The Gr8 B—April 10, 2022
I read the review and was a bit unsure of the quality, but with a good return policy, I decided to take a chance. The bag was very well packed to ensure it arrived undamaged. The leather is good quality and thick. The canvas inside the bag is sturdy and looks great. As noted, the color is a bit bright, not quite orange, but that is what you get with minimally processed real leather. I bought a bottle of leather honey and applied it, it looks fantastic, at least I love the color. As it use it and it gets broken in, I am sure the color with continue to get richer. My only critique is for the band of leather around the flap. It would have been nice had it been one continuous piece, you can see where the pieces over lap, but it Is certainly not a flaw, just a suggestion should a redesign be considered. Again, this bag is definitely built to last and great quality at a very good price. I would buy it again, though I am pretty sure I will never have to. The pictures attached are my actual bag taken with my iPad, but to the eye, the bag is definitely darker. The water spots did come with the bag, but I am ok with them as I want it to look broken in, I imagine it will get more so with use. The seller included a very nice note, with a real signature!, stating he would replace this bag if I was unhappy with it, so I am sure that had this been an issue, it could have been resolved easily. This is a real review, I paid full price for this item and am getting nothing in return for this posting. Read more
Just a customer—June 22, 2018
First off, I'd like to say that I was NOT compensated nor provided with a review copy or anything of the sort, in exchange for my review. This is simply a review for the purposes of shedding some light on topics associated with this product that I've experienced. I will address quality, detailing, and the infamous "smell" (spoiler alert: it doesn't smell). At the end, I will go over some things you can do to make the bag even better. I won't add pictures because others have uploaded them, and my bag looks exactly as those pictures do. Quality: This bag looks like it can easily be a $200-$400 bag. The leather is very good quality, feels soft, yet durable. When I open the flaps, they feel durable and tough, not cheaply made. It is a finely crafted piece, and it certainly does not skimp on important details to the structural integrity of the bag. The zippers feel a bit stiff, in a way reminiscent of more expensive products; it seems meant to be opened slowly, with care and precision. This is not a bag you would treat or zip up like you would a $20 Jansport. Shoulder strap works well and feels comfortable, and the buckles are tough. Detailing: It seems to me like this bag was handmade (It comes from India, I believe) and it shows. That can be a good or bad thing, depending on personal taste. For me, it is a good thing. The canvas stitching sometimes leaves a tiiiiiiny bumped up piece of string, and some of the rivets look placed by hand (deviation of about 0.15 inches on rivet placement, what holds the leather straps on the product picture in place. The smell: There are many people talking about a god-awful smell that is reminiscent of farmhouse or a dirty animal. Based on my receipt of the product, I have come to two possible conclusions: 1. People are grossly over-exaggerating the smell for whatever reason. 2. Komal's Passion Leather addressed and fixed the problem that was causing the potent odor claimed in so many other reviews. Perhaps it is the second one, or I got lucky. To describe my experience, I was fearfully opening the packaging, expecting to have my olfactory bulb assaulted any second now, until... Nothing. No smell. I pressed my nose up close and smelled it; it smells like true leather. High quality leather, reminiscent of what one would find in an upscale store, such as a Saks 5th Ave. I went to a Saks 5th Ave recently to look at leather bags and out of curiosity, took a whiff (a good test for ascertaining leather quality, in my opinion) and lo and behold, the leather in this ritzy upscale store smelled... Like dog. That grainy, maple syrup smell some dogs get is what that bag in the store reminded me of. It was real, quality leather, and THAT is what this bag will smell like. Actually, I found the KPL bag's scent to be less offensive, smelling faintly of a grassland. All in all, I believe this purchase is a steal at $73. I would buy this bag 100 times over, especially since it seems to be coming from a hard-working small business over. As a bonus, Komal (I hope that's his name) seems to be very responsive to people who have had issues with his product, as made evident by plenty of other reviews (I personally have had no interactions with him). So now, for some recommendations: -Treat it with a leather conditioner to loosen up some of the stiffness on the leather, and provide it with some protection against general use and the elements. The brand I used is Leather Honey. Provides protection and repels the elements without hardening your leather even more. A microfiber cloth is best to use. -Gently "toy" with the bag for a while. Meaning, open up the flaps, the zippers, get a feel for what the bag is like, and make it pliable to your needs. -Be aware that the clamps on the straps feel a bit rough, so some treatment may be needed for them (lubrication, against rusting) though I have no idea what to use. It could just be an inconsequential detail and I may have the wrong idea. In summary, this was an incredible buy and am very happy. It looks like this is a good business to support with excellent service and product. Seems handmade, which can be good or bad depending on taste, and there is no overwhelming smell. The metal used may need treatment to resist rusting, but this is speculation on my part. Read more
Customer—April 4, 2021
Love this bag. Great quality just the right size for everything I pack back and forth to work daily. It has enough room for 17 laptop, brighton purse which is a wallet size type, lunch and my 2 conagra drink containers. I don't like taking all kinds of different bags to work to keep track of. Seems this bag will withstand the weight of all these items. It is very attractive and received several compliments in just the first couple of days. Quality of leather seems durable and appears to be solidly made. Thought maybe it would be too heavy just on its own, since it was all leather but pleasantly surprised it was not. The hardware seems substantial and will hold up to all my stuff. It smells like leather should, when opening the box. The smell does disapate even after just a day. But I enjoy the smell of new leather. Overall very pleased with product. Read more
