Bests & Worsts Reviews from Amazon

There's a couple bad reviews below, so let me address specific complaints before I get to the bag review. 1. The smell--no, it does not have a horrible smell. It smells like naturally-tanned leather, which may be different than some people are used to. Most people are used to chemically-treated leather, which has a different smell. Regardless, any smell it has will fade within a week or two of use, just like with any leather. You can also buy leather spray to eliminate the smell. Further, what smell there is fades within ten minutes of taking it out of the plastic where it's been building up for a week or more after being packed and shipped. 2. The color--anyone who complains about the color of the leather, quite frankly, doesn't know anything about leather and shouldn't be making such uneducated complaints in a review. OF COURSE it's a different shade than the photo. Natural leather isn't uniform unless it uses a solid leather color dye to make it uniform. Most natural leather dyes come out a light color with a grain pattern. Leather also darkens (and softens) as you use it. If it's the same color as the photo when it arrives, within a few months of use it'll be way darker than the photo. Okay, now onto the product itself. I've been looking for a leather satchel that could fit my 17.3" HP Envy laptop for years. It's been really tough to find one that was well made and didn't cost $300. I took a chance on this one based on the good reviews, and I have not been disappointed. It's completely natural-tanned leather, without the use of chemicals, so if you're into eco-friendly methods, this one is the way to go. The vendor is nice enough to send detailed care instructions with the package, though caring for it is the same as caring for any other leather items you might own. As with most leather crafts, it's a little stiff, but should get more supple with use. It's extremely well-made, with solid double-stitching and reinforcement on the panel for the grab handle. There's a shoulder pad on the adjustable strap, which is a nice addition you don't always see on leather satchels. In addition to the huge central padded pocket, which will fit my laptop plus a book or two, there are large front and rear pockets that can fit a couple of 8.5x11 hardcover gaming books in each, plus thin zipper pockets for folders behind the back and ahead of the front. An additional, third zipper folder pocket is on the back. On the front of the bag are two spacious front pockets which are ideal for a mouse, small note pad, small portable hard drive or other small items. Dual buckle side pockets are ideal for your mobile devices or a multitool. As a bonus, it also came with a nice leather pencil/pen case that I didn't expect. Overall, a really nice bag--lightweight, sturdy, and very well constructed with more than enough space to carry your life with you wherever you go. I was a little disappointed that it's advertised as Prime shipping, but took over a week to arrive, but then, Amazon seems content to charge us a mint for Prime and no longer live up to the primary reason people choose it--for free 2-day shipping. That just is what it is, I suppose. Blame Amazon for that, not the maker. Overall, I'm thrilled with this and would happily recommend it to anyone looking for a bag that can fit up to a 17.3" laptop (and possibly larger, as mine seems to fit with room to spare).