The good: I love the size of the bag. I find it perfect for a carry-on. The leather is not stretched like lower priced bags, making it more durable and longer lasting. Looks great when riding trains through Europe, reminds me of those vintage Gladstone travel bags. Almost always receive complements everywhere I go. The not so good: The bag is heavy, about 5 pounds empty. So when filled with travel gear it can get heavy carrying it around a large airport or through the city. I purchased the Lariat Leather color and find it just too clean and new; like bringing a brand new glove to a baseball game. It also makes every scratch and stain very visible. I'm hoping it will darken somewhat with age and adding some character and patina. I also find the brass clasp or buckle to be way too shinny. The rest of the brass hardware has just the right texture and patina which will look great after a couple of years use. But I can’t see the brass buckle aging along with the rest of the hardware. It's just too shinny and seems to have a lacquered coat which the rest of the brass hardware does not (thankfully). Overall, I like the bag. I think I will be much happier with it after 4 or 5 years of use (like a good baseball glove). And it looks like it can last a lifetime if taken care of properly.