$233

A fashionable high-quality leather laptop bag.

A messenger bag is an important staple in a working person’s wardrobe. Not only can the right bag make your commute easier, it needs to be stylish too.

I’ve recently been in the market for a new messenger bag, and was thrilled that Computerized Investing wanted me to do a guest review of Copper River Bag Co.’s 15” Black Sierra Journeyman Laptop Bag (with a leather strap).

The Look

Although a bag’s quality lies more in its structure than its appearance, good looks never hurt. The Copper River Bag I received was black leather with a brown tag sewn into the front of the bag. However, this particular model comes in black, light brown, dark brown, yellow, gold, and pinkish-red.

I must say, I had several strangers compliment my bag and ask me where I got it from and even how much it cost (more on that later).

Although the bag’s leather is black, there is a brown leather “tag” on the front of the bag that reads, “Copper River Bag Co. Made in the U.S.A.” Typically, I don’t like brand names slapped onto the front of any product, but the brown tag adds appeal to the bag and I didn’t mind it on this bag. In addition, there’s a small tag on the top of the bag near the handle that takes on the appearance of the American flag, to signify that the bag was made in the U.S. Although this is a small feature, I definitely liked it.

The bag is made of full grain oil-tanned leather. Full grain is the best type of leather that money can buy. Modernmanbags.com explains, “The best upholstery full grain leathers should display the natural markings and grain characteristics from the animal of which it was taken. [They] come from a better quality hide or skin and no sanding processes are applied to its surface. Full grain leathers offer a natural look and feel and are treated by transparent aniline dyes.” Tanning is the process of converting the protein of the raw hide or skin into a stable material, making it more durable and less susceptible to decomposition. Oil-tanned leather is more resistant to water and acquires a texture that is the perfect combination of soft and rugged.

Copper River Bag Co.’s 15-Inch Black
Sierra Journeyman Laptop Bag

There is a double-stitched padded handle on top of the bag if you wish to carry it by hand, as well as an adjustable leather shoulder strap that proved to be rather handy. The strap has brass metal hooks connected to a ring attached to each side of the bag. The strap is removable, but the rings would still be attached to the sides. The shoulder strap has an adjustable lock that worked really well for me; once you lock it in, it doesn’t move. One downside to this is that there is no cushion on the shoulder strap, it’s just leather.

Those of you who commute by bus or train may realize the importance of being able to move the bag smoothly from your lap to your back. For example, when you are sitting with the bag in your lap, the bag’s strap is across your body, and you may need to get up quickly and swing the bag around to your back. This bag doesn’t work well with the “swing.” The leather on the strap is very grippy, so swinging isn’t really possible. I often had to readjust my shirt when I moved the bag’s position.

However, there was an upside: The leather grip on the strap prevents the bag from shifting while you are walking. So there are positives and negatives to the bag’s intense shoulder-strap grip. I do wish though that there was more padding on the strap.

Closing the bag takes three steps: You must manually loop the center buckle around a large brass ring attached to the bag,then button it. There are two additional straps that button (one on the left and one on the right) that are stitched into the bag all the way up to the handle. These straps button on the left and right of the bag (steps two and three), and do not have a ring to loop through. If the bag is really full, closing it may not be an option. The buttons aren’t my favorite feature (a zipper feels more secure to me), but they add to the overall look of the bag and I understand why they are there. Since the center buckle has a ring that it loops around, I am not very concerned about the buttons coming undone and my bag’s contents spilling all over the sidewalk.

Since the bag is made of leather, it doesn’t have a lot of expansion capabilities. However, the bag is likely a little stiff because I just started using it and will perhaps become more flexible with time. While I wish that it could expand and collapse easier, I understand that this is a function of the bag’s construction and I appreciate the good quality of the leather.

There is also a large rear magazine pocket that would be useful if you need to quickly access a magazine or thin book on your commute. The rear pocket doesn’t have a strap or button to keep it closed, but it hugs the bag enough so that the contents would—most likely—not fall out.

On the outside left and right of the bag, there are two cell phone pockets, where you could also easily fit your phone, pens, pencils or other small items. Although my iPhone 5 fits snugly, I am not entirely sure if you could fit, say, an iPhone 6S Plus into the side pockets.

The Design

The inside of the bag is 15 inches wide by 10.5 inches deep. The version I received came with a water-resistant removable rectangular piece (file insert) with a divider in the center, but on the website it doesn’t specify whether this insert is included with the regular price of the bag. If the insert is in the bag, you have four separable areas within the bag, not including any inside pockets. Aside from the insert, everything on the inside of the bag is made of leather and there is no padding on the bottom of the bag. I took my laptop to and from work without any issues, but I personally would have liked more padding. I can’t imagine feeling comfortable with my laptop in an all-leather bag in the rain (even though it is made with water-resistant leather). That being said, there are protective sleeves I could purchase for my laptop if need be.

There are two “cargo” pockets inside the bag that could fit items larger than a pencil, but you couldn’t fit a file folder into them. The two pockets are like a large pocket sewn to the bag with stitching down the middle to separate them.

While the bag has a lot of room for paperwork, it is definitely not something that could easily fit paperwork, a laptop and a lunch. Again, this is understandable. It’s hard to make a leather bag that can fit all the work essentials plus a Tupperware container. If you had a thin and flat container, a thin laptop or iPad, and some papers, you could probably make it work.

Price

The large 15-inch Sierra Journeyman Laptop Bag costs $233. While this isn’t cheap, you don’t really want a cheap bag if you expect it to last a long time and carry many important items to and from work every day. The quality of the bag is top-notch, and quality will cost you. In this case, the bag is costly, but not overpriced.

Wayne Thorp wrote several reviews on different messenger bags, most recently in June 2015 when he reviewed the WaterField Rough Rider 15” Messenger Bag. The Rough Rider costs $355, representing a premium to the Copper River Bag, but at that point, preference plays a bigger role.

Additionally, the Copper River Bag comes with a 100-year warranty that covers defects in materials and workmanship. On their site they say, “If you or one of your lucky descendants should have a problem, contact us and we will repair, replace or credit your account.”

Overall

Overall, I really like this bag. I have definitely had heavier bags, so the bag’s relatively light weight enhances its overall appeal. Rating a messenger bag is difficult to do just because so much of the appeal comes in the look and feel of the bag, factors that are often subject to personal taste.

I am excited to continue to use it and see if the leather becomes a bit more flexible over time. I have faith in the excellent quality of the leather, and I can’t argue with all the compliments I’ve been getting.

Pros

• Shoulder strap lock works really well
• I received compliments on how stylish the bag was
• Well-constructed, good-quality leather

Cons

• No cushion on the shoulder strap
• No additional padding inside the bag
• Difficult to button if the bag is really full

Copper River Bag Co.’s 15-Inch Black Sierra Journeyman Laptop Bag

$233