We use natural Markings Equal Inclusion of Exceptional Imperfection Ornamentation
"... Saddleback Leather no longer discriminates against any cow on the basis of age, appearance, lactose intolerance... if the beast has a natural marking or brand, or whether or not they worship the Divine Bovine."
Truth is, sometimes beauty is only skin deep... like with cows. Their poetry is notoriously terrible, but man, their hides are nature's art. We don't believe that flawlessness equals beauty. Beauty is when we're able to see something as it really is.
This is true with humans too. There are lots of quality people who are really beautiful not in spite of, but because of the marks life has given them.
When I was living in Acapulco, I got an apartment next to a pit boss from Vegas. He was a real nice guy and even took care of Blue once when I traveled up north towards Mexico City to interview for a job selling real estate around a golf course. Steve was only able to live in Acapulco because he had a friend who was somehow collecting his unemployment check from the government for him and depositing it into his bank account. But Steve never really did much. He just hung out on the beach and walked around town. I’m not really sure what he did, come to think of it. But one thing I know, is that Steve never wore a belt. All of his clothes had drawstrings around the waist. It was a life of leisure.
I, on the other hand, had to wear a belt and a long sleeve shirt everyday as I was trying to get tourists to go see a timeshare at the Mayan Palace. It was an absolutely awful job, but I did get to meet a lot of people. That was cool. It’s jobs like that made me wish I were like Steve and never had to wear a belt again. But since I do, I wear Tow Belts and Old Bull Belts.
I received my second saddleback belt a few days ago. The tow belt width 1.75 has been discontinued. The few left are on Dave's deal. My review is simple the saddleback tow belt is of the highest leather quality. It is far superior when compare /contrast to any other brand. Saddleback staff is also superior particularity Liz. Her instant response was spot on. Having purchased other saddleback leather items her positive action keeps me a lifetime customer. Thank you for an excellent product.
Tow Belt
by corey - verified purchaser | 12/20/2015 1:09 pm
I have 2 old bull belts but wanted a belt in the tobacco color so i had to get a tow belt. WOW this thing is thick! You really could tow something with it. I havent worn it yet, but I imagine it might take a little while to break in like me other 2 SBL belts but I expect it to be just as great. If you want a super HEAVY DUTY belt, get this one.
Best belt on the market
by Thomas - verified purchaser | 11/29/2015 7:52 pm
This is what a belt should be...classy, strong, thick enough to not just hold up your pants but also anything you want to strap to it. Bought two in different colors and would not even look for another belt as these are the best I have seen even among custom made belts.
You could pull a stump out of the ground with this belt
by Brandon - verified purchaser | 10/31/2015 12:37 pm
When I was considering this belt, my wife asked why it was called a "tow belt." I told her that it should be strong enough to pull something if I ever needed to (clearly making it an absolute necessity). This is most certainly the case. I've been very impressed with the quality. It's noticeably heavier than any belt I've ever owned and the hardware feels very high quality. It is much thicker than other belts which was a bit unusual at first but I quickly became accustomed to it.
This was my first purchase from Saddleback and I was very happy with the product and service. Email communication was good. Delivery was fast. Product is excellent. I seriously doubt I will ever need to take advantage of the outstanding warranty - but it's nice to have just in case.
Top Notch
by Dustin - verified purchaser | 7/24/2014 9:11 am
This thing means business. Fits good, looks good and it could lift the titanic. I got mine in carbon black and it will take a few years to break in perfectly but it's already come along way in around a month. Don't know what else to say, Dave covers everything in the video.
I'm not sure if its because of the colour choice, but it didn't have the really great smell like the rest of my stuff from saddleback. It's starting to come around the more I wear it. I really like the screw type rivets used to reinforce the bucket too
You could tow a truck with it
by Gaetan | 11/12/2014 2:58 pm
Now that is one heck of a belt ! I was getting tired to be chewing through so many poor quality belts. Even the real leather expensive ones didn't cut it for me. When I saw that Saddleback was making some, I didn't hesitate one bit. It is very wide, very thick and very, very sturdy. Worn it daily for more than a year and it hasn't moved. The size isn't easy to get right though, I'd advice contacting the customer service if you're unsure. But don't worry, they're adorable. I had to return mine for a smaller one and even though there were some parcel problems it went without a hitch. Now unfortunately I've chosen to drop belts in favour of suspenders so I don't wear it anymore. But I'm sure waiting for Saddleback Leather suspenders !
Real Deal
by James - verified purchaser | 9/8/2015 3:22 am
This belt is everything they claim it to be. You could tow a boat with it. I wear it with jeans only. It feels a little too intense to be worn with chinos. You could wear it with duck chino I am sure but no light weight material. Unbelievable quality. I really appreciate that manufactures like this exist. The company seems to be very transparent and if what they claim is true then I want to support them more. You could easily spent 93 dollars on a piece of junk belt from Jcrew or whatever menswear store is big right now, chances are you would get a crap product made in hell (i.e a slave shop in a third world country). Not only do you get a belt that will last you a life time but you can buy it with a clear conscious.
Impressive
by Addicted | 3/24/2015 1:03 am
Just received the tow belt in Tobacco, very thick and sturdy. I wanted this belt to use as a gun belt for a CCW. After wearing with my holstered Glock, I can say that I am very happy with its performance. It holds the weight of the gun very well and looks fantastic. Sometimes I forget I'm carrying a gun when wearing OWB. If you're looking to use this belt as a gun belt I think you will be very happy with it. Now I want one in Chestnut. Thanks SBL!
Tow Belt - 1.5 inches
by Nick | 10/21/2014 8:38 am
Just received my second tow belt. This time in tobacco, as the first was in black and purchased over a year ago. That will be it, for any more belts, I guess for the rest of my life, which I hope will be at least for the one hundred year guarantee. Great belts and fantastic quality.
Best Belt I have ever owned!
by anonymous - verified purchaser | 7/24/2014 9:13 am
After I received my first Tow Belt (dark coffee brown), I soon ordered another, the Carbon color belt was my second purchase, and although I love both belts I would like to have one that is true black. Awesome belt, awesome customer service!
Great Belt
by anonymous - verified purchaser | 7/24/2014 9:13 am
Got the belt from Dave's Deals, not sure why it was on there other than it's the older style with screws instead of rivets. Love the belt.
I have seen people complain about the holes near the end of the belt. Those are for if you chunk up or eat too much Thanksgiving dinner. Most likely you should never have to use them. Just purchase the belt according to the sizing chart they have here and you're good to go.
Tow Belt
by anonymous - verified purchaser | 7/24/2014 9:12 am
Got the belt as a Xmas gift. I know quality when I see it. My first impression was in agreement with SaddleBack's logo...my brothers will fight over this when i'm dead. Second thought was being confident I could hitch it to my truck to tow a boat. Currently saving to buy some luggage b/c it's obvious this company doesn't mess around.
Once you go Saddleback, you never go back
by anonymous - verified purchaser | 7/24/2014 9:12 am
I started wearing raw denim jeans about 6-8 months ago. I came to the realization that my day-to-day belt didn't match the beauty of raw denim. Yes, it was a decent belt. Yes, it worked fine. But I didn't care for it. I was also used to having to replace a belt after 2-3 years of use, at most.
I realized that I had never owned a good belt in my life, and decided to start shopping. I looked, and eventually found Saddleback. I bought this belt in tobacco brown, and doubt that I'll ever look back. I didn't really believe all of the reviews talking about how sturdy it is, because I'd never been exposed to this kind of quality, but I do now. I love this belt, and I can pretty much guarantee that anyone would. Buy it. It's beautiful.
Highly recommended
by anonymous - verified purchaser | 7/24/2014 9:12 am
I have owned a Tow Belt (tobacco brown) for about a year. As with all Saddleback products, it is of extremely high quality and is beautiful. At 1.5" it fits almost all belt loops but is thick and substantial. I use it as a service belt to carry a Sig 229 every day, and it holds my pistol better than any other belt I have owned. I can't say enough about Dave's products - they are rugged and durable while looking great. Saddleback clearly employs true artisans who do very impressive work.
None Better
by anonymous - verified purchaser | 7/24/2014 9:12 am
This is one of those times where you think you know quality and all that goes away when you are shown quality. Don't hesitate, just click buy and you will be happy.
Now THAT'S a belt!
by anonymous - verified purchaser | 7/24/2014 9:12 am
By far....this is the finest belt I've ever owned. While not the sort of belt one wears with a fine custom suit....that's ok!.....because I don't own one. But if you need something exceedingly rugged and good looking for jeans, cargoes, or khakis, this is the belt for you. It's particularly great if you're prone to hanging miscellaneous hardware from it. I got mine in the chestnut color and it's perfect. I followed the sizing instructions and measured a belt that I normally wear, and then added two inches to accommodate an IWB holster. That brought it up one full size and it works perfectly. I'll be ordering a black one soon.
Awesome Belt
by anonymous - verified purchaser | 7/24/2014 9:12 am
I was a little hesitant at first to buy this belt. I've always been the kind of guy who buys the typical $20 belt at the department store. But after reading the reviews and watching some of Dave's videos I decided to go ahead and buy one. And man am I glad I did. This belt feels like a belt should feel. It's thick (but will go through a belt loop a second time after being buckled), comfortable and looks great with all types of jeans. I ordered the Carbon Black and plan on getting another in Dark Coffee Brown soon. Thanks, Dave, for the awesome products!
A Tow Belt Indeed!
by anonymous - verified purchaser | 7/24/2014 9:12 am
They are by far the thickest and coolest belts that I own. At first you will be surprised at how thick it is. When you first get this belt you can literally make it sit completely straight and horizontal using only 2 fingers, but it will quickly form to the shape of your body with regular use. Zero complaints.
Tough
by Tim - verified purchaser | 7/24/2014 9:11 am
This belt is as tough as they say it is and I'm really glad I bought this belt. I've been wearing it every day for over a month and has very minor signs of wear.
My only criticism of this belt is it's super squeaky at the buckle. If you're a student like me people will look over at you when you move around in your chair. I'm thinking about oiling it at the buckle but haven't done it yet.
The last one
by anonymous - verified purchaser | 7/24/2014 9:11 am
Just received my second Tow belt from Saddleback; I've had my first one for several months now and couldn't be more pleased! I can't remember how many $30-$40 belts I've owned over the years, but after receiving my first belt from Saddleback (black tow belt) I gave my others to goodwill. Now that I picked up a brown one, I'm down to two belts; the last belt I'll ever buy, unless I buy another one from these folks as a gift for someone. Worth every penny! The best and last belt you'll ever own. Thank you for another second to none product, Dave
Finally
by Daniel H. - verified purchaser | 7/24/2014 9:11 am
My girl-friend bought me this belt despite my protests of not needing one....and I am glad to be wrong. I am tall and thin, which makes all clothing a battle to get right, but this is the first time a belt has fit perfectly. Everything that wonderful man in the video says is true.....I love this belt. ....I can suspend my entire body weight and swing around, do not advise anyone to do it, but I like having fun.
Carl
by anonymous - verified purchaser | 7/24/2014 9:11 am
Got it today. Good fit. Excellent quality. Love the tobacco brown color. Get one
Best belt ever
by Mike - verified purchaser | 7/24/2014 9:11 am
I purchased this belt in black and use it every day with a holster. The quality is unsurpassed and I will be ordering another in brown. If you want a belt that will support the weight of a full size pistol and last for the foreseeable future then look no further.
Wow
by Anthony - verified purchaser | 7/24/2014 9:11 am
I always buy top quality and research a product before making a purchase. After months of looking at the website (very educational) I decided to purchase the tow belt with the new antique finish buckle. My biggest reservation was price. After seeing and feeling the quality,, I believe it's worth much more than I paid. I personally would stand behind this product and plan on buying more for gifts for my loved ones!
Outstanding
by Alexander Gordon Lafreniere - verified purchaser | 7/24/2014 9:11 am
The days of accepting belts bought in bulk during my father's bi-annual trips to Mexico have come to an end. Never again will the bond between my middle and my pants be tenuous.
Stop wasting your time reading reviews and make this the best belt you and I've ever owned.
Natural Marking
We wanted to let you know that this was recently added to the cow hand hoof-book, in the section governing acceptable hides:
"...Saddleback Leather no longer discriminates against any cow on the basis of age, appearance, lactose intolerance...if the beast has a natural marking or brand, or whether or not they worship the Divine Bobine."
Truth is, sometimes beauty is only skin deep...like with cows. Their poetry is notoriously terrible, but man, their hides are nature's art. We don't believe that flawlessness equals beauty. Beauty is when we're able to see something as it really is. This is true with humans too. There are lots of quality people who are really beautiful not in spite of, but because of the marks life has given them.
Leather is special because it's durable, natural, and it tells a story about a cow's life. Maybe the leather in your bag was from a real Casanova. Maybe he got tipped a lot. Maybe the bulls really liked the way she moooved. We don't know for sure, but we want you to see those stories and add your own as you carry your bag around.
Just to be clear, some leather definitely does not make the cut, but a lot of what has been rejected in the past for being too naturally beautiful, will.
We cut the nasty looking marks out and throw them away and the cool or insignificant ones we leave. When you want to know what the story is behind one of the marks on your leather, look it up here.
Stretch Marks
Marbly lines generally regarded as not cool marks on mothers, unless the mother is a cow or pig and then they're more than cool.
Stretch marks appear when the animal grows quickly or gets really fat for a time in life for some reason.
Veins
The veins and stretch marks are what give the leather that cool marbled look.
Did you know that if they slaughter a cow in the winter in a place where it's really really cold, that it'll have more pronounced veins because the blood rises closer to the surface to keep them warm.
Wrinkles
Almost all thick leather wrinkles when it is bent back on itself. Kind of like when you squat down in a pair of leather shoes and wrinkles appear about 4" from the toe.
Insect Bites
These pesky insects don't leave cows alone either. Ticks, mosquitoes and other bug bites show themselves as a tiny black or white spot.
You ever see birds sitting on top of cows? They're filling their craws with these bugs.
Pores
It's common to see very fine holes on leather if you look closely. Cows have hair too and if it isn't completely removed in the initial tanning process then you'll see them.
Scars
Itching oneself against or running scared through barbed wire, mesquite bushes or cactus will cause long thin black lines. If the bulls liked the way the cow moooved, then she'll get hoof marks which are usually up to an inch wide and a few inches long.
The bigger scars happen when they got gored or kicked hard. Two small single black scars not far apart are often bat bites. Those are found on cows in more jungly areas.
Callouses
If a cow sleeps on it's right side for years or has a habit of rubbing one spot with his horns or any kind of regular friction in one place, you get a callous.
These markings are usually smooth, not raised, small and circular in shape.
Brands
The mark of a cow well loved. Brands can be shapes, letters and numbers. We only use the nice and smooth healed up ones.
In third world countries, some ranchers don't have enough money to buy a branding iron, so they heat up a piece of iron and draw a picture on the cow. Whatever's clever, right?
Which leather is better, the old or the new?
The "new" leather is the same quality as the "old" leather. We just stopped letting some of the cooler marks fall onto the cutting room floor.
Will the scars and marks hurt the construction?
Nope. Any mark or scar that is possibly weaker than other areas, we cut out and throw away.
Are the animals tortured before they are slaughtered?
Absolutely not!!! With some pigs, we do use waterboarding and sensory deprivation techniques previous to slaughtering them, but cows do not require any special handling.
What if I want a lot of marks?
If you don't get lots of marks, please don't return it in hopes of the next one having more. But hopefully, the Divine Bovine will smile upon you and you'll receive a bag that tells a cool story. If it doesn't have a lot of story on it, then you'll have to add your own by using it hard.
What if I don't want any marks?
Not all cows live hard lives and so not all hides have a lot of scars. If you order Carbon or Coffee, the thin or small scars won't stand out much. They show up nicely on Tobacco though. People who like the Chestnut color (red/brown) seem to like more perfect leather and we're very aware of that. It's not right or wrong; just a preference. Generally, we cut the big scars out of the chestnut leather, but there will always be a few here and there. If you get your bag and you really don't like it, send it back and we'll take care of you. We're not worried in the slightest. And remember, it's not the scars that make the bag, it's the bag. The marks just add to it.
Can I get Chestnut and Coffee with cool marks?
The amount of markings on Chestnut will be less than on other colors because we cut more of the bigger scars out of that leather. We know that, in general, Chestnut people aren't too big on large scars. Marks tend to blend in with the Coffee, but you'll still see them.
Are some scars more valuable, or sought after than others?
Yes. Absolutely! For example, most of our designs have pigskin interiors, which generally have a smooth matte quality. Often, these pieces will have a scrape or scar-type marking on it. These are, in fact, scars associated with the romantic life of the pig. More than most other animals, the pig is known for its violent mating behaviors and is aggressive, selfish and generally demeaning to its female partner. The male pig bites, scratches, gouges and anything else he can think of to have his way (in some rare cases pigs have been known to use other strategies, like cleaning the pigpen, bringing flowers, showing kindness to her relatives, etc,). Thus, many female pigs, at least the desirable ones, are pretty scarred-up. In the pig culture, this is a sign of status. The best hides for our purposes (i.e. creating the best leather bag possible) are the female hides because they are so much larger than the males and therefore we can get larger solid pieces (and girls just have better skin). Therefore, our pigskin will sometimes have various scarring patterns. We refer to these as 'love scars'.
How will this affect my warranty?
This won't have any effect on an existing warranty or a new warranty.
Why haven't you done this before?
Saddleback started and grew strong exactly because of allowing scars and marks and brands on our leather. It's what made us into who we are today. The marks became less and less frequent since the people cutting the leather didn't understand why anyone would want leather with imperfections. So, they thought they were helping us and and it just kind of stayed that way until now.
If you are using more of the leather per hide, will the price go down?
The marks and scars have always represented a very small amount of leather. And actually, the bags now may cost us more since the leather cutters spend extra time placing various scars and brands, which they didn't do before.
Can I see what it will look like before I buy it since this makes the leather so much different from bag to bag?
We have some pictures of the sorts of marks that might be on your bag, but we don't have shots of every piece. We wouldn't ever send out something that we wouldn't send to our own mom and dad. You'll love what you get.
Is this truly cooler leather or are you just trying to save some money on cheaper hides?
I'm pretty sure that if you ask anyone who's been watching Saddleback for any length of time, they'll tell you that we're not so much about the money as we are about creating things that bring people joy. It's art and it's quality and we just like it. It makes us happy. And don't forget, Saddleback has a steady history of constantly improving quality in design and materials. There have been several changes to designs that cost us more money to make, but that we did for no other reason than to raise the quality bar. It just seems like the right thing to do. So, to go against everything that we are known for, stand for and teach would be really inconsistent and pretty risky too. And the hides are the same expensive quality hides that we've used for years, but we're just not cutting out as many of the stories.
If this is so great--as you say--why are you the only ones doing this?
I suspect that other companies think that nobody would like it and they're not willing to take the risk to learn if it's true or not. Also, there are so many variables in the marks and scars on each hide that it's very difficult to teach a person which ones to cut out and which ones to leave. It could get very expensive if the cutters aren't trained well and they allowed some of those nasty looking lumpy scars onto the bags.
Can I still buy the old style if I just don't like this change?
Once we're out, we're out, but surely you'll be able to find some on eBay as people are wanting to sell theirs so they can buy one of these.
Will the colors be different?
Tobacco and Carbon are different, but Coffee and Chestnut are the same.
Is the leather going to feel different besides just looking different?
It's the same leather with a different look.
I bought a Tobacco bag 6 months ago but now I want this new Tobacco. Can I trade?
I would suggest that you either sell yours on eBay, which you may get more for, or you look into aging your bag more rapidly. Get on Youtube to see techniques on how to age leather. Remember you loved that bag enough to buy it. You may be pleasantly surprised. The only difference between this tobacco and our last tobacco is the amount of clear and natural oils and waxes on the hide.