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Edit 1: I noticed that in the pictures that @DrFunkelstein and I posted, we had the pens in the holder incorrectly. There's little slits to tuck the pens in, rather than into the big folds. The folds need to be there for the outer part of the strip to hold the pens - it's a little counterintuitive, but holds the pens much more securely. I've edited the pictures to show how I think the pens should be held.
Another review to address some of the points brought up by others. In no particular order:
- This is a very well constructed bag. I can't tell 100%, but based on the back-peddling on the stitch (see close up) that would lead me to believe that the bag is saddle stitched. Saddle stitching is considered the most durable, best quality stitch in leather goods. - The leather is excellent quality: very supple, thick, and well tanned. I got the "Laurel tan" color. I was a bit hesitant because I didn't really like the 'greenish' look of the color in the Massdrop pictures, but the LMProducts account posted some other pictures of this color and it was a richer red/brown oak color. My bag fell in between, enough towards the oak color that I'm happy enough. - Bag size - preference is subjective here. In my pictures, you can see a somewhat chunky 13" HP laptop along with some standard size notebook and a hardcover book (DnD Player's Handbook for size reference). - Bag design. This one is the most mixed aspect. @Gnerd brought up some good points, though I'd argue that the zippered pockets, dividers, and other tuck spots for items are a lot harder to come by on full leather bags. You'll see even really high priced bags switch to a textile interior to allow for zippers, pockets, etc - or they'll stay full leather and be very spartan with it's compartmentalization. See some examples at the end of my post. Thick, full grain leather isn't easy to manipulate like a textile offering, not to mention the extra weight and space. I've not seen a full leather offering that offers as much organization features as a textile bag. Notes on specifics: ---- (edited) The pen holder does hold onto the pens securely enough - see Edit 1 above. It's a little weird at first, but if the grip on the pens is the same, this might actually be a nicer spot to put the pen holder than higher up due to it being less visible when looking at the bag. ---- The pocket on the back side of the bag is too small for regular documents and it's position makes odd-shaped items a no-go. I'm unsure of what the anticipated use case is for this pocket. ---- The leather envelope is too small for laptops and documents, except maybe a MacBook Air? It is just a tiny bit too short for letter sized documents. ---- The main bag is open, no dividers. The stitching and cuts are nicely done so that the bottom stays relatively square and defines the cavity well. ---- The straps are again very high quality and the hardware sturdy and feels like quality brass.
Overall rating: 8/10 This is definitely a great bag. I think with some small design tweaks, LM could really have an all-out category winner. Still, there's no denying that this is a top class offering, price considered. AMA if you have questions.
Massdrop note: One odd thing about this transaction is the day before (or the morning of?) the shipping notification, everyone got a notice that the bags were delayed significantly. I'm not sure about the confusion.
Review appendix: Some other bags that I considered before purchasing this one:
Full leather, no real pockets/organization. $600 https://coronadoleather.com/collections/americana-collection/products/americana-vintage-saddle-bag-am230
Uses textiles inside to allow for pockets. $395 https://www.willleathergoods.com/products/kent-messenger
Interior dividers, customizable pocket additions. Full leather, but allows for this by being very bulky. $600 https://web.archive.org/web/20160520085015/https://kendalhyde.com/collections/briefs-leather-briefcases/products/classic-satchel-new-design
Full leather (though thinner, lower quality leather than the LM Calhoun - a friend has this one). Only divided space at all is laptop section. $200 https://www.llbean.com/llb/shop/85872?feat=leather%20bag-SR0&page=signature-leather-messenger-bag&csp=a
LM Products Calhoun Leather Satchel
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LM Products Calhoun Leather Satchel
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Based in Anderson, Indiana, LM Products started out making leather goods for musical instruments, like guitar straps, accordion straps, and drumstick bags. These days, the company—family owned for three generations—applies its expertise to a wide range of products, all handcrafted and heirloom quality Read More
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keyboard_arrow_downheartsleeve310
163
Jul 17, 2017
I LOVE THIS BAG. I got the Rustic Pine, which matches my Colsen Keane Crazy Horse A5 journal exactly. I did NOT buy this for a laptop. I bought it as an EDC for my A5 and A4 size journals and fountain pens and cell phone and all the ANALOG essentials I need with me. My sister got the Walnut and she nearly had a heart attack, she was so impressed when she opened and inspected it. She is an artist, and will carry her sketch pads, journals and supplies. THIS IS AN ANALOG MASTERPIECE !
waithai
37
Dec 14, 2017
Just received my satchel in crazy horse leather in Singapore today (14.12.2017), wow it's amazing! First time owner of a real leather bag, realised how crap all the previous leather stuff i've got. I thought it would be heavy but the wide straps with padding almost makes the bag feels light. The smell of this leather is amazing and i like how the colour changes as i use it. The added thickness to the handle provides a really nice grip. This bag not only looks nice on the outside the insides are great too! There is so much to say about this bag, the straps are nice and thick! the antique finish on all the hardware completes the whole look, work of art. If not because of Massdrop would never know what fine leather and good bag means! Great work Tyler! Fan for life. Thank you.
heartsleeve310
163
Dec 17, 2017
waithaiThat’s how I feel about my Rustic Pine Calhoun.... also a Tyler fan!!!
LMproducts
412
LM Products
Jan 5, 2018
waithaiThis makes my week! Love the photos and the kind words. Thanks for supporting what we do. Stay in touch!
Thanks, Tyler - CEO // LM
Thanks, Tyler - CEO // LM
DrFunkelstein
58
Dec 5, 2018
Just got my Calhoun in Mahogany from the October drop. I had an earlier version of this bag and wanted to share some photos and my thoughts on the changes that Tyler and co. made since I got my original version 18 months ago. My original write-up can be found earlier in the comments if you're interested. Apologies for the wall of text.
-Leather: I went for Mahogany this time (my old bag was the Chestnut color) and it’s gorgeous. Time will tell if it behaves/ages anything like CXL but if it does it will only look better with time.
-Size: Very happy with the boost in size vs. my old one. My 15” MacBook pro now fits with room to spare and it’s not a struggle to get all my stuff in anymore.
-Liner: It's a matter of opinion but I think adding a fabric lining was a good idea vs. leaving the interior unlined. The old design had metal hardware intruding into the pocket and risked scratches/damage for anything in there. The fabric feels strong and I'm not worried about it lasting the life of the bag. Bonus: 2 extra interior pockets for organization which is, I think, more useful than the previous button-in leather pouch scenario.
-Laptop sleeve: A good compromise by making this setup removable, and I like that the permanent retaining strap can at least be tacked against its own velcro to get out of the way when not in use. There is now padding in the back of the bag to complement the padded sleeve, but not the bottom. My thin laptop swims in the pocket that gets created but a thicker laptop or one with a case will fit more snugly. Only potential downside is velcro doesn’t last forever and so could now be seen as a weak spot in terms of longevity of the bag, but it would take a long time.
-Shoulder strap: I'm not exaggerating when I say that moving the shoulder strap rings to the back is probably the main reason I replaced my old bag with this new one. I really couldn't stand how the strap used to pull the sides of the bag backwards, and this new setup completely fixes that problem. I’m so happy LM made this change!
-Customer service: No change here. Tyler and co. continue to offer exemplary customer service even for us mooches who only get their stuff on Massdrop. I mean it when I say LM is a model company for customer service and I love being able to support a company that works so hard to take care of their customers.
-Further improvements: Hard to say, it’s pretty much perfect now. Maybe adding some type of protection to the bottom for when it's sitting/resting on the ground (extra leather panels? Metal feet?). Also, it would be nice for their shoulder strap to include a leather catch to manage the loose slack (I added my own from a different bag). It's really nitpicking at this point. Tyler and co. have made excellent changes and improvements to this bag since introducing it and it's clear they will continue to listen to feedback and improve their products. As before, at the drop price this bag really should be an auto-buy for anyone who wants/needs a bag like this. There is absolutely nothing on the market that compares and LM is a fantastic company to get behind. If/when this drop comes back, I wouldn't hesitate.
Jackamo007
1
Dec 10, 2018
DrFunkelsteinI'm waiting for my Mahogany Calhoun to come to Australia, I'm super excited! Cheers for the review, seems I made the perfect choice.
Axeguy
1372
Mar 7, 2019
Jackamo007Once dated a girl named Mahogany Calhoun but I really had my eye on her sister, CrazyHorse Calhoun...but in the end she had too much 'baggage'! (oh so fine...)
DrFunkelstein
58
Jun 10, 2018
Figured I would show how my Calhoun satchel in Chestnut is holding up after ~1 year. Overall I still love this bag and I use it every day. Most of the things I thought would be annoying have faded into non-issues, e.g. not being able to fit paper in the detachable pouch (I bought a leather pad folio for papers instead). The only major issue that came up was one of the quick-release buckles failing a little while after I bought it. Tyler was very responsive and offered to fix it but also helped me figure out how to do it myself so I wouldn't have to send the bag in. It was a quick repair requiring just a set of pliers to re-fix the clasp to its leather strap. Since then it's been going strong.
The shoulder strap is still very comfortable and as you can see I added a leather catch loop to wrangle the free end of the strap as it tended to flop around otherwise. You can also see the "antique" finish is flaking off one of the attachment clasps, but the other hardware seems to be holding up for now.
With the leather I noticed the finish is coming off at some friction points, mostly over the magnetic snaps for the rear pocket. Tyler mentioned here that they recently changed the finishing on their chestnut leather so this may not happen going forward, but anyway it's worth noting if you think you're going to be very hard on your bag. Elsewhere the leather is holding up well and still looks great.
Usability-wise another thing you can see in the photos is that the shoulder strap is "pulling back" the sides of the bag out from under the main front flap. This has gotten more pronounced with use and is mainly an issue when the bag is not completely full. I believe this would happen with any bag that has its D-rings on the sides and the only way to avoid it would be to put the D-rings on the top or rear of the bag, which also creates some compromises. In terms of space the leather has stretched a bit over time and now more easily can fit my 15" MacBook Pro with sleeve, although it's still a tight fit.
In summary this bag is a champ and I get comments on it constantly. If you're hesitating on this bag I would say definitely buy it. In a vacuum it's a great bag but at the massdrop price the value is really untouchable.
The shoulder strap is still very comfortable and as you can see I added a leather catch loop to wrangle the free end of the strap as it tended to flop around otherwise. You can also see the "antique" finish is flaking off one of the attachment clasps, but the other hardware seems to be holding up for now.
With the leather I noticed the finish is coming off at some friction points, mostly over the magnetic snaps for the rear pocket. Tyler mentioned here that they recently changed the finishing on their chestnut leather so this may not happen going forward, but anyway it's worth noting if you think you're going to be very hard on your bag. Elsewhere the leather is holding up well and still looks great.
Usability-wise another thing you can see in the photos is that the shoulder strap is "pulling back" the sides of the bag out from under the main front flap. This has gotten more pronounced with use and is mainly an issue when the bag is not completely full. I believe this would happen with any bag that has its D-rings on the sides and the only way to avoid it would be to put the D-rings on the top or rear of the bag, which also creates some compromises. In terms of space the leather has stretched a bit over time and now more easily can fit my 15" MacBook Pro with sleeve, although it's still a tight fit.
In summary this bag is a champ and I get comments on it constantly. If you're hesitating on this bag I would say definitely buy it. In a vacuum it's a great bag but at the massdrop price the value is really untouchable.
LMproducts
412
LM Products
Jun 10, 2018
DrFunkelsteinFirst off, thanks for supporting the Calhoun and the kind words! Also glad we got the clasp sorted out easily.
Anyway, I'll comment on a couple things to update the community. Since the drop in which you purchased your Calhoun we have widened it a little bit to more easily accommodate larger 15" laptops. Also as you mentioned we have updated the finish on the Chestnut - making it a little bit more robust. Another change we have made is that the detachable pouch now fits 8.5x11 paper.
Thanks again for the feedback and keep in touch !
Tyler CEO // LM
Anyway, I'll comment on a couple things to update the community. Since the drop in which you purchased your Calhoun we have widened it a little bit to more easily accommodate larger 15" laptops. Also as you mentioned we have updated the finish on the Chestnut - making it a little bit more robust. Another change we have made is that the detachable pouch now fits 8.5x11 paper.
Thanks again for the feedback and keep in touch !
Tyler CEO // LM
Regulith
60
Jun 19, 2018
DrFunkelsteinI was on the fence about this one, but this post along with the followup by Tyler about improvements is what ultimately pushed me over the edge. Thanks for taking the time to come by and write that up, longevity is really important for something like this and it's great to see that it's holding up. Looking forward to getting mine.
rayce444
740
Oct 20, 2017
Man....these are the coolest most amazing looking satchels I've ever seen. I'm familiar with the quality LM puts out having
purchased one of their guitar straps many years ago.....still have it....still beautiful. GREAT AMERICAN LEATHER!!!
LMproducts
412
LM Products
Oct 22, 2017
rayce444Wow, thank you! The guitar straps is where it all started for us. I have a guitar strap that a man gave me that my grandfather made 30+ years ago - still works perfectly and looks incredible. One of my favorite things I own. Can't wait to see yours in 30 years!
Tyler - CEO//LM
Tyler - CEO//LM
BishopDelicious
4
Sep 29, 2018
LMproductsI have an LM guitar strap.. best purchase ever.. The only strap I’ll ever have on this guitar, hopefully for decades to come.
alecl
13
Jul 15, 2017
Edit 1: I noticed that in the pictures that @DrFunkelstein and I posted, we had the pens in the holder incorrectly. There's little slits to tuck the pens in, rather than into the big folds. The folds need to be there for the outer part of the strip to hold the pens - it's a little counterintuitive, but holds the pens much more securely. I've edited the pictures to show how I think the pens should be held.
Another review to address some of the points brought up by others. In no particular order:
- This is a very well constructed bag. I can't tell 100%, but based on the back-peddling on the stitch (see close up) that would lead me to believe that the bag is saddle stitched. Saddle stitching is considered the most durable, best quality stitch in leather goods. - The leather is excellent quality: very supple, thick, and well tanned. I got the "Laurel tan" color. I was a bit hesitant because I didn't really like the 'greenish' look of the color in the Massdrop pictures, but the LMProducts account posted some other pictures of this color and it was a richer red/brown oak color. My bag fell in between, enough towards the oak color that I'm happy enough. - Bag size - preference is subjective here. In my pictures, you can see a somewhat chunky 13" HP laptop along with some standard size notebook and a hardcover book (DnD Player's Handbook for size reference). - Bag design. This one is the most mixed aspect. @Gnerd brought up some good points, though I'd argue that the zippered pockets, dividers, and other tuck spots for items are a lot harder to come by on full leather bags. You'll see even really high priced bags switch to a textile interior to allow for zippers, pockets, etc - or they'll stay full leather and be very spartan with it's compartmentalization. See some examples at the end of my post. Thick, full grain leather isn't easy to manipulate like a textile offering, not to mention the extra weight and space. I've not seen a full leather offering that offers as much organization features as a textile bag. Notes on specifics: ---- (edited) The pen holder does hold onto the pens securely enough - see Edit 1 above. It's a little weird at first, but if the grip on the pens is the same, this might actually be a nicer spot to put the pen holder than higher up due to it being less visible when looking at the bag. ---- The pocket on the back side of the bag is too small for regular documents and it's position makes odd-shaped items a no-go. I'm unsure of what the anticipated use case is for this pocket. ---- The leather envelope is too small for laptops and documents, except maybe a MacBook Air? It is just a tiny bit too short for letter sized documents. ---- The main bag is open, no dividers. The stitching and cuts are nicely done so that the bottom stays relatively square and defines the cavity well. ---- The straps are again very high quality and the hardware sturdy and feels like quality brass.
Overall rating: 8/10 This is definitely a great bag. I think with some small design tweaks, LM could really have an all-out category winner. Still, there's no denying that this is a top class offering, price considered. AMA if you have questions.
Massdrop note: One odd thing about this transaction is the day before (or the morning of?) the shipping notification, everyone got a notice that the bags were delayed significantly. I'm not sure about the confusion.
Review appendix: Some other bags that I considered before purchasing this one:
Full leather, no real pockets/organization. $600 https://coronadoleather.com/collections/americana-collection/products/americana-vintage-saddle-bag-am230
Uses textiles inside to allow for pockets. $395 https://www.willleathergoods.com/products/kent-messenger
Interior dividers, customizable pocket additions. Full leather, but allows for this by being very bulky. $600 https://web.archive.org/web/20160520085015/https://kendalhyde.com/collections/briefs-leather-briefcases/products/classic-satchel-new-design
Full leather (though thinner, lower quality leather than the LM Calhoun - a friend has this one). Only divided space at all is laptop section. $200 https://www.llbean.com/llb/shop/85872?feat=leather%20bag-SR0&page=signature-leather-messenger-bag&csp=a
Jstryder
33
Jan 29, 2018
HI Tyler, it was good speaking to you a coupld weeks back. Any updates on our last conversation?
-Jason
-Jason
BenSherman
1
Aug 16, 2019
aleclI walked with such bag and were other similar bags, at one moment I got tired and switched to just a backpack, put a MacBook without a cover a couple of times, scratched it on other things, then I bought Macbook leather case, Harber firms, stuffed the laptop into the case and it immediately seems like it is in full protection + not scratched.
(Edited)
MikJamDiG
195
Apr 22, 2017
It's pretty awesome that you, the CEO is out here fielding questions. I wish I could buy one of these bags purely for that. I just don't have it right now. Hopefully you'll do another drop in the future.
LMproducts
412
LM Products
Apr 22, 2017
MikJamDiGThanks Mike ! Much appreciated. My grandfather started the company so it's a huge and personal passion of mine to share what we make. Look forward to making your bag when the time is right. Have a great weekend
cagenuts
308
Jul 11, 2017
heartsleeve310So there's a delay of sorts. Perhaps Tyler can give us more details than the generic Massdrop update.
Jstryder
33
Jan 15, 2018
Quick Notes on my experience with LM ( I ordered 3 of these bags for co-workers)
1. The leather looks, smells and feels top quality. Good enough to make most other bags you've had look trashy.
2. Apart from the leather itself, it simply looks the part and is a beautifully rugged looking and feels durable as all hell.
Update: I have previously purchased the previous version of these bags for myself and colleages at work. The bags were absolutely gorgeous and ruggestly constructed and frankly were one of the few items that I've ever found appealing enought to give as a gift for one of my professional partners. At that time, we found that because the brands of laptop we use all 15' that the fit was tight at the bottom. I was amazed that after posting my thoughts on the discussion that LM Products reached out to me to get my input. The level of craftsmenship and interest in the customer experience was one of themost impressive experiences I've had with a purchase. I have never had a company be so responsive to customer needs and I can say that ever single question was addressed.
I think that LM Products is a company of craftsmen who believe in the art of what they do. I have since ordered their Whiskey briefcase here on Massdrop as well, and am looking forward to their next Tote Bag drop. I don't see myself using another bag company for the forseable future.
Update: I have previously purchased the previous version of these bags for myself and colleages at work. The bags were absolutely gorgeous and ruggestly constructed and frankly were one of the few items that I've ever found appealing enought to give as a gift for one of my professional partners. At that time, we found that because the brands of laptop we use all 15' that the fit was tight at the bottom. I was amazed that after posting my thoughts on the discussion that LM Products reached out to me to get my input. The level of craftsmenship and interest in the customer experience was one of themost impressive experiences I've had with a purchase. I have never had a company be so responsive to customer needs and I can say that ever single question was addressed.
I think that LM Products is a company of craftsmen who believe in the art of what they do. I have since ordered their Whiskey briefcase here on Massdrop as well, and am looking forward to their next Tote Bag drop. I don't see myself using another bag company for the forseable future.
Jstryder
33
Feb 16, 2018
I would agree with LMproducts that they seem to have updated/ improved the bag's specs so that 15' laptops would fit much better.
SpecTP
176
Keyboard Club Member
Feb 16, 2018
JstryderI purchased a prior version of this bag and found my laptop was tight fitting as well. I'm still hoping they release a wider version of this bag for larger laptops. Meanwhile, I'm still enjoying the chestnut one I got. I use it every day.
heartsleeve310
163
Oct 23, 2017
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