Okay, let me tell you about my little adventure trying to figure out this whole “Tanner Leatherstein best bag” thing. It wasn’t like I just typed it in and found the bag. It was more of a process, you know?
Starting the Hunt
So, I needed a new bag. My old one was falling apart, stitching coming loose, the usual stuff. I started looking around online, saw the usual big names, but the prices just seemed wild. Then I stumbled onto some videos, this guy Tanner Leatherstein, cutting bags open. Seriously, just taking knives and scissors to expensive bags. Kinda caught my eye.
I watched a few. He’d talk about the leather, calling stuff “genuine leather” and explaining it wasn’t always the good stuff, pointing out cardboard fillers, bad hardware. It got me thinking, maybe I don’t know anything about buying a decent bag.
Learning What Matters (to me)
I went down a bit of a rabbit hole, watching more of his stuff. Didn’t really care about the drama of which brand was ripping people off the most. What stuck with me was learning to spot the difference between okay leather and really solid, full-grain stuff. How to look at the edges, the stitching, the feel of it. He kept talking about value – not just cheap, but good quality for the money.
This changed how I looked at bags. Before, I just looked at the brand name or the style. Now, I started paying attention to:
- The type of leather mentioned (if they even say).
- How thick and sturdy it felt (if I could see it in person).
- The quality of the zippers and buckles.
- Simple, strong construction without tons of flimsy lining.
It wasn’t about finding his single “best bag” recommendation, because honestly, he looks at so many. It was about using his way of looking at things to find my best bag.
Discovering the Other Side
Somewhere along the way, I found out he actually has his own brand. PEGAI, I think it’s called. Saw some comments about it. Makes sense, right? Guy knows leather, decides to make his own stuff focusing on the simple, durable things he talks about. Wasn’t really pushed heavily in the videos I saw initially, felt more like something you find out if you dig a bit. Interesting, but didn’t change my goal.
My “Best Bag” Outcome
So, did I buy a PEGAI bag? Nope. Did I buy one of the high-end ones he sometimes says are actually well-made? Nope, still too pricey for me.
What I did do was take what I learned and apply it. I ended up finding a bag from a smaller company, one I hadn’t heard of before. I looked closely at the pictures online, read the description carefully – they specifically mentioned full-grain leather. The design was simple, seemed sturdy. The price felt fair for what was described.
When it arrived, I did my own little check. Felt the leather, looked at the stitching, checked the hardware. It felt solid. It felt like good value, based on everything I’d picked up watching those videos. It carries my stuff – wallet, phone, keys, the usual bits and pieces – without feeling like it’s going to fall apart next week.
Final Thoughts
So, for me, the “Tanner Leatherstein best bag” wasn’t a specific brand. It was learning how to look for a good bag myself. Understanding the materials and construction gave me the confidence to skip the big logos and find something genuinely well-made that fit my budget. That knowledge? That was the real takeaway from watching him cut up all those bags. It’s about finding something sturdy and practical that works for you. And that’s exactly what I did.
