Filson Bag Thread: With Pictures

[speedy611]

@Soletrane - yes lots of work travel. 70+ flights per year 70% long haul. At least the destinations are varied so there is always something different to see.

@Churchill W - great pics - thanks for sharing. I need to invent a reason to get to Seattle ASAP! FRD would be lethal to my wallet.
Glad you like the luggage tag. There is a matching one on the tote too ;-). Not that heavy really!

 

[Soletrane]

More pics. Didn't know there was a 30 picture limit in posts

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What's the deal on the medium duffles with mixed materials and red leather straps? Pretty cool. Love it when designers play around with colors on an iconic piece.

The other pic of the strap pads seems to show some very nice bridle leather too.

I won't be in Seattle for another year. Good thing too - as there is some tempting stuff in the photos.

 

[OtterMeanGreen]

It is the padless strap on the early 266. Only came in YKK as the Talon ended in 01/early 02. Padded strap I believe started around 2010. I am sure I can find a webpage showing it in the pictures...

I have another source saying Filson introduced the padded shoulder strap when the YKK redesigns hit the market in 2002-2003 (or very soon after). That would explain why google is flooded with pictures of heavily patinated Filson bags that have the padded shoulder straps, and why I cannot find one Sportsman 266 with an un-padded strap (consumer pictures not Filson marketing photos)

 

[OtterMeanGreen]

OMG, I think the people who work at Filson are likely aware of the forum (say, enough to pick up that the 266 was popular and would do well as reissue) but not such rabid Talonites that they pick up on the concern about strap chewing zippers. So someone in Marketing comes up with the idea of reissuing the 266, but another stakeholder says if we reduce the size, weight of twill, we can save 15% on materials cost and someone else says less increase the price by 25% from when it last sold. So a compromise is reached. So like most companies - except a few small enthusiast brands like Tom Bihn - they pay attention to what customers BUT it's just one (competing) voice among many that they heed.

And remember enthusiasts are just a small subset of their customer base too. The majority of customers are very happy with their post-BD purchases and aren't aware of this forum.

This is why I am open to other online brands as I realize Filson is part of a larger enterprise now. So for me, part of the fun is seeking out new brands that offer some of the aspects I like about Filson but provide a better value proposition.

I feel you on your take. I keep forgetting that this is not the Filson of old. I myself have yet to find another home (outside of Filson) that can offer a multitude of quality long lasting leather goods. Even though my ramblings on this forum won't amount to much, I'm still glad I was able to pick up on this oversight. But you're probably right, the all mighty dollar plays an even bigger role in their decisions as of late.

 

[Churchill W]

What's the deal on the medium duffles with mixed materials and red leather straps? Pretty cool. Love it when designers play around with colors on an iconic piece.

The other pic of the strap pads seems to show some very nice bridle leather too.

I won't be in Seattle for another year. Good thing too - as there is some tempting stuff in the photos.

The duffles were FRD items, so refurbed and pieced together with scraps from bags that were not sent back to customers.
The strap pads were actually guitar straps. Not sure why they were embossed with FRD though.

 

[OtterMeanGreen]

Don't really get that, regarding the "bag suicide"...? I have the medium travel bag and have never thought of any problems with the strap.

In my research I've found it was a known problem with the MTB and the 257 when empty or full, it happened when you were walking or just holding it by the strap it will feel like it wants to flip over, and does sometimes. Many here have complained that the contents of their bags have spilled out because of this issue, some with expensive laptops even. @mgrennier once had the MTB and can probably weigh in on this better than I can but here is the #257 that had similar issues. Next time you have your MTB handy, hold it like this and see if it flips, if it doesn't than I stand corrected. But, I'm pretty sure I remember @mgrennier saying it flips when you carry it as well, which is why I didn't buy one, as I already own one Filson that has that problem.

 

[OtterMeanGreen]

I have the large travel bag - I haven't experienced it either. But I have read about this complaint before.

I can't say I've heard of that problem with the Large Travel Bag, only the #257 and Medium Travel Bag

 

[OtterMeanGreen]

Very interesting.

Changed the material to lighter suede, $200 less than the full leather model and changed the shape to the traditional cylindrical duffle form (other duffles are more rectangular), old style pad, different handle attachment to the body.

I like it. It's like a sporty version of the all leather version.

Gritting my teeth with the shoulder strap . Do you like it enough to start buying new Filson again, based on your more recent posting of only buying pre...you know lol.

 

[OtterMeanGreen]

I assumed it meant the strap stayed attached but the entire bag did an "Eskimo Roll" and ended upside down.

"Eskimo Roll" you say; are you a fellow kayaker?

 

[OtterMeanGreen]

Damn that Filson luggage tag looks super hardcore and looks like it adds a pound to the bag.

My girlfriend was traveling for business earlier this week and we decided to have me tag along and our hotel was close enough to the Seattle office of my firm so I worked from there two days this week.

On Monday, I left "early" by Seattle time to go visit the Filson store. Really impressive and I kind of wish I played hooky on Tuesday to take the factory tour alas maybe next time.

The most impressive thing to see was the Filson Restoration Department (FRD) items. We were told they were all made up of items that Filson did not return to customers because they did not think it was salvageable.

Warning, lots of pictures.

I really liked the lighter bridle leather they used on some of the FRD items.

Note there was a mark UP of the items that were restored from the FRD.

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Love all the pictures, thank you very much for sharing. I think I will have to visit the next time I'm in Seattle, that place looks awesome. I enjoyed the different shades of Shoulder Straps (funny I was just talking about that)

 

[OtterMeanGreen]

It is the padless strap on the early 266. Only came in YKK as the Talon ended in 01/early 02. Padded strap I believe started around 2010. I am sure I can find a webpage showing it in the pictures...

Just with some quick research on google I was unsurprisingly linked back to styleforum (HAHA it is legendary). STAX posted a shot of his #256 in otter green with a padded shoulder strap. He states that his bag is 2 years old. The post was from Dec 2009, making his bag at least from mid-late 2007. Therefore I don't see how it would be possible for Filson to offer the un-padded version after the YKK's were introduced in 2003 or thereabouts.

https://www.styleforum.net/threads/filson-bag-thread-with-pictures.133759/page-5

 

[OtterMeanGreen]

Anyone else read this cool article on Filson's heritage?

https://www.heddels.com/2017/10/filson-brand-history-philosophy-and-iconic-products/

 

[Soletrane]

"Eskimo Roll" you say; are you a fellow kayaker?

Nope. But had an outdoorsy youth in Canada so exposed to a lot of outdoor recreational sports growing up. Worked in forestry during college summers (pre-Filson luggage sadly).

 

[Soletrane]

Gritting my teeth with the shoulder strap . Do you like it enough to start buying new Filson again, based on your more recent posting of only buying pre...you know lol.

Let's say, I don't like it enough to pay MSRP. While I don't expect Hermes level fine detail and workmanship at this price, the bridle leather portions would have to be at pre-BD levels for me to fork out $800.

 

[Soletrane]

The duffles were FRD items, so refurbed and pieced together with scraps from bags that were not sent back to customers.
The strap pads were actually guitar straps. Not sure why they were embossed with FRD though.

Makes sense now! Must have been very expensive like all FRD pieces.