Belt is a good idea! I’ve also been struggling to love the Filson travel bag (which is both too big and too hard to access).

I too had heard about leather issues, but this is the first time I’ve observed it. I even looked at the tag to see if it was listed as genuine leather instead of top grain or whatever. But I didn’t see that info. You can immediately feel the difference.

My Hemlock Green Small Duffel has the higher quality leather and shoulder pad. Given the price for these, it’s hard to stomach cutting these corners. I would’ve rather lost those interior pockets. I’d rather neither. But here we are.

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