This leather tote is one of a more expensive breed of bag that allows for a sophisticated take on the everyday canvas tote. In many ways it’s an elevated version of the similarly unstructured Baggu bag. It could come along on a picnic, sure, but we think a simple, sleek tote like the Uptown Vertical Tote will do its best work when you’re headed to a spot where you need to impress, such as at a job interview, or if you need to carry a few things to a Valentine’s Day dinner after work.

 

The Uptown Vertical Tote is 14¾ inches wide by 15½ inches tall. “It's the perfect length,” said one tester. “I could fit my laptop in here without anyone knowing.” It has three inner pockets; on one side it has two deep, open pockets with a gorgeous leather trim along their top, while on the other side it has a shorter, wider zippered pocket for storing a wallet or keys. Its shoulder straps put it at an ideal height underneath my arms, and other testers—of varying heights—liked them, too.

 

When it came time for staff votes, the Uptown Vertical Tote handily beat every other leather tote bag option we tested—people loved this bag. It landed near the top slot on everyone’s list.

 

Wirecutter's Anna Perling couldn’t stop spouting effusive compliments when she finally got her hands on the tote. A snippet: “My favorite; I love her so much. She feels buttery-soft! Beautiful texture.” Our photographer agreed: “I want to touch this one forever. It feels so supple.” (The amount of emphasis necessary to convey all of our testers’ general excitement over this bag is perhaps surprising but well deserved.)

 

The Leatherology Uptown Vertical Tote is a joy to touch in part because it’s made from full-grain leather. It has a black cotton-twill lining that works as a protective barrier against any spills or messes that might plague it. Leatherology recommends simply wiping the bag clean if you get its exterior dirty.

 

The Leatherology Uptown Vertical Tote comes with a one-year warranty, which is standard among the tote bags we tested.



The Leatherology Uptown Vertical Tote is the perfect length for you to slip a laptop inside without telling a soul. (Disclaimer: Someone snuck a potato into CES 2020, and now I have a laptop sticker about it.) Photo: Sarah Kobos

Leather tote bags require more care and consideration than their canvas counterparts, but the Leatherology Uptown Vertical Tote has a practical number of pockets. Photo: Sarah Kobos

 

Flaws but not dealbreakers:

 

Like the Baggu Duck Bag, the Leatherology Uptown Vertical Tote is an unstructured bag, which means that when you place it on the ground, it collapses onto the floor. Although some Wirecutter testers liked that it didn’t button or zip on the outside, other testers wished they had a way to close the bag at its top. One tester said, “I would like a button so that if you drop it, your belongings don’t go flying everywhere.”

 

Size: 14¾ by 15½ by 3½ inches

 

Weight: 2 pounds 4 ounces

 

Strap length: 9½ inches

 

Closure type: none

 

Colors: black, Bordeaux, navy, tan