Smythson Panama Weekend Bag review: worth it or skip?

What the Smythson Panama Weekend Bag does well

The headline: cross-grain holdall. The details: Material: Cross-grain leather; Size: 48 x 28 x 24 cm; Hardware: Gold-tone; Made in: Italy. In our list it is the pick for: British. It usually sells for $1,600–$2,000 in the US.

British.

The trade-offs

Good: tough. Not so good: heavy. Read the skip-if line before you spend: skip it if you want light.

What to buy instead

Instead, consider the Mulberry Heritage Clipper ($1,600–$1,900): scotchgrain and leather weekender. Better if you want a durable British weekender.

Instead, consider the Ghurka Cavalier II ($1,700–$2,100): twill and leather duffle. Better if you want heirloom.

Instead, consider the Rimowa Never Still Duffle ($1,100–$1,400): canvas duffle. Better if you want light travel.

Before you buy

Cabin size: most airlines allow about 55 × 40 × 20 cm; a 50 cm duffle usually fits, a 55 cm one may not when full. Weight: leather holdalls can weigh 2 kg before you pack; canvas and nylon weigh about half. Shoulder strap: a padded detachable strap matters once the bag is full.

Buyer tip

A canvas or nylon weekender with leather trim is the best mix of weight, durability and value; full-leather holdalls are beautiful but heavy.

Buying in Europe: European prices include VAT (around 20%), while US prices exclude sales tax, so a bag can look cheaper in Paris or Milan than it really is. Visitors from outside the EU and UK can often claim a VAT refund on purchases made in the EU, which is why many Americans buy Chanel, Louis Vuitton and Hermès while travelling.

Luxury prices move in a different rhythm from everyday shopping. The great houses (Chanel, Hermès, Louis Vuitton, Dior, Rolex) raise prices once or twice a year, often in January and in spring, and almost never discount their icons. Seasonal pieces, colors and many shoes, coats and knitwear drop 30–50% in the end-of-season sales in January and from late June. Watches from brands such as Omega, TAG Heuer, Longines and Breitling, and most fragrance, see the best prices around Prime Day and Black Friday. Judge any deal against the usual price we show.

Buy from the fashion house, an authorized retailer or a reseller that authenticates and guarantees every piece, and keep the receipt, the dust bag, the box and any warranty card: they matter for repairs and for resale. Swiss watches carry a 2- to 5-year international warranty when bought from an authorized dealer, and buyers in the EU and UK also have a legal guarantee of at least two years on new goods.