McKlein17" Leather Litigator Laptop Briefcase- MORGAN- Brown

IMMEDIATE IMPRESSIONThis is the BEST looking bag I've seen for the price. I chose the dark red, which is a great color and stands out. I ordered it last week and used it this week on a business trip. It looks very impressive and of high quality, so I received tons of compliments immediately. As mentioned by other reviews, the stitching adds a touch of class to the bag and also makes it more unique than if it were a matching color.PROS: The purchase comes with a mini umbrella attached to a hook on the wheeled platform, which is behind the bag. Not sure how easy it is to reach, but that's a nice addition that I wasn't expecting. The front also has a cool clasped pocket that fits magazines, your schedule, passport, itinerary, or other papers that you may need quick access to. The wheels are very solid and the handle functions properly. It was very easy to maneuver from carrying up stairs to wheeling when I needed to travel a longer distance. Unlike more cumbersome bags, I didn't slow my party down as we were walking across different terrains or as I switched from carrying to wheeling and back.The CONS: Though you can fit a larger notebook computer, expect the fit to be a little tight. I was able to fit my powercord, pens, financial calculators, etc., but you may have to figure out how to get everything you need into the bag. After I packed all of my items, I couldn't find a place to put the shoulder strap, so set it aside and left it at the hotel, but this is the downside of leather versus other types of materials that are more expandable. Another small detractor is that the process of unzipping the bag from the platform is not as smooth as it could be. To remove the bag, you'd unzip the two zippers on each side and the one underneath. This was much easier when the bag was completely empty.OVERALL, the Ellyn by McKlein USA definitely seems made for a female business traveler who prefers a high-quality, good-looking leather bag. In fact, the bag looks so nice that I think I'll only use it for business trips and will buy a separate "everyday" case for my office, which has a more casual atmosphere. If you work in a more formal setting, I'm sure your co-workers will take notice.

Very well made and stylish. Has held up well for 2 years. Size is good and keeps things well organized. I recommend not "cheaping out". Spend the extra money for this well-made product.

I purchased this because I needed to carry Notary certificates, stamps, supplies, and other daily items. I was using a much smaller bag that measured about 3.5 at the base which meant I couldn't carry everything I needed. This bag is large and as it's new it is a little stiff. The finish is smooth and very nice. It slides between my passenger seat and dash and is well balanced so carrying a ton of stuff is not a problem at all. The handles are stiff at first but a little use will have they forming a nice comfortable shape to your hand. If you have a question about the strap (many people have complained about that in the past) I wouldn't worry. It appears they updated the clasp used in the shoulder strap to be the 'C' type rather than the lobster claw style. I have yet to have it fail- but since it is so thick I is a little awkward to carry on your shoulder. I just carry it in my hand.The lock is good and the bag's opening has tension screws that enable you to adjust whether you want it to stay open or close itself while in use. I find I like it firm which holds the bag open in use. Very handy if you use it open, beside you, while seated.If I could suggest anything I would ask that this exact bag be offered in a sort of bellows design that more readily collapses when not completely full.

It really is a great bag. It replaced my prior satchel briefcase, which I carried for over *20* years. After a month of use I can say this is a worthy successor, which says good things about it.What others say about the strap is true - it does have a tendency to unclip itself and detach upon lifting when the case is loaded. It seems to be caused by both the wideness of the strap clip plus the clip opening being too low (spring carabiner style.) The clip gate strikes the round attachment retainer and slips off the retainer, leaving you with an unclipped strap.Anyway, if you narrow the round retainer's hole diameter it won't be able to detach. I did this by clipping the strap clips from my old case (minus strap) on the retainer in addition to the new strap and clips. You could use a carabiner of an appropriate size and it fixes the problem. Still a design flaw, but once worked around it is great.I have a 15" laptop, and the center compartment holds this and the adapter quite nicely. I don't know if I'd want to carry around a 17" and all my usual stuff. But with a 15 incher, I can carry everything I used to split across two different cases. That includes my MP3 player, a screwdriver and bit set, a Sony Reader, a pen and highlighter (there is a pen loop on the outside of the case - a nice touch!) and all sorts of other miscellaneous bric-a-brac.I'm really pleased with the quality-for-price value. A worthy successor to my old case which had become like a friend.UPDATED: After a year and a half of daily hard use... The briefcase is still holding up pretty well. It's had a few bumps, and the surface finish on the seams does get scraped/scratched a little more easily than I'd like. But it's still hanging in there. One thing that didn't: The carabiner idea worked moderately OK, but these days I'm not using it with a strap. A threaded shackle is the way to go. Still love it, though, and still a worthy successor a year and a half later.NEW UPDATE: Now five and a half years later. Still using it on a daily basis, overloading it with heavy use to and from work and elsewhere. One thing has failed: One of the four bolts holding in the hand straps to the case came undone in the second year of use. I think it just unscrewed with usage, and if I'd put it back in play with a little epoxy or loctite it may have held. But I unscrewed all four bolts and slightly widened the holes (removing the threading from the old screws.) Then I took threaded steel rod, cut to size, and used good looking nylon end locking nuts, coating the rod threads with epoxy as I attached them. This case frequently takes between ten and fifteen pounds of stuff wherever I need it to be. The top lock, hinges, etc. are still in excellent working condition and I depend on this bag to this day. Cheap construction, my ass. This thing is a TANK! And one that still looks pretty damn good for coming up on six years of HEAVY daily use.