Filson Bag Thread: With Pictures

[OtterMeanGreen]

Medium Travel Bag. You will find 2 references for this one: 246 and 70246. This is the best one for 4 to 7 days trip.

Well said. That’s exactly how I would describe it...in my tireless and pedantic tone no less

 

[OtterMeanGreen]

Hi there !

I'm quite new to the forum, i'm french and huge fan of Filson bags.

i know this has already been posted, BUT i'm really curious and interested about "Eras" of Filson. If i understand good,
The first era was with Talon Zipper, leather more robust and zip more smooth. ( With "Talon" writed on zip) = 90's
The second era was YKK Zipper = 2000's (writed YKK on zip)
The Third era is Filson Zipper = (Writed Filson ) = actual time .

Question 1 Is that correct ? Is it possible to see if a filson bag is "vintage" with zipper ? Is there any others possibilities to see the vintage beautiful thing ?

Question 2 : Do you know if the vintage Filson bags were created with non imported material ( canvas) as they do now ?

If this questions have already been posted please send me the links, i would like to know everything about it
i'm so interested and curious about Filson bag

Sorry for my poor english

No apologies needed, your English is moon miles away from my French. Glad to have you aboard!

The Era’s really have nothing to do with zipper qualities, as the new stuff Filson makes in-house is authentic YKK, just Filson branded. The zipper names are to describe other qualities of the assigned era. Talon Era (mostly first edition) had a better quality of leather from Wickett-Craig, suede underside and a different shade of Otter Green, as compared to late Talon Era. You can clearly see a difference in both Twill and Leather in the picture below; both are Otter Green and Talon Era.

I wouldn’t say the zippers operate more smoothly than that of the YKK or “Filson-YKK” era’s, but many early 1990 Era Talons are still operating completely, almost 30 years later, so that certainly says something about their durability.

The Twill is from I believe Scotland and the Zippers are made in Asia since 1996 and prior to that (1981 - 1995) it was made in Mexico i think. Talon hasn’t shared in the same success as YKK. The leather is still USA soured (Wickett-Craig)

 

[reglacoste]

Wow Thank you so much for these great explanations !
1 If this is the still the same leather ( USA soured Wickett Craig), why doesn't he "light" as old leather from ealry's Filson Bags ? When i see pictures of Talon Era bags, there is obviously a more "shiny" leather which is way more beautiful
2 You mentioned a picture in your comment but i didn't see anything

Régis

 

[OtterMeanGreen]

Wow Thank you so much for these great explanations !
1 If this is the still the same leather ( USA soured Wickett Craig), why doesn't he "light" as old leather from ealry's Filson Bags ? When i see pictures of Talon Era bags, there is obviously a more "shiny" leather which is way more beautiful
2 You mentioned a picture in your comment but i didn't see anything

Régis

It’s been said that Wickett-Craig are using a lesser quality source of leather for the newer era (Bedrock) leather, I mean when you compare Talon Era and even early YKK Era’s the differences are uncanny. I’ve owned a early YKK era #261 Tote in Otter Green (2003 build date), a 2010 #266 Sportsman Filson-YKK in Otter Green and both a 2014 #70258 & 24 Hour. And finally two 2017 #70257’s in Tan. So I’ve owned all the era’s.

Oh right the picture. Sorry about that. Three era’s of Talon (264 Compartment Case is Tan)

 

[TinMan3]

No apologies needed, your English is moon miles away from my French. Glad to have you aboard!

The Era’s really have nothing to do with zipper qualities, as the new stuff Filson makes in-house is authentic YKK, just Filson branded. The zipper names are to describe other qualities of the assigned era. Talon Era (mostly first edition) had a better quality of leather from Wickett-Craig, suede underside and a different shade of Otter Green, as compared to late Talon Era. You can clearly see a difference in both Twill and Leather in the picture below; both are Otter Green and Talon Era.

I wouldn’t say the zippers operate more smoothly than that of the YKK or “Filson-YKK” era’s, but many early 1990 Era Talons are still operating completely, almost 30 years later, so that certainly says something about their durability.

The Twill is from I believe Scotland and the Zippers are made in Asia since 1996 and prior to that (1981 - 1995) it was made in Mexico i think. Talon hasn’t shared in the same success as YKK. The leather is still USA soured (Wickett-Craig)

When you say that the zippers are made in Asia, what do you mean? I know that filson literally cuts the zipper teeth in their factory in Seattle, but if you mean the raw material that may be correct, but the actual manufacture of the zipper is in the good ol USA.

https://www.adventure-journal.com/2016/10/made-in-america-c-c-filson/

“Because Filson manufactures more than 70 percent of its product domestically, the zipper company YKK gave Filson its own zipper machine. YKK doesn’t do this very often. Its own brand is as prized as Filson’s. But Filson’s domestic response time to orders is as short as a single week and YKK couldn’t keep up. Instead they told Filson to crank out its own zippers. Which Filson did, and because they’re made of brass Whittaker herself said they should sweep up the floor beneath the machine each night and bring the tiny, chocolate-sprinkle-sized leavings from the zipper maker to a recycler. After a single busy day Filson will collect as much as a thousand dollars in recycled brass.”

So damn cool.

 

[reglacoste]

I think he means Japan, because YKK are made in Japan.
I would suggest that Japan made can be sometimes better to "Asia" mades.
Look all beautiful denims japans created with old Usa machines : blue jeans, denim jackets, etc etc

 

[Stratkat]

When you say that the zippers are made in Asia, what do you mean? I know that filson literally cuts the zipper teeth in their factory in Seattle, but if you mean the raw material that may be correct, but the actual manufacture of the zipper is in the good ol USA.

Filson does not ‘cut the zipper teeth’, YKK manufactures the zippers. Filson determines the zipper length, adds the zipper stop, and sews them into their product.

 

[OtterMeanGreen]

When you say that the zippers are made in Asia, what do you mean? I know that filson literally cuts the zipper teeth in their factory in Seattle, but if you mean the raw material that may be correct, but the actual manufacture of the zipper is in the good ol USA.

https://www.adventure-journal.com/2016/10/made-in-america-c-c-filson/

“Because Filson manufactures more than 70 percent of its product domestically, the zipper company YKK gave Filson its own zipper machine. YKK doesn’t do this very often. Its own brand is as prized as Filson’s. But Filson’s domestic response time to orders is as short as a single week and YKK couldn’t keep up. Instead they told Filson to crank out its own zippers. Which Filson did, and because they’re made of brass Whittaker herself said they should sweep up the floor beneath the machine each night and bring the tiny, chocolate-sprinkle-sized leavings from the zipper maker to a recycler. After a single busy day Filson will collect as much as a thousand dollars in recycled brass.”

So damn cool.

@reglacoste is reffering to Talon Era in his post so my reply is tailored around Talon Era material:

Source:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Talon_Zipper

 

[Stratkat]

https://ykknorthamerica.com/the-ykk-difference/vertical-integration/

 

[reglacoste]

Guys you're awesome !
I can know better about Filson + improve my english
I'm a little addicted to these bags, but each of these ones is useful for my life, except the XL Duffle bag maybe

 

[OtterMeanGreen]

View attachment 1182923 Guys you're awesome !
I can know better about Filson + improve my english
I'm a little addicted to these bags, but each of these ones is useful for my life, except the XL Duffle bag maybe

Well you have no problem getting your hands on more then a few Filsons. Do you reside in France? Is Filson easy to attain or does shipping make it difficult (i.e. expensive)?

Beautiful #70258. That was my very first Filson and what got me into the brand. I first took notice of Filson inside my monthly issue of Outside Magazine. Below was the very same photo. Tan; which is odd given my username.

 

[reglacoste]

Well you have no problem getting your hands on more then a few Filsons. Do you reside in France? Is Filson easy to attain or does shipping make it difficult (i.e. expensive)?

I live in France yes. Filson is famous for only a few knowers of good quality and vintage.
It's a brand easy to attain but price is expensive
For example i paid something about 580 $ for my tin cloth Excursion Bag. You as american citizen pay something about 425 $ for the same in Usa
If we want as a french to purchase on Ebay, taxes are knocking you, something about 100 euros i would say.

It seems that prices have increased all over Europe since 2012/2013, not pretty sure about the dates. But i'm pretty one hundred percent sure that prices were down before.

 

[Coolwater]

Well you have no problem getting your hands on more then a few Filsons. Do you reside in France? Is Filson easy to attain or does shipping make it difficult (i.e. expensive)?

I live in France yes. Filson is famous for only a few knowers of good quality and vintage.
It's a brand easy to attain but price is expensive
For example i paid something about 580 $ for my tin cloth Excursion Bag. You as american citizen pay something about 425 $ for the same in Usa
If we want as a french to purchase on Ebay, taxes are knocking you, something about 100 euros i would say.

It seems that prices have increased all over Europe since 2012/2013, not pretty sure about the dates. But i'm pretty one hundred percent sure that prices were down before.

I can only confirm that, you have a list price of a briefcase 70256 at $325 (around 290€) while in Paris the shops sell it for 375€.
The best way to have one accessible if you live in Europe is to find a friendly eBayer that would ship it marked "as gift" even with a US price point.

 

[brokeassp]

Well you have no problem getting your hands on more then a few Filsons. Do you reside in France? Is Filson easy to attain or does shipping make it difficult (i.e. expensive)?

Beautiful #70258. That was my very first Filson and what got me into the brand. I first took notice of Filson inside my monthly issue of Outside Magazine. Below was the very same photo. Tan; which is odd given my username.

View attachment 1182924

I am six years in on my brown laptop bag and the leather strap is nowhere near this worn out. Same with my small duffle

 

[TinMan3]

I am six years in on my brown laptop bag and the leather strap is nowhere near this worn out. Same with my small duffle

“*worn in” you mean?