When I travel, I always choose my leather Clava Barrel Duffel bag. I live in Irvine, CA and I purchased the bag online from the Clava website three years ago. I started travelling for business and this bag is very elegant. The leather, called "Vachetta", is very soft and natural looking. The size is perfect for carryon luggage at 23"x10"x10". Clava maintains that the leather develops a 'distinctive patina and sheen with age' but I left it in my car and it is slightly faded even though it had no direct sunlight. I am glad I chose a light honey color because the fading is less noticeable. I contacted Clava and they suggested storing it in a pillowcase or bubble wrap to preserve the leather. The sides of the bag started showing signs of wear after two years where the leather appears wrinkled. I used an Obenauf's leather cream and it brought it back to life. I am extremely satisfied with this duffel bag and would definitely recommend the purchase.

Cenzo Leather Duffel Bag (Weekender Travel model in Vecchio Brown). I live in St. Petersburg, Florida True to it's name, this leather duffel bag is a great companion for weekend getaways. I purchased this Italian beauty last summer in New York City at a small luggage/travel accessories shop. It cost a bit more than I had hoped to spend but then again I go through so many bags in my travels that I finally decided to go for a quality piece. I travel frequently and unfortunately many of the bags I have purchased at the mall do not hold up very well long-term. While they may look great initially, there is always some component (zipper, handle or a compartment pocket) that breaks or becomes an annoyance. This great bag has thus far exceeded all my expectations. The more I use it, the better the soft leather looks. The craftsmanship of the entire bag is top notch. Each new wrinkle adds character to the bag in a way that somehow still manages to look spectacular. The handles are extremely sturdy, lots of room inside to pack your clothes, zippers work with no fuss and the over-the-shoulder strap is quite comfortable. The inside has a nice lining that further protects your clothes. I love it for it's ability to carry nearly a week's worth of clothes, extra shoes and all those little miscellaneous electronic accessories we need in today's world. It definitely shouts Italian, high-quality leather and I often finds people staring at it at airports, hotels or waiting for a cab or shuttle bus. Initially I only used it for shorter trips but now I find it coming with me on extended travel. I normally would not use a duffel bag when I have to trek through airports but this bag makes it easy to carry everything I need and yet arrive at my destination without the bodily aches and pains I've had with other travel bags. This bag is great for quick overnight trips and extended travel (both business and vacations). I would not, however, recommend this bag for daily use in terms of taking it to work or for going to the gym. It attracts way too much attention since it looks mega-expensive, which is about the only negative I can think of relative to this bag. Other than that, I would highly recommend this duffel bag for anyone wanting quality, great styling, lots of storage and is just plain tired of replacing bags that flat out fail. Thank you.

In 1995 I purchased a Clair Chase Executive leather duffel bag at Square Luggage in Morristown, New Jersey where I grew up. I always loved the way that store smelled! It was chosen as a gift for the woman who would become my wife a few years later. To this day she maintains it is one of the best gifts she's ever received. It is also still a quality piece of luggage that has stood up to the usual abuses of travel far better than many of the other bags that have come and gone over the years, and at just over twenty inches it is an ideal carry-on; easily stowed under the seat or in the overhead, but with plenty of room for snacks, books, a laptop or whatever your essential travel items may be. When traveling, the exterior pockets (one on each end, four in the front, and on large sleeve on the back) are an excellent place to keep your tickets, boarding passes, and passport as well as any necessary medications and toiletries you would be unwise to check. Although sturdy, this bag is surprisingly lightweight and comes equipped with a rugged and comfortable shoulder strap that makes it easy to carry through an airport even when it is fully loaded. The only complaint I've had is that two of the pocket zippers have had to be replaced at different times, but this is probably due to over-packing on my part rather than a flaw in the design or construction of the bag itself. All in all, I would recommend a Clair Chase bag to anyone in the market for a stylish, timeless, durable and useful leather duffel.