bags and the added contribution to charity gives it more value.

Wrap Up

This bag isn’t for everyone. There are plenty of people who don’t care about leather and quality stitching and riveting. That’s perfectly fine. For those who are looking for this type of bag and this level of quality and luxury, this is an excellent 15″ leather messenger bag.

*We received a sample of the Buckle & Seam Sierra 15″ bag for the purposes of this review.
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