It may sound hard to believe with a name like “Mommy Gearest,” but about half of my site’s readers are men. And a good chunk of the other half are gift-buyers for the men in their lives, so as Father’s Day quickly approaches, this is definitely a post for all of you. And this year’s pick? Leather gifts for men — specifically, from UK brand GRAMS28.

GRAMS28 is all about affordable luxury leather goods, and they deliver. The design and function of each piece we tested is, in fact, so fabulous that I find it hard to believe they’re not marketed to both men, women and enon-binary folks, too. Everything is unisex and has my favourite things in any bag: compartments and pockets. Lots of them. I love that it’s not just how each bag looks but all of the little details inside, too.

Leather gifts for men (+ everyone else on your list): why GRAMS28?

One of the first things you’ll notice as you shop the GRAMS28 site and start to fill your shopping cart, is that every single product has its own code. Every product has 10 numbers — divided into three sets — which are subtly printed on the front of each bag. These numbers correspond to a model’s specific style number, but also the material provider and type plus the craftsmen and tannery behind the product. Scroll to the “Product’s and Material’s Details” for each product and you can drill down even more to find out in which city your product was crafted.

All of these beautiful leather gifts for men this Father’s Day and beyond come in either pebbled or snowflake leather, ethically sourced from Italy, and there’s a lifetime warranty on all folios, bags and organizers. And with free shipping with a USD$89 purchase for many, many countries, it’ll be easy to pick out something great for Dad without breaking the bank.

And, like any luxury bag or small leather goods, GRAMS28’s products arrive in drawstring dust bags — undyed muslin bags for small goods and thick, opaque black ones for all of the bags.

A word on the buckles, clips and straps: WOW. Super-duper high quality with enough weight to make them strong and sturdy but with a design that actually adds to the product’s look. I was surprised to see as much attention to detail go into these smaller pieces, rather than making them an afterthought like I see on so many bags and slings. I’ve only had one buckle issue, which I’ll get into below, but overall, I’m impressed.

Leather gifts for men — GRAMS28 faves

It can be hard to shop online for things you want to touch and feel, so I’ve done it for you with a variety of GRAMS28 products to ensure that what you see is what you get.

Rest assured that all of the products I’ve reviewed below are made of full-grain leather, which is the finest grade of cowhide — it comes from the hide’s top layer, so it’s strong because it’s been exposed to the elements — and you really can see and feel the quality as soon as you open each product’s dust bag.

I’ll review these in order of descending price so you can easily find which of these leather gifts for men from GRAMS28 fit your budget; but keep in mind that they do have sales and costs do rise over time, so you should check individual links to see current prices.

159 Folio Pro ($679)

• Made in: Arzignano, Italy
• Features: Italian leather, organizational pocket, AirTag pocket, lifetime warranty, 30-day return
• What it comes with: 25mm Padded Strap, front zip pocket and back slot
• Compatible with: all card cases and 126 Passport Wallet

I’ll be honest — I’m saving this one to give to Big B for Father’s Day, but I know he’s going to be a smitten kitten. It’s exactly his type: streamlined luxury, minimalist design and a place for everything he carries each day — crossbody — including an iPad Pro with keyboard (it would also fit any 16″ laptop), an Apple Pencil, wallet, iPhone 15 Pro Max, chargers, business cards and more. You could easily toss in a magazine, too. He works on the road most days, so the Folio Pro helps his mobile office stay organized. Of all the leather gifts for men you could short-list, this is the one that’ll get his heart racing.

154 City Pack ($429)

• Made in: Arzignano, Italy
• Features: Italian leather, LWG certification, organizational pocket, AirTag pocket, lifetime warranty, 30-day return
• What it comes with: 25mm Padded Strap
• Compatible with: 109 Essential Case, 126 Passport Wallet and card cases

Calling all commuters — this is an amazing option if you work on an iPad Air with Magic Keyboard. There’s a pocket for that! Along with well-thought-out organizational features in this 4-litre (4L) bag that can also house compact cameras like the Sony ZV1 or Fujifilm X100v, a smartphone, your wallet, AirPods, business cards, an external battery and charging cord, and more. Plus, like with many of GRAMS28’s products, there’s also a dedicated AirTag pocket.

I’ve commuted with this bag several times, including in the rain without an umbrella, and all of my tech has stayed dry and clean. While the City Pack isn’t touted as waterproof, the zipper’s taped seams sure do a good job of being water-resistant, which is important when you’re toting around thousands of dollars worth of Apple Ecosystem products.

My favourite feature? The soft pocket for glasses/sunglasses with a magnetic closure. It’s kept all of my glasses perfectly safe while in transit and eliminates the need to bring a case along for the ride.

158 Travel Wallet Sling ($399)

• Made in: Arzignano, Italy
• Features: Italian leather, organizational pocket, AirTag pocket, lifetime warranty, 30-day return
• What it comes with: 25mm basic strap, separated slots for multi-currencies and six separate card slots for cards
• Compatible with: 123 Wrist Strap, 25mm Padded Strap, card cases and 126 Passport Wallet

Truthfully, you could get away with the Travel Wallet Sling for any trip and make it into a purse for nights out (if you carry one) by adding the Wrist Strap, omitting the need to pack anything extra. The included crossbody strap means all of your travel essentials are at your fingertips as you sail through security and customs — and it looks so much better than your average travel wallet, plus it holds a lot more, too, like:

• An iPad Mini 6th, smartphone, a compact camera or even a Nintendo Switch with handles detached
• Cardholder or wallet, credit cards, ID, cash and coins
• AirPods, AirTag and Apple Pencil or pen
• Passports, with or without the Passport Wallet
• Hotel key cards, keys and car keys

This is a sling I personally reach for often. Again, totally unisex. My only complaints are (1) the front buckle, as shown in the photo above — it doesn’t always fit perfectly snug on the first try, so I either leave it crooked or have to release and re-try. None of the other products I tested have this particular buckle, so it’s hard to know if I just got a lemon or if this is a defect across the board with this particular piece; and (2) the elastic “keeper,” as shown in the photo below, doesn’t stay put, so I think there’s room for improvement in this detail, no matter how small it really is. I do, however, LOVE LOVE LOVE the other buckles on every other product and strap, also shown below. They’re so strong and have a great design.

109 Essential Case ($199)

• Made in: Arzignano, Italy
• Features: Italian leather, organizational pocket, AirTag pocket, lifetime warranty, 30-day return
• What it comes with: an AirPods pocket, phone pocket, cardholder pocket, AirTag pockets and Apple Pencil slot
• Compatible with: 123 Wrist Strap and larger bags, like the City Pack and bigger

This little powerhouse can fit a surprising amount, including an iPhone (up to 15 Pro Max), AirPods, keys, wallet, business cards, Apple Pencil, a charging cable, money and an AirTag in a dedicated compartment. I like that it’s slim enough to slide into a bag or briefcase, but roomy enough to hold its own if you want to travel light. Are leather gifts for men complete without a little customization? Negative. Get it debossed for only $9 more. It comes with a basic black strap, but you can also add a wrist strap to make it even more versatile.

126 Passport Wallet ($159)

• Made in: Arzignano, Italy
• Features: Italian leather, organizational pockets
• What it comes with: two passport/bill slots and three card slots
• Compatible with: all slings, bags and briefcases

It’s only $5 extra to deboss this classy passport wallet with your loved one’s initials — or your own if you’re selfishly shopping for you right now. Even though the GRAMS28 passport cover is slim and minimalist, it packs a punch — carrying up to five cards, two passports and several folded bills. It tucks neatly inside the 158 Travel Wallet Sling and has become the passport wallet I reach for most if it’s just me or only two of us travelling. Yes, the hubs is jealous I didn’t get him one, too.

125 Card Case ($99)

• Made in: Leather from Arzignano, Italy and made in Hong Kong
• Features: Italian leather, magnetic closure
• What it comes with: two card slots and two side pockets
• Compatible with: everything!

I selected this Card Case for Big B to have a dedicated wallet for his business cards, but you could just as easily put credit cards and ID along with a few bills or keys in this accessory. There’s even a card slot on the back, making it easy to quickly access your most-used card. You could toss coins into the Card Case, but its magnetic closure will ensure that becomes sufficiently annoying. It’s only USD$9 to have this personalized with up to four characters, which will come elegantly debossed on the front flap.

123 Wrist Strap ($59)

• Made in: Tuscany, Italy
• Features: Italian vegetable-tanned leather, 30-day return
• What it comes with: 123 Wrist Strap, Phone Case attachment add-on and camera attachment add-on
• Compatible with: 121 MagSafe Leather Case, 112 AirPods Case, camera and keys

Whether you use the Wrist Strap to turn your Travel Wallet Sling into a clutch for an evening out on the town (hello, unisex!) or attach a set of keys to it and tuck it inside your bag or briefcase, you can trust that it’s dyed to match anything in the GRAMS28 lineup.

Keep in mind that with all fine leather goods, you can expect a patina to form over time. This will make your or your gift recipient’s product unique in the long-run, formed in tandem with your lifestyle, adventures and environment. Take good care of your full-grain leather things and they should last decades.

That said (er, written), the pebbled leather will show fewer scratches and wear and tear in the long run. I’ve had oodles of bags made of both smooth and pebbled leather and the pebbled withstands a lot more daily use. So if having a few scratches and fingerprint smudges in time will drive you or your gift-recipient batty, go with the pebbled.

Custom Father’s Day gifts

Don’t forget to make your gift extra-special!

All of the Tech Folios, the 109 Essential Case, iPhone cases, the AirPods Pro case, the 126 Passport Wallet, 108 Cardholder and 125 Card Case can be personalized with up to four characters — think initials or short inside joke/nickname — which comes debossed on your GRAMS28 product. I had this done on both the Card Case and Passport Wallet (check out the pics above!) and the effect is really sleek. Considering it’s only between $5-9 per item for customization, it’s kind of a no-brainer if you ask me.

 

 

DISCLAIMER: GRAMS28 provided me with samples to test in the real world to provide an honest, unpaid review. All opinions are my own.