Saddleback Leather Company Macbook Laptop Sleeve Review

Saddleback Leather Company offers a variety of rugged leather bags, suitcases, duffles, wallets and accessories that have earned the reputation of becoming heirloom quality items that your family will fight over after you’re dead. I don’t know if Macbook Pro laptops will be around at the time of my demise, but if they are, I give my family permission to wrestle over the Saddleback Leather Macbook Laptop Sleeve that I was offered for review.

The Laptop Sleeve MAC as it is called on Saddleback’s website, is a simple leather sleeve that has been designed specifically for Apple’s Macbooks and Macbook Pros. The sleeve comes in 3 sizes:

• Small (13 ¼” x 9 ½” x 1″) – 13″ diagonally measured screen of Macbook & Macbook Pro
• Medium (14 ¾” x 10 ¼” x 1″) – 15″ diagonally measured screen of Mackbook & Macbook Pro
• Large (15 ¾” x 11″ x 1″) – 17″ diagonally measured screen of Macbook & Macbook Pro

Available in Chestnut, Carbon Black, Dark Coffee Brown and Tobacco Brown, I was sent the 15″ version in Tobacco Brown.

The sleeve is an open topped holder made of thick full grain boot leather and lined with pigskin which is super strong. This isn’t a super soft leather sleeve that you’ll want to nuzzle against your cheek. It’s not rough to the touch, but it is semi rigid. If you’re more into soft leather products, give it some time… with use, this sleeve will soften too.

All edges have been sewn with industrial heavy gauge marine grade thread.

My 15″ Macbook Pro fits like a glove in the sleeve. A tight glove though…

Sliding it into the sleeve for the first time wasn’t much of a problem, but removing the laptop required two people. One to hold the edges of the sleeve and one to pull out the Macbook. No, I’m not kidding. Leather stretches with use though, so after a few times, it gets easier.

Although the Laptop Sleeve is made well and looks gorgeous, there are a couple of reasons why I wouldn’t use this sleeve as my only means of protecting my Macbook Pro. The first reason should be obvious – there’s no flap on the sleeve, leaving the whole top open. The other reason is that although the case does have neoprene padding between the exterior leather and pigskin interior on the front back and sides, there’s not enough padding that I would trust  the sleeve to completely protect my laptop from a fall of more than a foot or so to a hard surface. In my opinion, this sleeve works best as transport type of laptop protector inside another more padded case like a briefcase or laptop bag. Or even something just to keep the dust off your laptop when it’s not being used while sitting on your desk. It is also a great way to make your friends envious when they see you using it. With a 100yr warranty, this sleeve will last much longer than your laptop and your friends. What more could you want?

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