Filson Bag Thread: With Pictures

[wdahab]

Oh most of the pieces were what I'd call just dry. But a couple were something different. They were dry enough that I actually saw the leather was splitting a bit in a few places as it flexed. I think this may have been the last bag on the shelf for a reason. The lady at Cranes mentioned that I wasn't the first to get a bag that was in such a state, and made it sound like they often check them first (and didn't this time).

 

[Winston S.]



Oh most of the pieces were what I'd call just dry. But a couple were something different. They were dry enough that I actually saw the leather was splitting a bit in a few places as it flexed. I think this may have been the last bag on the shelf for a reason. The lady at Cranes mentioned that I wasn't the first to get a bag that was in such a state, and made it sound like they often check them first (and didn't this time).

On the two Filson bags that I have that seems normal to me at least the way you are describing it to me. Maybe I'm just not taking care of the leather though.

This is the underside of my 256 handle straps:

 

[wdahab]

Thanks for the pic, though I think this is more of a textural thing. One of those "you need to feel it" to really get a sense of what was going on. The kind of cracking in your picture is fine, plenty of my belts are soft-ish and look like that. I think the normal dry pieces on this bag would do that. The bone dry pieces, though, were splitting along the edge, in places. Like, small cracks that could have just run down the grain (or just looked like it might). I should have taken the picture. And while the dry pieces were just dry, the bone dry pieces scratched my finger, and flaked off as I ran my finger on them.

I guess my hope is that this was just a one-off kind of thing, like any manufacturer has. You should see, for example, how some people on the Wolverine 1K and Allen Edmonds threads react to even the slightest scuff on their shoes. I'm not someone who looks for visual perfection, but component quality is important to me. Scratches/blemishes don't matter so much to me, but if my bag really was indicative of Filson bags (and right now I'm assuming that it wasn't) then I'd be very disappointed in them, and wouldn't consider it worth the price.

That said, from the two replies so far, it's not so easy for me to know. Either my bag really is much worse than yours, or everyone is putting up with shoddy leather. LIke I said, I'll assume it's the former until proven wrong.

Edit: Oh, one other thing I meant to mention. I looked at the inside tag to check for a manufacture date (which my Filson trucker has) before I dropped it at the post office. I saw near the model number, the number 0512, which I believe means May 2012, so about 9 months since it was made.

 

[mikeman]

So I currently have a filson small carry on, and it's a great bag. But its really not cutting it anymore for my overnight- multi day trips. I'm trying to decide between the Medium Travler and the medium duffle. I was once told that the traveler is nicer because it's a bit more structured. Which of the two bags would choose if you were in my situation and why? Thanks.

 

[Winston S.]



Edit: Oh, one other thing I meant to mention. I looked at the inside tag to check for a manufacture date (which my Filson trucker has) before I dropped it at the post office. I saw near the model number, the number 0512, which I believe means May 2012, so about 9 months since it was made.

Interesting. I'll have to check my bags and jacket when I get home. My 256 has a 1011 on it and it could be the manufacture date, but I ordered in late January 2012 and was told the bag was on back order for 4 weeks. Of course the retailer could have misled me on that, but in theory that could very well be the manufacture month and year.

 

[converge]



yeah, their leather comes like that. get some obenaufs and give it a good rub down. should be fine. if its STILL dry after that, then you've got yourself a problem.

I can't recommend Obenauf's for the Filson bridle leather. Unless I did something, I used it on the leather of my medium travel bag and parts of the stitching turned white because not all of the treatment was absorbed by the leather. It's been two months with no change.

 

[wdahab]



Interesting. I'll have to check my bags and jacket when I get home. My 256 has a 1011 on it and it could be the manufacture date, but I ordered in late January 2012 and was told the bag was on back order for 4 weeks. Of course the retailer could have misled me on that, but in theory that could very well be the manufacture month and year.

Well, I think it's an approximation, but a manufacture gap of 3 months (and who knows at what step they put that date on it), sounds about right. This bag, I just got, would be a 9 month gap. Now, 3 months vs 9 months, for healthy, oily leather isn't so bad. Shoes sit like that all the time. But an extra 6 months for leather that's already too dry... well, that could explain the difference right there.

I can't recommend Obenauf's for the Filson bridle leather. Unless I did something, I used it on the leather of my medium travel bag and parts of the stitching turned white because not all of the treatment was absorbed by the leather. It's been two months with no change.

If the stitching got white from LP, that means the wax didn't fully melt. You need to blast it with a hair dryer until it really melts, and the leather starts slurping it up (when the pores of the leather open up, there's no mistaking it, the wax just starts disappearing).

 

[rkny]

Looks like the holy trinity of briefcase colors has been officially broken (non-twill versions not withstanding).

There is now a "navy" 256 and padded computer available for pre order at filson.com.


http://www.filson.com/images/products/enlarge/70256-main-410.jpg

 

[pronxs]

looks really classy. if i were in the market now, will be torn between otter green and navy.

 

[spacemanvt]

oh man, that looks amazing. I might have to sell off my 256 tan and get that instead.
Gotta see it IRL first though.

 

[OlafG]

Would you go for the large Duffle in Otter Green if you were going to used it as a checked bag?

I'm about to buy a few Filson bags from Filsonguy on here and I've opted for the Otter Green, but I'm not quite sure. I've ordered the medium travel bag, the 257 briefcase in tan but I think I'm going to go with otter green on the large duffle.

 

[ryewo[i dmfsOZI490w]



I can't recommend Obenauf's for the Filson bridle leather. Unless I did something, I used it on the leather of my medium travel bag and parts of the stitching turned white because not all of the treatment was absorbed by the leather. It's been two months with no change.

Warm it up again with a blow drier and you can wipe off any excess with a cloth.

 

[larsen09]

Changed my order today from Otter Green to navy. Back ordered til 3/20 but I am going to wait. Will post pics when it arrives.

 

[aussiejake]

Looks like the holy trinity of briefcase colors has been officially broken (non-twill versions not withstanding).

There is now a "navy" 256 and padded computer available for pre order at filson.com.


http://www.filson.com/images/products/enlarge/70256-main-410.jpg

Now for the wait for a 257 in navy, would be amazing.

 

[wdahab]

So, I ended up picking up a 257 in otter green from somewhere else at the same price, since Crane's lead time was going to be several weeks from the time they actually placed the replacement order, which would be soon, but maybe not too soon, since they need to do a full Filson stock replacement. I'd like to say that their customer support is top-notch, and that they were exceptional about accepting that I wasn't satisfied with the quality leather. Without prompting, they offered a refund, or replacement, and that return shipping for an deficient product would be complimentary.

Anyway, the new 257 does show that I wasn't just crazy, this one just has normal healthy, leather. Dry, like people said, but normal dry. Feels like regular bridle leather, everywhere. That other bag didn't. If I hadn't been 100% certain that Filson was using made in usa leather, I would have thought that first bag's leather was cheap, made overseas stuff.

Just thought I'd put it out there that it seems like it really was a one-off thing, especially since I made a post teasing people who complain about slight defects over on the Wolverine 1000 thread. It's amazing how when it comes to high quality work boots, people kvetch like crazy about even the slightest inconsistency, blemish, or "omg, it's creasing where my foot bends!" but with Filson, everyone seems a lot more easy going about how these are work bags, need care, and will get worn in and look gorgeous. And these are at the same price point, more or less.

Oh, and the 257 is perfect for me. Compressible enough to use as an everyday bag, but wide enough to be my carry on on planes. Definitely glad I chose the versatile size, and the green is perfect so I don't look like Captain Khaki, with my Filson tin cloth trucker, and khaki pants. Definitely glad I swapped, and glad I chose this bag.