Review on 👜 Polare 16.5'' Full Grain Leather Briefcase Messenger Bag Laptop Satchel for Men - Ideal for 15.6'' Laptop by Aaron Ethridge

Short answer: This is a great/reliable bag. It's strong but not rigid. It's not perfect, mainly because it scratches very easily, and sometimes the edges of the lining on the outside (not the inside) of the bag come off. I deliberately waited a year to review this bag because I was looking for a bag I could afford for so long, I wanted to save other people time. Long answer: I ordered a tan bag. When I first got it I didn't really notice the smell that some people mentioned in the early comments. As I got closer it smelled a bit like plastic and leather at first, but I think that was because it was vacuum packed. It didn't smell bad, but as a precaution, I left it out for the day (I live in Arizona, so I figured the heat would cure any leftover tanning solutions, if any). The next day I rubbed it in with Chamberlain Skin Lotion to 'seal' it in. Many years ago I bought a bag for the same price but obviously from an Arab market or something. I later found out through research that it was probably a camel. It smelled so bad and left marks on my clothes. So you can imagine I resisted a bit. I had no residual odor or brown stains on my clothes. It was a really good bag. Now only the special style of the bag is said. If you like a really clean or polished look, you won't get this. It scratches on day one so don't expect it to look like you started it. I was told it was a "species" of high quality leather. I've never seen it anywhere else, but it works for me. I'm an artist/teacher so it gives a rustic Indiana Jones vibe that I totally agree with. I just reapplied it for the first time in a year. There are no popped rivets, the hardware holds up and the strap hasn't stretched because it's resting on the straps. The strap will be a little longer for a smaller person, but if you wear it across your body it's fine. By the way, about the strap. The strange thing about this bag, which for some reason is not mentioned in promotional materials: it can become a backpack. Has two shoulder pads. I assumed one was just an extra. I tried taking it off and quickly found that its first function was the loops to hold the strap tongue. If you remove it, the buckle will come loose. Seems to be an odd design. There is also a large brass ring at the top of the bag with smaller D-rings at the bottom. I also found it strange. I bought an extra brass ring and attached my water bottle to it. Then one day I was sitting at the airport and I was like, 'Dude, I wish that thing was a backpack too, my shoulder is killing me. "And then everything clicked in my head. I converted it into a backpack through the ring and BOOM. Not a big backpack, but well balanced. I was so impressed that I showed it to my students when I came back. I can't speak about their other products but this one is great Here is a list of pros and cons: PROS: - Thick leather - Large bag with lots of internal space - Nice interior, lots of pockets - Large bag that holds a lot (I am a big guy and used this as carry-on He (pictured with a 15" Macbook Pro) - Good strap - Thick handle - Converts into a decent backpack - Good hardware CONS: - Scratched easily - Rough leather edges - Lining on outer edges of the bag (pictured) As a hint I corrected this with a fine brush and some superglue, for the visible edges of the lining I glued a stitch on the top buckle (pictured) where not visible.The buckle w shoulder pads can be removed without additional items