Filson Bag Thread: With Pictures

[GzStudio]

I have come to realize that I prefer a rye whiskey in my 7&7 vs a regular whiskey and I do not know why. Not sure if that still qualifies for the name either.

 

[mgrennier]

I have come to realize that I prefer a rye whiskey in my 7&7 vs a regular whiskey and I do not know why. Not sure if that still qualifies for the name either.

Well, 7&7 has it's roots in "Seagram's 7" and 7-Up. Not sure how many people actually drink Seagram's anymore (none of my friends any way). Rye tends be a bit spicier (or more peppery) than other whiskeys, which is perhaps why you like it. A Manhattan made with a bourbon vs. one with a rye will be a totally different experience, other things being equal.

(Seagram's is a blended whiskey - blended with what kinds of whiskey, I do not know)

 

[TinMan3]

Haha, I was able to track yours down. I've already added you as a favorite!

I haven't been able to find Tinman's yet.

Haha it’s vintage_filson

Fitting no?

And yes, I will gladly pass on the savings from eBay fees on to the buyer if you message me directly.

 

[OtterMeanGreen]

Well, 7&7 has it's roots in "Seagram's 7" and 7-Up. Not sure how many people actually drink Seagram's anymore (none of my friends any way). Rye tends be a bit spicier (or more peppery) than other whiskeys, which is perhaps why you like it. A Manhattan made with a bourbon vs. one with a rye will be a totally different experience, other things being equal.

(Seagram's is a blended whiskey - blended with what kinds of whiskey, I do not know)

This one is especially nice and when served in a wide rocks glass ( as opposed to a Glencairn), has a very orange citrus nuance on the nose and palate, only $39 too:

 

[originalhype]

just using this forum as an example, other than the leather not being up to some peoples standards, and the fact that the twill is supposedly thinner (you need to do a controlled test on that one - go to multiple dealers and use your calipers on random bags), there arent a huge amount of people complaining about product failure, or the items not holding up to what they are designed to do. if that were the case the thread would be dedicated wholly to old stuff right?

IMO I do not think the failure rate is high for either filson or bedrock as the construction of the bags has not change.
What I do not like is the reduce in quality of the MATERIALS while charging or raising the prices.

If you are going to market something rugged twill then you need to state 22oz or the rumor 18 oz. Not only that, whatever oil or onditioner they are using on the leather, will it's not quite up to par as the past.

I have stated in my website that i would like to see filson redesign their current rugged twill bags while still maintianing the material quality but FIlson do not have that direction as they are in an experimental phase right now.

 

[OtterMeanGreen]

I’ve found a use for my Cotton Webbed strap I once used on my Sportsman #266 and at one point used on my old 24HR (which I had to part with, strap included). I find it very comfortable and also befitting of my Filson Journey thus far; a combination of two of my favorite Filson Briefcases so far (#257 & 24HR)

 

[KruiserIV]

It seems things are getting a bit heated. I'm jumping in here to add my opinion in hopes that I'm not adding fuel to the fire, but maybe to synthesize the issues a bit.

I've read through the forum over the course of several months, so my recollection may not be 100% accurate, but my overall sense of this forum is this: Filson makes some of the best bags you can buy both from a functional standpoint and from an aesthetic standpoint (although reasonable minds may disagree on whether tan or otter green is best) but that Filson bags from the 90s used thicker materials and probably had higher quality (e.g., stitching, attention to detail). Contemporary Filson still makes a great bag, just maybe not as great as they once did.

I can appreciate the Talon era bags, and I agree that the patina the ones I have seen looks incredible. Unfortunately for me, that is exactly the reason I will likely never own one. If the patina wasn't put there by me, I wouldn't like it as much. I prefer to patina my own bags over years of use and abuse. This means that I'll buy modern new Filson bags that (according to most reports) have slightly lighter twill and slightly thinner leather. Also, they won't stink of old canvas and/or mold.

But, one thing I haven't heard recently is whether the changes Filson has made to their twill line over time is "bad" or just "different." The cynical view is that thinner materials is just a means to cut costs at the expense of consumers (while also increasing price to consumers). I'm sure there is something to that, but thinner materials also means lighter bags. Nobody around here is accusing Filson bags as being lightweight - rather, one common complaint (mostly from outside this forum) is that the Filson bags are too heavy. I think that the twill on my Bedrock-era luggage is plenty thick and will be robust for many more years to come while being lighter weight than the previous iterations. The new bags will last 80 years as opposed to 100 years - big whoop, it'll still outlast me and look good doing it (I just made those numbers up for illustration).

Now, the apparent decrease in quality of leather coming out of the Filson factory over time, I'm not really sure how to defend that. I just hope that it is necessary to keep the cost of these bags in the realm of "reasonable" for consumers and not just to increase profits, but I have no reason to suspect it either way.

In short, I think there has been enough evidence provided on the forum to indicate that a brand new Talon-era bag had thicker materials and slightly better quality than a brand new modern Filson bag. But, it is exceedingly rare to find an unused Talon-era bag, so for me, I'll be sticking to Bedrock Filson bags because I prefer to know where my bag has been and where those stains/marks came from. (Also, the up-charge for Talon-era Filson has scared me away from them). Still, I appreciate the collectors and enthusiasts on this forum that pour over the minute details for our reading enjoyment.

Either way, we can all agree that we'll be buying Filson bags.

Great reply. In the end, it’s in Filson’s best interest to build a product that will last, because they pay for it if it fails. Their guarantee is all I need.

 

[OtterMeanGreen]

It's amazing how the Otter Greens of the Talon and YKK Generation fades to an almost Tan Like appearance. The patina IMO is well worth the wait if you're patient enough to earn it.

https://magazine.bulangandsons.com/product/filson-original-briefcase-otter-green-2/

 

[KruiserIV]

I’ve found a use for my Cotton Webbed strap I once used on my Sportsman #266 and at one point used on my old 24HR (which I had to part with, strap included). I find it very comfortable and also befitting of my Filson Journey thus far; a combination of two of my favorite Filson Briefcases so far (#257 & 24HR)

View attachment 963225

That’s a good looking bag.

 

[KruiserIV]

I know black’s not very popular (which is why I’m having to ask), but does anyone know what it patinas to?

 

[OtterMeanGreen]

That’s a good looking bag.

Thanks.
You're not the first to ask that question (Brown is another topic for debate). Black is somewhat like Navy, it will patina in the form of white markings and will fade to....you guessed it black lol and towards the spectrum of a very dark brown. It's not a very popular color for Filson. In my bag competition it placed last, with only about 5 out of over 200 bags accounted for.

 

[OtterMeanGreen]

This is a very cool read on Tan vs Otter Green and how they both age (patinas). Some great shots too.

https://auntay.com/filson-otter-green-vs-tan-aging-patina/

 

[KruiserIV]

Thanks.
You're not the first to ask that question (Brown is another topic for debate). Black is somewhat like Navy, it will patina in the form of white markings and will fade to....you guessed it black lol and towards the spectrum of a very dark brown. It's not a very popular color for Filson. In my bag competition it placed last, with only about 5 out of over 200 bags accounted for.

Part of black’s appeal is that I never see it on Portland’s streets. I still want a tan and OG for the collection, but the brown and black do look good together.

 

[originalhype]

I know black’s not very popular (which is why I’m having to ask), but does anyone know what it patinas to?

it patinas into charcoal or dark grey but it is the only color out all filson color that will keep its color the longest.

 

[KruiserIV]

it patinas into charcoal or dark grey but it is the only color out all filson color that will keep its color the longest.

This is exactly what I’d hoped for, that it would turn charcoal-ish. I really like the moss color from the AEV line, and I’m hoping my black at least comes in close.