My son’s best friend told us a story about Filson which sold me on all their stuff. A rancher here in Texas, near Abilene, wears their oil finish tin cloth pants. He had a pair that he said were app 10 years old, that he ripped on some brush. He called up Filson, and asked about their lifetime warranty. They sent him a brand new pair, no questions asked. That’s what this company is about.
NutnFancy! Now that takes me back! That dude is badass, glad to see he's stuck to his roots. I like this, but more to hear you talk about the styles and alternatives.
Lots of complaints about not being made in the US and the prices of their product. What I don’t think a lot of people understand is that they’re quite possibly losing money on the US made items and subsidizing if by equally priced imported items. Additionally, the manufacturing sector in the US has been decimated. Logistically speaking it is very likely impossible to have some of their products made in the US simply due to supply chains.
Hey man, I just found out your channel when I was searching for reviews on a Filson jacket, then after that video I watch several of your other videos, I have to say that I've learned quite a few things and brands that I didn't know of before watching ur videos. Very nice production and quality on the videos. I subbed since most of ur videos are about rugged/work style looking tools and clothes, we def clicked when it comes to styles lol! Nice job and keep them coming.
I was literally scrolling through doing the exact same thing and came across Carl’s channel. I’ve subbed and am thoroughly enjoying his content. Just out of curiosity did you wind up purchasing a filson jacket?
@@andyreynolds4465 I went with the Flint and Tinder Flannel-lined Waxed Trucker Jacket. The cut on the Flint and Tinder one is more slim(fashion focused) rather work Filson which is slightly more"work" focused. And F&T is only $268.
@@Commander_HW thanks for the reply man! I have a raw denim coat I’m looking at trading or selling because it pinches a bit. I’ll look into the flint and tinder a bit more.
I can say confidently that a lot, or virtually all of their stuff is overpriced. I heard that when they made a management change they upped their prices by 30%. That's a big change and they've probably had a bunch of increases over the years to deal with the rise cost of labour, materials, etc., but that 30% is purely an MBA move. Being overpriced is not to say the stuff is not useful, just that there is stuff you pay for besides the product.
Their Mackinaw Cruisers are still priced fairly for what you are getting as is some of their Rugged Twill luggage. After all are you really going to notice a difference cost wise, 20 or 30 years down the road when your gear is still running strong? As far as I’m concerned if my Cruiser or my 22oz Rugged Twill Filson luggage last 20 or 30 years, the prices they are charging are still more then fair.
Mentioning similar products by other brands and then showing the product with prices, is what really made this video. Would like to see more stuff like this
Great video Carl. I have the Mackinaw vest in charcoal I bought almost 20 years ago and it still looks brand new. Impeccable workmanship and the most worn piece of clothing for the cooler weather. I can work in it, camp, hike and still dressit up a bit wsith a tweed sportcoat. It will probably outlast me.
I like this format. You should do more of them. Duluth, Allen Edmonds etc... I Like the other brand options you throw out as well. I have never heard of some of them.
It's a shame. I'm a die hard fan of the company, the history, and most of the products..... but since Bedrock got to them it really hasn't been the same. I recently got a wool cruiser, a wool hat, a wool brimmed hat, and a belt, all have been great, but I won't touch the good majority of their imported stuff. I wish they'd head back to their roots, hell, even the early 2000s, I'd prefer the "Lodge Line" over this Filson Dark Age. The worst part is, I don't think they're listening, just because they've become over corpratized. Oh the things I'd do if I could fix that company....... I hope change comes soon. If you are watching, Filson, change needs to come.
Just same I've got a jacket of theirs thats been in my family for 2 or 3 generations its a green wool mackinaw I went to buy another in the flagship store and it just wasn't the same. The flagship is more expensive but I was in the area.
Filson, Redwing, Carhart, all those awesome brands we speak of are great. The problem as you kind of stated earlier, is the quality is so good the product takes for ever to wear out. That being said, as expensive as they are a lot of younger folks just getting started cant afford them and old guys like me (54) will never get the full use of it. I have 5 pair of Redwing boots now. A Filson wool vest I love. Carhart coats and bibs. My relatively cushy job that I don't need any of those types of clothes for, I just like the look and quality, will never wear them out. Oh well, I can pass them down. Brings merit to the old saying "buy once, cry once" . It's tough, but you will be money ahead in the long run.
I can confirm the Tin Cloth Pants are actually used a lot in the PNW, a thing to note is they used to have a Life time Warranty haven’t taken mine thru the Warrenty Process but have been told the honor it
As a member of TNP I love to see you shouting out Nutnfancy (the OG of gear reviews) and doing a catalog read! I have the short lined cruiser ton cloth jacket and just purchased the dry wax work jacket and I really like them both. The short cruiser is one of my favorite jackets ever and looks amazing after a few years of wear. We have a Filson store near me and it’s hipster paradise which makes me sad. This is a company with so much awesome history and it’s interesting to see them change from selling to men who wanted something durable to work in to men who are in love with the aesthetic of looking as though they don’t work behind a screen. Nothing wrong with working behind a screen but you don’t need to wear tin cloth to stay dry in a Starbucks.
Filson, I know you're reading the comments. The price raise y'all did on the Crew Neck Guide Sweater was not cool, not cool at all. Your customers aren't stupid.
Love your videos man. Love the content and great production quality. Tip for the next time you do a video like this though.....the angle of the camera on that catalogue is dizzying. Maybe you can try to shoot it straight on next time.....just my 2 cents.
Love the commentary and love the constructive criticism. Not only did you call out the over priced stuff but you also offered alternatives and that I love. Great job Carl
Love my twill Rucksack... and small Pullman luggage. My rule of thumb when buying Filson is U.S. made natural materials... 100% wool, Tin Cloth, Shelter Cloth, Twill, leather. No imports or synthetics.
Yep same here, mostly second hand at a discounted price as well. Can't go wrong. Bought a used pair of the uplander boots in excellent condition for $120 and they had a weird lip that sort of rubbed my ankle.. Emailed filson and they told me send em in and sent me a shipping label for the box. Ended up not sending them in since it got better with more wear.
Yes I hear ya, It really doesn’t get any better than flogging the dolphin to the Christmas Sears catalog. I miss those days. Another winner dude, great video!
Super entertaining video Carl, loved it... Would be great to hear your take on the new, controversial, carhartt detroit jacket compared with the classic war horse... Keep up the good work man
Nut'N'Fancy is/was awesome. Insane. But awesome. I have the wool cruiser in olive green. It is exceptional. I expect to hand it down to my kids when I die, it is that heavy duty. Took it to Scotland and Ireland last summer, just an incredibly warm yet breathable fabric. Great on a motorcycle too when you want some breathability - the collar will flap though unless you pop it. Hipster squared, especially when paired with IR boots, but whatever LOL.
Another great video. 👍 I was wondering if you have ever thought about putting out a video with a list of your preferred/recommended companies and what they are best for. I would definitely refer to your list. You have a great depth of knowledge when it comes to quality stuff. It could be like a shopping cart for the different products that you know are top quality and worth the price. Just an idea, just my thoughts. Thanks!
I really like that you give alternatives. Makes me second guess their flannel line and it's informative to hear L.L.Bean does better for their pricing.
I own the medium duffle in otter green. Bit the bullet and haven’t looked back. Absolutely love it. Saving for the mackinaw coat and gonna get the vest very soon. I agree that most of their wool, tin, and twill are worth it while their other stuff is kinda gimmicky.
I like their tin cloth and their mackinaw wool. However, I kinda wonder why the dry tin is imported while the waxed tin is usa made. They now have some American made jeans called the Rail Cutter as of the catalog I got yesterday, and have a 13.5oz selvage. While id probably get the regular denim, id buy the selv from a specialist like bravestar. Though for the regular denim you can get like 2 maybe 3 pairs of Dearborn denim jeans which are also usa made.
Was about to suggest the same thing. Would appreciate your thoughts on Orvis, as I’m increasingly migrating away from L.L. Bean and Filson towards Orvis.
Man... I have checked their prices in Europe, if you think they are expensive in USD, check the prices in EUR... they certainly add a nice premium on top of the imports taxes and transport costs...
One of the great things about Filson is if you buy the late/off season clothes. You can get at least 25% off and many times i have bought Filson at 50% off.
Bought my daughter a down cruiser vest from them during this year’s sale. Bought it for $150.00 as I recall, and was listed for $350.00. I have the make version of that down cruiser vest, and I swear that thing will last for decades. Phenomenal!
I cannot explain how glad I am that you got me hip to Gustin and Huckberry. They may not be as durable as Filson, but their value is unbeatable as far as I've seen. I got a made in usa waxed jacket from each (field jacket from Gustin and flannel lined trucker from HB) for the same price as one of Filson's tin cloth cruisers. For everything else (heavy flannels, high pile fleece, canvas shirt jackets, etc.) I can just go to my local L.L. Bean and leave with my wallet intact
I will say the 3-Layer Field Jacket is the bomb! Way better than the Carhartt Storm Defender, which lost its waterproofing in a short period of time and the chest pocket no longer closes, which Carl did mention in one of his previous videos about his Carhartt vest. I use the 3-Layer Field Jacket in the woods, assessing tree stands while walking through dense brush in the pouring rain! This jacket was definitely worth my moolah! Woohoo!
Thanks for this video. Little precision about the thickness of the Jac-Shirt vs Mackinaw Cruiser : the Jac-Shirt shown in the catalog seems to be lighter than the cruiser (18oz vs 26oz). But the Jac-Shirt that you have ("Dark Militray Plaid") was in fact 26oz too, so it is the same weight than Mackinaw if not considering the cotton lining. I have that exact same Jac-Shirt, bought used (worn ten times) a few weeks ago. What a beast!
I like this video with the added brands with similar products. I think that older second hand products are better than some of the newer ones. It is like buying a car, if one doesn't mine a couple of years of wear then why buy new?
I had Filson Highlander boots--leather uppers with Vibram lugged sole. They were pretty nice and comfortable until the sole came off the upper at the left heel. I'm not sure if the front part of the sole was sown to the upper but the heel area seemed to be glued only, no welt or stitch down apparent... That was a $375 boot. It should be noted that Filson and White's have collaborated on several boot offerings in recent years. For the most part they incorporate Tin Cloth into an existing Nick's boot offering. I tried a pair... nearly $600 with tax. I wish I had gone straight to White's and had a bespoke boot made for me with leather instead of the Tin Cloth. Live and learn... My most recent boots are Nick's Builder Pros and the Filson/White's boot are used for day hikes only.
i remarked a few years back about how suddenly their website and especialy the catalogue has become quite impressive. it sets a mood and atmosphere to buy into the image. i simply skip over the imported stuff without much thought. they have offered intriguing sweaters from ireland, scotland, and norway. theyve also offered collaborations with danner, nicks and whites. they should offer some coupons more often and the winter sale is tough, but possible to find a few gems. if you dig around their are still many american made items including special zippos, bandanas, coffee mugs, camp tables and chairs, and grills.
The double mackinaw was discontinued then brought back with an outrages price and was the reason I didnt buy it before, Paying for the Filson name if you do .Look elsewhere for your wool coats and bibs , Stormy Kromer or Codet/Big Bill just to name a few
Carl do you know that the Rugged Twill Filson has been using for their luggage pieces, for nearly 3 decades is also imported? It comes from Scotland, so that shouldn’t really serve as a knock against it, since it’s such a great material. Also if I wanted to be like everyone else I’d go with the Frank Clegg briefcase, but since I don’t, I instead would choose a Filson Leather Satchel from the 1980’s or 90’s.
The wool is very nice but I'm still disappointed with some of the finishing on Filson's newer stuff. My Mackinaw wool jacket has had a few seams tear very easily in 6 years. To the point I barely wear it now. Overall cool video though. It was enjoyable to watch.
Sweet ORIS timepiece & very cool review of catalog, awesome video‼️😎👍Isn’t that journeymen backpack the one that Jack Ryan uses in the movie series, Stridewise did a review and even at the cost it was still the best pack in its class🎒🤔 Please do some more catalog reviews, it was a very fun video👏🥳
Hey Carl, heads up, the camo pattern you were talking about that Carhartt uses for its heritage line and filson is using as well is the pattern used and provided to the US military during WW2, which I believe is called is M1942 pattern. Just wanted to throw that out there since the history is neat! It was designed by artists and painters for wartime to imitate foliage based on research that both the US and Germany was doing at the time.
I have worked in logging, forestry, and mills for 20 years in the southern US. I have never seen anyone wear tin cloth. In our forests and climate it’s just not widely used.
With that price, of course you expect made in USA. And that got me thinking, are those people modeling for their products real people doing those jobs? I'll bet yes (most of them), but then would those people actually be able to afford all those things too? Oh wait, sponsorship.. As for me, I missed their Bell Bomber. Retired mine since pockets were about to tear off, but I'll like to own another (with stronger pockets of course).
Hey man I wouldn’t mind you reviewing Xtratuf gear. I know it may be out of your wheelhouse because it’s focused on fisherman, but I’m sure you have viewers that would be interested.
Great vid. It serves as brilliant information for people regarding not just individual items/products but the brand as a whole as well. Hey Carl, how is your Cravar FC holding up?
It’s awesome man. I forgot how much I like the two front pockets and I miss them on my other bags. Lately I’ve been carrying the Moosebrand Heirloom Messenger though.
I’ve only ever bought tees from Filson and their hats. Down here in south Texas. Buying their jackets doesn’t really make sense. So damn hot. They had a store here in Austin Texas but it didn’t last long. I did get a chance to really check out their bags and they look really really well made. I will be purchasing one soon
One thing to remember about the cruiser is it has a game pouch in the back, which makes the back double fabric (and warmer). The pockets in the front help in that respect too. Carl is correct that it will most likely outlast its owner.
I have a vintage Mackinaw Cruiser that I could not be happier with. I have heard rumors that they are bringing some of the product line back to US made, but unfortunately it seems like most everything is not made in the states anymore. I had to go with the fjallraven ovik re-wool for a good quality wool shirt.
Carl: your work is fantastic!! I would like to request something which might be right down your alley. Your style is in my wheelhouse but there are not many reviewers whose opinion I trust beyond yours. Murawski island - population: me. I would love to hear your faves lists. For example: best wool vest overall. Best work vest. Best-vest for your money. Etc. best work boot (I know: Nicks), best casual boot - dress boot - best boot for your money. Do flannels. Belts. Hats. Coats. Long sleeves. Tee shirts. Shoes. Socks. I am a Viking Sasquatch and am otherwise unable to dress myself without manly insight. I can’t afford guessing for hundreds of dollars until I find something of quality. PS - about to drop cash for the Nicks boot BTW.
Carl Murawski - sorry to bother with more. I have another idea: Please weigh the articles of clothing you review. I suspect the value and quality correlate very highly with higher weight comparatively - controlling for size and function of course. Baited is the breath upon which I will be waiting.
I miss Nut'nfancy, I was subbed and followed his channel for years. He had a good thing going but I think he just got tired of doing it. Filson's stuff was always pretty neat and I like the stuff I had but it felt like they went to the hipster crew with more money than brains and lost the legendary quality they used to be able to tout. They still have a few cool things but even more grossly overpriced than ever. Nowdays they remind me of a legendary bourbon company that decided to source and relabel rather than to go to the trouble and work of actually making a great original brand/product. This still made a fun vid, watched and liked. ;)
I noticed your compliment on Taylor Stitch. I own a number of their clothes, early and later productions, and had a few brand new shirts that I had pulled out of the closet earlier this week. Noticed how long those shirts were, and it shocked me. The length, from bottom of collar to end of shirt on back, was 32 inches for size 44. Looks so bad if not tucked in. Something changed over the last couple of years... Going to put then up for sale on ebay very soon which is too bad because the fabrics were pretty nice.
You're right, I've heard things about the early vs new Taylor Stitch but I got to know them a bit late. I do agree about the length though, and its not too bad because I like to tuck in my shirts.
Another nice video Carl. With most brands you are paying for the name. Carhartt and others like that offer value with stuff being good quality for the price paid. Filson is a niche maker of clothes. They have a certain customer base who will buy their items no matter what. It pays to shop around for stuff you want..Filson is over priced, just like Duluth Trading is overpriced...
9:10 you are talking about the Mackinaw Jac shirt, which is a different item completely. This one on the page is the classic Filson Jac shirt, which is the OG "style 90" one they've made for 30-40 years.
Great video! So much contrasting information that normal people aka me wouldn't know. I saw an episode where you were splitting wood. Do you actually heat with wood or just for show? If so there is alot of wood burners out there with blue collar jobs that enjoy good products.
Almost every brand ever that was fortunate to survive and thrive eventually exploits its reputation. Customers pay more and get less, while never learning the names of the hundreds or thousands of eager and capable little companies that come and go without ever becoming an Orvis or Woolrich.
Nut'N Fancy is still making videos. You are right, he does not really do the catalog thing, perhaps only rarely getting into literature from vendors. He still does many of his classic things, like philosophy of use, and WROL. Nut'N is great, imo.
Filson gets there tin cloth, twill and cotton canvas fabrics from Haley Stevensons in Scotland just because it says imported isn’t a bad thing. They’re the best company in the cotton canvas world,
I agree with Filson, and sometimes you have to guess on the size. I’m almost always an X-large, but with filson, the X-Large was big , and the Large a bit small, they need to set stands on sizing... With backpacks, duffel bags, they are way too expensive, you can get a much nicer duffel, waxed canvas and leather at Frost River from Duluth, Bushcraft people love their backpacks, and I agree. Or is is hit or miss, not sure about Duluth Trading, theirs good and bad reviews on their products..., sizing being one of the issues. I’ve recently ordered from Carhart, and I do like their products allot, jacket perfect in XL, the shirt was big, so..., back and fourth again with size, but they are a bit better in this. I ordered a hoody , the heavy Rain Deffender, love it, roomy, but one washing in hot water and in the dryer, perfect.... I also love Fjallraven, expensive and same issues with size, seems to be the plague now a days. Great reviews, just ordered a filson wool Packer , hope it’s good...
So I've got an Alaskan Field Guide shirt from Filson, and it's very comparable to the Taylor Stitch heavy bag shirt. Very. The Filson fits a full size larger, though.
I wiil look at the coat very soon. Then i will probably wait for a spring/overstock sale. Thanks for the price information. I am willing to pay higher prices for Union made American stuff but there are limits. Currently my, temps in the mid 30s, jacket is a Columbia with the reflective liner. When it gets colder a Columbia vest under a very old insulated leather jacket. When it gets cold enough to need a parka I stay inside.
I'm not a particularly value-minded individual, especially when it comes to things made in the USA, Canada, and western Europe. However, I do draw the line when they're attempting to charge what they do for third-world made goods.