The Best Briefcases Are Just Trying to Make a Living
Best Rugged Briefcase: Filson Rugged Twill Original Briefcase
Filson has a storied legacy (dating back to the Gold Rush) as a manufacturer of dependable goods and clothing, which is to say that their Original Briefcase is built to last. Constructed from a heavy-duty twill fabric that’s similar to what you’d find on a sturdy work or chore coat, the exterior will stay together no matter how rough on it you are. It’s also lightly waxed, so that it’s water-resistant if it gets caught in the rain. And critically, the bottom is super reinforced, so that when you’re loading up the two wide stow interior pockets, the fabric won’t rip or shred.
Best Casual Briefcase: L.L. Bean Stonington Daily Carry Work Bag
L.L.Bean
Stonington Daily Carry Work Bag
Pros
- Classic heritage appeal
- Exterior zip pockets
- Lots of space
Cons
- More susceptible to staining
- Minimal leather details
If leather feels a little too heavy for you, I can suggest this rugged-yet-refined canvas “work bag.” It has tons of organized pockets, and a bookish, “Is he an architect?” energy. And it’s L.L.Bean, so you know it’s made with care.
Best Travel Briefcase: Smythson Lightweight Large Briefcase
Smythson
Lightweight Large Briefcase
Pros
- Attaches to luggage handles
- Lightweight construction
- Durable cross-grain leather
Cons
- No exterior slip pockets for easy access
From wallets to diaries to luggage, Smythson has long owned its position as the somewhat-approachable luxury pick that truly holds up over time. The two pockets on this larger briefcase create enough room for some extra clothes, but there are also interior slip pockets for your travel documents, and an outer slip to help the case slide down over your suitcase handles. And all of that is wrapped up in some handsome, durable cross-grain leather.
Best Rolling Briefcase: Briggs and Riley Medium Spinner Brief
Briggs and Riley
Medium Spinner Brief
Pros
- Tons of room
- Extremely mobile
Cons
- Clunky and heavier than average
- Available in black only
Take it from the pilots: Rolling briefcases, if you have a job that involves a lot of walking, make life about as easy as it gets. With TUMI above it and Travelpro just below in terms of price point, Briggs and Riley has become the go-to pick for the discerning traveler who likes a touch of design smarts with their practicality. It’ll keep you nimble whether you carry it, roll it, or even stack it.
Best Splurge-Worthy Briefcase: Bottega Veneta Getaway Slim Briefcase
Bottega Veneta
Getaway Slim Briefcase
Pros
- Beautiful craftsmanship
- Knot detail on leather handle
- Available in slim and large sizes
Cons
- Large size strap is not removable
- No exterior slip pockets for easy access
- The price, of course
If extreme luxury is what you’re after, you’d be hard pressed to find a more special bag than this. In addition to Bottega’s instantly-recognizable “intrecciato” weaving, the brand’s briefcase has a double zip closure, plenty of space, and comes with a shoulder strap just in case you have to carry it from the jet to your waiting limo.
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What to Look for in a Briefcase
Before you take the briefcase plunge, you have to figure out what you actually need. If you’re a daily commuter and you know you’ll be bringing a laptop back and forth, for example, you’ll want to make sure you have the right amount of space and padding to keep it protected. Similarly, if you’re the kind of guy who is traveling all over the world, make sure that your briefcase will give you easy access to your passport, IDs, etc. (You’ll be in and out of TSA in no time.) These practical decisions, like knowing if extra pockets will help you keep track of your keys or not, will point you in the right direction.
Once you’ve got the must-haves sorted, it really comes down to your taste and where you’ll be toting things. If this is going to be a work bag, and you have a casual office, you can pretty much follow your heart’s desire in terms of shape and style. But, if you’re in a more corporate and “buttoned-up” environment, we’d suggest sticking with more streamlined options in darker or neutral colors.
How We Made These Picks
We make every effort to cast as wide of a net as possible, with an eye on identifying the best options across three key categories: quality, fit, and price.
To kick off the process, we enlist the GQ Recommends braintrust to vote on our contenders. Some of the folks involved have worked in retail, slinging clothes to the masses; others have toiled for small-batch menswear labels; all spend way too much time thinking about what hangs in their closets.
We lean on that collective experience to guide our search, culling a mix of household names, indie favorites, and the artisanal imprints on the bleeding-edge of the genre. Then we narrow down the assortment to the picks that scored the highest across quality, fit, and price.
Across the majority of our buying guides, our team boasts firsthand experience with the bulk of our selects, but a handful are totally new to us. So after several months of intense debate, we tally the votes, collate the anecdotal evidence, and emerge with a list of what we believe to be the absolute best in their category right now, from the tried-and-true stalwarts to the modern disruptors, the affordable beaters to the wildly expensive (but wildly worth-it) designer riffs.
