Rowdy Originals Rucksack

The Originals · Black lined · Two sizes

Rowdy Originals Rucksack

ZAR 1,895

The Rowdy Originals Rucksack. Black-lined, reinforced straps, hidden YKK back pocket. A practical, no-nonsense leather backpack in Small (13-inch) or Large (15-inch).

Leather
Lining
★★★★★

"Best hand made handbags in SA. Got 2 tote bags and 2 purses. Love Rowdy Bags."

— Zikhona B.
★★★★★

"Beautiful, locally made leather bags. Each one hand made by a South African artisan."

— Medford T.
★★★★★

"So beautifully made. I love the design, colour and quality. Proudly South African!"

— Liezl R.
★★★★★

"My favorite shop. Good quality leather, unique style, very simple and minimalistic."

— Anisa W.
★★★★★

"Excellent quality products, excellent service, and friendly staff!"

— Gloudina S.
Repair-for-Life Any defect, we fix. Forever.
Free local shipping Over R1,500. 2-5 working days.
10-day returns Free in South Africa.
Apple Pay accepted
Google Pay accepted
Visa accepted
Mastercard accepted
Payflex installments
PayJustNow installments
Description

Part of the Rowdy Originals range, this is our backpack stripped to its essentials. Clean black lining, no signature print inside, no extra hardware. Just the leather, the stitching, and the parts you actually use.

Small fits a 13-inch laptop. Large takes a 15-inch laptop and the gear that comes with it. Reinforced, adjustable straps so it sits comfortably for the commute, the campus, or the long travel day. A discreet YKK zip pocket on the back keeps wallet or passport secure.

Hand-stitched in our Cape Town workshop. Repair-for-Life Promise on every bag.

Specs & dimensions

Dimensions, Small: 20 × 38 × 12 cm (fits 13-inch laptop)

Dimensions, Large: 25 × 45 × 14 cm (fits 15-inch laptop)

Closure: Top zip

Weight: ~1.1kg (Small), ~1.3kg (Large)

Material: Full-aniline leather, black cotton lining, solid Italian hardware, YKK zips

Straps: Reinforced, adjustable shoulder straps

Back pocket: Hidden YKK zip pocket for wallet or passport

Made in: Cape Town, South Africa

Shipping & returns

South Africa: Free shipping on orders over R1,500. Standard delivery 2-5 working days.

International: Flat R800 to UK, Germany, Switzerland, Netherlands, US, and most others. 5-10 working days.

Returns: 10-day cooling-off, free in SA via our returns portal. Custom-debossed bags can't be returned.

Care for your leather

Leather is full-aniline, no surface coating. It will absorb water if soaked. If your bag gets caught in the rain, wipe dry with a soft cloth and condition with leather food once dry.

To clean: damp cloth, mild soap. Avoid alcohol-based cleaners. The leather will deepen and develop character over time. That's the point.

Built for the long commute.

Practical, not precious

Built for the long commute.

The Originals Rucksack is built around the daily move. Reinforced straps that don't dig in after the third hour. Enough room for laptop, charger, water bottle and a change of clothes. Quiet leather that earns its character.

For the days you walk to the office, the morning train, the airport queue, the campus.

Hidden back pocket. YKK zips.

The detail

Hidden back pocket. YKK zips.

A discreet YKK zip pocket sits against the back panel for wallet, passport or phone. Inside, a clean black lining keeps things organised. Top zip seals the main compartment. Italian hardware throughout.

No external bells. Nothing to catch on a sleeve.

100,000+ Rowdy bags. Hand-stitched in Cape Town.

The proof

100,000+ Rowdy bags. Hand-stitched in Cape Town.

Since 2012 we've made over 100,000 bags by hand from our Cape Town workshop. The Originals Rucksack is built for the customer who wants a daily-driver leather backpack and not much else.

Every Originals Rucksack is covered by our Repair-for-Life Promise. Any defect through normal use, we fix.

Handmade in Cape Town

Every Originals Rucksack is hand-stitched in our Cape Town workshop.

Since 2012, every Rowdy bag has been cut, stitched, and finished by hand. Real artisans. Real leather. Real time invested in every seam.

It's why our Repair-for-Life Promise holds: we made it, we know how to fix it.

Read the Repair-for-Life Promise

Why it works

Six things to love about the Originals Rucksack

Practical. Reinforced. Built to take a daily beating and still look good in five years.

Fits laptop

13" (Small) or 15" (Large)

Reinforced straps

Comfortable all day

Hidden back pocket

YKK zip for valuables

Six things to love about the Originals Rucksack

Black lined interior

Clean and understated

Top zip closure

Secure access

Repair-for-Life

Any defect, fixed

Reviewed on Google

People love their Rowdy

4.8 ★★★★★ Across 132 verified Google reviews
Anisa White

Anisa White

★★★★★

"To be honest, this is my favorite shop❤️‍🩹 I appreciate a good quality of the leather and also unique style, but very simple and minimalistic I have around six bags, and I adore them all"

Rico

Rico

★★★★★

"Back in Switzerland I am very satisfied. The bigger laptop bag (with zipper) fits perfectly in the bag which is very convenient. Also the smaller laptop cover is nice and of good quality. Very good price-performance/quality ratio. Well..."

Medford Torr

Medford Torr

★★★★★

"Beautiful, locally made leather bags in all the shapes and colours. Each bag is hand made by a South African artisan and you know who made the bag. My wife has a purse, a shoulder handbag and laptop folder. Loves her collection."

Sue Dreyer

Sue Dreyer

★★★★★

"Amazing thank you for the experience."

Gloudina Smith

Gloudina Smith

★★★★★

"Excellent quality products, excellent service, and friendly staff! 👌"

Rinie Dreyer

Rinie Dreyer

★★★★★

"Thanks a mill Adam Rowdy bags are an excellent product"

Zikhona Bradley

Zikhona Bradley

★★★★★

"Best hand made handbags in SA. Got 2 tote bags and 2 purses. Love Rowdy Bags"

Christian Matter

Christian Matter

★★★★★

"Lovely bag bought here in Switzerland. Rather expensive here, but then on the other hand everything is expensive here and quality has its price."

Liezl Rowan

Liezl Rowan

★★★★★

"I bought the large sling bag in cedar. It is perfect 🥰 so beautifully made. I love the design, colour and quality. This is a real investment. Thank you for your impeccable service. Proudly South African!! Local and Lekker 😄"

Catherine Kotze

Catherine Kotze

★★★★★

"Received my bag 2 days after ordering it. Love it!! Beautiful craftsmanship. Well made! Proudly South African!!!"

Shireen Ernstzen

Shireen Ernstzen

★★★★★

"ROWDY,S.. You have just made me a proud owner of a very niceley leatherly smelling Tote bag.. Absolutely amazing.. Trust that this bag will carry millions going forward.. Thank you so much.. Love it"

Daniella Malan

Daniella Malan

★★★★★

"I love my bag! It was actually hard to choose between the great range of colours and options available, but I settled on the crossbody sling, in the Boulder colour. Delivery was super fast, and I've been extremely impressed with the..."

Katy Roberts

Katy Roberts

★★★★★

"An absolutely beautiful product! Exactly what I was looking for. Delivered within two days and lovingly packaged."

Cornelius Grobbelaar (CAG)

Cornelius Grobbelaar (CAG)

★★★★★

"Great Quality Work and Amazing Staff and service... And price for that matter..."

daniel kiwanuka

daniel kiwanuka

★★★★★

"Amazing staff , amazing leather products with a lifetime warranty."

Before you buy

Originals Rucksack FAQ

The questions we get most often, answered honestly by the workshop.

How does the Repair-for-Life Promise work? +
If a seam goes, a clip breaks, or hardware fails through normal use, send it back. We assess, repair and return, usually within 2-3 weeks. Wear and tear (scratches, leather softening, colour deepening) isn't a defect; that's the leather doing what it's supposed to do.
Will the leather scratch? +
Yes, gently. It's full-aniline leather with no surface coating. Light scuffs are part of the character and will fade or blend in with use. Deep scratches we can fix under Repair-for-Life if needed.
Small or Large, which should I buy? +
Small fits a 13-inch laptop and is a tidy daily commuter. Large fits a 15-inch laptop and takes more for travel days, gym kit, or longer hauls. If in doubt and you'll travel with it, go Large.
What fits inside? +
Small: 13-inch laptop, charger, notebook, water bottle. Large: 15-inch laptop, charger, A4 folder, water bottle, lunch and a layer. Hidden back pocket takes wallet or passport.
Payflex and PayJustNow, how do they work? +
Both let you split the price into interest-free instalments. Payflex is 4 payments over 6 weeks; PayJustNow is 3 monthly payments. Choose either at checkout. No interest if you pay on time.
Shipping and returns? +
Free local shipping over R1,500, 2-5 working days. International R800 flat, 5-10 working days. 10-day returns, free in South Africa. Custom-debossed bags can't be returned.
How heavy is it? +
About 1.1kg for the Small, 1.3kg for the Large. Solid weight for a full-leather backpack.
How do I care for the leather? +
Wipe down with a damp cloth and mild soap when needed. Condition with leather food every few months. Avoid alcohol-based cleaners. Let it dry naturally if it gets wet.

Still curious? Email info@rowdy.co.za →

Ready when you are.

Made for the long run

Ready when you are.

Free local shipping over R1,500. 10-day returns. Repair-for-Life on every bag. Payflex and PayJustNow at checkout.

Apple Pay accepted
Google Pay accepted
Visa accepted
Mastercard accepted
Payflex installments
PayJustNow installments

Handmade in Cape Town since 2012