Filson Bag Thread: With Pictures

[Austin Tremblay]

Just got a 37" strap ordered direct from Filson. The stock strap for the 256/257/258 is 46" and I find that too long (I'm 5'6").

I wanted to order the 40" strap as I figured that would be short enough but it's not in stock.

I've been wanting to order a custom length strap from them. Was it an easy process? I'm 5'7" and would love a shorter shoulder strap.

 

[cathpah]

I've been wanting to order a custom length strap from them. Was it an easy process? I'm 5'7" and would love a shorter shoulder strap.

Very easy.

 

[milw50717]



Very easy.

Not wishing to appear rude or repetitive here, but all that is required is to cut down the long strap and to punch some additional holes. My local cobbler charges US$8 for this to new customers and somewhat less for those of us that frequent him more often.

 

[OlafG]

I was travelling with a low cost airline the other day. You are only allowed to have one piece of hand luggage, even though they are small.
The check-in girl suggested me a way to make it happen.

This is why I love my Filsons.



I just used the shoulder straps and handles to connect the bag that when I carried it by the handle it looked like one piece.

 

[ies0716]

I recently received the Apolis Philanthropist edition of the Filson Classic Briefcase, and since this appears to be a much less common model I wanted to share a brief review and some photos. Overall I like the bag but I am considering selling it because it doesn't quite meet my needs, and for a $400 bag I expect close to perfection.

First a photo:

Things I Like:

• The bag is very light compared to the regular Filson bags, which I find a little too heavy for day-to-day use when fully loaded.
• It is surprisingly roomy; I had previously tried a 257 Computer Bag and found it was actually a bit harder to fill with my day-to-day carry due to the stiff/heavy fabric and the extra room taken up by the 257's multiple interior dividers/pockets.
• The bag seems very well-made; there are no loose threads and the 17.5 oz Ugandan fabric seems pretty substantial despite being lighter/thinner/softer than Filson's standard 22 oz twill.
• For those who can't tell based on online photos, the color of the bag is a true, dark midnight black. It doesn't appear weathered or faded at all out of the box (contrary to some online photos of the bag), but it will be interesting to see how it ages over time.
• All ways of carrying the bag are fairly comfortable if the bag isn't overloaded (which I'll get to a little later). I greatly prefer the plain handles vs the snap closure on the 257 and the leather shoulder strap is more comfortable (to me) than fabric shoulder straps I've had on previous bags.
• While this isn't about the bag itself, Apolis has fast shipping and sends a complimentary bag of very good whole bean coffee with the order.

Things I Don't Like:

• The side pockets don't have any closures; while this isn't an issue with the stiffer 22 oz twill it is a bit annoying with the lighter fabric used on the Apolis bag. I prefer some kind of closure (whether zipper, velcro, or snap) on bag pockets to keep the contents secure; I realize this is a taste thing as some people really like the open exterior pockets.
• The small pockets on the ends are completely useless. On the 257 you can easily fit a laptop power brick or a sunglasses case in the end pockets; on this (and any 256, really) the pockets are so small that I can't imagine what you could fit in them besides a few pens.
• The carrying capacity, while substantial, is limited by the uselessness of the exterior pockets. Anything you want to keep secure needs to go in the main compartment, which requires some mad Jenga skills to keep everything organized.
• Last but not least (in fact, this is nearly a deal braker for me), the bag isn't very comfortable to carry for long periods when fully loaded. It shares this weakness with nearly all briefcases/messenger bags that I've used. If you need to carry a briefcase for work (e.g. you wear a suit every day), this bag would probably be one of the least bad options out there due to how light it is, but if you need to carry something similar to what I carry every day (listed below), I'd probably recommend a backpack if you can get away with it.

Capacity:

Here's a couple of photos of the bag holding what I carry in the bag day-to-day, which is:

• 12" Dell Laptop (Latitude e6230) w/ power brick
• Lunch in eBags Slim Lunch Box
• Regular Moleskine notebook
• Kindle w/case
• Several small items such as pens, a couple of cables, headphones, keys, and work ID badge

If I didn't carry a lunch most days the capacity would be perfect, but with the lunch box (and this is the slimmest lunch box I could find) it bulges out a bit and gets heavy when carried for more than 10-15 min. I take mass transit to work so I really need all of my stuff in one bag and I walk a fairly long distance from the bus/train to my office. If you work in a suburban setting with a shorter walk and/or carry a lunch in a separate bag this would be less of a problem. I will note, though, that the Dell e6230 is a very light laptop (about 3 lbs); if you tried to carry a heavier 4-5 lb laptop this bag would probably get pretty heavy even without the lunch.

Overall Summery/Verdict:

While I like the look of this bag and it appears to be very well-made, I think I may end up selling it on here pretty soon because it just doesn't meet 100% of my needs.

 

[Austin Tremblay]

Not wishing to appear rude or repetitive here, but all that is required is to cut down the long strap and to punch some additional holes. My local cobbler charges US$8 for this to new customers and somewhat less for those of us that frequent him more often.

No worries. I do have a great cobbler, and I considered going to him with the original. I likely will, because I have a softer, fattier shoulder pad that I'd like to put on the strap while one of the ends is loose. My first thought was to get Filson to cut one for me, but I quickly remembered, thanks to posts like yours, that my cobbler could do a fine job of it.

 

[jackgb1980]

good to know, thanks

 

[tomatic]

Found: Medium Field Bag Tan/Navy 50% off

Anyone have any experience with the color block versions? This one seems to look still better than the otter/navy bags but I'm not sure if I'd call it timeless.

http://bagstreets.com/post/91172104385/deal-alert-medium-field-bag-navy-tan-color-block

 

[milw50717]

First off, fantastic write up.

Last but not least (in fact, this is nearly a deal braker for me), the bag isn't very comfortable to carry for long periods when fully loaded. It shares this weakness with nearly all briefcases/messenger bags that I've used. If you need to carry a briefcase for work (e.g. you wear a suit every day), this bag would probably be one of the least bad options out there due to how light it is, but if you need to carry something similar to what I carry every day (listed below), I'd probably recommend a backpack if you can get away with it.

When using the shoulder strap do you wear it across the body or just hanging from one shoulder ?

When I am in Road Warrior mode with a full 258 then wearing across the body is easier and less painful for me. Maybe not a neat looking as off one shoulder, but certainly more comfortable.

As the Filson thin strap and pad that is prone to slip can be annoying at times, some folks also replace the strap with something wider to spread the weight.

 

[ies0716]

I usually wear it cross-body if I'm walking for any significant distance. It isn't immediately uncomfortable but I find that after a couple of days I start to get upper back pain. I saw one photo on this thread of an extra-wide leather strap that looked pretty comfortable; any ideas on where to find something like that?

 

[Austin Tremblay]

A cobbler can make one for you. If you want it to be from Wicket and Craig (the tannery Filson uses), you can order a single side from them. But then you'd have a lot of leather left over. I'm sure the cobbler can find a leather that is "close" to the color of Wicket and Craig's dark brown bridle leather, and they can make you a wide strap from that.

 

[milw50717]

A number of custom made straps have been posted to this thread in the past. As indicated, best to find a cobbler or someone used to working with leather - saddle/tack maker, etc.

Just found an example of custom strap on the first page of this thread

Moving away from a leather strap. Filson make a nylon strap for some of their bags, it may be possible to buy one of these.

There are also some less dressy solutions, such as op/tech's SOS (Save on Shoulders) straps.

 

[Austin Tremblay]

A number of custom made straps have been posted to this thread in the past. As indicated, best to find a cobbler or someone used to working with leather - saddle/tack maker, etc.

Just found an example of custom strap on the first page of this thread

Moving away from a leather strap. Filson make a nylon strap for some of their bags, it may be possible to buy one of these.

There are also some less dressy solutions, such as op/tech's SOS (Save on Shoulders) straps.

I ordered one of those brown nylon straps for my Tan 256. I thought it would reduce weight and that the width would be more comfortable. The width does help a lot with a full bag, but the nylon material is incredibly scratchy and has no give whatsoever. I wish I could send it back, but I can't. I think it was $30. So I would try a leather solution, like the image that's from the first page of this thread.

 

[milw50717]



I ordered one of those brown nylon straps for my Tan 256. I thought it would reduce weight and that the width would be more comfortable. The width does help a lot with a full bag, but the nylon material is incredibly scratchy and has no give whatsoever. I wish I could send it back, but I can't. I think it was $30. So I would try a leather solution, like the image that's from the first page of this thread. 

Sounds pretty typical for a nylon strap. Post images of the custom leather once you get it made.

 

[Austin Tremblay]

I just took delivery of the Harvey Messenger Bag. I've gotta say it might replace the 256 I've used happily for years. Though it doesn't look nearly as business-appropriate, and I wish it was a lighter shade of olive with the dark brown leather, rather than black, the storage capacity, light weight, and comfortably wide shoulder strap make it outstanding in terms of sheer carry. Plus, the side pockets on either end are actually useable, unlike with the 256. I'm going to travel this weekend, so I'll post a more detailed review after my trip. But it really seems like a winner so far.