Filson Bag Thread: With Pictures

[OtterMeanGreen]

Hi all,

Just joined the forum. I'm interested in getting a filson, either the standard briefcase, the padded computer bag, or if I can possibly afford it, the 48 hour duffle. Just wondering if the briefcase could hold a 14 inch thinkpad, along with a p[air of trainers e.g. chucks, and a pair of shorts, t shirt and smallish gym towel? If not, would the computer bag be able to take that? Just prefer the look of the brief over the computer bag. TBH, I'd get the duffle, but I feel it's somewhat overpriced, especially given the fabric shoulder strap.

Ta all

Welcome aboard and thank you for the that question, it's the first one in A VERY LONG TIME ("just wondering if the briefcase could hold...blank"). You have no idea how many times that question was asked and I certainly don't expect you to read through this entire 500 near pages to find your answer. Although I would recommend reading through to learn more about Filson and what makes it so exciting. Some good blokes on what has become the greatest Filson discussion on the internet.

If I had to suggest one I would say go for the Original #256 but instead of spending $325 on a new Bedrock version (with questionable long term quality), I would suggest to search eBay for a Talon or YKK era #256, that is barely used or has a Patina. @GzStudio (if I may) has some amazing one-of-a-kind examples for sale at very fair prices (cheaper or retail equivalent). The guys a real class act and a certifiable Filson pro

 

[Soletrane]

Based on what I've seen online lately and the QC praises for Tanner, I think I'm leaning more and more towards Tanner Leather for my next 3 belts. Does anyone know for sure the longevity of their quality. I have a $30 Columbia Bridle Leather belt that has lasted for 6 years and still going strong...so i would expect and hope that a $100 quality leather belt would surpass that by a mile. I still have some hope for Filson in that regard but am not holding my breath. I hope @speedy611 keeps us informed on his experience with his Filson belt.

I would expect a quality full grain leather belt to last 20 years in daily use with minimal care. Longer if in rotation with other belts. In fact, I have never worn out a full grain leather belt. Only cheaper 'dress belts' from Macy's where it tears at the point you cinch at the hole.

 

[OtterMeanGreen]

Otter - I don’t have the belt with me so can’t measure the thickness for you. Bit yes, absolutely it’s a multi decade item. Also, the leather feels totally different to the bag strap leather. It’s thicker and the reverse is quite smooth, without the roughness or whatever of the worst of the bedrock handles.

That is some very confidence inspiring knowledge you bring to the table. You would certainly know the difference, as you have stated your positive feeling and advocacy towards Bedrock Filson. I trust your word.

 

[OtterMeanGreen]

Yikes. Definitely in the category of "what were they thinking??"

In no way am I trying to discount Speedy's positive experience, but I would just say to check out the Filson one carefully at a store including the leather and the quality of the buckle. I seem to remember reading some "it's not made like it used to be" comments a while back on the Filson belt. Bridle leather belts with nice brass or nickel buckles are just too plentiful online from Etsy to Equus to get stuck with a bad one.

OH I definitely plan on taking advantage of visiting my local Filson outlet to try on their belts and inspect the QC. I am only a 45 minute train ride and a spirited walk away from their NYC outlet. Luckily for me I am more of a fan (aesthetically speaking) of their stainless steel hardware belts. The brass kinda reminds me of those cheap braided leather belts I had to wear in grammar school lol. For some reason they always had faux brass buckles.

 

[OtterMeanGreen]

Hi mate,

Yes, unfortunately from the UK, which is not great when buying a filson. I have seen a 257 for sale used...I will consider. If/ When I buy a filson it will certainly be on ebay, as I've yet to see a good retail deal. I did find a computer bag for 250, but it's otter green or blue and I wanted black. Also, tbh, I find the look of the computer bag iffy...too boxy. The 257 though is awesome. At the moment I manage to fit my gym kit in the mid compartment of an eastpak backpack. Wish I could see a filson to try, but difficult.

That's it you're now on my blacklist, how could anyone chose black over the beauty of Otter Green.............

Just kidding mate!!! That's the splendor of a Filson, they have a range of colors with their own fanbase built in. +1 on you saying the #257 is awesome...I'll have to agree with you as I have a "close to first edition version" myself.....in Otter Green no-less

 

[OtterMeanGreen]

I would expect a quality full grain leather belt to last 20 years in daily use with minimal care. Longer if in rotation with other belts. In fact, I have never worn out a full grain leather belt. Only cheaper 'dress belts' from Macy's where it tears at the point you cinch at the hole.

Thanks and I agree, the cheaper leather belts all have that quintessential fail point. Since I am an aspiring vegetarian and hopefully one day a vegan, I only personally advocate buying leather items that are meant to last at least 10 years. That is one of the things that allured me to brands like Redwing (boots), Filson (luggage and belts), Saddleback leather (wallet wise) and maybe possible Tanner Leather; you're buying it for life (or at the very least a long time). That's something I can live with, when it comes to leather purchases.

 

[Hugekebab]

Welcome aboard and thank you for the that question, it's the first one in A VERY LONG TIME ("just wondering if the briefcase could hold...blank"). You have no idea how many times that question was asked and I certainly don't expect you to read through this entire 500 near pages to find your answer. Although I would recommend reading through to learn more about Filson and what makes it so exciting. Some good blokes on what has become the greatest Filson discussion on the internet.

If I had to suggest one I would say go for the Original #256 but instead of spending $325 on a new Bedrock version (with questionable long term quality), I would suggest to search eBay for a Talon or YKK era #256, that is barely used or has a Patina. @GzStudio (if I may) has some amazing one-of-a-kind examples for sale at very fair prices (cheaper or retail equivalent). The guys a real class act and a certifiable Filson pro

Thanks, it's a very friendly forum it seems, and people have been damn helpful, so I'm probably going to stick around. I'm veering still towards the 756 if i can just squeeze in the trainers shorts t shirt and small towel along with the lappy. I'm not sure what bedrock is, zip i take it? I'll have a look, but I would like one that I can put my own mark on and not just piggy back on someone's patina. tbh if it wasnt for work I'd probably veer to the tan, but the black will always fit in in a work environment (uni lecturer) and so...well, it's gonna be that colour i think.

I did actually read through about 40 pages...and then just zoned out haha.

 

[Soletrane]

OH I definitely plan on taking advantage of visiting my local Filson outlet to try on their belts and inspect the QC. I am only a 45 minute train ride and a spirited walk away from their NYC outlet. Luckily for me I am more of a fan (aesthetically speaking) of their stainless steel hardware belts. The brass kinda reminds me of those cheap braided leather belts I had to wear in grammar school lol. For some reason they always had faux brass buckles.

I bought this one in London for about 40GBP a couple of years back. I was impressed with the leather, brass and buckle. It was a definite step up from the store bought bridle belts I had bought before. And the oval buckle I thought added a bit of elegance to the overall rusticism of the belt.

I guess the only way to make it better is if they had used Chicago screws instead of rivets so I could change out the buckle.

 

[OtterMeanGreen]

Thanks, it's a very friendly forum it seems, and people have been damn helpful, so I'm probably going to stick around. I'm veering still towards the 756 if i can just squeeze in the trainers shorts t shirt and small towel along with the lappy. I'm not sure what bedrock is, zip i take it? I'll have a look, but I would like one that I can put my own mark on and not just piggy back on someone's patina. tbh if it wasnt for work I'd probably veer to the tan, but the black will always fit in in a work environment (uni lecturer) and so...well, it's gonna be that colour i think.

I did actually read through about 40 pages...and then just zoned out haha.

Glad to have you here, please do stick around. The forum is ever-evolving and the topics never get old (which some will find debatable coming from me ).

Never heard of the #756 before what is that (). I'm guessing you mean #256, right? Bedrock stands for "Bedrock Manufacturing Co." which is the company that currently owns Filson, acquiring them back in 2012. They're responsible for growing the brand, and in a way burying the morals & principals that the company was built on (by guys like Stan Kohl's, Mark Korros, and who can forget CC Filson himself). They were the ones that eliminated the companies 100 + year motto "Might Has Well Have the Best", and started using cheaper materials to build their products. Also they started taking the axe to well liked and popular products (like the 266 and 257 for example). Can you tell I have a bias towards them lol. I respect your viewpoint on not piggybacking off of someone else's patina. That is why I chose to stick it out and find my hidden gem; my #257. Even though is a first edition, it's basically unused, despite being that I'm the 3rd owner. A patina that you create not only tells a story...but it tells your story. Keep an eye on @GzStudio eBay account; his collection keeps expanding and you never know when that next hidden gem surfaces. Plus, being that you're both members here, i'm sure you will have an advantage over most. Not everyone has heard of this place.

Also no rush on reading all 478 pages, it took me several weeks. I do have to apologize, as I am ONE of those responsible on churning new content on this forum; thus increasing the amount of pages you will be reading through . I can't take all the credit though, as I haven't exactly been talking to myself here all this time, many have responded to my ramblings.

 

[OtterMeanGreen]

Thanks, it's a very friendly forum it seems, and people have been damn helpful, so I'm probably going to stick around. I'm veering still towards the 756 if i can just squeeze in the trainers shorts t shirt and small towel along with the lappy. I'm not sure what bedrock is, zip i take it? I'll have a look, but I would like one that I can put my own mark on and not just piggy back on someone's patina. tbh if it wasnt for work I'd probably veer to the tan, but the black will always fit in in a work environment (uni lecturer) and so...well, it's gonna be that colour i think.

I did actually read through about 40 pages...and then just zoned out haha.

The conversations never really get heated here, like so many other forums out there, it just gets to what I call "spirited". This is a place where it wouldn't be far off the board if we all got together one day, someplace, and had dinner and drinks together. Speaking of which when are we doing that? I'll bring a box of Premium Cigars.

 

[mgrennier]

Based on what I've seen online lately and the QC praises for Tanner, I think I'm leaning more and more towards Tanner Leather for my next 3 belts. Does anyone know for sure the longevity of their quality. I have a $30 Columbia Bridle Leather belt that has lasted for 6 years and still going strong...so i would expect and hope that a $100 quality leather belt would surpass that by a mile. I still have some hope for Filson in that regard but am not holding my breath. I hope @speedy611 keeps us informed on his experience with his Filson belt.

I have a Filson 1 1/4 brown leather belt and it's beautiful, strong and will last a LONG time. I wear it with jeans, khakis, etc. i don't wear it with dress clothes as it's much more casual. I do think the leather is different (thicker, for sure) than the leather straps on the bags.

It's a damn good belt.

 

[OtterMeanGreen]

I have a Filson 1 1/4 brown leather belt and it's beautiful, strong and will last a LONG time. I wear it with jeans, khakis, etc. i don't wear it with dress clothes as it's much more casual. I do think the leather is different (thicker, for sure) than the leather straps on the bags.

It's a damn good belt.

Awesome to hear that another person has had much better luck with their Filson belt (especially when compared to Bedrock Luggage leather quality). Also from a person who's opinion that I respect greatly (along with @speedy611). I myself plan on getting the 1-1/2 (1.50) in brown for casual jeans and khaki ensembles, but will also be getting (like you have) the 1-1/4 (1.25) in both brown and black for more dressy (maybe not suit dressy) scenarios. Hopefully I'm good looking enough to be able to pull that off

 

[speedy611]

Catching up on a flurry of posts here, overnight my time:

@Soletrane: I agree on Chicago screws and buckles. I found an eBay site with brass buckles from china in a million shapes at good cost. I ordered one and have been very pleased with the heft and quality. Shown here, but not on Filson leather.
therefore - @OtterMeanGreen - depending on your level of fanaticism, -) you could buy your Filson belt, and then get 3rd party buckles to change the look according to context. One more thing - Filson will emboss the belt with your initials if you choose.

also @OtterMeanGreen - your comment about leather and vegetarian / vegan is interesting. I'm vegan, and take a similar view that I'll minimise my leather usage by aiming for longevity. It's another reason I like Filson bags because they aren't wholly leather.

 

[OtterMeanGreen]

Catching up on a flurry of posts here, overnight my time:

@Soletrane: I agree on Chicago screws and buckles. I found an eBay site with brass buckles from china in a million shapes at good cost. I ordered one and have been very pleased with the heft and quality. Shown here, but not on Filson leather.
therefore - @OtterMeanGreen - depending on your level of fanaticism, -) you could buy your Filson belt, and then get 3rd party buckles to change the look according to context. One more thing - Filson will emboss the belt with your initials if you choose.

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also @OtterMeanGreen - your comment about leather and vegetarian / vegan is interesting. I'm vegan, and take a similar view that I'll minimise my leather usage by aiming for longevity. It's another reason I like Filson bags because they aren't wholly leather.

My fanaticism for belts isn't nearly as strong as is for Ferrari and Filson luggage (because those two just go hand and hand right HAHA). I just want something that is going to stand the test of time and not break down on me through normal usage. Sustainability I guess is an applicable word to use here. I actually have no issue with their buckles that they use, works for me just fine. The ones that Tanner Goods uses on there 1.25 belts are a different story altogether. I don't know how I feel about embossing my initials on things, I guess it would have to be on a not so noticeable part....but on a belt where exactly would that be right?

I guess we just found another thing in common then. That's awesome!!! How long have you been a vegan for?

 

[AC74]

Anyone with tin cloth Filson bag used on a daily basis?
I have a small back pack, love it but use it rarely, only sometimes when travelling. So can't use that as a reference. I saw this 48hr duffle on Instagram (#filsonduffle) which to me seems more dirty than beautifully patinated