My favorite tote strap snapped at a bus stop in Chicago

I've had this leather tote for about 2 years, carry it almost daily. Last Tuesday I was waiting for the 151 bus and grabbed the strap to pull it closer, and it just gave out at the metal ring. Not even a full load in there, maybe 8 pounds with my laptop and a water bottle. The leather looked fine from the outside, no cracks. I took it to a repair shop on Clark Street, guy said the stitching inside the fold was the weak point and there's no way I could've seen it. Cost me $65 to get new straps put on. Anyone else had a bag fail on them out of nowhere? How did you handle it, repair or replace?

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the_taylor4d ago

And I just read something last week about how most bag failures happen at the metal rings, not the leather itself. The stress concentrates right there and the stitching inside the fold is basically hidden until it's too late. My friend had a similar thing happen with a backpack strap, it ripped right at the seam while she was just standing on the platform. She ended up getting it fixed too, but she said it never felt quite the same after that. Sometimes the repair is worth it though, especially if the rest of the bag is still solid. $65 sounds about right for new straps, that's actually cheaper than I would've guessed for a leather job in the city.