Samsonite Unisex - Adult Columbian Leather Flapover Case
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Description
Main compartment features a padded laptop compartment and three pockets for peripherals Please note that the leather used in crafting this bag is a natural cowhide that is minimally treated. As a result each bag will be slightly different and have its own unique characteristics. You may notice some imperfections and color variations in the leather.
Details
Product Details
- Product Dimensions
- 4.5 x 14 x 16.5 inches; 2.3 Pounds
- Item model number
- 45798-1139
- Department
- unisex-adult
- Date First Available
- April 20, 2011
- Manufacturer
- Samsonite Corporation
Frequently asked questions
- What are the bag's dimensions and weight?
- The product dimensions are 4.5 x 14 x 16.5 inches and it weighs 2.3 pounds.
- Is this bag suitable for both men and women?
- Yes, the department is unisex-adult.
- Does the bag have a padded laptop compartment?
- Yes, the main compartment features a padded laptop compartment.
Customer reviews
Great Looking and Functional!
Love this bag! Haven't seen too many reviews that provide much detail on the functionality of the bag (ie. internal design, etc.) so I thought it would be helpful for my review to focus on that aspect. But just to get this out of the way, the bag and the leather are really nice. The color is dark brown, with no shine or gloss. Of the pictures provided on the product description page, the first (showing the entire bag) and third (showing just the handle) seem to come closest to capturing the true color. The other pictures seem to suggest a purplish hue to the brown which is not true to the actual product (probably a lighting issue with the photography). On to the design and functionality. A distinguishing feature of this bag is its "flapover" design. I personally like this design as I feel it adds a certain professionalism to the look, but it will slow you down when getting things in and out of the bag. The buckles are for show; the actual clasp is underneath the buckle and is a metal tab that inserts into a metal slot. So if you intend to access the internal storage of the bag frequently throughout the day and/or if you think it might just annoy you, consider the "sister" bag to this, the Samsonite Colombian Leather TopLoader (the pictures for which, by the way, include a picture of the inside of the bag which is very similar to this flapover bag, just to give you an idea). I like the look of the flapover design and don't feel like the extra second or two that it takes to open up the bag is going to bother me. Once you open the flapover piece of the bag, you'll see that there is an unzippered, unvelcroed compartment on the front side of the bag (which is covered by the flap when the bag is closed). Inside that compartment are places to store business cards, pens, and a compartment big enough to hold an old style flip phone cell phone (about the size of a deck of cards). Also inside this compartment is a zippered compartment that measures 12" wide by 5" deep. So this front compartment is meant to hold your small stuff, keys, flash drives, etc. On to primary storage. There are 2 main zippered compartments that comprise the bulk of the bag's storage. The larger of the 2 zippered compartments is towards the "front" of the bag (the front being the side with the buckles), and the smaller one is towards the "rear" of the bag. The larger compartment is padded on all sides and has a middle divider so that you can place 2 15" laptops into the one compartment, separated by the divider (I tried, and they fit easily with no issues zipping everything up; my laptops are Lenovo Thinkpads and are of average size for a 15" laptop, more likely on the big side)(note: to be clear, this compartment is designed for one laptop, but is big enough for 2). There is a velcro strap in place to secure a laptop for one of the divided sections of this compartment. The floor of each divided section is flat, about 1" wide. Also in this larger compartment, on the "front" side of the compartment are 3 unzippered, unvelcroed pockets that are about 5" wide, 7.5" deep and 1" thick. They are big enough to store AC adapters, spare batteries, and items of that size. I have an oversized checkbook carrying case that fit in easily with room to spare. So you can see this one zippered compartment has a lot of storage space (more than most messenger bags for example, and with more padding). The 2nd zippered compartment is on the "back" side of the bag. It is big enough to fit a 14" Lenovo laptop. A 15" inch laptop would be a tight squeeze. Note that this 2nd compartment is not intended to be the compartment to carry your laptop in, I am just giving you a sense for size and dimension. The walls of the compartment have padding on both sides, but the larger compartment discussed above seems to be the primary storage space for "fragile" electronics (the larger compartment is also in the very middle of the bag, surrounded by other compartments which creates additional padding and security for the protection of the laptop). You could put a tablet or small laptop in this smaller compartment but I'd use a sleeve (not provided) to add protection. This compartment is primarily designed for paper items, folders, notebooks, etc. The floor of this divided section is v-shaped (not flat like the bigger compartment). Lastly, the "back" of the bag (the part that would normally sit next to your body) has an unzippered compartment that runs the length of the bag, with a velcro fastener inside in the middle of the compartment. This is where you might put items that you want quick access to, such as printed itineraries, newspapers, e-readers, etc. The shoulder strap is dark brown nylon with brass colored hooks. The pad itself is leather on the outward facing side and some sort of synthetic material on the shoulder contacting side. I've seen some reviewers lament the fact that its not a full leather strap, but at this price point, I think nylon is to be expected. The colors all match and it seems to fit the bag. Another reviewer mentioned you can buy a leather strap here on Amazon that may work (Winn Harness Leather Shoulder Strap w/Large Ergonomic Shoulder Pad). Overall I am impressed with the design of this bag. It's big enough to be functional for a mobile professional or student, without being too bulky (at least not to me; I have seen a few reviews by women on here that say the bag was too big for them). It's not a "slim" laptop bag, but it's not an oversized one either. Right in the middle of the spectrum. So, great looking and functional and at a great price point. Very happy so far. The only unknown right now is long term durability. I'll try and update this review a year from now.
Love this bag! Haven't seen too many reviews that provide much detail on the functionality of the bag (ie. internal design, etc.) so I thought it would be helpful for my review to focus on that aspect. But just to get this out of the way, the bag and the leather are really nice. The color is dark brown, with no shine or gloss. Of the pictures provided on the product description page, the first (showing the entire bag) and third (showing just the handle) seem to come closest to capturing the true color. The other pictures seem to suggest a purplish hue to the brown which is not true to the actual product (probably a lighting issue with the photography). On to the design and functionality. A distinguishing feature of this bag is its "flapover" design. I personally like this design as I feel it adds a certain professionalism to the look, but it will slow you down when getting things in and out of the bag. The buckles are for show; the actual clasp is underneath the buckle and is a metal tab that inserts into a metal slot. So if you intend to access the internal storage of the bag frequently throughout the day and/or if you think it might just annoy you, consider the "sister" bag to this, the Samsonite Colombian Leather TopLoader (the pictures for which, by the way, include a picture of the inside of the bag which is very similar to this flapover bag, just to give you an idea). I like the look of the flapover design and don't feel like the extra second or two that it takes to open up the bag is going to bother me. Once you open the flapover piece of the bag, you'll see that there is an unzippered, unvelcroed compartment on the front side of the bag (which is covered by the flap when the bag is closed). Inside that compartment are places to store business cards, pens, and a compartment big enough to hold an old style flip phone cell phone (about the size of a deck of cards). Also inside this compartment is a zippered compartment that measures 12" wide by 5" deep. So this front compartment is meant to hold your small stuff, keys, flash drives, etc. On to primary storage. There are 2 main zippered compartments that comprise the bulk of the bag's storage. The larger of the 2 zippered compartments is towards the "front" of the bag (the front being the side with the buckles), and the smaller one is towards the "rear" of the bag. The larger compartment is padded on all sides and has a middle divider so that you can place 2 15" laptops into the one compartment, separated by the divider (I tried, and they fit easily with no issues zipping everything up; my laptops are Lenovo Thinkpads and are of average size for a 15" laptop, more likely on the big side)(note: to be clear, this compartment is designed for one laptop, but is big enough for 2). There is a velcro strap in place to secure a laptop for one of the divided sections of this compartment. The floor of each divided section is flat, about 1" wide. Also in this larger compartment, on the "front" side of the compartment are 3 unzippered, unvelcroed pockets that are about 5" wide, 7.5" deep and 1" thick. They are big enough to store AC adapters, spare batteries, and items of that size. I have an oversized checkbook carrying case that fit in easily with room to spare. So you can see this one zippered compartment has a lot of storage space (more than most messenger bags for example, and with more padding). The 2nd zippered compartment is on the "back" side of the bag. It is big enough to fit a 14" Lenovo laptop. A 15" inch laptop would be a tight squeeze. Note that this 2nd compartment is not intended to be the compartment to carry your laptop in, I am just giving you a sense for size and dimension. The walls of the compartment have padding on both sides, but the larger compartment discussed above seems to be the primary storage space for "fragile" electronics (the larger compartment is also in the very middle of the bag, surrounded by other compartments which creates additional padding and security for the protection of the laptop). You could put a tablet or small laptop in this smaller compartment but I'd use a sleeve (not provided) to add protection. This compartment is primarily designed for paper items, folders, notebooks, etc. The floor of this divided section is v-shaped (not flat like the bigger compartment). Lastly, the "back" of the bag (the part that would normally sit next to your body) has an unzippered compartment that runs the length of the bag, with a velcro fastener inside in the middle of the compartment. This is where you might put items that you want quick access to, such as printed itineraries, newspapers, e-readers, etc. The shoulder strap is dark brown nylon with brass colored hooks. The pad itself is leather on the outward facing side and some sort of synthetic material on the shoulder contacting side. I've seen some reviewers lament the fact that its not a full leather strap, but at this price point, I think nylon is to be expected. The colors all match and it seems to fit the bag. Another reviewer mentioned you can buy a leather strap here on Amazon that may work (Winn Harness Leather Shoulder Strap w/Large Ergonomic Shoulder Pad). Overall I am impressed with the design of this bag. It's big enough to be functional for a mobile professional or student, without being too bulky (at least not to me; I have seen a few reviews by women on here that say the bag was too big for them). It's not a "slim" laptop bag, but it's not an oversized one either. Right in the middle of the spectrum. So, great looking and functional and at a great price point. Very happy so far. The only unknown right now is long term durability. I'll try and update this review a year from now.
Really like it so far!
11/7/2017 Updated Review: This coming February, I will have had this bag for three years. I work remotely, so it has not seen daily use, but it has been on 30+ business trips. Since I don't get that many direct flights out of Des Moines, it's been on 100+ flights: under seats and in overhead bins. It has spent countless hours hanging from my shoulder and from restaurant chairs. I've tossed it into back seats & trunks of rental cars, taxi's, & ubers. It has spent a considerable amount of time being schlepped around while perched on top of my carry on roller. It's also seen it's share of time on the floor. All in all it's been a great bag. Here's my list of observations: 1. This thing has held up really well and I feel like I have really gotten my money's worth out of it. If it got destroyed, lost, or stolen, I would replace it with another one just like it (unless I had a bunch of extra cash and could buy a Saddleback.) 2. I now wish it were a bit shorter. For the past 2 1/2 years, I've had ThinkPad X1 Carbon 14" laptop. It has a considerably smaller footprint than my old 15.6" T530, so there is excess room that I don't need for my laptop 3. Leather is fading a little bit in the high wear areas: one side of the main compartment where I am always reaching into it for small items, and on the back where it rubs on my hip when I am carrying it. Overall, the leather has held up well. 4. I wish the buckles used rare earth magnets instead of the snaps - it would make it more convenient to open the flap. 5. Interior pockets have remained intact, linings still like new with no tears or separated seams My first review: Excellent briefcase so far. Have received compliments on it and it is holding up well. I don't use it daily ... have only used it for business trips a couple times. Holds a lot of stuff, and I am happy with the internal layout. Not as many pockets as my old one, but that helps me to leave stuff at home that only serves to weight me down in the airports anyway. This was one of few leather bags in this price range that could fit my 15.6" laptop (Lenovo T530 with extended battery pack).
11/7/2017 Updated Review: This coming February, I will have had this bag for three years. I work remotely, so it has not seen daily use, but it has been on 30+ business trips. Since I don't get that many direct flights out of Des Moines, it's been on 100+ flights: under seats and in overhead bins. It has spent countless hours hanging from my shoulder and from restaurant chairs. I've tossed it into back seats & trunks of rental cars, taxi's, & ubers. It has spent a considerable amount of time being schlepped around while perched on top of my carry on roller. It's also seen it's share of time on the floor. All in all it's been a great bag. Here's my list of observations: 1. This thing has held up really well and I feel like I have really gotten my money's worth out of it. If it got destroyed, lost, or stolen, I would replace it with another one just like it (unless I had a bunch of extra cash and could buy a Saddleback.) 2. I now wish it were a bit shorter. For the past 2 1/2 years, I've had ThinkPad X1 Carbon 14" laptop. It has a considerably smaller footprint than my old 15.6" T530, so there is excess room that I don't need for my laptop 3. Leather is fading a little bit in the high wear areas: one side of the main compartment where I am always reaching into it for small items, and on the back where it rubs on my hip when I am carrying it. Overall, the leather has held up well. 4. I wish the buckles used rare earth magnets instead of the snaps - it would make it more convenient to open the flap. 5. Interior pockets have remained intact, linings still like new with no tears or separated seams My first review: Excellent briefcase so far. Have received compliments on it and it is holding up well. I don't use it daily ... have only used it for business trips a couple times. Holds a lot of stuff, and I am happy with the internal layout. Not as many pockets as my old one, but that helps me to leave stuff at home that only serves to weight me down in the airports anyway. This was one of few leather bags in this price range that could fit my 15.6" laptop (Lenovo T530 with extended battery pack).
An incredible, handsome messenger bag.
This year I started my career as a graduate teaching associate at my university. After polling several colleagues, I realized that the trusty backpack falls quickly out of fashion once one's role in a college shifts from strictly student to teacher/student--and several of my my fellow GTAs carry messenger bags. I borrowed a loaner from my dad (an English professor), so that I could get used to the feeling of carrying such a bag. His, an American Tourister, is certainly dependable, but is darker leather than I prefer, and the flap fastens with large, noisy plastic buckles. I resolved to buy my own bag. Thus, after reading a few hundred reviews (I'm not joking) here on Amazon and other websites, I discovered, like many others, that the commonly preferred bag is either this one or the Kenneth Cole Reaction. I loved the hidden clasps on this bag, its large capacity, and handsome ruggedness of the leather, when looking at this Samsonite Columbian Leather Flap-Over Case. I ordered this bag after a bit of agonizing (I'm not usually a huge spender), and was happy that the $89 bag ($97 with taxes and free shipping) arrived a mere two days later. I was immediately pleased, and the attributes with which I was so enamored over the Internet were even more pleasing in person. Though several folks have mentioned their bag arriving replete with scratches, loose/broken clasps, and peeling leather--an idea about which I was apprehensive--mine arrived in perfect condition, with its leather and aged brass hardware firmly intact. Time will tell whether this will remain the case, but I will stay optimistic and thoroughly pleased until something goes awry. I don't expect anything less than the best from this super-cool bag, however, and I'm sure you will love yours as well.
This year I started my career as a graduate teaching associate at my university. After polling several colleagues, I realized that the trusty backpack falls quickly out of fashion once one's role in a college shifts from strictly student to teacher/student--and several of my my fellow GTAs carry messenger bags. I borrowed a loaner from my dad (an English professor), so that I could get used to the feeling of carrying such a bag. His, an American Tourister, is certainly dependable, but is darker leather than I prefer, and the flap fastens with large, noisy plastic buckles. I resolved to buy my own bag. Thus, after reading a few hundred reviews (I'm not joking) here on Amazon and other websites, I discovered, like many others, that the commonly preferred bag is either this one or the Kenneth Cole Reaction. I loved the hidden clasps on this bag, its large capacity, and handsome ruggedness of the leather, when looking at this Samsonite Columbian Leather Flap-Over Case. I ordered this bag after a bit of agonizing (I'm not usually a huge spender), and was happy that the $89 bag ($97 with taxes and free shipping) arrived a mere two days later. I was immediately pleased, and the attributes with which I was so enamored over the Internet were even more pleasing in person. Though several folks have mentioned their bag arriving replete with scratches, loose/broken clasps, and peeling leather--an idea about which I was apprehensive--mine arrived in perfect condition, with its leather and aged brass hardware firmly intact. Time will tell whether this will remain the case, but I will stay optimistic and thoroughly pleased until something goes awry. I don't expect anything less than the best from this super-cool bag, however, and I'm sure you will love yours as well.
Nice Messenger Bag...
Received it within two days of ordering. Very good job Amazon. The bag is a dark leather. Which is what I like. Very roomy on the inside. Will travel with it this week and will update this review upon my return. However, at first sight, I like the construction. The handle at the top looks well made. All the compartments are padded. That's a plus. The leather feels nice and I think will age very nicely. There's an outside sleeve pocket in the back. You open the flap and there's the front pocket. There are two zipper slots. The front is large with laptop sleeve and three pockets in another compartment. Then the back compartment looks like you can keep a slim (my Macbook Air) laptop in that instead of the main compartment. I like the bag so far. And for $86, it is a good buy. Samsonite also being a company I trust. 8/22/13 Update: I took it on a business trip. It has a lot of room for what I need. I did use the back zippered compartment for my MacBook Air. Put folders and books in the main zippered compartment. The leather is very nice. Stitching is holding up very well. It's a great item and at a great price. Highly recommended. 12/16/13 Update: The messenger bag is aging nicely. Walked around Seoul in the rain with it and the leather held up well when it dried out. It still retained its soft and supple feeling. No issues with the zippers. No issues with the stitching or handle. 7/22/14 Update: The bag is holding up quite well. No damage to the leather after use. Zippers and straps are in good shape. I still recommend the item.
Received it within two days of ordering. Very good job Amazon. The bag is a dark leather. Which is what I like. Very roomy on the inside. Will travel with it this week and will update this review upon my return. However, at first sight, I like the construction. The handle at the top looks well made. All the compartments are padded. That's a plus. The leather feels nice and I think will age very nicely. There's an outside sleeve pocket in the back. You open the flap and there's the front pocket. There are two zipper slots. The front is large with laptop sleeve and three pockets in another compartment. Then the back compartment looks like you can keep a slim (my Macbook Air) laptop in that instead of the main compartment. I like the bag so far. And for $86, it is a good buy. Samsonite also being a company I trust. 8/22/13 Update: I took it on a business trip. It has a lot of room for what I need. I did use the back zippered compartment for my MacBook Air. Put folders and books in the main zippered compartment. The leather is very nice. Stitching is holding up very well. It's a great item and at a great price. Highly recommended. 12/16/13 Update: The messenger bag is aging nicely. Walked around Seoul in the rain with it and the leather held up well when it dried out. It still retained its soft and supple feeling. No issues with the zippers. No issues with the stitching or handle. 7/22/14 Update: The bag is holding up quite well. No damage to the leather after use. Zippers and straps are in good shape. I still recommend the item.
