Design 
Quality of Materials 
Value for Money 
Craftsmanship 
Customer Service Globalization has trickled down into bag design.
Brands think consumers won’t find a backpack worthy if it can’t organize $3000 in personal electronics.
The way I see it, a feature-centric bag quickly becomes more of a tool and less of a stylish way of carrying extra belongings.
Unless I’m at the luxury mall in my town, a simple, timeless backpack is hard to find. Everything has a million pockets, waterproof zippers, and a row of chapstick slots going down the straps like a bandolier.
That isn’t to say I want a barebones pack. If I’m trading features for looks, quality is non-negotiable. And if that isn’t top-tier, I humbly ask that there’s a balance between features and quality.
I could tell WP Standard’s Ellis Backpack would suit my style. I’ve always been a fan of leather bags, and metal hardware is always a nice touch to cowhide.
In the pursuit of finding my perfect everyday pack, I took one in to see what its stat tree looks like between appearance, quality, and function.
Overview
Founded in 2009, WP Standard is a direct-to-consumer supplier of all things leather—wallets, bags, mules, and more.
It was created after founder, Ryan Barr, made a leather guitar strap and fell in love with the process of working with cowhide. This company’s focus ever since has been on creating high-quality, durable leather goods that improve with age instead of falling apart.
A relatively small brand, WP Standard produces all of their leather goods in small batches from their workshop in Leon, Mexico.
The brand stands for a simplistic, minimalist design across all of its products. While their products are virtually unbranded, customers can pay an extra free for custom monogramming on most items.
WP Standard promises a free 30-day return and exchange policy after you purchase an item. Plus, certain items are even covered with a lifetime guarantee.
Things to Consider
Something to think about before purchasing this product is that even though direct-to-consumer businesses tend to be cheaper, high-end leather products are rarely a bargain. The typical price range for backpacks made by WP Standard is $200 to $300.
Furthermore, although the Ellis Backpack is designed with thick, sturdy leather, it requires special care as leather can be damaged by prolonged moisture exposure. This could be an issue if you prefer the hand-off maintenance of a weatherproof travel pack.
My Hands-On Review
Style
The Ellis Backpack doesn’t reject modernity, it embraces the ways of the old.
WP Standard’s approach reminds me a lot of OG Banana Republic—rooted in adventure and classic garment construction.
Is that a good thing or a bad thing? Allow me to give you some context on the way I dress. It might give you an idea of whether or not you’ll vibe with the Ellis Backpack’s style.
I’m a huge proponent of nature-derived materials. In my experience, they last longer, look better, and have a wider range of textures than commonly used synthetic fabrics. Think denim, linen, and wool.
WP Standard’s thick, full-grain leather and brass hardware naturally match all of my casual and semi-formal outfits. Compare that to how a hyper-technical Arc’teryx backpack would look with a linen button-up and chinos—an utter culture clash.
I’ll admit that the comparison is apples to oranges. But here’s the thing, I’m not the outdoorsy type save for a few treks per year. 95% of the time I’m dressed for dinners, social events, work, and travel. The Ellis Backpack’s fold-over closure and brass hardware are a shoo-in for those settings. I wouldn’t want leather this nice stuffed in a public gym locker, nor do I think it would suit that environment.
Function
I alluded to this in my style assessment, but it doesn’t take a trained eye to see that function isn’t the Ellis Backpack’s strong suit.
That isn’t to say it’s a bad backpack. The dedicated laptop secures my MacBook Air 13″ without worry, and it can handle laptops up to 16 inches wide.
Its interior and exterior zippered pockets can fit what I’d consider “common” everyday objects without overstuffing them—keys, wallet, wireless earphones, and a few other small objects. However, they are “flat” pockets, meaning there isn’t a sewn-in gusset to handle large possessions.
The main compartment is spacious, but anything more than a dopp kit, change of clothes, and an extra pair of shoes starts to feel over-stuffed. Great daily backpack, but far from a weekender.
With my urban lifestyle in mind, I don’t find myself limited by the functionality of the Ellis Backpack. If you need more from your cargo, it might lack the organization that outdoor backpacks typically have.
One downside with the functionality of this bag is it should not be frequently exposed to water. Leather is prone to warping from prolonged water exposure, so I’d be extra careful carrying a water bottle or taking it out on a suspiciously cloudy day.
The top flap doesn’t help either. Even a zippered cotton backpack will keep moisture at bay long enough to take cover. I’ve noticed the corners of the main compartment peek out while on my back, which could put anything inside at risk of getting wet in a sudden shower. Having to unfasten it the same way I take off my belt also gets old pretty quickly.
Construction Quality
Countering my opener on the style, the quality is the Ellis Backpack’s defining characteristic. I say this as someone who loves leather goods of all kinds—belts, shoes, wallets, you name it.
To appreciate how well-made it is, one must understand the different grades of leather, especially since “genuine leather” is often misunderstood as premium.
The backpack is made entirely from full-grain leather, which is the highest quality leather. Full-grain leather includes the skin, where the color is richest and texture is the smoothest, and the grain, where leather is densest. Genuine leather is only made from the fibrous corium layer, which often needs to be processed to withstand prolonged use.
So, what does that mean for the Ellis Backpack? It will last a long time, perhaps your whole life with proper care. Granted, I’ve only used mine for a bit longer than a month, but I know from other full-grain leather products I own that it ages like fine wine. As it responds to daily use, it becomes softer, more pliable, and develops a unique distress pattern based on how I use it.
Backpacks made from nylon or GORE-TEX, while durable, don’t age as gracefully. If anything, the look of a tenured full-grain leather bag is as much of a benefit as its durability.
The brass will change over time alongside the leather. Old brass looks more tarnished than it does patinated, but brass can be polished.
The hardware and stitching feel solid and I have no doubts about their long-term integrity, which should be the case for a backpack that costs almost $300.
Holding the Ellis Backpack in all of its 3-pound glory does more to illustrate its craftsmanship than a shining product description ever could. It just has that sort of presence. It might not align with everyone’s day-to-day needs or personal style, but to say it’s anything less than rock-solid is inaccurate.
What Do Others Say?
At the time of writing, the Ellis Backpack only has one one-site review—5 stars with the only comment being “Great quality !!!!”
I resorted to checking in-depth review articles on other WP Standard products, which I feel comfortable doing in this case as their product lineup is like the Taco Bell menu—same ingredients, different arrangement.
Between every testimony, I didn’t find any complaints regarding their material quality. The only negative remarks had to do with the long break-in period of the full-grain leather, but this isn’t an issue exclusive to WP Standard. It’s just the way high-end cowhide is.
Ellis Backpack Alternatives
Carl Friedrik Palissy Weekend Bag
Carl Friedrik also deals in on-the-go accessories, only with a dressier coat of paint.
WP Standard makes a duffel bag and it’s totally up my alley, but without as much structure as the Palissy Weekend Bag, it might lean too casual for the frequent business travelers who demand everything be pristine.
For a closer look at the Carl Friedrik Palissy Weekend Bag, read our in-depth review.
If you’re ready and able to invest in a heirloom quality bag that will last for decades, the Carl Friedrik Palissy Weekend is a very solid choice.
Db Bags The Hugger 30L
Remember the hypothetical user I made up, the one who might “need more from their backpack?” I was referring to someone who prefers the feature density of a backpack like The Hugger 30L.
Spacious, organized, and rife with waterproof compartments, this backpack is simply better equipped for a broader range of environments and the supplies needed to traverse them. If you’re less concerned with making a fashion statement and more conerned with preparedness, Db knows how to jam a lot of function into a backpack.
Our bag expert left no stone unturned in his hands-on review of The Hugger 30L.
This everyday bag doubles as an awesome travel companion. I can store a full week's worth of clothes in this bag no problem.
Overall Thoughts
What I Like
- WP Standard uses the best leather available for the entirety of the Ellis Backpack’s construction.
- Brass hardware is durable and compliments the natural charm of the full-grain leather.
- The Ellis Backpack is covered by a lifetime guarantee.
- The dedicated laptop sleeve can fit computers up to 16″ wide.
- I love the classic, charmingly untechnical design with my personal style in mind.
What I Don’t Like
- Undoing the brass buckle each time I open the backpack is tedious.
- Given how much it costs, I have to be extra careful not to get the full-grain leather wet.
Who is the WP Standard Ellis Backpack for?
Any guy in need of a sophisticated, durable bag will get along swell with the Ellis Backpack. The full-grain leather and brass hardware are gorgeous and only look better as time goes on, not to mention how durable both are. If you want a sturdy bag without the tactical aesthetic of outdoor and travel backpacks, it fits the bill.
The Verdict
In the bag-o-sphere, there’s quality, form, and function. Pick two.
The Ellis Backpack aligns with the first two. It fills the fashion niche in my bag lineup and given the exceptional material selection of WP Standard’s part, I trust that it will for a long time.
This is a ~$300 bag we’re talking about, and we all know that many guys could care less about how a backpack contributes to their public presence. I think the Ellis Backpack will have a tough time attracting tech-savvy guys who travel around with a PC, cameras, and anything else that needs superior protection and pocket count.
If you have the budget, it gets my blessing. The Ellis Backpack could be my (future) kids’ one day, and it’ll probably look even better on them than it does me right now.
I adore the Ellis Backpack because its full-grain leather is durable and develops a natural patina with continued use. As an everyday bag, the dedicated laptop sleeve and multiple pockets provide exactly what I need—no more, no less—without adding bulk.
