Your new go-to work bag

Back when your dad and granddad were working it made sense for them to carry a nice leather briefcase to the office and on the road. It could easily hold the reams of paperwork and documents (and cigarettes and booze) they needed to get things done in the pre-Internet age. But these days, lugging around a clunky case doesn't make sense. You need something like the Axton.

Falling somewhere between a folio, tote, and classic brief, the $375 Axton — currently the only product sold by the new NYC-based brand Contango — is the perfect minimalist commuter piece for a MacBook or tablet and a couple other essentials, and looks as at home in a board room as it does on your bike. Each one's handcrafted from top-notch, five-ounce "Pull-Up" leather in tan or black, handled with English Bridle leather, and lined with a plush cotton flannel plaid to keep gadgets safe.