Filson is the only clothing I've found that I consider a lifetime investment rather than a 5-10 year expense. It's heavier than my Pearl Izumi or Patagonia outdoor gear, but it seems to wear in rather than wear out.
I have 2 traditional wool shirts. The Merino fibers are so long and smooth the shirts feel like cotton, except they took a darker color and they do not hold onto odors like cotton or synthetic fibers. Each can be worn all winter, with one dry cleaning at the end of the season. Even campfire smoke completely airs out in a day or two. Amazing how high tech higher-end wool is.
The wool socks are as comfortable as my Patagonia Capilene socks. I have one pair in each weight. I do use a thin nylon oversock when I wear the Filson wool socks so I don't wear them out. My experience with wool socks is that they are not as durable as synthetic. I don't know how durable Filson wool socks are though, because I've worn nylon oversocks for 5 years. They don't show appreciable wear.
The Mackinaw cruiser is warm and quiet. It also sheds rain decently. They day it stops, I'll renew it with lanolin spray (called wool grease in the old days). It's my everyday and hiking jacket. I have a double wool Mackinaw cruiser. It is too warm for everyday and most hiking. I wear it in extreme cold when I'll not be very active--like winter camping. It's done just fine so far down to -20 degrees Farenheit with strong wind.
I have two Mackinaw vests. These wear like iron, and are underapreciated by many. Vests are great for keeping warm, but shedding too much heat. With no arms, movement is not restricted. I built a 8X12' treehouse for my kids 17' off the ground. Worked when I could from Oct. to Dec. and the Filson vest was all I needed. Kept me just right in all kinds of temperatures.
I have the Mackinaw pants and they keep me warm in the winter woods. The Mackinaw fabric comes from hardy cold-weather sheep. It's warm, but scratchy. Not as soft as the shirts or sweaters. Not an issue for me since it's never against the skin. I have a wool dress coat that's much softer than the Filson--but it's made for a different purpose.
I've got a Guide Sweater that is extremely warm, at least as warm as my Norwegian Dale Olympic sweater. It has good ventilation so it's great for active outdoor pursuits like woods walking. The whipcord pants resist thorns well and really keep their shape. They are 3 season pants.
The Merino watch cap is soft and so finely knit is sheds wind well. The double-Mac cap is the bomb in winter. It's a real inferno and retains heat so well the rest of your body warms up as well.
I'm generally very particular about my gear, how it performs, and the cost to maintain it. I've not tried anything even close to Filson. Never tried any of their waxed cotton products yet, but I may if I feel the need.
Pretty much everything I own has been purchased at about 50% off. It's a mix of Christmas and end-of-season sales, and I've been patient enough to wait before I buy that next peice. I remember getting some at 60% off, but that was just the luck of timing, plus a lot of calling/browsing around. It mostly came from North Cover outfitters (CT), Hilton's Tent City (Boston), and MidwayUSA. I think Midway got rid of many of their Filson lines one year, and I was lucky enough to snap them up for a song. They still have some, but not nearly as much as they once did. You might do OK at Cabelas, but you have to time the sales right.
Trying not to be too much of a fanboy, but Filson wears like iron. It keeps me from buying new clothes since it doesn't wear out, and it does double duty in town or in the woods.
