Tomorrow, I set off for a week in Georgia to visit my family and attend my college’s spring football scrimmage, so I’ve been thinking a lot about travel bags in lieu of, you know, actually packing a travel bag. They’re the unsung heroes of the leather goods industry – they do a lot of work, and none of it is in optimal conditions, no matter how many ads leather goods brands show us that depict beautiful Italian men loading immaculate weekenders into the back seats of vintage convertibles.
In a practical sense, the Ben Minkoff Oversized Weekender might offer the best of both worlds at the best price you’ll find for a full leather bag of this size. Saffiano is among the most durable leathers you’ll find, and the largely black colorway, reinforced corners and multiple carry options will help resist wear. Based on its scale relative to the model in East Dane’s product pictures, it’d easily hold enough to cover your needs for a long weekend trip, and for a lengthier travel time, it’d make a solid carry-on. For less than $500, you can’t ask for much more. Buy through East Dane for $450.
