Anyone who’s been reading Bestleather since the beginning knows that Saddleback Leather is one of our favorite brands. Their iconic designs and legendary craftsmanship have put them at the fore when it comes to dry goods and inspired more knockoffs than Chanel No. 5. In today’s review we take a look at two of their staples, the Leather Tow Belt and Full Grain Leather Bifold Wallet.
Construction
Both the wallet and the belt are made from full grain leather. Full grain leather is the best grade available, any more grain and you’d have to milk the belt and take the wallet out to pasture. The stitching is clean and tidy, and reinforced in the hard hit wear areas.
The belt features a heavy stainless steel buckle while the wallet has heavy duty marine grade thread…that’s right, you can go windsurfing using this bifold. In all seriousness, both of these products are built to last decades.
Function
A belt is a belt…only when it’s not. Cheap belts delaminate or the “genuine” leather cracks. The Tow Belt utilizes three layers of the good stuff (Full Grain Leather) and won’t peel like a banana at the first sign of stress.
This belt is pretty stout too, almost feels like I’m girding up for battle when I put it on. I typically have a multitool, smartphone holster and sometimes a CCW and the belt has no problem supporting them.
The Bifold Wallet from Saddleback Leather is no slouch in the EDC arena either. I will admit the break in can be tedious tedious and this wallet is too thick for my personal preference (I’ve been using their Front Pocket ID Wallet for over a decade) but the card capacity and ease of cash retrieval make it a viable option for those who like to carry everything but the kitchen sink in their wallet. This wallet is RFID proof as well is which is a huge security bonus.
Aesthetic
Both of these products are timeless in design. Leather will never not be in style. The belt contrasts well with most outfits other than a tuxedo and the wallet much like Sandra Bullock, will only get better with age.
Conclusion
It’s been awhile since we had a good look at Saddleback Leather and it was a refreshing reminder of what passion and quality materials can produce. The price might seem a tad high after browsing your local TJ Maxx bargain bin but these are goods that will last a lifetime. My wife has spent hundreds on “designer” wallets over the years, and I have literally watched them crumble away while tearfully busting out my trusty Saddleback wallet to pay for the next one and a simple tightening on the Tow Belt does a great job suppressing my appetite so we can continue that habit.
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