A Brown Leather Backpack You Never Have to Dig Through Two straps, two roller buckles, and the flap is shut. You thread them once, when the bag is new - the roller turns under leather that has not softened yet, and the prong sets where you put it. That is the buckles' whole job: underneath, the strap tips hold on hidden magnets, and the flap gives with one tug. Water beads on the grain a while before you wipe it off on a sleeve. Give it a year: the strap holds a crease exactly where the buckle sits, and the corners have gone pale. The hide is full grain cow leather immersed in oil, and that is where the marbling comes from: no two panels read the same in the light. The buckles, rivets and zip pulls are antiqued brass, left to darken alongside the hide. Outside there are five pockets. Two sit under buckled flaps, one zips between them, one on each flank. 1.4 kg Empty: Where the Weight Goes Leather is heavy and no amount of writing makes it lighter. The weight is in the panels: a front that stands up on its own when the bag is half empty, and a flap thick enough to keep its fold instead of flopping over the buckles. ✔️ Oil immersed full grain leather: the marbling runs through the hide, and light scratches rub back out. ✔️ Five pockets outside: two under buckled flaps, one zipped between them, one zipped on each flank. ✔️ Buckles you set once: the strap tips hold on hidden magnets, so the flap opens with a pull and the top zip does the daily locking. ✔️ 15.6 inch laptop sleeve: an inner compartment holds the machine flat against the back panel. ✔️ Padded straps, mesh backed: the underside of each shoulder strap is lined with honeycomb mesh, so the part that sits on you breathes even though the back panel is solid leather. ✔️ Riveted top handle: leather over a canvas core, riveted through the top panel, so the loaded bag lifts off the floor in one hand. Inside stays deliberately plain: one main compartment, a zipped pocket, a flat slip pocket and the sleeve. Eighteen litres in a 45 x 31 x 13 cm body is a working day. A laptop, a lunch and a jumper for the evening go in, and the keys and the charger live out front where you reach them one handed. A Town Bag With Old Luggage Manners Buckled flap, orange stitching, brass left to dull down. Drag a nail across the hide and it leaves a pale line. A cloth and a drop of oil close it again. Coated split leather cannot do that: it photographs beautifully, then creases across the flap after one winter. Full grain is the other end of that trade, and it is most of what you are paying for in a brown leather backpack. If you carry more than a day, the URSUS is the same bag one size up, and UMEA is the shape cut for women. Both sit in the same leather backpacks collection. The ÅRE is unisex and full sized at 45 cm, with a back panel of plain leather and no mesh: a rucksack for the walk to the station. Buckle the flap, put it on, and let the first scratch land where it lands. Specifications and Care Brand: Eiken, leather backpacksMain material: Oil immersed full grain cow leatherLining: PolyesterHardware: Antiqued brass buckles, rivets and zip pullsDimensions: 45 x 31 x 13 cm | 17.7" x 12.2" x 5.1" (H x W x D)Capacity: 18 L | 4.8 galWeight: 1.4 kg | 3.1 lbsClosure: Leather flap, two roller buckle straps on hidden magnetic snaps, plus a top access zipExterior: Two flap pockets with buckles, one central zipped pocket, one zipped pocket on each sideInterior: Main compartment, zipped pocket, slip pocket, padded laptop sleeveCarry system: Padded leather shoulder straps with webbing adjusters and brass sliders, riveted leather top handleBack panel: Full leather, not padded, no meshWater resistance: Water resistant leather, no membraneGender: UnisexStyle: VintageColour: Vintage brownWarranty: 2 yearsReturns: 30 days Note: full grain leather is a natural material, which may have small traces, veins or marks inherent to the material. Scratches can be easily removed by lightly rubbing them with a cloth and a drop of vegetable oil. The colour of the leather might slightly vary depending on the batches. Oil immersed leather can transfer a little colour onto light fabrics, especially while it is new or damp. Dry the leather naturally if it gets wet, and keep it off pale clothing until it has. If a mark does end up on a shirt, it washes out. Frequently Asked Questions + How much fits in 18 litres? A working day. The 18 L main compartment takes a laptop in its padded sleeve, a lunch, a jumper and a book, with a zipped pocket and a flat slip pocket for the flatter things. Outside, the two front flap pockets and the central zipped pocket hold the keys and the charger, so the small items never end up loose at the bottom. + Will my 15.6 inch laptop fit? Yes. The main compartment holds a padded laptop sleeve that keeps the machine flat against the back panel. The body measures 45 cm x 31 cm x 13 cm, so a 15.6 inch machine rides flat against your back with room left for a notebook alongside it. + Does it work for women, or is it too big? It is a unisex design and it leaves the workshop for women as often as for men. Bear in mind that it is a full sized backpack, 45 cm tall, not a mini. If you would rather have a shape drawn for women, the Women's Leather Rucksack UMEA is its closest sister in the collection. + Is the ÅRE water resistant, and what happens in the rain? The leather is water resistant, not a membrane, and we will not pretend otherwise. A shower on the way to work beads up and wipes off. A soaking is different: dry the bag naturally before you store it, keep it away from light coloured fabrics while it is damp, and it will be fine. Oil immersed leather can transfer a little colour when wet. + Is it comfortable to carry every day? That depends on your load. The shoulder straps are padded leather, with webbing adjusters and brass sliders, and they sit well on the shoulder. What the ÅRE does not have is a ventilated back: the back panel is one plain piece of leather, no mesh and no air channels. For the walk to the station or across town with a laptop and a notebook, nobody notices. Remember the bag weighs 1.4 kg before you fill it. + Who should skip this one? Gram counters, and anyone who needs a ventilated back. Full grain leather weighs 1.4 kg empty, and that is the price of a bag that takes on a patina instead of wearing out. If that trade is not yours, the closest alternative among our brands is the Sandqvist Leather Lid Backpack. + How do I care for the full grain leather? Very little is needed. Light scratches come out by rubbing them with a cloth and a drop of vegetable oil, and the small marks and veins that appear over time belong to the hide. If the bag gets wet, let it dry naturally away from a radiator. Any colour left on fabric comes out in the wash. + Will the colour change over time? Yes, and that is the point of buying it. Oil immersed leather lightens where it rubs: the corners, the edge of the flap, the strap where your thumb rests. The tone also varies a little from one batch of hide to the next. One caution for the first weeks: a fresh oiled leather can leave a trace of colour on very pale fabric, so give it time before you wear it against a cream coat.
