Product Overview

Brand Comparison and Product Review

Pathfinder and Samsonite are two luggage brands who have found their position and their calling in providing adventure luggage which is lightweight and easy to handle for quick trips as well as short trips; many of these designs are targeted specifically at male professionals who could be headed into work just as easily as headed out to the woods for some camping. In this case, comparing Pathfinder’s Messenger Laptop to Samsonite’s Leather Briefcase it’s more likely that two travelers would be headed into work with these bags – but which bag is better; and by comparison, which brand is better for your vintage luggage needs?

How we Organized our Reviews

For your convenience we’ve designed our research to fall into four separate categories when comparing each of these products and their brands side by side: Suitcase Storage, Materials/Durability, Additional Features, Size/Style Options. Listed with each suitcase are all the facts you’ll need to decide between these fantastic travel brands and more easily understand how luggage works and how different brands and their typical designs can differ. For instance, how does this pathfinder luggage piece differ from a samsonite briefcase? And so on and so forth.

Founded in 1991 by a small luggage team concerned with designing high quality products which would offer long-lasting value to the travelers which purchased them, Pathfinder found its niche in lightweight products that offered strong durability. These are suitcases made to protect belongings and make travel easier, while also making it possible to beat airline-imposed weight restrictions and save the average traveler hundreds of dollars each month of travel expenses. One might call this a very homey brand which focused its efforts on creating luggage for the intrepid adventurer; these bags are affordable and strong. In this particular case we’re taking a closer look at Pathfinder’s Leather Messenger Laptop Briefcase.

Suitcase Storage

At 15.6 inches this over the shoulder laptop case offers a high capacity storage space that can easily fit most MacBook, notebooks, and tablets, as well as laptop at or under 16 inches. Even filled with electronics and school materials, it’s extra capacity sides and pocket have the spare capacity to hold 4A file folders, books, clothing, an umbrella, or even just your lunch and a water bottle. The briefcase offers two zippered exterior pockets and one major zippered opening into the interior; the interior itself includes a single velcro-backed padded pocket for added security of your belongings.

Materials/Durability

The entire messenger laptop bag from pathfinder luggage is made with luxurious cow-tanned grain textured leather which will age slowly and even improve with age; this material is also very water proof and stain resistant – if you ever spill on your case, merely wipe the mess away with a slightly wetter cloth. The interior of the briefcase features a thick polyester lining which offers extra padding for your electronics as well as added water absorption both from spills inside the case and weather elements outside of it. Other durability features include a strong leather covered nylon haul handles with superior stitching, as well as a long adjustable shoulder strap made from the same materials and designed to be removable. All zippers are made from aluminum – which is rather on the weak side and semi more likely to break – however are paired with rubber pulls that make opening and closing your briefcase both safer and easier.

Additional Features

Additional features include two cell phone pockets and two pen/pencil pockets located in the unzippered front pocket on the bag.

Size/Style Options

Measuring in at 17.4 X 14.1 X 3.7 inches this over the shoulder messenger bag briefcase is a breeze to handle and can be brought onto the plane as your personal item in addition to any wheeled carry-on luggage. The case makes transporting your electronics both easier and safer, especially when you’re flying. Style options for this briefcase are limited to brown and black genuine leather designs, and although quite simple these styles are very vintage and very good looking in an office environment.

For the past hundred years Samsonite have been establishing their brand as the number one destination for superior travel bags, luggage, and accessories. If you’re looking for any luggage purchase with an innovative design that uses the latest technological advancements, Samsonite is the place to look. More specifically for this review Samsonite’s top vintage product for the office is their Columbian Leather Flapover Case.

Suitcase Storage

Samsonite’s leather briefcase at 15.6 inches fits up to a 16-inch laptop at a squeeze and smaller; smaller electronics include tablets, cellphones, kindle readers and nook readers, etcetera. This main flap-down and buckle opening offers plenty of room for other office essentials such as 4A file folders, cords, microchips, even just your lunch and water bottle. This particular leather briefcase messenger bag offers more stretch room with its clasp design and large opening than the previous example from Pathfinder. Other storage capacity comes from a removable leather cellphone holder insert; interiors feature a two-pen holder, notecard holders, an extra zippered compartment, holder for calculator or phone, along with two other thin inserts. Finally, the main body features the largest pocket for a laptop and other storage as well as a separate insert for cords.

Materials/Durability

This leather briefcase messenger bag from Samsonite is made from natural cowhide leather which has been minimally treated as such will make it so each laptop case offers its own unique characteristics from bag to bag. This means if you and your husband bought two bags from Samsonite, they would both be different from each other and age differently; this is ideal seeing as leather improves with age. Other durability features come from the leather stitched nylon handles as well as the strap, and from all chrome hardware zippers, buttons, and clasps.

Additional Features

The zippered rear compartment is designed to be fully protected from dust, dirt, and moisture, while the shoulder strap is removable just like the cellphone storage compartment.

Size/Style Options

Measuring 16 X 12 X 4.5 inches this Samsonite leather briefcase comes in three distinct styles that include brown leather, espresso leather, ad black leather with chrome accents. Each bag is uniquely different and ideal for the office environment or just for traveling outdoors on your own while writing or taking wildlife still shots. Our favorite selection from these distinct styles is the espresso colored briefcase which is easily the most vintage looking bag with an old-world aged fashion sense.

Vintage Messenger Bags; What Pick Works Best?

When it comes down to these two messenger bags from trusted companies, they tie very evenly across all four comparison points – storage, materials and durability, added features, and size/style options. The final vote of confidence might have to come down to the particular traveler’s needs – though the pick from Samsonite is slightly larger with more organizational space. All in all, however, these leather laptop messenger bags are made from superior leather materials that are very vintage and look great with any outfit in any airport and any office across the globe.