I live near a Filson store so I most always try on before buying. The sizing has become maddening recently with every model seeming to have its own size range. I am a 43 inch chest , 36 inch waist, no gut. I've owned a large western vest since 2020. It measures 23 inches across the chest and gives me too much room across the stomach. So I went in this spring to size a medium. The sizing has changed! The medium is now too tight. I got another large that now measures 22 across the chest. I fits like it was tailored to me. It appears the chest and abdomen width has decreased an inch ( two inches in circumference). A 2022 medium cruiser jacket fits me with more than ample room across the stomach (chest is 23.50), but my ~2021 medium cape coat is a trim fit at 22.25 inches across the chest. So size appears different for many models from Filson. So western vests and cape coats are cut quite trim, cruiser jackets and Mackinaw vests are more ample through the middle. One bit of synergy is the cape coat with the wool cruiser over it makes for a bullet-proof combination when the weather drops below freezing but is still wet. I go with down when it drops to the lower 20s F. One plus for the western vest is it functions very well as a light jacket when the collar is turned up. It's very versatile. You do need to rely on your shirt pockets or pants from your larger phone , though. Somewhere I picked up the thought that the bottom button of a vest is traditionally not buttoned, so I follow that. I will have to see if fanstening the bottom button does anything to the fit.
I also leave the last button unfastened. The sizing is just bonkers and it has gotten to the point that you just have to try each item on to determine if it works for you.
@@NOLAGent1 I grew up in a logging family. I try to fool myself I am buying the same product lol. But I am happy with the Filson wool I do have. It reminds me of a more interesting time. Yes, I try to ignore a lot of the urban fashion angle, but they need that sector to survive. It's fine.
Thank you so much, i really appreciate this sizing video. I wish more people did videos like this. I normally buy large Jackets, but i tried on a Machinaw cruiser in large and it was way to baggy for me, and the arms were way to long.
Nice video. My experience has been the same as yours. I'm a large in almost everything filson. I own multiple mackinaw vests. The western is definitely smaller than the regular mackinaw vest. In both cases I've ended up buying in both sizes large and XL. I wear the XL in colder weather with a merino wool baselayer and thick wool shirt. The large mackinaw vest fits ok with a tshirt and thin cotton shirt. I hardly ever wear the western large. Although i can button it, its just too snug for my liking. If I ever slim down some, I'll be glad I have it though.
I almost want to try the XXL Western vest as I generally prefer a looser fit as I wear things on my belt that add more bulk right where the Western vest gets tight. I'm also curious how the Mackinaw Wool zip vests fit as I imagine they will have a different fit all their own. It is good to have a collection with some variety of sizes to use depending on what you are wearing or doing. Thanks for watching!
Do you notice a difference in the thickness of the old plaid vest and the new plaid vest? (Numbers vest vs the large vest). Because i bought a new one but wonder if there is a noticable difference with the old one.
The newest one I have is the red plaid and it seems to be a bit lighter than the older grey plaid. I haven't weighed it to make sure but the material just seems a bit thinner.
I have a filson outlet mall a few towns over & got the vest around 30% off. I Believe they are slowly outsourcing their made in USA lines to other countries. I think mostly their wool products are still made here & their twill briefcases but once that is outsourced and still charging for those made in USA prices, yeah it’s not worth to even invest in them. Anyways the vest is nice, I think I’ll get good use because of the hand warmer pockets, I prefer to wear a collar shirt or something because the wool itch the back of my neck if worn with a t shirt.
The current owners of Filson are on a path of destroying it like so many formerly great brands that have gone through the same thing. Filson seems to be going about it slower so far. I love the vests and I wish they made a vest with the Western collar and pockets like on the regular vest.
@@NOLAGent1 I agree that a western vest collar with a pocket of the regular vest would be a amazing combo. I recently got some cash to spend & went to a filson store got the button tin cloth vest,thinking it would be a good lightweight vest for the warmer days. Thanks to the nice staffs it’s best to size even up 2 times your jacket size.Unfortunately this 1 of the stuff filson outsourced that was once made in the states. Quality is mostly still there but Still sad to it outsourced however I find the price not too outlandish compared to the wool vests. I hope filson would continue to keep their core product like the mackinaw cruiser(want but not needed) still made in the states. I don’t mind newer items being made elsewhere as long as we get U.S made originals. Like Barbour have Bedale( I have 1) & Beaufort still produced in the UK or red wings heritage lines in U.S, Even the bean boot is still made in Main. Maybe I’m harsh on filson but at the price some of the items they’re selling at & if they keep outsourcing with still MIUS price that would be insulting.
I work for TIPS so please help support the NOLA Gent Channel won't you as it is much appreciated this is the Patreon link: www.patreon.com/nolagent?fan_landing=true
The Western Vest really needs to upgrade the pockets while the regular vest has pretty decent pockets. All the vests need interior pockets. Filson made a whipcord Western vest with a liner that had an interior pocket but it is next to impossible to find. The Mackinaw Cruiser jackets are also frustrating as some years they had interior pockets other years not. Weather Wool's All Around Jacket also falls short on the interior pockets being too small for larger phones these days.
Sadly, Filson has gone corporate and changed hands and sizes more than a working prostitute! They no longer have time for size consistency nor quality, they are greed driven. I believe greed motivated them to move production to places like Vietnam and Bangladesh - and it has ruined their products but boosted their shareholder profits. Not only did they move offshore to save production costs, they also have significantly raised their already ridiculous, bordering insane prices, working class folks cant afford filson and choose other apparel lines! Also, fit is now based on sushi and tofu fueled models in Seattle and/or rice driven skinnies in Bangladesh. Done with the filson product line - they ruined a great product.
That is the sad story of most of the USA these days. Hopefully we get a return to USA manufacturing again. China made is obviously not a sustainable model. WeatherWool is 100% American. The old Filson is so well built that a lot of it still exists on the used market we can still find. These giant corporations buying and then destroying great companies putting out great products has got to stop! We need something similar to what the British have with their Royal Warrant that acts as a seal of quality assurance. We need some new contract law that will enable a business to be sold with contractual guarantees of maintaining quality standards and domestic manufacturing.
I live near a Filson store so I most always try on before buying. The sizing has become maddening recently with every model seeming to have its own size range. I am a 43 inch chest , 36 inch waist, no gut. I've owned a large western vest since 2020. It measures 23 inches across the chest and gives me too much room across the stomach. So I went in this spring to size a medium. The sizing has changed! The medium is now too tight. I got another large that now measures 22 across the chest. I fits like it was tailored to me. It appears the chest and abdomen width has decreased an inch ( two inches in circumference). A 2022 medium cruiser jacket fits me with more than ample room across the stomach (chest is 23.50), but my ~2021 medium cape coat is a trim fit at 22.25 inches across the chest. So size appears different for many models from Filson. So western vests and cape coats are cut quite trim, cruiser jackets and Mackinaw vests are more ample through the middle. One bit of synergy is the cape coat with the wool cruiser over it makes for a bullet-proof combination when the weather drops below freezing but is still wet. I go with down when it drops to the lower 20s F. One plus for the western vest is it functions very well as a light jacket when the collar is turned up. It's very versatile. You do need to rely on your shirt pockets or pants from your larger phone , though. Somewhere I picked up the thought that the bottom button of a vest is traditionally not buttoned, so I follow that. I will have to see if fanstening the bottom button does anything to the fit.
I also leave the last button unfastened. The sizing is just bonkers and it has gotten to the point that you just have to try each item on to determine if it works for you.
@@NOLAGent1 which does no favors to Filson's reputation
They are losing a lot of long years and hard earned customer respect and trust sadly. My last visit to the Seattle store was just a depressing time...
@@NOLAGent1 I grew up in a logging family. I try to fool myself I am buying the same product lol. But I am happy with the Filson wool I do have. It reminds me of a more interesting time. Yes, I try to ignore a lot of the urban fashion angle, but they need that sector to survive. It's fine.
@@NOLAGent1 What sort of changes were you disappointed in?
Great vid needed the info
Thanks for watching 👍
Thank you so much, i really appreciate this sizing video. I wish more people did videos like this.
I normally buy large Jackets, but i tried on a Machinaw cruiser in large and it was way to baggy for me, and the arms were way to long.
The size difference between the vests and their jackets is vast and confusing! Thanks for watching.
@@NOLAGent1 subscribed
Nice video. My experience has been the same as yours. I'm a large in almost everything filson. I own multiple mackinaw vests. The western is definitely smaller than the regular mackinaw vest. In both cases I've ended up buying in both sizes large and XL. I wear the XL in colder weather with a merino wool baselayer and thick wool shirt. The large mackinaw vest fits ok with a tshirt and thin cotton shirt. I hardly ever wear the western large. Although i can button it, its just too snug for my liking. If I ever slim down some, I'll be glad I have it though.
I almost want to try the XXL Western vest as I generally prefer a looser fit as I wear things on my belt that add more bulk right where the Western vest gets tight. I'm also curious how the Mackinaw Wool zip vests fit as I imagine they will have a different fit all their own. It is good to have a collection with some variety of sizes to use depending on what you are wearing or doing. Thanks for watching!
Do you notice a difference in the thickness of the old plaid vest and the new plaid vest? (Numbers vest vs the large vest). Because i bought a new one but wonder if there is a noticable difference with the old one.
The newest one I have is the red plaid and it seems to be a bit lighter than the older grey plaid. I haven't weighed it to make sure but the material just seems a bit thinner.
@@NOLAGent1 thank you!
I have a filson outlet mall a few towns over & got the vest around 30% off. I Believe they are slowly outsourcing their made in USA lines to other countries. I think mostly their wool products are still made here & their twill briefcases but once that is outsourced and still charging for those made in USA prices, yeah it’s not worth to even invest in them. Anyways the vest is nice, I think I’ll get good use because of the hand warmer pockets, I prefer to wear a collar shirt or something because the wool itch the back of my neck if worn with a t shirt.
The current owners of Filson are on a path of destroying it like so many formerly great brands that have gone through the same thing. Filson seems to be going about it slower so far. I love the vests and I wish they made a vest with the Western collar and pockets like on the regular vest.
@@NOLAGent1 I agree that a western vest collar with a pocket of the regular vest would be a amazing combo. I recently got some cash to spend & went to a filson store got the button tin cloth vest,thinking it would be a good lightweight vest for the warmer days. Thanks to the nice staffs it’s best to size even up 2 times your jacket size.Unfortunately this 1 of the stuff filson outsourced that was once made in the states. Quality is mostly still there but Still sad to it outsourced however I find the price not too outlandish compared to the wool vests. I hope filson would continue to keep their core product like the mackinaw cruiser(want but not needed) still made in the states. I don’t mind newer items being made elsewhere as long as we get U.S made originals. Like Barbour have Bedale( I have 1) & Beaufort still produced in the UK or red wings heritage lines in U.S, Even the bean boot is still made in Main. Maybe I’m harsh on filson but at the price some of the items they’re selling at & if they keep outsourcing with still MIUS price that would be insulting.
I work for TIPS so please help support the NOLA Gent Channel won't you as it is much appreciated this is the Patreon link: www.patreon.com/nolagent?fan_landing=true
Yeah seems like filson has to improve pocket sizes for the modern world
The Western Vest really needs to upgrade the pockets while the regular vest has pretty decent pockets. All the vests need interior pockets. Filson made a whipcord Western vest with a liner that had an interior pocket but it is next to impossible to find. The Mackinaw Cruiser jackets are also frustrating as some years they had interior pockets other years not. Weather Wool's All Around Jacket also falls short on the interior pockets being too small for larger phones these days.
Sadly, Filson has gone corporate and changed hands and sizes more than a working prostitute! They no longer have time for size consistency nor quality, they are greed driven. I believe greed motivated them to move production to places like Vietnam and Bangladesh - and it has ruined their products but boosted their shareholder profits. Not only did they move offshore to save production costs, they also have significantly raised their already ridiculous, bordering insane prices, working class folks cant afford filson and choose other apparel lines! Also, fit is now based on sushi and tofu fueled models in Seattle and/or rice driven skinnies in Bangladesh. Done with the filson product line - they ruined a great product.
That is the sad story of most of the USA these days. Hopefully we get a return to USA manufacturing again. China made is obviously not a sustainable model. WeatherWool is 100% American. The old Filson is so well built that a lot of it still exists on the used market we can still find. These giant corporations buying and then destroying great companies putting out great products has got to stop! We need something similar to what the British have with their Royal Warrant that acts as a seal of quality assurance. We need some new contract law that will enable a business to be sold with contractual guarantees of maintaining quality standards and domestic manufacturing.
I feel like 42 fits more like filson medium