How We Compare

Here are 3 reasons why you should consider one of our briefcases before you buy another:

Reason #1:  The Lining. 

The leather on the outside of a briefcase is important, but what’s on the inside counts just as much.  It needs to be as tough as the outside to handle the constant scraping and poking of all the contents.  And it needs to look good when you open it up in front of a roomful of suits.

Many leather briefcase manufacturers skimp when it comes to the inside of the briefcase.  Take a look at the linings of these famous leather briefcase brands.  These aren’t small fly-by-night outfits.  I’m talking first page web search results:

Competitor A: 

 

Nylon lining throughout.  This will wear out well before the outer leather shell.  It doesn’t win any points for style either.

 

Competitor B:

 

Thin, loose leather lining of unknown type (the manufacturer is vague on this).  Not very attractive – note the wrinkles and puckering.  Definitely not a premium leather.

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The lining has already pulled away from the binding at the corner.  This briefcase is just a couple years old.

 

Competitor C:

 

Suede lining.  Suede is an inexpensive split leather taken from the backside of hides –it’s cheap filler basically.  It’s also notoriously dusty and not good for electronics. Recently this competitor changed their suede lining from standard to optional.  Their new standard is pigskin.  See the next picture.

 

                            

Pigskin lining.  Notice the “grain” that has melted after burning off the thread leads.  This is typical of polyurethane coatings that are used when imprinting grain on top of splits.  Don’t let the promotional spin fool you.  This lining wasn’t chosen because it’s tough.  It was chosen because it’s about 5 times cheaper than a full grain leather.

Now consider the interior of an M&W Traveler briefcase:

 

Lined throughout in the same full grain leather as the outside.  Heavy, beautiful, and guaranteed to last and impress.

Reason #2:  The Hardware.

If you’re a business traveler, then you know that quick access to the contents of your briefcase is a big consideration when choosing a briefcase.  Buckles look great and are a proven fastening method that you just can’t beat for durability.   They’re not very convenient, though, when you’re in the security line at the airport hurrying to get your laptop out.  The solution?  Quick release hardware.  A wonderful idea, but the sad truth is that the majority of quick release hardware available on the market is junk.  Consider how our same 3 competitors have dealt with the issue:

Competitor A:

 

 

Nickel flap catch.  Heavy and classy looking.  Seems ok so far, right?  Check out the next 3 pictures.

 

 

I cut through the nylon lining on the back side so you can see how the catch attaches to the leather.  First discovery – duct tape.  Why do they do this?  My guess is they don’t want the hardware to wear a hole in the lining.

 

 

I remove the duct tape so you can see the hardware from the back.  Metal prongs are folded over a back plate to make the attachment.  This is typical of the quick release hardware on the market.  It simply won’t hold up over time the same way a rivet or screw will.

 

 

The catch will eventually pull away from the leather as the prongs weaken.

Competitor B:

 

Tuck catches hidden beneath straps and buckles.  Great idea!  But take a closer look at the quality of the catches (see the next 4 pictures).

 

Two prongs folded over the back plate hold the clip to the strap.  This is a surprise.  Usually it is this part of the tuck catch where you have good options like screws or a hole for a rivet. 

 

 

This is the typical prongs and backplate arrangement for the base which is the mating piece.  You usually will find 2-3 prongs on the back with this type of catch.  This is hardware designed for lowest cost, not for longevity.  Unless….

 

 

…you punch your own hole through the base to drive a rivet through!

 

 

High marks for resourcefulness, but not the prettiest solution.  And why not do the same for the clip if you are going to go to this kind of trouble?  A jury-rigged rivet solution like this doesn’t make sense unless there is a known issue with the strength and durability of the prongs.

 

Competitor C:

 

Here's an interesting version of a quick release:  An additional center strap and buckle with the usual outside straps and buckles folded up out of the way.  Now you only have to deal with one buckle instead of two.  Busy and sloppy looking and you still have to manage the buckling operation.  If you’re going to go to the trouble and expense to address the issue, is this really the best quick release solution? 

 

Now consider the quick release hardware on an M&W Traveler briefcase:

 

 

M&W Traveler – Pull snaps hidden beneath straps and buckles.  A quick pull on the spring action snap releases the top from the stud base.  Both top snap and bottom stud base are machined brass/nickel screws.  Teeth on the mating nuts bite into the leather and prevent loosening.  A simple solution from the marine and automotive industries that has proven to be durable and secure.

 

Reason #3:  The System. 

After you choose a briefcase, will you have a complete solution for business travel?  The briefcase is just one piece of the puzzle.  Its features and the gear designed to work with it are the other pieces.  Ask yourself these questions when you look at the competitors’ offerings:

  1. Are they Business Travel Outfitters?
  2. Do they have the matching pieces needed to make your business trips successful? 
  3. Do they have the right features for business travel in their briefcases?
  4. Do they let you choose from a variety of tough American leathers for the ultimate in durability?
  5. Do they give sound advice and tips for using their gear for business travel?
  6. Do they give you confidence that they have lived through the same business travel pain as you and understand your needs?

Business travel quickly turns into a grind if it’s unproductive – an expensive one that your boss won’t hesitate to point out to you if the results aren’t there.  Don’t settle for anything less than what you need to do the job and do it well. 

That’s it.  The lining, the hardware, and the system.  Those are our three reasons for asking you to consider us before you go elsewhere.  Hopefully we’ve given you a few useful tidbits to keep in mind if you decide to do a little comparison shopping.  If you’ve made a mental checklist as you read through and you already know you would like to give us a try, then click here to go back to Our Products page where we’re ready to give you a hand.

 

 

 

Made in USA