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What is Crazy Horse Leather?

Crazy Horse leather has been known throughout the centuries for its beauty, strength, and durability. The name is derived from the leather’s popularity of use in saddle making - saddlers appreciated the toughness and beauty of this top-quality leather. Crazy Horse leather is made from full-grain cowhide – the highest-quality natural leather in the world. A coating of natural wax is applied to the leather, then buffed and polished to a rich, smooth finish. Wear and tear will increase the bag’s beauty – bumps and scratches change the color tones in the leather, creating the rich, multi-hued sheen that only the finest natural leather is known for. Our Hess Backpack shows the rich color of the cowhide while changing hues with each fold and scratch. Crazy Horse leather is water-resistant – simply wipe away any spills. Oils from your skin add a beautiful gloss to the leather – these tenacious bags will hold up to whatever the world throws at them.

Buying a Crazy Horse leather backpack is one of the best decisions you can make. You want a bag with the grit to handle even the toughest hike, and the looks to be admired everywhere. Crazy Horse leather leaves every other type of leather in the dust – it is the only 100% full-grain natural cowhide that has been specifically treated to be the toughest, strongest, most resilient leather available.

To create one of our Crazy Horse leather backpacks we start with the highest quality 100% natural cowhide. We treat this choice leather with a special natural wax, then buff and polish it to perfection. This produces an exceptionally durable leather with a unique ability – Crazy Horse leather is leather with color-changing features. 100% authentic cowhide should show irregularities – the Crazy Horse leather treatment process takes the beauty of these irregularities a step further than what you see on lesser leathers – bumping, scratching, and handling the leather creates a stunning variety of rich hues that add to the bag’s rustic look. Our Harper Backpack shows this variance in color beautifully. Your Crazy Horse leather backpack is tough enough to last year after year, hike after hike. Elegant enough for the city and rugged enough for the wilderness – take your Yukon bag anywhere you go! Wear and tear will expand the range of hues and increase your bag’s unique vintage beauty.

What Makes Crazy Horse Leather So Special?

Crazy Horse leather is unrivaled in its quality. Crafted from 100% natural cowhide, it showcases a stunning array of hues created by bumps and scratches, enhancing the bag's beauty. The genuine leather's distinctive irregularities contribute to a one-of-a-kind vintage appearance for each bag. While Crazy Horse leather may scratch easily, these scratches only add to the leather's character and, over time, result in a truly unique product. To maintain the pristine look and feel of your leather, we highly recommend using our "Afon Leather Conditioning Kit."

If you are looking for a one-of-a-kind bag that is as durable as it is attractive – look no further. Every Yukon Crazy Horse leather bag is made by skilled craftsmen using only the finest materials. The natural irregularities in the 100% authentic cowhide guarantee that each bag is as unique and individual as the person that owns it.

What is Crazy Horse Leather Made of?

Crazy Horse leather is produced by skilled craftsmen using only the finest quality 100% natural leather. This rich full-grain cowhide is treated with natural wax, then buffed to perfection – creating a water-resistant leather that is durable, beautiful, and buttery-soft to the touch.

Your Yukon Crazy Horse leather bag will last for decades with a minimum of proper care. This rugged leather has a luxuriously soft feel and a rich, multi-hued tone that is exclusive to top-quality leather. Our Harper Large Backpack is a perfect example – a rich, deep color that develops stunning variations in color-tones over time. Wear and tear will increase the bag’s beauty – bumps and scratches create a striking multi-toned vintage look. Thanks to the high-quality of the leather, the average lifespan of a Crazy Horse bag is 30 years or more with proper care - these bags are built to last!

Why We Are 100% Confident in the Durability of Our Crazy Horse Leather Bags.

The durability of Crazy Horse leather stems from the combination of processing techniques and the fact that we start with only the highest quality of leather. Authentic leather comes in four basic grains – here is a quick guide to understanding the differences between the various types of leather:

• Full-Grain Leather: This is the highest quality of leather in the world. Full-grain leather is valued for its luxurious look and feel, and its ability to handle the toughest adventures. Crazy Horse leather is created using the highest quality full-grain leather that has been treated to a coating of natural wax to form water and weather-resistant leather that is as tough as it is beautiful. The leather is buffed and polished to a satiny-soft sheen. This special process gives each bag a striking rustic look with the unique ability to convert ordinary bumps and scratches into beautiful varying hues that increase the bag’s beauty over time.
• Top-Grain Leather: This is the most common leather and 2^nd in quality. We only use the highest full-grain leather to create our Yukon bags. We never settle for 2^nd-best!
• Genuine Leather: Genuine leather is a lower quality of leather. This leather is created using the leather that is leftover after the higher quality products are produced. It is a cheaper leather and not as durable or attractive as the top-quality leathers.
• Corrected-Grain Leather: This is the lowest quality of leather. It is inexpensive to produce and does not meet the standards of the higher-quality leathers. Leatherworkers take the lowest-quality leftover leather, sand off any imperfections, add pigment, and emboss an artificial grain over the top. Products created from corrected-grain leather are great if your only concern is saving money, but they do not look, feel, or last like the top-grain leathers.

Here at Yukon we only use the finest quality of leather to create our Crazy Horse bags. Every Yukon backpack is designed to last – the unique process that our full-grain leather is treated to guarantees that your backpack will remain reliable, functional, and beautiful for decades. Wear and tear will increase the bag’s multi-hued luster and noteworthy vintage appeal. Our Napa Backpack is a perfect example – it gets better and better with age. Bump it, bang it, and scratch it to enhance its rustic appearance. Irregularities and imperfections change hues to complement the leather’s striking look.

What are the Advantages of Crazy Horse Leather?

Crazy Horse leather has a timeless vintage appeal that cannot be imitated. Bumps, bangs, and scratches bring out the variety of rich hues that are inherent in authentic full-grain leather. The elegant Yukon Signature Backpack is a great example – the simplicity of its design highlights the natural beauty of the Crazy Horse leather.

We use only top-quality pure, natural wax when creating our Crazy Horse leather. Our skilled craftsmen buff and polish each product by hand using only the finest of materials to create bags that will be as beautiful as they are functional. The wax coating produces a leather that is water and weather-resistant and rugged enough to retain shape and beauty year after year, hike after hike. With minimal care your Yukon bag will last for decades. Happy customers have let us know that their Crazy Horse bag is still reliable and attractive after 30 years of use!

The wax increases the bag’s durability while also creating Crazy Horse leather’s unique ability to change hues when bumped or scratched. Enjoy the most rugged adventures without any worries – scrapes, scratches, bumps, and marks will subtly change hues, adding to your bag’s vintage charm. Remember – Crazy Horse leather has been used for centuries to make the finest-quality saddles, as it is the only leather that can maintain its luxurious appearance while enduring the rubbing and abuse that saddles normally must withstand. This is the only leather you can trust to reliably serve you for decades to come. Traditional leather bags may break, crack, or harden after one or two years. You can rest assured that with minimal care, your Yukon Crazy Horse leather bag will retain its strength and style for years to come.

Our Crazy Horse Leather Collection.

Caring for Your Crazy Horse Leather Bag - Crazy Horse Leather Care Guide

We are proud of the quality and craftsmanship of our bags. Every Yukon bag is designed to be tough enough to survive even the most rugged terrains while retaining their timeless beauty. Each bag must undergo a special process to earn the status of the Crazy Horse label. Bumps, bangs, and scratches intensify the bag’s vintage look and beauty. The quality craftsmanship allows the bag to carry a heavy load while still retaining shape. With proper care, your Yukon bag will hold up to decades of service.

IF YOUR YUKON CRAZY HORSE LEATHER BAG GETS WET:

• Simply wipe dry with a soft leather cloth.
• Do not store your bag while wet.
• Wipe off any moisture before storing to prevent mold or mildew.
• After drying bag: Hang to dry or turn bag inside-out.
• Do not use a hairdryer or any type of heat to dry your bag. Applying heat can cause the leather to crack or harden.

FOR SPILLS:

• Wipe spills off with a slightly dampened cloth.
• Do NOT use detergents or cleansers on your Crazy Horse leather bag – this will discolor the leather and can destroy the beauty of the bag.
• If necessary: Use a soft toothbrush to gently scrub away any stains.

Yukon Crazy Horse leather bags are designed to take a beating and still retain their luxurious antique leather look. Scratches and bumps help to increase the beauty of the bag and add to its unique vintage look.

TO ELIMINATE UNWANTED SCRATCHES:

• Using a soft dry cloth – rub scratch in a circular motion to redistribute wax coating.
• For a deep scratch - leather wax can be applied to bring the leather back to its previous condition.
• Leather cream or wax should be applied periodically to preserve softness and luster.

SPECIAL CARE FOR YOUR YUKON CRAZY HORSE LEATHER BAG:

Your Yukon Crazy Horse leather bag can last a lifetime when properly cared for. Each bag has been designed to age beautifully – as it is 100% natural cowhide, the leather will change hue with every scratch and bump, adding to the striking vintage look our bags are famous for. This ability to change hue and retain the stunning antique luster is exclusive to Crazy Horse leather bags. Wear and tear will increase the bag’s beauty - however, we recommend periodically treating your bag with leather cream or wax to preserve its softness and sheen.

To ensure your bag’s ability to retain its shape, luster, and beauty for a lifetime of use we recommend:

TO AVOID STRETCHING THE LEATHER:

• Limit the number of items stored in the bag over long periods.
• Limit storing heavy items for long periods.
• Avoid over-stuffing pockets.

TO KEEP YOUR CRAZY HORSE LEATHER SOFT AND SUPPLE:

• TEST a small patch before coating entire bag. Some products can change the color of the leather.
• Apply a THIN, even layer of leather balm or leather wax to your bag with a soft, clean sponge.
• Wipe off any excess balm (or wax) with a soft, dry, leather cloth.

We strongly recommend periodically treating your Yukon Bag to a coating of leather balm or wax to prevent the leather from becoming dry or cracked.

Caution: Overuse of products designed to keep leather soft can result in too much softening and may result in the bag losing its shape.

STORING YOUR CRAZY HOUSE LEATHER BAG:

• Protect your Yukon bag by storing it in a clean, dry space.
• Wipe away any moisture before storing your bag.
• Be sure the bag is completely DRY before storing it.
• For optimal results in maintaining the bag’s shape – empty bag before storing.
• For long periods of storage, we recommend keeping the bag in a soft cotton pillowcase. This will prevent discoloration from dust or infestation by insects (always check for them after a hike!).
• If you plan for your bag to stay in storage for an extended length of time, inspect it every 3-4 weeks. If you store the bag without emptying it first, check every 1-2 weeks to avoid stretching or mold.

We designed Yukon bags with durability, functionality, and beauty in mind. Our craftsmanship and materials are of the highest quality. Please follow our recommended care guide to keep your Crazy Horse leather bag in optimal condition, year after year. With proper care, your Yukon bag will last for decades of use.