Filson outdoor clothing?

Filson Tin Cloth Hunting jacket, wool vest, packer hat, and wool double Mac.

I think some guys become Filson junkies.

Guilty.
 
Absolutely top notch gear. It does indeed last a lifetime.

If you buy the shelter cloth or tin cloth Packer coat, and the vest or a sweater to go with it. You will be set for most weather. Their wool stuff wears like iron.

Personaly their Mackinaw cruiser is all that i need in most weather even when it rains (excepting a deluge). But I lanolize my wool outergarments. I even use their long underware.

As to price. When I've needed a garment that Filson makes I'll eat beans for a month or more if needed to afford it. This is due to it's being a one time purchase instead of having to buy a new coat etc. every couple years. I wind up saving money in the long run.
 
PayetteRucker said:
If you're going to pay that price, check out Kakadu, Dale of Norway, Bemidji Woolen Mills or Pendleton. I think all of them make superior rugged outdoor clothing to Filson's.
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I don't know about the others, but I can compare Filson directly to Dale and Pendleton, and I respectfully disagree.

I have two Dale of Norway sweaters, one is the SLC Olympics sweater, the other I purchased a few years before that. They are both very good, much superior to other virgin wool sweaters I've owned through the years. But comparing the yarns of either to the Filson Guide Sweater yarns, they don't come close. The Filson yarns are both twisted tighter and woven tighter, they thus have a significantly harder, more durable finish. The Filson also looks like the individual wool fibers are longer than the either of the Dales. Over the years, the Dale yarn fibers have loosened (kind of like climbing rope fraying a bit) and even pilled in a couple of places. Not significant pilling, just a little in the higher-wear areas, but I don't even have to look close to see the loosening and fuzzing of the yarn fibers. The Filson hasn't.

I have a 25 year old Pendleton wool shirt that I bought new, and a Sir Pendleton shirt I just bought new 2 years ago. I assume the Sir Pendleton is their top of the line, most highly worcested wool shirt. It is very nice. Both shirts are good, but the Filson shirts have finer wool fibers, spun more tightly into finer wool threads. The fabric feels softer because of the finer threads and the finish seems tighter because the threads are finer and there are more threads per inch. Because of the better weave, the Filson wool has a better "hand".

I'll agree that the Filson clothes are not as stylish. They are cut boxy, squarish, and look like they came straight from the 1940s or even the turn of the last century, but there is no question in my mind that when it comes to the fabric, construction, and individual fibers, they have a distinguishable edge.

One thing I would like to see in Filson is a lined Mackinaw cruiser. The Mackinaw is rough enough that I won't wear sweaters underneath. It's fine for wearing with vests and wool shirts and I've not had problems with either, but I'm cautious of abrading a sweater under a cruiser. I'm guessing the reason they don't is that a liner would wear out much faster than the coat itself and thus become the "weak link" in their durability. Still, I'd welcome it.
 
harleyguy02 said:
I have a bunch.. For hunting pants, jackets I think your better off with Sleeping Indian or King of the Mountain.. For everyday outdoors stuff Filson is great.. Wool is great and will keep you warm when wet.. It is heavy, and not recommended for chasing sheep up a mountain. Best of luck..
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+1 on King of the Mountain. I've had their bowman wool jacket for a few years and it is basically tear & rip proof, has a built in liner and has kept me warm in temps down to-40F
 
++1 on King of the Mountain. I have a buddy that has a coat from them, and it's awesome.
Back to the Filson, they make a great product. However, I found a woolen mill in Minnesota, Bemidji Woolen Mills, that have comparable quality stuff to Filson...And, you're saving around 30% in cash.
I have both Filson and Bemidji products, and wouldn't hesitate to order the Bemidji product first. Fast shipping and excellent customer service.

http://www.bemidjiwoolenmills.com/details.php?id=bm07_110

When you go on their website, they sell Filson clothing, too, so make sure you look around for their own products, so you don't get confused.
 
The few FILSON items I have I really treasure. I have 2 of their hats and both of them are really superb quality. I have 1 of their shirts and it's truly made for a lifetime of wear. I don't have the money at this present moment but sometime this summer I do plan on getting some of their Merino Wool long underwear and sox. I've been told that Filson's Merino Wool clothing is about the best you can get here in the USA.

I am really glad someone did a thread on Filson because they are a great company that you just don't hear about much at all :confused:. We have a Filson dealer here in my area just north of Clinton, Missouri and they are great folks to deal with.

I have heard some life saving testimonies about the "moisture wicking" ability of Merino Wool and I can tell you right now that I'm not going bargain hunting when I get some Merino Wool clothing I'm going to get it all from Filson. Great thread guys :)
 
I have a lot of Filson stuff and I enjoy it. I like their luggage. It's very durable and distinctive. There is no confusing a Filson duffel on the carousel.

I also have some of their clothes. I just bought a Clays coat on clearance and have to agree about the cut of their coats. I got a large and if it hadn't been on clearance I would have exchanged it for a medium. The sleeves are too long and it is very voluminous around the mid section.

I have a pair of their brush pants that are nice for upland hunting. They are still pretty warm but are made out of two thicknesses of fabric so that aren't as hot as double tin pants. I am still able to brush up against cactus with out feeling the pain though.

I have a few pair of their boots that I bought last year on clearance and they are great. The chukka boots needed some serious break in time but the Upland boots were good to go on the first day. They cleared out the boots because they quit having them made in the U.S. and shipped manufacturing overseas.

More of their lines are being made overseas, but the main store in Seattle still has a window where you can see the clothes being made so hopefully the outerwear and luggage will still be made in the U.S.

One last thing, if you look around, you can generally find deals. Filson has a few sales a year but other companies sometimes sell at cheaper prices and you can find bargains on Ebay.

Chad
 
I'm startin' to love this thread! :D
Keep'em comin' guys and thanks a lot, you are really helpful! :thumbup:
 
Hairy Oaf said:
As much as I like their stuff though, I really dislike the cut of most of their jackets.
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I would second that thought. After reading his comment, it reminded me that I returned my XL (regular size) and moved down to a large. Still plenty of room for base layers. Be careful buying mail order unless you've tried on to be sure what size you really need.
 
Yeah look out it's easy to get hooked on Filson. You'll find yourself in a church basement saying "Hi my name is (your name here) and I'm a Filson Addict..."
 
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