I purchased the DrkBrown original because I wanted all leather. I absolutely love it thus far and I cant wait to field test it since I have a profession that requires extensive travel. The leather smell is extremely strong but I think that most of that will fade in time. This bag passes my vanity test as the appearance is very pleasing and the leather is thick and very heavy. It also can fit my 17 inch Asus gaming laptop (tight fit, as the dimensions 19in). I will update as I travel to see how it truly holds up.

When the bag first arrived it looked and still looks, classy--and with none of the smells for which other leather bags were being downgraded. Based on the first few weeks, it would have been a 5-star rating, but I wanted to give my assessment time beyond the first impression. Unfortunately, after about 5 months, the top zippers broke within a week of each other. However, I contacted customer service to see about the one year warranty and they were very friendly, offering to pay for my shipping to replace the zipper and zipper heads, or to send me the zipper and zipper heads and reimburse me for a tailor replacing the zipper and heads. My impression is 4+ stars.

I was looking for a good quality leather backpack / laptop / travel bag to replace all the high school style backpacks. I wanted something with an older, and more rustic and rugged feel to it. This bag is just what I was looking for. Its a very manly bag in my opinion, something Indiana Jones would be proud to take on an expedition. There is plenty of room in the main compartment and it has two dedicated pockets to hold a standard size laptop, and a tablet. Plenty of additional room for a portfolio, headphones, chargers, or an set of clothing. The individual pockets on the outside are functional and can hold a variety of things, chargers, sunglasses in a case, or anything else you can fit in there. Its very sturdy leather and a little stiff though I expect it will loosen and age quite well with time. The handle on top is very sturdy and could certainly hold up under a full load. It looks and feels great carrying it at your side or wearing it on your back. My only complaint is the lack of padding on the shoulder straps. Overall its a great bag, at a good price, and was exactly what I was looking for. Im looking forward to donating my other backpacks to Goodwill.

I bought this bag hoping for durability, and it did not disappoint, except for one fatal design flaw, the straps started fraying after a little less than a year. I contacted Polare, they stood by their product and immediately provided me with a replacement. The ones they are selling now seem to have fixed the issue with the straps (changed placement, reinforcement, and added riveting), seems like its ready to stand the test of time now. They also seem to have upgraded the material used for pockets on the inside of the bag (I had no issues with the original material but its nice to see theyre always working on perfecting their products) The bag could be a little bit bigger for my travel needs but I wouldnt ding it in the overall rating for that, and I get A LOT of compliments on it, so its worth it haha Ill update with any further developments but Im very happy with the bag as its currently manufactured and would recommend Polare as a company! (First three pics are the new bag, last 2 are the old one)

So I read the reviews and for the most part it had great reviews but the zipper was an issue for some. I sent an email to the company before purchasing and they quickly replied at but my unease to rest, so I made the purchase and have taken the bag on a trip to China and so far no issues. the bag fits well under the airplane seats and as far as I can tell is a great product. I will update if issues arise.

So far is what I was expecting for my purpose of light travel plans, great product also looks heavy duty, good workmanship

So overall Im stuck trying to decide if this warrants a 3 or 4 star review... Ill say its a 4 if you dont plan to use it for a laptop, and its a 3 if you do. So first with the good: + Its beautiful, granted there are some obvious patch spots they tried to cover up but the leather feels thick and the style is superb. A perfect blend between professional and utilitarian. + The pouches are great for holding external battery chargers, digital cameras, flashlights, smaller cell phones. + Internal room feels a little cramped at first but you can stretch it out to accommodate a fair number of books/objects. + Can wear on your back comfortably or grip the handle. This isnt exactly 100% positive since the straps just flap about when youre using the handle, and the straps meet too close together at the top when using as a backpack (durability concern) but just having the option is nice. So whats the problem?: - They advertise that it can hold a 17 laptop... but there is virtually NO padding built into this. So not only do you need to be careful about suddenly setting this down, but if anything (and I mean anything) is inserted into the laptop pouch or the back zipper pouch (about the size for tablets and such) it will dig into your back. So consider a padded laptop sleeve for peace of mind and comfort. - Not enough clearance about the bottom pouches, its very hard to lift the folded leather high enough to slip solid objects into without using some force. Gets annoying when retrieving or putting things away, but not as much of an issue as the lack of padding. Would I get it again? Id honestly find something that has more padding in it if its advertised for a laptop. For now since I already have a padded case for my surface pro Im going to stick with this since the style is just so nice, but make your own judgement call on this one.

This bag is gorgeous. I am very picky when it comes to leather, there is many fakes out there and substitutes. This is definitely cow hide, its think soft supple leather. This is NOT goat leather, or any other small animal out there. It is medium in size I would say, def fits a laptop. Not a good overnight bag for a girl or a “go bag for disaster” being it is on the smaller side. I think I will give this to my daughter for a diaper bag ( it will be perfect for) and hope they make bigger back packs soon! Again, this bag is gorgeous and if it was a little bit bigger it would be a 500.00 + bag. Still it is a real deal at the price they have now for this size.

Product arrived and looks good - as advertised. leather and construction appear to be of good quality. Plenty of space/pockets for storage. Only thing I would love to see in the future is a strap to slide over the handle for luggage. As a frequent traveler, that is a big advantage and I cant find it on a leather backpack, only on the nylon ones.

Best backpack I have ever owned - All cowhide leather and stitched to last, the zippers are quality and is overall very well made. The price is up there but when you get in in your hands and seen how well it is made and the thought that went into it, you will agree it was designed by backpackers. Side note - you will have to reshape it a bit as it will be a little flat from shipping; just pack some paper inside and set it in the sun for a while and it will fill out again. So many people like this pack that I now have it on my shopping list for Christmas.