When Winter Session made their first edition of their Leather Garrison Carryall, I wasn't even aware of the company. So when they announced their Edition 02, I knew I had to grab one, even though the price point was high for a tote bag to me. I don't remember it exactly, but I think they priced it around $700 when it went live. After using a discount coupon, I was able to get one over $500. I was over the moon excited because I have always loved natural/undyed leather products! However, since undyed leather doesn't have any protective coating, there are some consequences as I will explain later.

The Shipping

These days, everything is shipped fast. Maybe not two days shipping like Amazon Prime, but most companies ship out the product soon after you placed your order. By the time I purchased it, I wasn't aware that it was a made-to-order bag. That meant it could be a long wait before I received my bag. From the time I ordered it to the time I received it, it took almost a month. I have bought and received three Portland Leather Goods bags while waiting. Eventually, the excitement did wear off a little, and I simply hoped it was the perfect crossbody tote I imagined.

I noticed their production was behind schedule from my back and forth communication and observing what they said on their Instagram. I understand they are a small company, and things are particularly challenging during the pandemic, but how they communicate regarding my order shipment has room for improvement. I much prefer getting an accurate shipping notification so that I can adjust my excitement and anticipation.

First Impression

Now, let's get back to reviewing the bag itself after all that ranting. The bag was well packed when it arrived. It was wrapped in a plastic bag and then wrapped in brown paper inside the box. Taking it out of the box, it didn't have much of a leather smell. The bag was gorgeous, and the design looked beautiful, like what we see in the pictures on their website. While holding the bag, it was really light, the touch was waxy, and the bag felt a little flimsy.

Material

While closely inspecting the material they use, it left me with doubts. The bag is extremely lightweight, lighter than almost all of the bags I have purchased. The leather they used for the body is on the thinner side. Because of how thin the leather is, it seemed to get wrinkles quickly. Oddly, the leather they used for the handle and the shoulder strap was very thick, to a point I am having trouble bending the stiff shoulder pad on the strap. When designing a bag, it is often hard to strike a balance between function and durability. I guess they wanted to keep the bag lightweight, but having a thicker leather for the body would provide more structure. I imagine, and based on the pictures they shared, the body of the bag will become slouchy soon, and the handles may be top-heavy and flop over.

The hardware on the Leather Garrison Carryall is excellent! I love the brass buckles and rivets. However, I did find a small piece of odd gold color hardware on the shoulder strap. Was that decision intentional? That didn't bother me much, but I did wish they kept it consistent throughout.

On a side story, I left my Leather Garrison Carryall on top of my Portland Leather Goods bag for an hour, and I came back to find a few big brown marks on this new undyed bag! It seems wherever I put this bag; the natural undyed leather picked up spots like a magnet. Luckily, I have the leather cleaner on hand and was able to get most of the marks out. After spending some time conditioning this new bag, I smoothed out some of the stains and wrinkles. By doing so, it became less prone to stains.

In conclusion, I do love this bag! It's well designed, and the craftsmanship was impeccable! I only wished they strike a better balance between thick and thin on the leather material. I heard they would improve by making the bags ready to ship for Edition 03 if you are interested in getting one when it comes out in summer.