Hello everyone, and welcome to another of my reviews. In this article, I’ll be reviewing a pair of leather bags from local accessories brand Oxhide.
Specifically, the brand sent over its Oxhide Vintage Leather Slim Laptop bag, as well as its Premium Leather Tablet Sleeve. Let’s see if they are any good.
Oxhide Leather – the Brand
I’ve previously reviewed Oxhide’s products here, here and here. If you’re interested in reading my past reviews of their products, do check those reviews out.
Oxhide Leather – Vintage Leather Slim Laptop Bag
Let’s start with the Vintage Leather Slim Laptop bag.
The Vintage Leather Slim Laptop bag is crafted from full-grain leather, making it a premium offering. For the uninitiated, there are generally 3 tiers of leather – genuine leather, top-grain leather, and full-grain leather, in increasing order of quality. Full-grain leather is the cream of the crop, being fashioned from the topmost layer of the hide. As such, it’s more durable and will patina beautifully over time.
On the inside, brown polyester is used as the lining material. It’s alright – not exactly premium to the touch, but also nothing to complain about. The stitched leather tag with Oxhide’s branding is a nice detail though.
The padded laptop compartment is large enough to fit a 16-inch laptop, making it spacious enough for the common Macbooks (or in my case, Surface laptops).
The bag also has more storage at the front, which is essentially a big pocket compartment that allows you to store files, documents, etc. There’s also a metal key loop for keys, which I found very handy. And as the icing on the cake, the compartment features a magnetic closure for added convenience.
There’s also a full-width zippered compartment at the back, which contains two additional smaller pockets. I found myself using these pockets for smaller items, such as packet tissues, power bank, etc.
Lastly, the Vintage Leather Slim Laptop bag even has a sling, which is also made from full-grain leather. The sling definitely came in useful towards the end of the day, when energy levels are depleted and it’s simply easier to sling it rather than carrying the bag by hand.
Overall, the Vintage Leather Slim Laptop bag from Oxhide should please those looking for an affordable leather laptop bag for work. It has a sleek design, and has enough storage capacity for work essentials. And at $170, it’s a great value proposition for a full-grain leather briefcase – possibly one of the cheapest in the local market.
Oxhide Leather – Premium Leather Tablet Sleeve
Up next is the brand’s Premium Leather Tablet Sleeve.
Like the Vintage Leather Slim Laptop bag, the Premium Leather Tablet Sleeve is crafted from full-grain leather. It’s soft to the touch and feels durable, and will patina over time.
Once again, Oxhide’s branding is subtly displayed via a stitched-on brand tag, with the overall stitching being neat and tidy without any visible loose or fraying threads. It’s an elegant touch that gives the tablet sleeve an upscale look.
Although it’s billed as a tablet sleeve, the Premium Leather Tablet Sleeve actually comes in a few sizes, with the largest size (pictured above) being capable of storing a 13-inch Macbook Air/Pro. I tried it with my 13-inch Microsoft Surface laptop, and found it to fit nicely without any issues.
There’s also a magnetic closure for added security – another nifty feature.
The Premium Leather Tablet Sleeve starts at $71 for the smallest size, and stretches up to $116 for the largest size (pictured above). Once again, that’s great bang for buck considering the full-grain leather construction of the tablet/laptop sleeve. For comparison, a canvas laptop sleeve by Faire Leather would set you back $179, though the Faire Leather offering has more compartmentalization options.
Conclusion – so Oxhide Leather Bags “shiok” or not?
Definitely so. Both the Vintage Leather Slim Laptop bag and the Premium Leather Tablet Sleeve feature full-grain leather, a minimalistic appearance, and wallet-friendly price tags that undercut their competition. Frankly speaking, it will be hard-pressed to find similar full-grain leather offerings for cheaper. Oxhide Leather has made a name for itself by delivering quality leather products at affordable prices, and the brand continues to do so here with its latest office-geared offerings.
I loved the Vintage Leather Slim Laptop Bag so much (it’s now my laptop bag of choice) that I’ve listed it on The Shiok Shop, where it will be offered for just $170. Those interested in other offerings from Oxhide – such as the Premium Leather Tablet Sleeve – can use the promo code “WAHSOSHIOK-SHIOK” for 10% off all items from Oxhide’s webstore. Considering the quality of the leather used, Oxhide’s offerings are terrific value for money.
View the Vintage Slim Laptop Bag here.
View the Premium Leather Tablet Sleeve here.
View the full range of Oxhide’s offerings here.
P.S: Check out The Shiok Store here – it serves as a curation of my favourite products from my favourite brands.
P.P.S: Do check out the new “Discounts!” page for exclusive discounts for Wah so Shiok readers! More brands will be added very soon – stay tuned!
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P.P.P.P.S Shiok is a common word Singaporeans use to express admiration or approval. As of 2016, you can find the definition of the word in the Oxford English Dictionary.
