Review on Lightspeed Aviation Leather Flight Bag - The Markham Model, 4111 by Hayden Hart

My husband is a private pilot (as a hobby) and for years he carried all his flying gear in an old nylon bag that he got 15 years ago when he first went to flight school. His old bag was showing signs of wear and tear and he couldn't fit his iPad, headset, maps and other essentials in it, so he took a few bags to the airport every time he flew. It's usually impossible to buy him, but this year I thought it would be great to get him a new flight bag for his birthday! After reading numerous reviews on forums and reviews on Amazon (about as exciting as seeing paint dry), I settled on Lightspeed Aviation bags. I had a hard time deciding between Gunn and Markham, but in the end I settled on Markham (I figured if he was too small he might bring him back). SO glad I did! Markham is big enough for his iPad, maps and headset (even in a pocket). The front pocket has pen holders and space for a notepad/magazine, which is very handy. The side pockets easily fit iPhone, keys and water bottle. The leather of this bag is MUCH nicer than I expected. I thought it would be heavy and more like luggage but it isn't! It is very soft and looks expensive. There is thicker anti-wear material on the underside (although I'm not sure how well it will hold up as it just arrived). Also, the shoulder strap zips on and off so he can use it when he wants, but the bag can also be carried as a briefcase. Last note: the bag was packed very well. It was boxed in form paper and wrapped in a sealed plastic bag (to protect against water damage I guess) and finally in a nice drawstring cloth pouch. There are no price tags on the packages. So easy, just pop it in the gift box, no fuss, no fuss! Unless you're buying a bag for a commercial pilot who needs to carry more gear, this is the perfect size pilot bag. In general I am very happy with the purchase and surprised by the excellent quality - I definitely recommend it!