Filson Bag Thread: With Pictures

[Coldsnap]



If they don't have it in stock they can order, but as noted earlier you probably won't be getting 30% off list.

As long as it's cheaper than $140 right? I wont be bugging them if I call, take advantage of the sale, and have them ship it?

Now hmm what color..

 

[patrick_b]

I can't seem to post pics from my Mac. I have chopped some down to save weight. I carry a lot and need efficient products. If I can figure out how to post pics I will. Crane the boots I bought from you a few months ago.

Canvas is heavy (and durable). Why not just buy something made of a lighter material like nylon if you are so concerned with weight? I wouldn't want to carry a WWII era canvas tent while backpacking so I own a lightweight nylon tent. I wouldn't buy a canvas tent and cut holes in it to save weight...that seems silly (i.e., cutting off the nose to spite the face).

The more I think about it, you must be trolling. Who would even consider removing the tongue from a pair of boots? I have to admit...you had me there for a minute.

 

[Coldsnap]

Got the zipper tote brown $127 out the door, not bad. Excited to use it as my every day work bag

 

[qwerty3]

I can't seem to post pics from my Mac. I have chopped some down to save weight. I carry a lot and need efficient products. If I can figure out how to post pics I will. Crane the boots I bought from you a few months ago.

Go to imageshack.us. Upload and post link here.

 

[itsmejson]

received the medium otter green travel bag today I initially thought that I would not like the otter green since I originally wanted it in brown but the green is really nice. It is a little bigger than I had wanted it but at least it wasn't too small like the small duffle, which I was first going to get until I read through this thread. I'll post pictures of it tomorrow along with my brown 256.

update - just checked the Filson site and it looks as though they will have more brown medium travel bags, which is on backorder....
- since I have a brown 256 would you guys suggest going with a brown travel bag? Do you guys tend to match your bag colors?

 

[FaceOfBoh]

Picked up a small carry-on (240) today. Got it for full retail but thought I would support a local business so didn't have any qualms about the price. It was between the 240 and the 232 (medium Field Bag). I like the option of the zipper on the 420, plus it's a bit more roomy - perfect for my needs.

But a big shout out to Crane's Country Store - I called and got a code and was going to order on line from them. It would have come to a nice discount but shipping to Canada and customs/duty would have eaten it all away. : (

 

[rkny]

Today I took delivery of the new tin cloth briefcase in black.

Some observations.

Tin cloth, at least the tin cloth used in this briefcase, is considerably thinner, lighter, and more pliable than the standard twill material. This has advantages and disadvantages.

On the plus side, vs the normal Original Briefcase, the tin cloth version feels lighter and less bulky, making it a lighter carry, and meaning it hugs your body somewhat when carried cross body. The downside of this is it also feels considerably less structured.

The bag is something like a Barbour Beaufort coat with leather handles, and even oilier. That is to say, constructed from an obviously tough but not very rigid fabric. It does stand up on its own when empty, but as even Filson's product page photo shows, it's quite a slouchy stance.

The worst side effect of this slouchiness IMO is seen on the inside of the bag, and on the outer pockets. Because the "frame" of the bag is not very rigid like the Original twill, the inside pockets feel very floppy. The accessory pockets and pen slots flap around inside the bag, unsupported by the outer walls. Putting things into and taking them out of these pockets is like trying to put shoes into pockets sewn onto a pillowcase, hanging from a clothesline.

In the few hours I've had the bag, I've found myself wishing the accessory pockets were sewn flat against the front or back wall of the bag, like so many other bag makers have discovered works so well. Overall, when interacting with the bag's interior, I've felt I was ruffling through a bunch of fabric sheets.

The outer pockets suffer from similar sagginess. Unlike the twill version's relatively thick and taut flat pockets, the tin cloth pockets tend to flop open, again like a loose pillowcase. I could easily see the front outer pocket becoming a rain catcher in a downpour.

A few nitpicky complaints... The leather pieces found inside the side pockets, which reinforce the strap rings, are brown on my example, and only finished on one side. All the other leather on the bag is black through and through. It's as if they had a hopper of spare cuts of this particular piece of leather in brown, as it's used on the twill bags, and just used them instead of cutting a black pair.

Also, one of the 2 pieces of leather that attaches the clips to the strap was also unfinished on the inside. If they were both raw leather inside, I could understand, but one was finished black inside, the other raw. This speaks of a rushed process. This was also evident in the dozen or so loose, untrimmed threads I found throughout the bag.

Purists may sniff at the nylon webbing shoulder strap. It's very thin as wide shoulder straps go. It feels very flimsy as compared to my leather Jack Spade bag or my Brady Gelderburn. It felt so cheap in my hand that upon receiving the bag and opening the box, I immediately called Filson and ordered a proper leather strap (which they DO make in black now, just for people like me who order the tin cloth bag but want a leather strap)

But after filling the bag with stuff and tossing it on my shoulder, I must say the nylon strap feels rather nice and looks pretty cool. I may end up returning the leather one when it arrives.

All in all, this bag is going to take some getting used to. Compared to my impeccably finished Brady bag, which is arguably equally built to last, and retails for less, the Filson tin cloth briefcase is a bit rough around the edges. It's also a bit fussy to work with. I wish the outer pockets were thicker and snapped/zipped shut. I wish the interior didn't feel like 2 rows of floppy handkerchiefs. I wish the accessory pockets didn't feel like an afterthought and were more structured.

I also don't get the side pockets. They're hardly pockets...more like long tubes. What can you possibly put inside them? An umbrella? Too narrow. A knife? Sure, if you want to put a 4 inch folded knife into a 10 inch sheath of fabric, and spend 5 minutes fishing it out every time you want to use it. Coins? Forget it. About the only thing I can think of putting in them is sawed off broom handles.

Yet, despite its quirks and shortcomings, the bag looks and feels great. Is it $300 great? Hmm...maybe not, in the face of the price of the twill Original, or similarly priced/quality offerings from Brady, Ernest Alexander, or even Property Of. But it is a sweet piece of classic kit, and little edgier than its twill sibling. A great city bag for sure.

For anyone considering this bag, I'd highly recommend trying to see one first before buying. It may be your dream bag, or it may be a letdown. For me it's a mix of both. On the bright side, I saved 30%* on the retail price, putting it below the cost of the base twill version , so I know I won't take too big a hit if I decide to sell it.

*Revolve clothing has a few in stock and if you're a new customer, email them with your order number and they will immediately refund you 30%. Shhh...don't tell Filson.

 

[FENWAY]

^ Wow! Great review. Glad I went with the more rigid twill

 

[Texx]



Also available in otter green. Nice deal!
http://www.parkandbond.com/product/87335648

Does this deal require a coupon code, or is it just over? Showing $315 for me.

 

[Rambo]

Spoiler: Warning: Spoiler!

Today I took delivery of the new tin cloth briefcase in black.

Some observations.

Tin cloth, at least the tin cloth used in this briefcase, is considerably thinner, lighter, and more pliable than the standard twill material. This has advantages and disadvantages.

On the plus side, vs the normal Original Briefcase, the tin cloth version feels lighter and less bulky, making it a lighter carry, and meaning it hugs your body somewhat when carried cross body. The downside of this is it also feels considerably less structured.

The bag is something like a Barbour Beaufort coat with leather handles, and even oilier. That is to say, constructed from an obviously tough but not very rigid fabric. It does stand up on its own when empty, but as even Filson's product page photo shows, it's quite a slouchy stance.

The worst side effect of this slouchiness IMO is seen on the inside of the bag, and on the outer pockets. Because the "frame" of the bag is not very rigid like the Original twill, the inside pockets feel very floppy. The accessory pockets and pen slots flap around inside the bag, unsupported by the outer walls. Putting things into and taking them out of these pockets is like trying to put shoes into pockets sewn onto a pillowcase, hanging from a clothesline.

In the few hours I've had the bag, I've found myself wishing the accessory pockets were sewn flat against the front or back wall of the bag, like so many other bag makers have discovered works so well. Overall, when interacting with the bag's interior, I've felt I was ruffling through a bunch of fabric sheets.

The outer pockets suffer from similar sagginess. Unlike the twill version's relatively thick and taut flat pockets, the tin cloth pockets tend to flop open, again like a loose pillowcase. I could easily see the front outer pocket becoming a rain catcher in a downpour.

A few nitpicky complaints... The leather pieces found inside the side pockets, which reinforce the strap rings, are brown on my example, and only finished on one side. All the other leather on the bag is black through and through. It's as if they had a hopper of spare cuts of this particular piece of leather in brown, as it's used on the twill bags, and just used them instead of cutting a black pair.

Also, one of the 2 pieces of leather that attaches the clips to the strap was also unfinished on the inside. If they were both raw leather inside, I could understand, but one was finished black inside, the other raw. This speaks of a rushed process. This was also evident in the dozen or so loose, untrimmed threads I found throughout the bag.

Purists may sniff at the nylon webbing shoulder strap. It's very thin as wide shoulder straps go. It feels very flimsy as compared to my leather Jack Spade bag or my Brady Gelderburn. It felt so cheap in my hand that upon receiving the bag and opening the box, I immediately called Filson and ordered a proper leather strap (which they DO make in black now, just for people like me who order the tin cloth bag but want a leather strap)

But after filling the bag with stuff and tossing it on my shoulder, I must say the nylon strap feels rather nice and looks pretty cool. I may end up returning the leather one when it arrives.

All in all, this bag is going to take some getting used to. Compared to my impeccably finished Brady bag, which is arguably equally built to last, and retails for less, the Filson tin cloth briefcase is a bit rough around the edges. It's also a bit fussy to work with. I wish the outer pockets were thicker and snapped/zipped shut. I wish the interior didn't feel like 2 rows of floppy handkerchiefs. I wish the accessory pockets didn't feel like an afterthought and were more structured.

I also don't get the side pockets. They're hardly pockets...more like long tubes. What can you possibly put inside them? An umbrella? Too narrow. A knife? Sure, if you want to put a 4 inch folded knife into a 10 inch sheath of fabric, and spend 5 minutes fishing it out every time you want to use it. Coins? Forget it. About the only thing I can think of putting in them is sawed off broom handles.

Yet, despite its quirks and shortcomings, the bag looks and feels great. Is it $300 great? Hmm...maybe not, in the face of the price of the twill Original, or similarly priced/quality offerings from Brady, Ernest Alexander, or even Property Of. But it is a sweet piece of classic kit, and little edgier than its twill sibling. A great city bag for sure.

For anyone considering this bag, I'd highly recommend trying to see one first before buying. It may be your dream bag, or it may be a letdown. For me it's a mix of both. On the bright side, I saved 30%* on the retail price, putting it below the cost of the base twill version , so I know I won't take too big a hit if I decide to sell it.

*Revolve clothing has a few in stock and if you're a new customer, email them with your order number and they will immediately refund you 30%. Shhh...don't tell Filson.

Thanks for the great review. Strengthens my resolve to wait for the 257 in the Tin. How's the oil cloth wearing after use?

 

[rkny]



How's the oil cloth wearing after use?

after 24 hours?

 

[ryewo[i dmfsOZI490w]



Does this deal require a coupon code, or is it just over? Showing $315 for me.

Same question.

 

[Kwaker]

sale is over

 

[Rambo]



after 24 hours?

missed the first word in that review. report back when properly abused. the bag, i mean. i don't want to know about what you're getting up to in the evenings.

 

[milw50717]



Tin cloth, at least the tin cloth used in this briefcase, is considerably thinner, lighter, and more pliable than the standard twill material. This has advantages and disadvantages.

It being thinner and lighter should not be a surprise as oil tin cloth is a 12.5oz fabric and rugged twill is 22oz.

Good to give people a heads up as well as on your experience and thoughts on the tin cloth briefcase