Filson Bag Thread: With Pictures

[Soletrane]

Cold Iron,
Great story. The last photo is classic.

 

[Mattsky]

Wh

Whoa and, what the hell, talk about diving in with both feet!!!!

Don't worry about all these talonites and ykk zippers and patinated Filsons and pre-Bedrock and 266-loving people on this forum. We are, generally speaking, a friendly bunch that appreciates ALL Filson lovers Welcome to this crazy club!

You got quite a score there and you now have some traveling to do!

Thanks for the welcome mgrennier! I purchased a Filson rain coat a few years ago so I knew of the brand, but never had the desire to make a major luggage purchase. Last September on a business trip to Seattle, I took a factory tour and shopped the HQ store. I was told about the outlet store about an hour north by a fellow shopper and made a visit, where I happened upon the Labor Day sale (buy 1 item, get 10% off, 2 items 20% off, 3 or more items, get 30% off). Not one to pass up a deal, I naturally bought at least 3 items, mostly vests and more coats, although I picked up a Daypack, a McCurry Sportsman bag (which I have yet to use) and a few zippered totes. In January I bought a small bucket bag which I've been using almost daily to/from work to augment my aging leather briefcase (a Bob Timberlake from Bass Pro Shop). The briefcase was falling apart at the seams after 5 years of daily usage, so I sought its replacement, deciding on a Filson. Doing my research online, a stumbled across this thread and read the entire 450 + pages. When this year's outlet Labor Day sale came up, I pulled the trigger on whatever they had. I called them up, and the folks were very helpful, telling me over the phone what they had at a given day of the sale as they were still unpacking boxes of luggage items throughout the 3-day weekend. I also purchased two medium field bags which don't show in the pictures.

I must say, so far I like that Heritage Sportsman bag the best. It was a special edition, with the Horween leather accents. The two-tone leather of the Horween and dark brown bridle leather doesn't look good in the pictures, but I like it in person, seems to have a different character than in the pictures online. It also is made entirely of 22 oz. Rugged Twill instead of the 15 oz. Tin Cloth pockets of the current model. That makes it very stiff and ruggedly built. I liked it so much when it arrived, I bought a second one as a spare

 

[Mattsky]

Welcome @Mattsky. That’s quite a collection to acquire in one go! How did you decide to go from no Filson to so much so quickly? I’m curious to hear how you like the suit carrier - often thought about one of those myself, but never had a first hand account of one in use.

Your collection will be tremendously flexible - you’ve got something there for pretty much every scenario, except perhaps really long trips. I assume your Pullman is the smaller version? In any case, combining Pullman + Duffle + any of your 256/8/24/rucksack will hold a lot of gear.

Welcome to this interesting board, and hope you enjoy your gear.

Thanks speedy611 for the welcome, much appreciated. Yes, it's the small Pullman. I also added 2 x Medium Field Bags during the sale (I hit up both Filson outlet stores over the Labor Day weekend as they have different inventory at any given day), one green and one tan. They are smaller than I anticipated, but I like the design and will put them to use during my travels.

After using the 256 for a week, I figured I'd like the 257 better, so I bought a tan, NWT, from eBay which arrived last week while I was away. I think this is a perfect size for me, that extra 2 inches of width will suit my needs better. I will use the 256 for airline travel, keeping my contents trimmed down to save my shoulder.

I will report on my use of the Suit Cover, it was a bit frivolous at the time, but I will use it during car business trips, and/or long weekends. It doesn't appear to hold more than a few hangers of items, but that's OK, I've got lots of folding space in the other items in my inventory, as you've noted. I suspect the Pullman and Suit Cover will be companion items for those trips.

 

[OtterMeanGreen]

Filson in the wild...I'm new to this forum (a few weeks ago) and recently grabbed a bunch of Filson items (maybe too many) from the outlets during their Labor Day sale. I recently used two of them on a trip to Wyoming along with various Filson coats and wool vests. I found them to be thoroughly up to the task and I understand the enthusiasm here. Beautifully designed and the build is rugged. This is my 256 in green and a new, old stock, special edition Heritage Sportsman Bag with Horween leather accents, which I used as a camera bag. It performed flawlessly. Never a worry about the strength of the strap, buckles, etc. and didn't worry about possible weather which may have harmed the contents. I know these aren't 'vintage' items, but I appreciate them nonetheless.

View attachment 845057

"Horween leather Accents" on a Filson Heritage; that must be bag Appreciation to you @Soletrane

 

[OtterMeanGreen]

Thought I'd share what I scored at the sale...I've got to start using these items to get some wear on them now. Pullman, Suit Cover, Rucksack, Heritage Sportsman, 256, 258, Medium Duffle. My wife took the 24-Hour Briefcase, 48-Hour Duffle in about 1 day.

View attachment 845061

View attachment 845062

View attachment 845063

Mesmerizing collection @Mattsky, a good way to invest in my opinion. There's not many things that can be used as heavy as a Filson.....and actually appreciate in value.

 

[OtterMeanGreen]

Wh

Whoa and, what the hell, talk about diving in with both feet!!!!

Don't worry about all these talonites and ykk zippers and patinated Filsons and pre-Bedrock and 266-loving people on this forum. We are, generally speaking, a friendly bunch that appreciates ALL Filson lovers Welcome to this crazy club!

You got quite a score there and you now have some traveling to do!

You forgot about my 257...I'm gonna let that slide @mgrennier

In all honesty, and not that it means anything, but @Mattsky as my respect with the sheer volume of that score (and the appreciation of having a variation of colors)

 

[mgrennier]

You forgot about my 257...I'm gonna let that slide @mgrennier

In all honesty, and not that it means anything, but @Mattsky as my respect with the sheer volume of that score (and the appreciation of having a variation of colors)

I thought I had you covered, Otter, with the Pre-Bedrock mention!

 

[OtterMeanGreen]

Pictures are worth a thousand words it is said. And I agree some great pictures lately!



Yes it is brown, my favorite Filson color, depending on the case that is.

In the beginning you had a choice of tan or in some options otter green. Navy and Black are the new kids on the block. Before that, after tan and then otter it was brown. For fly rod cases and shotgun\rifle cases Boyt Harness down in Iowa had been making gun cases, luggage and steaming trunks in green since the early 1900's. And also likely the Herters cases up until the 1968 gun control act started to put them out of business. Tan fly rod and shotgun cases for me stand out as distinctly Filson. Unmistakably so.

Not that there is anything wrong with Otter green, my older Pullman that can be a carry on or stuffed to check in capacity works well in that color. And one of my most used bags. But I like the Brown most of all and have it in the Sportsman, 258, and wheeled carry on.

Don't see myself ever purchasing a Navy Filson. I have a black Filson weekender jacket but no luggage thank you very much. I do have a black Samsonite hard briefcase courtesy of the US Navy given to me in 1983. It works well for storing my hackles, fur and other fly tying supplies. But today would not be seen in public carrying a black case even if made by Filson.

GzStudio has a brown bag for sale left and can't believe no one has jumped on it yet.

Not a lot of places to spend the night where I hunt ruff grouse between the North Shore of Lake Superior and Canadian Border. If I am only hunting over a weekend will often sleep in the back of the truck instead of a cabin or making camp.

My favorite brown is the Filson Flask sitting on top of the Pullman next to the Garmin Alpha TT15 being charged off the inverter on the Tacoma. At my age I should have 2 of them filled with brown likker, one for the end of the day after the hunt and another after climbing my old carcass into the back of the truck to sleep. But it is no longer offered in brown, just tan. Grouse hunting for me is a solitaire experience and done in one of the most remote areas of CONUS.

Pheasant hunting in the Dakotas is a social event for me and 3 other retired Navy guys. And a few others including some AF pilots that cycle through. Long story but the Admiral and me dress, think and act a lot alike. About 5 or 6 years ago a dozen city dudes were standing on the other side of a section road (a section is 1 mile x 1 mile for those not aware) when the 4 of us pulled in on the private side where we know the land owner. In 30 seconds we had the dogs out and were using hand sign to communicate and already hunting and they went from grab assing to watching us and saying wow, holy ****, hot damn. The Admiral (2 star, upper half) worked his way over to me and with a **** eating grin on his face and whispered there is nothing like well worn and duct taped Filson to tell the Orvis crowd no need to apply for membership.

Orvis sells Barbour, not Filson.

Likely the only damn section of land in SD without a fence post to sit the gun on LOL.

Thanks for sharing. I hear you on classic look of the Filson Brown. One of the best things I like about Otter Green is the fact that it was one of two colors originally offered for Filson (so it has plenty of history attached to it). No offense taken about my Otter Green, I hear a lot of Military guys comparing it to the "Big Green Weeny" (I hope I got that right lol). That's one cozy looking cabin you got there, is your pooch a snorer? Respect to a Brown goods man, I myself am even more of a Bourbon fan than a Filson fan, belong to a couple of threads as well. I'm a NEAT whiskey drinker, even with Barrel Proof/Cask Strength. Going on the Bourbon Trail is on my Bucket List.

In those samples are: George T Stagg (143 proof), CA Gold, 2016 William LaRue Weller, WhistlePig Rye, Elijah Craig Barrel Proof, Willet Family Estate 14, Heavenhill Single 14, Barrell Cask Strength

 

[OtterMeanGreen]

Sheeooot, if this thread has an impact on Filson resale prices, then anything older than 2013 totally blows with their thick durable bridle leather that fades in color with time and their nasty heavy weight and sharp zippers that cut into the leather. Don't even get me started on those dumb ykk zippers or, even worse, the older Talon zippers that don't say Filson on them. I mean, who would, in his right mind spend a couple hundred bucks on a bag that has zippers with a brand that doesn't match the maker of the bag? Right, guys? Who is with me?

I completely agree with you!!!! I'm with ya!!! @GzStudio you can take your Talon Era Bags and beautiful aged leather and move along sir
I have seen the light!!! I am gonna change my ways and become an advocate for Bedrock Filson

 

[OtterMeanGreen]

I thought I had you covered, Otter, with the Pre-Bedrock mention!

HAHA you did, I'm just be a stickler

 

[GzStudio]

I completely agree with you!!!! I'm with ya!!! @GzStudio you can take your Talon Era Bags and beautiful aged leather and move along sir
I have seen the light!!! I am gonna change my ways and become an advocate for Bedrock Filson

Maybe I should just give them away and start over.....maybe start selling brown Filson bags instead? High demand, short supply....

 

[OtterMeanGreen]

Maybe I should just give them away and start over.....maybe start selling brown Filson bags instead? High demand, short supply....

Now you're talking!!! I'd be willing to take those Pre-Bedrock mistakes off your hands and use them as a reminder of what not to buy.

 

[Soletrane]

The power of suggestion [sigh]. You guys have been talking so much about pre-BD and Talon that you have me reevaluating my first Filson - the 242 large carry-on (in photo on right).

I have had this so long I can't remember when I got it (late 90s, early 00s?). But it had been mostly by-passed for active duty in recent years by everything from roller bags to other newer Filson to a new leather duffle. But sometimes on a long journey you come back to where you started and truly see it again for the first time.

It's built like a brick sh@thouse. Wears like iron. And it has all those nice details of the early Filson bags. Like the small Pullman, which it resembles, it's also a great design to pack and unpack folded clothes.

 

[GzStudio]

The power of suggestion [sigh]. You guys have been talking so much about pre-BD and Talon that you have me reevaluating my first Filson - the 242 large carry-on (in photo on right).

I have had this so long I can't remember when I got it (late 90s, early 00s?). But it had been mostly by-passed for active duty in recent years by everything from roller bags to other newer Filson to a new leather duffle. But sometimes on a long journey you come back to where you started and truly see it again for the first time.

It's built like a brick sh@thouse. Wears like iron. And it has all those nice details of the early Filson bags. Like the small Pullman, which it resembles, it's also a great design to pack and unpack folded clothes.

View attachment 845643

I have a nice talon 242 in tan (sorry OMG) if you decide to play matchy-matchy...... It is a nice bag. The leather on it, especially the handle is massively over-built. One thing i noticed is that the early talon 242 does not have the compression straps inside vs. the late model talon, early ykk versions....

 

[Soletrane]

GzStudio, "overbuilt" is a great descriptor. Lots of heavy bridle leather used all over the bag. The handle is like a little brick of leather.

It's not the most popular bag in the vintage market (clamshell designs are less popular than duffles I think), but in its day, it was one of the most expensive piece of luggage they made.

Yup, my early Talon version does not have the compression straps and has no zip on the front pocket.