Gone are the days of workwear priced for working class people. I'm not qualified to disput any of Carl's choices on quality grounds, but my pockets tell me that none of the indicated brands are worke people pockets' friendly, with the possible exception of the Vermont Flannel. That's my 2 cents.
@carlmurawski the Abercrombie rebrand from 2015 - 2020 brought stuff back from the og catalogs and the quality for the price went hard perfect example the 2018 ultra parka was a Canada goose expedition parka in Abercrombie styling and unique colors
@CarlMurawski unlined Mackinaw Jac Shirts made in the USA are still great as well. They are sourcing their wool from Scotland, New, Zealand and Italy, weaving the wool in Mexico and stiching them in the USA 🇺🇸
I am 55 years old and bought my first Filson garment when I was 20 years old after working overtime at UPS to pay for it. Every year I would put a little money aside and buy myself one Filson item for myself each Christmas. Six or seven years ago I bought a pair of boots that began coming apart after only a few months. I called them up and expected all the great service I had heard about and believed in . Needless to say, I got no offer to replace the boots ( I did not want a refund I just wanted the quality boots I had received in the past) and was told , " What it sounds like is normal wear and tear.' It was such a sad day and I told the person I was speaking with that for over 35 years I would never consider leaving Filson but than now , Filson had left me. Very , very sad.
You’re 100 percent right but the corporate type people who run these private equity firms are soulless and will never listen to reason nor do they care at all about legacy or quality. Only money and if they crumble a company like Filson they will move on to the next company. I currently work for a machine shop that was acquired by a group like this and it’s been in a downward spiral ever since.
That's usually the beginning of the end. Things stay the same for a while, but then little by little they get worse for everyone downstream of upper management.
The greatest tradedgy in this is that most Private Equity Firms (PEFs) lack the insight and patience to understand the value of long-term gains. So, they squander what could be a valuable long-term term asset in favor of smaller quicker returns. And a great brand is ruined!
I have my grandpas mackinaw cruiser jacket and matching hat. He got them right from the Duluth Pack store in the 90’s. It is by far my best jacket and hat, and I wear them on the most brutally cold Minnesota days.
I am at SeaTac often and will stop by the Filson store here and there. Your observations are spot on. So many of their offerings have seen prices shoot up even though the manufacturing was moved to Sri Lanka. I'm happy to pay good money for a high quality item manufactured by people who are fairly compensated and protected by labor laws. Unfortunately, that seems to be a thing of the past with most Filson products. I have a few of their outerwear items that were made in the US and I've been happy with those. For things like t-shirts, sweaters, and light jackets I have turned to Dehen. They make their goods in the PNW (often of fabric knit in-house) and offer outstanding quality. If you go to the factory store you can look through the window and see garments being constructed feet away. Somehow they also manage to undercut Filson on cost given a similar item. As stated in the video, there are better options out there.
As a west coast man from the Seattle area growing up seeing the old Filson sign above the Seattle flagship store, seeing this decline has been real sad. My father in-law used to back country ski in Makinaw pants, I’ve loved my Double Makinaw cruiser (that I picked up for less than $300 from the old Filson outlet store), tin cloth cruiser, Alaska guide shirts, and rugged twill bags but doggonit the quality has gone way down. I’m glad that I bought my Filson items when I did. I frequently stop by the flagship store to check things out and every time I start to question the decisions my home town company is doing. The wool feels less hardy, I know for a fact they recently changed the cotton in their light Alaska guide shirt so now it straight up feels like polyester, and good lord their prices! The heritage is there, it doesn’t have to be this way. I suspect the huge boom of popularity of Filson in Asian countries also had a lot to do with the decline of quality to keep up with demands too. There are for sure other contenders out there, and I’ve always tried to stay loyal out of hometown pride but that might not be enough to keep me loyal these days.
I ordered a down vest on last call and realized it was massive compared to my patagonia and I needed to swap down a size. getting hold of customer service was a nightmare, but they did help me swap the size when I eventually got someone on the other end. took about 3 months to swap the size out. I’ll finally try out the vest next winter
all this to say I wont be ordering from Filson again. horrible business model to charge a premium and then make people wait 2 hours to talk on the phone
If my only options for those two products were a $50 candle and a $100 bottle opener, I'm opening beers with my teeth and letting my house be stinky. Goddamn
The previous filson was good, but now they have lost their direction. Not only are they gradually losing their previous fans, but their current series of changes and new behaviors cannot attract new fans. filson should change back to before and make the right changes instead of the wrong ones.
Bought my Double Mackinaw in 1972 and still have it. Now that I live in TN dont wear it much but because of their quality issues I purchased a Stormy Kromer mackinaw and love it
Their sister brand Shinola is in the same boat. Once billed as a proud Detroit brand, you will notice the Country of Origin(COO) once stamped on the outside of their stuff is no longer present. The DC store had a couple of their old USA made leather goods mixed in with the new vietnam made stuff. Only reason I noticed was because of how much thinner(cheaper) the leather was on the new imported stuff.
@@CarlMurawski They had Made in USA on some of their watches and that was not true at all. Their watches are only assembled in the USA with imported components. I do not believe they got in trouble for the rest of their line.
@@kota3233I’ve always loved Shinola watches and had great service with their lifetime guarantee. The hate their watches get are ridiculous in my opinion. That said, i’m disappointed to hear that the leather products are no longer USA-made..
My grandpa wore a classic red wool checked hat from Filson; now it’s mine and I wear it all winter. Last year I found a short tin cloth cruiser at the local dump in my size. Perfect condition. About a week later I found a forest green Mackinaw at a thrift store, like new, $25. Both are wildly durable and served me well last winter. I’ve been using Filson tin cloth pants in forest settings for over 5 years and they are still going strong, re-waxed for the first time last year. Don’t give up on Filson! You can get good deals w/ some of their stuff on EBay, etc… But yeah, important vid. Hopefully they’ll come back around. In the meantime you’ve shared some rock solid ‘Merican options.
Was looking at buying a mackinaw cruiser about a year ago, I was hesitant about the price back then, but now it’s impossible to justify getting one brand new
My wife, 11-year-old son, and I visited the original store in Seattle on a layover after a cruise to Alaska and back. My wife who is uninterested in the brand or any brand for that matter sat quietly in the lounge area while I looked around. After about an hour I came back to the lounge and told my wife I was ready to go. She wondered how much money I spent and was shocked when I said $0. I could not do it. The quality seemed off, especially for the price tag. And thanks for mentioning AF. I bought a flannel shirt from there on my 17th birthday and wore it until it finally fell apart sometime in my 40s. I loved their stores especially the smell of the stores. Now I'm not fond of their stores, especially the smell of the stores.
I totally agree. Every year, they move manufacturing of more staple products overseas. These are products that were successfully made in the US for 150 years! Your point about other makers is spot on. If other companies can manage to make great products in the US, then Filson has no excuse. It’s sad and frustrating. It feels like we’re watching a master class in how to ruin a company.
@DJPTEXAS interesting tidbit - old school man's man and great writer Ernest Hemingway's favourite shotgun was one he purchased from Abercrombie & Fitch. It also happens to be the one he unalived himself with. Put that in your sexy coed Beach day advertising Abercrombie!
I have six jackets and three vests from Filson, 3 jackets and two vests made in the US, three jackets and one vest made in oversea. I seen no difference in Quality. The prices nowadays are the only downturn. But hey, you only live once.
Great video and it's like you're speaking w/so many of us who've loved Filson talk about in our own circles (or for me my wife and a couple friends... Ha). I have several Filson garments/flannels but I'll NEVER pay full retail for them and wait to snatch one when they run 40-60% off sales. Still feels like I'm overpaying for what they are now. Their sizes are a huge guess... does it run big, normal, tarp-like fits of jackets and shirts. I'm still in love w/the idea of what Filson was a decade+ ago... and that's the tough part. They've sold out for the all-mighty dollar!
Great video... Filson’s main problem? The price tag. Dropping $550+ on a coat feels less like buying outerwear and more like funding their "halo effect." They're creeping into Canada Goose territory-overhyped and banking on the "you get what you pay for" illusion... which really just means you paid too much. And forget deep discounts; even their rare deals are snatched up and flipped on eBay faster than you can say “mark-up.” Don’t get me wrong, their wool quality and thickness are top-notch, and I plan to snag more Filson gear-just not at retail. Fingers crossed there’s one under the tree for me this year. Meanwhile, brands like WeatherWool and Duckworth? They’re the real MVPs. Worth every penny. Go check them out. Oh, and can we talk about sizing? Why am I suddenly a small? Is this their way of calling me skinny? ha ha ha
Carl, thanks for your honesty. Unfortunately, I'm going to have to find an alternative to Filson. Lucky I was able to get my hands on a Cruiser back in the day. The parallel with Abercrombie is apt.
Ordered a trucker jacket about a month ago from Jason at tin duck denim. Super cool guy. Cant wait to get it. I live in washington state so i went to his shop in olympia and tried a few on. Was blown away by the craftsmanship. Wouldnt of known about his shop if it wasnt for your video 👍 also got a couple flannels from vermont flannel co. Appreciate the good content carl! I am a bricklayer by trade and wouldnt wear most of this stuff in the field but i do appreciate quality products made in america.
Filson has great wool products. I have no issue with Italian products because IMHO, the Italians may be better craftsman in many ways much more detail focused than South Pac labor. I read some Cabelas comments. That was a private brand that I would buy anything they made. The Cabela brothers only put their name on stuff that was tuff. I did a 4 year tour in North Dakota in the energy patch in the early 2010's. I bought their Trans Alaskan Parka, I was in -10F and 50 mph blizzard in that coat and stayed comfortable and I still have it. Canada Goose sued them I believe over that coat. Right now Filson is a trendy brand. The issue with trendy as an investor is trends change and PE money will liquidate. Great video. Love my Otter Green/ Black Plaid Mack vest though.
By making themselves profitable, they have ensured they will continue to have the resources to maintain their products under their guarantee. I appreciate American made, but if they can make the same quality abroad, or even more robust products using modern materials, that allows them to employee a workforce in the usa to repair and maintain those products, that is a deal I'd make. Ignoring the difference in the value of capital across boarders caused by various rates of inflation and capital controls means it will be more difficult for these competitors to guarantee their products with the same confidence as Filson. Sad to say, made in the USA, is a brand. I buy that brand. They make good stuff. But what I really want to buy is well made, high quality goods that the maker stands behind. Filson still does that. And when I do need repairs, I can drop it off at the store for free, they ship it to their repair facilities in Kent Washington, and they ship it to my home for free. That is a luxury that also supports American jobs.
I went to the downtown Seattle Filson store this weekend. I wanted to get a new belt after seeing my 12yo belt have some slight cracking. The old store layout had a view of the manufacturing area. It's not the case anymore. Also, back then, the store associate said they could take my belt into the factory to punch some extra holes if i wanted. It's also not the case anymore, as the current store associate said there's "liability" issues. I don't know what the domestic manufacturing looks like now, but a lot of the products were not USA-made. Lastly, Pendleton also has very few made in Oregon items these days. The problem is most people don't care about American manufacturing and prefer to buy disposable Chinese made goods on Amazon.
Bought my first Filson coat last year. The lined tin cloth cruiser jacket. I really like it. It's heavy and very water resistant. I'm not impressed with the synthetic liner and wish it was wool, but we'll see how it withstands the test of time. Also started looking elsewhere for quality clothing that might not break the bank. I liked your review of Legendary Whitetails and went with some of their shirts and am very happy.
The problem with synthetics is they do not breathe. Makes the product useless. As an example, I shovel snow wearing a mackinaw cruiser. When I go back inside there may be a film of ice crystals on the outside of the coat. Thats the breathe out of my perspiration. On the inside I remain dry - accompanied by a Viyella 80/20 cooton/wool shirt - which does its job very well. Wear a 'ski jacket' or virtually anything in the north face / patagonia / columbia style junk clothing and you have to peel your saturated clothes off your body. Thats just 1 example.
The comparison I kept waiting for and never saw was ... Woolrich. Filson is indeed a sad tale. I became interested in the brand in the late 1990s, which is when I purchased several articles of clothing, including my double mack (which was sized back then ... no M/L/XL crap). Today, I'd go with Johnson Woolen Mills or even Stormy Kromer if I needed a wool coat. Big Bill for wool outdoor pants. I still occasionally shop Filson, but only when things are on deep clearance sales. I'll always have a soft spot for the brand, even if they completely crapped all over the "Made in the USA" value proposition of the brand.
This is probably why the heritage brand market is so hot for private equity. They arent buying Filson because its a cash cow making 22bn a year. But there is a lot of emotional attachment and history with customers. At first customers will excuse things and say ‘well they are still better than the rest’. Its just a matter of time before its blatantly turning the quality knob down and the pricing knob never stops going up. The last holdouts stop buying, and they sell the company for parts and collect their millions. Factories, jobs, and storied reputations are all gone
I’ve got a tin cloth field coat I bought back in the ‘90s. It’s a great hunting jacket. If it wasn’t for the 40 LBs I’ve gained since then, I’d still wear it quail hunting.
I really appreciate this video. I loveD Filson. I was excited when Filson expanded its product offerings... until I bought some of those products. There is a difference between "not of a top quality" and "of poor quality" and some products were of a poor quality. Poor stitching resulted in pants with holes in pockets at delivery and seams that would split with ease. What you don't mention in the collapse of any reliable warranty service. I have returned products for repair (easy re-stiching etc.) only to be told the product was only marketed, sold, shipped and branded by Filson but that Filson didn't make it and wouldn't fix it. Filson's advertising budget has gone through the roof while quality has gone down the toilet. Sad. Thanks for the list of other suppliers.
The quality is still there but the price doesn’t justify like their tin cloth is completely outsourced still charging that MIUS price. Their target audience now is the affluent outdoors people which might not too long with these price increases & quality stagnant. With the power of the internet any business big or small can put themselves out there & can challenge filson in quality & price. I’m gonna keep my mackinaw cruiser & vest for now as the only filson product I have because I don’t see filson getting better anytime soon.
I kind of fell out with Filson a few years ago when they tried to sell a $1,000+ folding chair as a "tactical chair', like it was a self defense weapon. Shame. I still have and love my old American-made Filson double-mack and waxed cruiser. Two of the best jackets I ever owned.
just found out that the rugged twill duffle from Filson Europe is not only made in Romania but also not even made using bridle leather. yet, it cost more than the made in USA with superior bridle leather.
Yap. Italian cowhide. But they still have the padded computer bag MiUSA with bridle leather. A sales associate in the Manhattan store told me they are an older batch.
I really agree with your assessment of Filson. having long cherished my Filson Wool Pants, Filson Wool shirts, and most of all their wool blend shirts that were machine washable. After a couple iterations these blend shirts are no longer available. Really sad, the quality and warmth of a Filson that does not take a trip to the dry cleaners. I fear the death spiral they are on will be fatal very soon. What a shame and loss.
Oh no! I bought a Filson journeyman backpack and was looking at TH-cam videos about it while I wait for it to arrive and now TH-cam recommends me this video 😭
I love my Filson Mackinaw Cruisers and Jac Shirts. My Tin cloth jacket and pants as well. At 57 I've been wearing Filson products for 40+ years through some cold Minnesota winters. Private equity firms destroy a lot of companies. I hope that doesn't happen to Filson.
I'm a long time subscriber to your channel....I've watched this video quite a few times , may have even commented before hahah. I'm old - an actual BOOMER. I've been wearing Filson a LONG time. I have products sitting in closets all over my home and some items sitting with my tack. The old wool and tin cloth items were just great value items. We own a horse farm and I have always liked items - coats, vests, etc - that can be repaired rather than thrown away. I see websites, social media and folks talking about "investing/Collecting" merchandise like boots, hats, vests, etc. Good grief, I know I'm old ,but if my kids (all adult) told me they were investing in this crap, I'd change my will. I realize it takes all kinds; well folks say that, I'm not so sure; but why do folks want to LOOK like an outdoorsman and then they couldn't even start a chainsaw, fix a fence , ride a horse or anything like that. Why do folks want to look like something they are not? You have a lot of good videos and offer some good suggestions and it's nice that you share some quality companies. I appreciate that. To your point - I actually believe Fislon HAS indeed already found their way. They have chosen a path and it is not a path that folks like me take. It is a shame, but it is their choice.
Big Bill is another that makes its wool stuff in Canada. I believe some of its cotton stuff is made in the US. Absolutely not fashion-focused. Tough Duck used to but not a single product is made in Canada, today. There might still be some deadstock Filson CCC stuff made by Tough Duck (in Canada), but it'll be hard to find.
Great video! I agree they’ve lost their way. I purchased boatloads of their twill bags and the like years ago and it’s holding up very well. Would I buy their stuff again? No.
Sadly wool clothing of the type that Filson make it is really uncommon over here in Europe, even here in Scandinavia. I ended up buying one of their mackinaw double coats with the detachable hood and wax cotton during the 30% black Friday sales, and it instantly became a favourite and my main winter coat, so at least anecdotally speaking I really love the brand - it's sad to see it put into context though and to imagine what might still come of the continued trend. Some of their women's line mackinaw & tin cloth products also look really nice, and priced in line with many other nicer brands on our market. But we are always paying a premium, what with living in a wealthy country with a weakened currency.. honestly it's shocking how competitive Filson's pricing is here, by virtue of everyone else also absolutely charging us out the ass, including more local brands - for much inferior products made from plastic, often.
@@CarlMurawskiI would say, Belstaff is somewhat in the same spot as Filson, regarding product quality/price. There are products with a great quality for a kind of justified price as there still is with filson but there are products which are just out of line. Not sure about the company history and whether there is a private equity firm in the background. As for heritage clothing I‘m not aware of comparable brands in europe. That‘s why I still keep on buying filson stuff when it‘s on sale with at least 30% off. It would be great if you could do a video on european heritage brands 💪
I’m gonna get an Aero Weather waterfront jacket instead of a Folsom cruiser. I don’t think Folsom even uses Pendelton wool anymore. Aero does custom sizing too.
Nope, I guess they stopped using Pendleton around the time COVID hit. There wasn't much information on the switch, but I guess it had to do with Pendleton restructuring some processes and Filson didn't like it. To abandon a long-running partnership like that is pretty drastic.
I love Filson and will keep wearing what I already own, including mackinaw and tin cloth products. But I might stop buying new products from them, maybe because I have bought all of their signature items. I also have a few Frost River bags. They are rugged and useful but it's weird seeing oiled canvas goes together with zippers.
Carl the whole world is changing big time! I used to work as an Engineer at GE Appliance’s, this division as well as lighting barely exists now. LG & Samsung now dominate the appliances industry 😢
And they're junk! I had two Samsung appliances die on me because of their weird electronics. It was cheaper to replace the whole thing than swap out the board. Now I try to get everything as analog as possible, at least then they can be repaired with tools.
My double tin pants and Mackinaw cruiser have been great. This summer, I decided to buy a couple of their dry single tin pants for every day use. The first red flag is that one pair says 11.5oz on it and the other says 10.5oz. After less than a month of ownership, the 10.5 ones are already back at Filson because one of the back pockets tore out. Not impressed for $155....
Filson's merino wool 280 base layers, both top and bottom, are the best I have found quality wise. Price is high, but you get what you pay for. I own 4 wool coats for various uses, all have held up over the decades. I also buy merino wool base layers from smartwool, but they only last 2 hard used seasons of work and hunting. Filson will always have a place in my clothing heart even if a crappy management/ownership runs the corp into the ground.
Thank you for the video Carl! It would be awesome to get alternative recommendations that are available in EU. It might be hard for you to name them but maybe this could be done by this community. If you know any brands available in EU please write them down under this comment:
Sadly companies used to compete to build their best product at a fair price, knowing that if you liked that product you would become a loyalty customer for years to come. Now these private equity firms creat the cheapest product they can for the most money they can get for it to make the cheap buck, not caring if you never return as a customer. Everything is now short-term rather than long-term.
I'm not really sure that saying the quality went down is fair. More like they're just different. The new wool has a unique hand-feel and its made in a different country. I believe 2021 is still the Pendleton stuff
I have a Filson shelter-cloth jacket and it looks great but the cloth has started fraying and not just on the high-wear areas. I’ve got holes in the collar for crying out loud! I’m really disappointed because I’d hoped the garment would last for decades instead of a few years.
So I ended up getting the Filson short lined tin cruiser jacket. For me other than not being made in America, it checked all the boxes on what I wanted in a waxed jacket. And the other options such as flint and tinder, and others were basically the same price or more but half the weight of canvas and less quality in hardware, liner, etc but made in America. For me I’d rather have a better quality jacket made in Bangladesh vs arguably less quality jacket but made in America.
Fortunately, I bought my Briefcase back in 2016. But unfortunately not a Mackinaw Cruiser. It's quite expensive in Europe (750€). In that case, given the quality, it won't be any more...
I have a few Filson jackets from many years ago, top quality, but I haven't bought anything for years, the prices are out of control. I did receive a shaving kit as a gift last year and it seems to be very well built but it better be for the price.
Thanks for the video. I ❤ Filson and have some pieces from them but I also feel that its a bit of niche market product, how many people will $800 jackets to go fishing and how many pieces one can buy in a year? Also there products are heavy and good quality though but again made for extreme weather conditions that exist in Americas, so they can only grow so much unless and untill move there products a bit like Carhartt, few ago no one knew much about Carhartt in Europe but they adapted and introduce Carhartt WIP only available in Europe and created for European markets by being more edgy which took off and now they want to make Carhartt WIP in America because all those youngsters who see and are inspired by social media. This is what Filson needs to do, by being exclusive but not that much that a common person cant buy it and then introduce themselves in a form which caters for local markets for exmaple European like i said above and then they can survive and thrive and if that means keep reinventing to survive then so be it. Good Luck to Filson, would be a real shame for a brand like that to disappear, already feel the loss of losing its store in London even though no one was in it and being a size of a cupboard, 😅
what I hate about them while their import products still look good they didnt go down in price being imported they went up. I will understand increasing their US made products but for imports to keep going up while they are saving lots of money isn't fair. however they have lots of discounts during the year which helps. I still love their products and feel they are real special compare to others.
I still rock the tin cloth short lined cruiser, and a sweet liner. Filson will always have a spot in my heart and hopefully come back in the right way. postscript: KNAFS logo and branding kinda falls short IMO
Great video. Its just so sad what's happened to Filson. It really seems that we are in the squeeze-it-for-everything-its-worth phase of the private equity strategy. Some of their stuff really is approching weather wool pricing even though the quality has dropped and the materials are not longer US sourced. But its not surprising, profit is the only thing that matters in capitalism. As long as investors get their money nothing else matters. As long as this country is built around Profit to the exclusion if all other concerns we will keep seeing the same story played out over and over again.
I think generally speaking they still produce a quality product. I also think generally speaking, they don’t have a good value. The price just isn’t right. They are largely profit driven and business oriented. In trying to change with time, they simply changed, and not in the direction I’d want to go.
It's worth noting that the old price didn't just come with a lifetime warranty, but: -Factory repairs, pocket replacements, lining repairs, and patching -A degree of customization, for a fee. Added pockets, modified pockets, different collar material. These services were still available when I was just out of college in the mid-to-late-aughts. Reminds me of how the late and dearly missed L.L. Bean original flagship store offered while-you-wait bag repairs and pants hemming in-store when I was in high school, and not long before that, had an in-store cobbler.
@@CarlMurawski So L.L. Bean is interesting. Let me say as background, I've worked in returns, and also in the Brunswick Bean Boot factory. I'm also someone who has several vintage Bean garments. Mostly, they are a modern tragedy, moving a lot of production overseas, and churning out a lot of cheap, embarassing, Target-level clothing. But they still have some amazing deals, with VERY fair price points, even at full price. Topmost, the Maine Hunting Shoe is, objectively, better made than it ever has been. Leather is great, bottoms are better than ever in construction, made in Maine, and you can get them re-bottomed, and also you can request speed hooks to be added by the factory, for $3. Having made them, I have no IDEA how they make them as inexpensively as they do. They aren't for every purpose or environment, but they are the best boots I can buy at any price for what I use mine for. I have the 16" ones. The original totes are also made in the same factory, and when I worked trail crew, we used them to haul 80 lbs of gravel at a time. They're as good as they ever were. A couple years back they re-released their original Baxter parka, an old school wool liner in a nylon shell type mountain parka, a mainstay of their vintage catalogues. I have two old examples, and I can tell you that the modern one is better made. Better stitching, better velcro layout on the pockets, and shockingly, better wool lining. It's one of my favorite garments. They didn't skimp. And it costs $199. Insane value. They just released their famous field coat in a special 1924 edition, in British Millerain canvas. I wanna get my hands on one to see it, because I have a vintage Bean field coat, and Millerain could well beat it as a material. If the stitching is good, it could well be an astonishing value at the $229 full price. I could go on, but basically, the brand seems to release one or two pieces a year that are a credit to the brand, alongside what probably literally becomes a landfill of garbage within a few years.
Its a damn shame. I love my Filson heritage pieces and will continue to wear them, but I'm not gonna continue buying/supporting their stuff. I hope they can change things and salvage the company before it disappears.
I quit buying Filson 25 years ago. They market there tin cloth as long wearing. Holes appear at every flex point almost immediately. Although my double Mackinaw from 50 years ago is still good. Their prices have become outrageous for woolen goods, so I’m no longer even shopping Filson. Thanks Carl.
I will never give up my Double Mackinaw Cruiser made in the USA! I lost a lot of weight and it looks ridiculous on me now but I don't care. It's irreplaceable. I would buy a smaller size if I could but it is literally impossible unless I camp eBay for a few years when one shows up.
There was a cool Filson shirt jac that I saw that was on sale. It was still expensive but I liked it a lot. Then I realized it was made in Bangladesh or something. At that point probably almost all of the price was just for the name. Disappointing.
Filson products that are still great (for now)
-Mackinaw Cruiser: filson.sjv.io/Y96qRO
-Mackinaw Vest: filson.sjv.io/xk4zzy
-Tin Cloth Pants: filson.sjv.io/Py3mmR
-Rugged Twill Bags: filson.sjv.io/1rqZZz
Filson Alternatives:
-Weatherwool: weatherwool.com/
-Ship John: shipjohn.us/
-Bradley Mountain: ktku.co/32
-Heat Straps: rebrand.ly/xhojsgf
-Tin Duck Denim: tinduckdenim.com/
-Red Clouds Collective: redcloudscollective.com/
-Vermont Flannel: www.vermontflannel.com/
-Duluth Pack: rebrand.ly/bv4h9e0
-Frost River: frostriver.com/
Gone are the days of workwear priced for working class people. I'm not qualified to disput any of Carl's choices on quality grounds, but my pockets tell me that none of the indicated brands are worke people pockets' friendly, with the possible exception of the Vermont Flannel. That's my 2 cents.
@carlmurawski the Abercrombie rebrand from 2015 - 2020 brought stuff back from the og catalogs and the quality for the price went hard perfect example the 2018 ultra parka was a Canada goose expedition parka in Abercrombie styling and unique colors
Thanks for posting the alternative with links.
their tin cloth bags are great too.
@CarlMurawski unlined Mackinaw Jac Shirts made in the USA are still great as well. They are sourcing their wool from Scotland, New, Zealand and Italy, weaving the wool in Mexico and stiching them in the USA 🇺🇸
I am 55 years old and bought my first Filson garment when I was 20 years old after working overtime at UPS to pay for it. Every year I would put a little money aside and buy myself one Filson item for myself each Christmas. Six or seven years ago I bought a pair of boots that began coming apart after only a few months. I called them up and expected all the great service I had heard about and believed in . Needless to say, I got no offer to replace the boots ( I did not want a refund I just wanted the quality boots I had received in the past) and was told , " What it sounds like is normal wear and tear.' It was such a sad day and I told the person I was speaking with that for over 35 years I would never consider leaving Filson but than now , Filson had left me. Very , very sad.
Damn, thats a real shame. Thank you for sharing your experience with Filson, I think it really helps others.
@@CarlMurawski I really enjoy your channel and now put that "Filson Money" to some of your recommendation!
You’re 100 percent right but the corporate type people who run these private equity firms are soulless and will never listen to reason nor do they care at all about legacy or quality. Only money and if they crumble a company like Filson they will move on to the next company. I currently work for a machine shop that was acquired by a group like this and it’s been in a downward spiral ever since.
That's usually the beginning of the end. Things stay the same for a while, but then little by little they get worse for everyone downstream of upper management.
Same here, buddy. Sorry to hear of your troubles, let's hope you'll get a better job down the line, if management doesn't change it's ways.
The greatest tradedgy in this is that most Private Equity Firms (PEFs) lack the insight and patience to understand the value of long-term gains. So, they squander what could be a valuable long-term term asset in favor of smaller quicker returns. And a great brand is ruined!
@@stevenr5534👍👍
@@stevenr5534This is an epic and legendary brand, absolutely nothing is being squandered. The quality is still exactly as it was. Unfailing goods!
Anytime private equity gets ahold of a company it’s good night!!!
It sure as hell seems that way.
I have my grandpas mackinaw cruiser jacket and matching hat. He got them right from the Duluth Pack store in the 90’s. It is by far my best jacket and hat, and I wear them on the most brutally cold Minnesota days.
Minnesota knows winter!
I am at SeaTac often and will stop by the Filson store here and there. Your observations are spot on. So many of their offerings have seen prices shoot up even though the manufacturing was moved to Sri Lanka. I'm happy to pay good money for a high quality item manufactured by people who are fairly compensated and protected by labor laws. Unfortunately, that seems to be a thing of the past with most Filson products. I have a few of their outerwear items that were made in the US and I've been happy with those. For things like t-shirts, sweaters, and light jackets I have turned to Dehen. They make their goods in the PNW (often of fabric knit in-house) and offer outstanding quality. If you go to the factory store you can look through the window and see garments being constructed feet away. Somehow they also manage to undercut Filson on cost given a similar item. As stated in the video, there are better options out there.
As a west coast man from the Seattle area growing up seeing the old Filson sign above the Seattle flagship store, seeing this decline has been real sad. My father in-law used to back country ski in Makinaw pants, I’ve loved my Double Makinaw cruiser (that I picked up for less than $300 from the old Filson outlet store), tin cloth cruiser, Alaska guide shirts, and rugged twill bags but doggonit the quality has gone way down. I’m glad that I bought my Filson items when I did. I frequently stop by the flagship store to check things out and every time I start to question the decisions my home town company is doing. The wool feels less hardy, I know for a fact they recently changed the cotton in their light Alaska guide shirt so now it straight up feels like polyester, and good lord their prices! The heritage is there, it doesn’t have to be this way. I suspect the huge boom of popularity of Filson in Asian countries also had a lot to do with the decline of quality to keep up with demands too. There are for sure other contenders out there, and I’ve always tried to stay loyal out of hometown pride but that might not be enough to keep me loyal these days.
It's the personal connection which stings most. I have my dads mackinaw cruiser, you have your hometown pride, it just sucks.
I ordered a down vest on last call and realized it was massive compared to my patagonia and I needed to swap down a size.
getting hold of customer service was a nightmare, but they did help me swap the size when I eventually got someone on the other end. took about 3 months to swap the size out. I’ll finally try out the vest next winter
all this to say I wont be ordering from Filson again. horrible business model to charge a premium and then make people wait 2 hours to talk on the phone
Jeeze, I dont blame you!
Why you gotta release videos on the same day as me?
You two should fight about it!!!
I dont want to mess up my hair
@@CarlMurawski😂😂😂
Ding ding ding! Let the games begin!
Lmao
If my only options for those two products were a $50 candle and a $100 bottle opener, I'm opening beers with my teeth and letting my house be stinky. Goddamn
Right??
Burning the candle as we speak. She smells good.
Great video, thanks for all the info.
My pleasure!
The previous filson was good, but now they have lost their direction. Not only are they gradually losing their previous fans, but their current series of changes and new behaviors cannot attract new fans. filson should change back to before and make the right changes instead of the wrong ones.
I completely agree
Bought my Double Mackinaw in 1972 and still have it. Now that I live in TN dont wear it much but because of their quality issues I purchased a Stormy Kromer mackinaw and love it
Want to sell?
@@longbeardmcstruttin5876 Sorry has sentimental value
Their sister brand Shinola is in the same boat. Once billed as a proud Detroit brand, you will notice the Country of Origin(COO) once stamped on the outside of their stuff is no longer present. The DC store had a couple of their old USA made leather goods mixed in with the new vietnam made stuff. Only reason I noticed was because of how much thinner(cheaper) the leather was on the new imported stuff.
Didnt they get in trouble for claiming their stuff was made in the USA when it wasnt?
@@CarlMurawski They had Made in USA on some of their watches and that was not true at all. Their watches are only assembled in the USA with imported components. I do not believe they got in trouble for the rest of their line.
@@kota3233I’ve always loved Shinola watches and had great service with their lifetime guarantee. The hate their watches get are ridiculous in my opinion. That said, i’m disappointed to hear that the leather products are no longer USA-made..
@@kota3233 the new Shinola leather goods are so bad I thought I was in a dollar store
My grandpa wore a classic red wool checked hat from Filson; now it’s mine and I wear it all winter. Last year I found a short tin cloth cruiser at the local dump in my size. Perfect condition. About a week later I found a forest green Mackinaw at a thrift store, like new, $25. Both are wildly durable and served me well last winter. I’ve been using Filson tin cloth pants in forest settings for over 5 years and they are still going strong, re-waxed for the first time last year. Don’t give up on Filson! You can get good deals w/ some of their stuff on EBay, etc… But yeah, important vid. Hopefully they’ll come back around. In the meantime you’ve shared some rock solid ‘Merican options.
Was looking at buying a mackinaw cruiser about a year ago, I was hesitant about the price back then, but now it’s impossible to justify getting one brand new
They used to be a good value! Not any more.
My wife, 11-year-old son, and I visited the original store in Seattle on a layover after a cruise to Alaska and back. My wife who is uninterested in the brand or any brand for that matter sat quietly in the lounge area while I looked around. After about an hour I came back to the lounge and told my wife I was ready to go. She wondered how much money I spent and was shocked when I said $0. I could not do it. The quality seemed off, especially for the price tag.
And thanks for mentioning AF. I bought a flannel shirt from there on my 17th birthday and wore it until it finally fell apart sometime in my 40s. I loved their stores especially the smell of the stores. Now I'm not fond of their stores, especially the smell of the stores.
What’s AF?
@@peterl.1574 Abercrombie and Fitch
I totally agree. Every year, they move manufacturing of more staple products overseas. These are products that were successfully made in the US for 150 years! Your point about other makers is spot on. If other companies can manage to make great products in the US, then Filson has no excuse. It’s sad and frustrating. It feels like we’re watching a master class in how to ruin a company.
It's such a shame. Thank you for sharing your thoughts.
I miss the double mackinaw cruiser.
I remember getting huge Cabela's hardback catalogs, full of their private label stuff.... absolute trash heap of a company 15 yrs later.
I miss those days...
@@CarlMurawski Remember Abercrombie ? Lol...
@DJPTEXAS I still have a pair of socks from them still going I bought in the 80's...
@DJPTEXAS interesting tidbit - old school man's man and great writer Ernest Hemingway's favourite shotgun was one he purchased from Abercrombie & Fitch. It also happens to be the one he unalived himself with. Put that in your sexy coed Beach day advertising Abercrombie!
Thanks for listing out the alternatives. I’ll definitely check those out.
I have six jackets and three vests from Filson, 3 jackets and two vests made in the US, three jackets and one vest made in oversea. I seen no difference in Quality. The prices nowadays are the only downturn. But hey, you only live once.
Two videos on the same day!!🎉🎉
Hope you enjoyed it!
Great video and it's like you're speaking w/so many of us who've loved Filson talk about in our own circles (or for me my wife and a couple friends... Ha). I have several Filson garments/flannels but I'll NEVER pay full retail for them and wait to snatch one when they run 40-60% off sales. Still feels like I'm overpaying for what they are now. Their sizes are a huge guess... does it run big, normal, tarp-like fits of jackets and shirts. I'm still in love w/the idea of what Filson was a decade+ ago... and that's the tough part. They've sold out for the all-mighty dollar!
Sales and second hand my dude!
@@CarlMurawski absolutely!!
Great video... Filson’s main problem? The price tag. Dropping $550+ on a coat feels less like buying outerwear and more like funding their "halo effect." They're creeping into Canada Goose territory-overhyped and banking on the "you get what you pay for" illusion... which really just means you paid too much. And forget deep discounts; even their rare deals are snatched up and flipped on eBay faster than you can say “mark-up.”
Don’t get me wrong, their wool quality and thickness are top-notch, and I plan to snag more Filson gear-just not at retail. Fingers crossed there’s one under the tree for me this year. Meanwhile, brands like WeatherWool and Duckworth? They’re the real MVPs. Worth every penny. Go check them out.
Oh, and can we talk about sizing? Why am I suddenly a small? Is this their way of calling me skinny? ha ha ha
old filson is good
Old Filson was the best. Some of the most prized things I own
@@CarlMurawski Yes, I think so too
All my Filson is made in the USA.
They have since lost their way
Carl, thanks for your honesty. Unfortunately, I'm going to have to find an alternative to Filson. Lucky I was able to get my hands on a Cruiser back in the day. The parallel with Abercrombie is apt.
Second hand is best, but there are lots of great micro brands out there now.
@@CarlMurawski what other brands? I’m about to buy a hooded mackinaw cruiser and tin pants.
Ordered a trucker jacket about a month ago from Jason at tin duck denim. Super cool guy. Cant wait to get it. I live in washington state so i went to his shop in olympia and tried a few on. Was blown away by the craftsmanship. Wouldnt of known about his shop if it wasnt for your video 👍 also got a couple flannels from vermont flannel co. Appreciate the good content carl! I am a bricklayer by trade and wouldnt wear most of this stuff in the field but i do appreciate quality products made in america.
Once again corporate greed is short sighted and destroys yet another formerly great institution it seems.
It's like we know the story but hope it changes anyway. Very sad.
Filson is now completely unaffordable in Europe. Flannels: £200, mackinaw cruisers £700. It’s crazy. Anyone know of alternatives in Europe or UK?
Below are a few people who have asked and gotten some great responses. Some awesome info here in the comments!
Filson has great wool products. I have no issue with Italian products because IMHO, the Italians may be better craftsman in many ways much more detail focused than South Pac labor. I read some Cabelas comments. That was a private brand that I would buy anything they made. The Cabela brothers only put their name on stuff that was tuff. I did a 4 year tour in North Dakota in the energy patch in the early 2010's. I bought their Trans Alaskan Parka, I was in -10F and 50 mph blizzard in that coat and stayed comfortable and I still have it. Canada Goose sued them I believe over that coat. Right now Filson is a trendy brand. The issue with trendy as an investor is trends change and PE money will liquidate. Great video. Love my Otter Green/ Black Plaid Mack vest though.
I got my Filson Double Mac in 2002, and I wear it every day all winter long. Sad what has happened to the brand, but I still love my coat!
By making themselves profitable, they have ensured they will continue to have the resources to maintain their products under their guarantee. I appreciate American made, but if they can make the same quality abroad, or even more robust products using modern materials, that allows them to employee a workforce in the usa to repair and maintain those products, that is a deal I'd make.
Ignoring the difference in the value of capital across boarders caused by various rates of inflation and capital controls means it will be more difficult for these competitors to guarantee their products with the same confidence as Filson.
Sad to say, made in the USA, is a brand. I buy that brand. They make good stuff. But what I really want to buy is well made, high quality goods that the maker stands behind. Filson still does that.
And when I do need repairs, I can drop it off at the store for free, they ship it to their repair facilities in Kent Washington, and they ship it to my home for free. That is a luxury that also supports American jobs.
I went to the downtown Seattle Filson store this weekend. I wanted to get a new belt after seeing my 12yo belt have some slight cracking. The old store layout had a view of the manufacturing area. It's not the case anymore. Also, back then, the store associate said they could take my belt into the factory to punch some extra holes if i wanted. It's also not the case anymore, as the current store associate said there's "liability" issues. I don't know what the domestic manufacturing looks like now, but a lot of the products were not USA-made. Lastly, Pendleton also has very few made in Oregon items these days. The problem is most people don't care about American manufacturing and prefer to buy disposable Chinese made goods on Amazon.
It's a company that's changing before our eyes, and not for the better.
THANKS for the hat tip, Carl!!! Great video, as usual! --- All the best to you!! --- Ralph
What were those alternative brands again?
Bought my first Filson coat last year. The lined tin cloth cruiser jacket. I really like it. It's heavy and very water resistant. I'm not impressed with the synthetic liner and wish it was wool, but we'll see how it withstands the test of time. Also started looking elsewhere for quality clothing that might not break the bank. I liked your review of Legendary Whitetails and went with some of their shirts and am very happy.
The problem with synthetics is they do not breathe. Makes the product useless. As an example, I shovel snow wearing a mackinaw cruiser. When I go back inside there may be a film of ice crystals on the outside of the coat. Thats the breathe out of my perspiration. On the inside I remain dry - accompanied by a Viyella 80/20 cooton/wool shirt - which does its job very well. Wear a 'ski jacket' or virtually anything in the north face / patagonia / columbia style junk clothing and you have to peel your saturated clothes off your body. Thats just 1 example.
The comparison I kept waiting for and never saw was ... Woolrich.
Filson is indeed a sad tale. I became interested in the brand in the late 1990s, which is when I purchased several articles of clothing, including my double mack (which was sized back then ... no M/L/XL crap). Today, I'd go with Johnson Woolen Mills or even Stormy Kromer if I needed a wool coat. Big Bill for wool outdoor pants.
I still occasionally shop Filson, but only when things are on deep clearance sales. I'll always have a soft spot for the brand, even if they completely crapped all over the "Made in the USA" value proposition of the brand.
This is probably why the heritage brand market is so hot for private equity. They arent buying Filson because its a cash cow making 22bn a year. But there is a lot of emotional attachment and history with customers. At first customers will excuse things and say ‘well they are still better than the rest’.
Its just a matter of time before its blatantly turning the quality knob down and the pricing knob never stops going up. The last holdouts stop buying, and they sell the company for parts and collect their millions. Factories, jobs, and storied reputations are all gone
Very good point! Our emotional connection makes logic take a back seat sometimes.
I was really considering the Filson Mackinaw Bibs. Those things look sweet!
Do you recommend those at all or another brand?
Weather Wool is outrageously expensive!
I’ve got a tin cloth field coat I bought back in the ‘90s. It’s a great hunting jacket. If it wasn’t for the 40 LBs I’ve gained since then, I’d still wear it quail hunting.
Luckily the second hand market is hot for Filson items!
@stacymorris8693 want to sell?
I really appreciate this video. I loveD Filson. I was excited when Filson expanded its product offerings... until I bought some of those products. There is a difference between "not of a top quality" and "of poor quality" and some products were of a poor quality. Poor stitching resulted in pants with holes in pockets at delivery and seams that would split with ease. What you don't mention in the collapse of any reliable warranty service. I have returned products for repair (easy re-stiching etc.) only to be told the product was only marketed, sold, shipped and branded by Filson but that Filson didn't make it and wouldn't fix it. Filson's advertising budget has gone through the roof while quality has gone down the toilet. Sad. Thanks for the list of other suppliers.
You can find some of their stuff on pretty deep discounts periodically. At those prices they are pretty good
The quality is still there but the price doesn’t justify like their tin cloth is completely outsourced still charging that MIUS price. Their target audience now is the affluent outdoors people which might not too long with these price increases & quality stagnant. With the power of the internet any business big or small can put themselves out there & can challenge filson in quality & price. I’m gonna keep my mackinaw cruiser & vest for now as the only filson product I have because I don’t see filson getting better anytime soon.
I kind of fell out with Filson a few years ago when they tried to sell a $1,000+ folding chair as a "tactical chair', like it was a self defense weapon. Shame. I still have and love my old American-made Filson double-mack and waxed cruiser. Two of the best jackets I ever owned.
9:23 the preseny value of that 2003 price is around $425. Still over $100 less than the current price.
just found out that the rugged twill duffle from Filson Europe is not only made in Romania but also not even made using bridle leather. yet, it cost more than the made in USA with superior bridle leather.
Yap. Italian cowhide. But they still have the padded computer bag MiUSA with bridle leather. A sales associate in the Manhattan store told me they are an older batch.
I really agree with your assessment of Filson. having long cherished my Filson Wool Pants, Filson Wool shirts, and most of all their wool blend shirts that were machine washable. After a couple iterations these blend shirts are no longer available. Really sad, the quality and warmth of a Filson that does not take a trip to the dry cleaners. I fear the death spiral they are on will be fatal very soon. What a shame and loss.
Oh no! I bought a Filson journeyman backpack and was looking at TH-cam videos about it while I wait for it to arrive and now TH-cam recommends me this video 😭
I love my Filson Mackinaw Cruisers and Jac Shirts. My Tin cloth jacket and pants as well. At 57 I've been wearing Filson products for 40+ years through some cold Minnesota winters. Private equity firms destroy a lot of companies. I hope that doesn't happen to Filson.
Sadly I think it's already happening.
@@CarlMurawski
Best wishes with your channel. I enjoy your content.
I'm a long time subscriber to your channel....I've watched this video quite a few times , may have even commented before hahah. I'm old - an actual BOOMER. I've been wearing Filson a LONG time. I have products sitting in closets all over my home and some items sitting with my tack. The old wool and tin cloth items were just great value items. We own a horse farm and I have always liked items - coats, vests, etc - that can be repaired rather than thrown away.
I see websites, social media and folks talking about "investing/Collecting" merchandise like boots, hats, vests, etc. Good grief, I know I'm old ,but if my kids (all adult) told me they were investing in this crap, I'd change my will. I realize it takes all kinds; well folks say that, I'm not so sure;
but why do folks want to LOOK like an outdoorsman and then they couldn't even start a chainsaw, fix a fence , ride a horse or anything like that. Why do folks want to look like something they are not?
You have a lot of good videos and offer some good suggestions and it's nice that you share some quality companies. I appreciate that. To your point - I actually believe Fislon HAS indeed already found their way. They have chosen a path and it is not a path that folks like me take. It is a shame, but it is their choice.
Great video, thanks for the alternatives
You bet!
Thanks for making this video. Used to be one of my favorite brands. Been sad to watch it's decline.
Thank you for watching!
Another awesome video! Wait you got hit with cease and desists letter?!?
Thank you! Yes I did, for a previous video about a different company.
Well that’s unfortunate but I guess they can’t take criticism I guess
Big Bill is another that makes its wool stuff in Canada. I believe some of its cotton stuff is made in the US. Absolutely not fashion-focused. Tough Duck used to but not a single product is made in Canada, today. There might still be some deadstock Filson CCC stuff made by Tough Duck (in Canada), but it'll be hard to find.
Damn, how did I forget that??
Great video! I agree they’ve lost their way. I purchased boatloads of their twill bags and the like years ago and it’s holding up very well. Would I buy their stuff again? No.
That seems to be the common feeling here in the comments.
Sadly wool clothing of the type that Filson make it is really uncommon over here in Europe, even here in Scandinavia. I ended up buying one of their mackinaw double coats with the detachable hood and wax cotton during the 30% black Friday sales, and it instantly became a favourite and my main winter coat, so at least anecdotally speaking I really love the brand - it's sad to see it put into context though and to imagine what might still come of the continued trend.
Some of their women's line mackinaw & tin cloth products also look really nice, and priced in line with many other nicer brands on our market. But we are always paying a premium, what with living in a wealthy country with a weakened currency.. honestly it's shocking how competitive Filson's pricing is here, by virtue of everyone else also absolutely charging us out the ass, including more local brands - for much inferior products made from plastic, often.
Do you got a Canadian list like this? Duties on these things are steep.
What's a European alternative for filson?
Barbour and Bellstaff come to mind, but I'm sure there are plenty more. Great brands over there!
Maybe Bleu de Chauffe, Croots and Brady for bags
@@CarlMurawskiI would say, Belstaff is somewhat in the same spot as Filson, regarding product quality/price. There are products with a great quality for a kind of justified price as there still is with filson but there are products which are just out of line. Not sure about the company history and whether there is a private equity firm in the background.
As for heritage clothing I‘m not aware of comparable brands in europe. That‘s why I still keep on buying filson stuff when it‘s on sale with at least 30% off.
It would be great if you could do a video on european heritage brands 💪
I’m gonna get an Aero Weather waterfront jacket instead of a Folsom cruiser. I don’t think Folsom even uses Pendelton wool anymore. Aero does custom sizing too.
Nope, I guess they stopped using Pendleton around the time COVID hit. There wasn't much information on the switch, but I guess it had to do with Pendleton restructuring some processes and Filson didn't like it. To abandon a long-running partnership like that is pretty drastic.
If they raised prices but kept the quality high and made their stuff in America I'd still buy Filson. Keep up the great work.
Agreed!
I love Filson and will keep wearing what I already own, including mackinaw and tin cloth products. But I might stop buying new products from them, maybe because I have bought all of their signature items. I also have a few Frost River bags. They are rugged and useful but it's weird seeing oiled canvas goes together with zippers.
Vintage Filson is the best Filson.
Carl the whole world is changing big time! I used to work as an Engineer at GE Appliance’s, this division as well as lighting barely exists now. LG & Samsung now dominate the appliances industry 😢
And they're junk! I had two Samsung appliances die on me because of their weird electronics. It was cheaper to replace the whole thing than swap out the board. Now I try to get everything as analog as possible, at least then they can be repaired with tools.
GE aka Good Enough. They now treat their employees like garbage. It's sad.
My double tin pants and Mackinaw cruiser have been great. This summer, I decided to buy a couple of their dry single tin pants for every day use. The first red flag is that one pair says 11.5oz on it and the other says 10.5oz. After less than a month of ownership, the 10.5 ones are already back at Filson because one of the back pockets tore out. Not impressed for $155....
Filson's merino wool 280 base layers, both top and bottom, are the best I have found quality wise. Price is high, but you get what you pay for. I own 4 wool coats for various uses, all have held up over the decades. I also buy merino wool base layers from smartwool, but they only last 2 hard used seasons of work and hunting. Filson will always have a place in my clothing heart even if a crappy management/ownership runs the corp into the ground.
Thank you for the video Carl! It would be awesome to get alternative recommendations that are available in EU. It might be hard for you to name them but maybe this could be done by this community.
If you know any brands available in EU please write them down under this comment:
Agreed! I'd love to learn more about EU alternatives!
Sadly companies used to compete to build their best product at a fair price, knowing that if you liked that product you would become a loyalty customer for years to come. Now these private equity firms creat the cheapest product they can for the most money they can get for it to make the cheap buck, not caring if you never return as a customer. Everything is now short-term rather than long-term.
When did the quality go down on the mackinaw cruisers? Are pieces from 2021 still good?
I'm not really sure that saying the quality went down is fair. More like they're just different. The new wool has a unique hand-feel and its made in a different country. I believe 2021 is still the Pendleton stuff
@CarlMurawski thank you for taking the time to reply, you´re the man!
I have a Filson shelter-cloth jacket and it looks great but the cloth has started fraying and not just on the high-wear areas. I’ve got holes in the collar for crying out loud! I’m really disappointed because I’d hoped the garment would last for decades instead of a few years.
So I ended up getting the Filson short lined tin cruiser jacket. For me other than not being made in America, it checked all the boxes on what I wanted in a waxed jacket. And the other options such as flint and tinder, and others were basically the same price or more but half the weight of canvas and less quality in hardware, liner, etc but made in America. For me I’d rather have a better quality jacket made in Bangladesh vs arguably less quality jacket but made in America.
Good job on the video
Thanks!
Fortunately, I bought my Briefcase back in 2016. But unfortunately not a Mackinaw Cruiser. It's quite expensive in Europe (750€). In that case, given the quality, it won't be any more...
I have a few Filson jackets from many years ago, top quality, but I haven't bought anything for years, the prices are out of control. I did receive a shaving kit as a gift last year and it seems to be very well built but it better be for the price.
I now know where the phrase "Tag line" probably originated, neat. Never thought about it before. "The more you know" 🌈🌟
Thanks for the video. I ❤ Filson and have some pieces from them but I also feel that its a bit of niche market product, how many people will $800 jackets to go fishing and how many pieces one can buy in a year? Also there products are heavy and good quality though but again made for extreme weather conditions that exist in Americas, so they can only grow so much unless and untill move there products a bit like Carhartt, few ago no one knew much about Carhartt in Europe but they adapted and introduce Carhartt WIP only available in Europe and created for European markets by being more edgy which took off and now they want to make Carhartt WIP in America because all those youngsters who see and are inspired by social media. This is what Filson needs to do, by being exclusive but not that much that a common person cant buy it and then introduce themselves in a form which caters for local markets for exmaple European like i said above and then they can survive and thrive and if that means keep reinventing to survive then so be it. Good Luck to Filson, would be a real shame for a brand like that to disappear, already feel the loss of losing its store in London even though no one was in it and being a size of a cupboard, 😅
Carl, what is your opinion on Dixxon Flannel. I think they are great quality at a reasonable price.
Carl, take a look at Johnson Woolen Mills in Vermont. Top quality wool shirts, coats and pants.
I definitely will!
@@CarlMurawski As i understand it, Johnson is no longer an actual Wool Mill ... instead, buying their fabric.
@@WeatherWool that’s a real shame… thanks for popping by Ralph!
See also Schaefer Outfitters.
Filson is trying to charge Iron Heart prices minus Iron Heart quality.
what I hate about them while their import products still look good they didnt go down in price being imported they went up. I will understand increasing their US made products but for imports to keep going up while they are saving lots of money isn't fair. however they have lots of discounts during the year which helps. I still love their products and feel they are real special compare to others.
This is a fine essay. Did you do well at this kind of thing in school?
Thank you. I actually was a terrible student!
As soon as you said "private equity" the mystery was solved.
The kiss of death for most companies.
I still rock the tin cloth short lined cruiser, and a sweet liner. Filson will always have a spot in my heart and hopefully come back in the right way. postscript: KNAFS logo and branding kinda falls short IMO
Private equity destroys everything it touches. They load companies with debt and water down quality.
Great video. Its just so sad what's happened to Filson. It really seems that we are in the squeeze-it-for-everything-its-worth phase of the private equity strategy. Some of their stuff really is approching weather wool pricing even though the quality has dropped and the materials are not longer US sourced.
But its not surprising, profit is the only thing that matters in capitalism. As long as investors get their money nothing else matters. As long as this country is built around Profit to the exclusion if all other concerns we will keep seeing the same story played out over and over again.
You're right, it's not surprising. Just disappointing.
Still worth getting one of those work bags? 300 is a lot to tote my laptop and notes around
I'd look on eBay, there are TONS of them out there.
I think generally speaking they still produce a quality product. I also think generally speaking, they don’t have a good value. The price just isn’t right. They are largely profit driven and business oriented. In trying to change with time, they simply changed, and not in the direction I’d want to go.
I agree completely.
It's worth noting that the old price didn't just come with a lifetime warranty, but:
-Factory repairs, pocket replacements, lining repairs, and patching
-A degree of customization, for a fee. Added pockets, modified pockets, different collar material.
These services were still available when I was just out of college in the mid-to-late-aughts.
Reminds me of how the late and dearly missed L.L. Bean original flagship store offered while-you-wait bag repairs and pants hemming in-store when I was in high school, and not long before that, had an in-store cobbler.
LL Bean is another tragic story. They used to be spectacular!
@@CarlMurawski So L.L. Bean is interesting. Let me say as background, I've worked in returns, and also in the Brunswick Bean Boot factory. I'm also someone who has several vintage Bean garments.
Mostly, they are a modern tragedy, moving a lot of production overseas, and churning out a lot of cheap, embarassing, Target-level clothing. But they still have some amazing deals, with VERY fair price points, even at full price.
Topmost, the Maine Hunting Shoe is, objectively, better made than it ever has been. Leather is great, bottoms are better than ever in construction, made in Maine, and you can get them re-bottomed, and also you can request speed hooks to be added by the factory, for $3. Having made them, I have no IDEA how they make them as inexpensively as they do. They aren't for every purpose or environment, but they are the best boots I can buy at any price for what I use mine for. I have the 16" ones.
The original totes are also made in the same factory, and when I worked trail crew, we used them to haul 80 lbs of gravel at a time. They're as good as they ever were.
A couple years back they re-released their original Baxter parka, an old school wool liner in a nylon shell type mountain parka, a mainstay of their vintage catalogues. I have two old examples, and I can tell you that the modern one is better made. Better stitching, better velcro layout on the pockets, and shockingly, better wool lining. It's one of my favorite garments. They didn't skimp. And it costs $199. Insane value.
They just released their famous field coat in a special 1924 edition, in British Millerain canvas. I wanna get my hands on one to see it, because I have a vintage Bean field coat, and Millerain could well beat it as a material. If the stitching is good, it could well be an astonishing value at the $229 full price.
I could go on, but basically, the brand seems to release one or two pieces a year that are a credit to the brand, alongside what probably literally becomes a landfill of garbage within a few years.
Companies used to produce durable wear and left it at that. Nowadays they produce clothes for a couple of seasons and preach about sustainability.
I agree with you Carl. I love my Filson jackets and coats. But the company is lost.
In a way I'm glad we got while the gettin' was still good.
Its a damn shame. I love my Filson heritage pieces and will continue to wear them, but I'm not gonna continue buying/supporting their stuff. I hope they can change things and salvage the company before it disappears.
Same here. What I already have will get used plenty, but I'm not buying any more.
Heat Straps is eating Filson’s lunch. Railcar also has a waxed trucker option.
Rilcar Fine Goods! How did I forget them? Great brand.
3:32 - Why would anyone want to camp out in a huge warehouse parking lot for 11 days? 🤣
I heard they have free hot dogs!
It seems like nearly 75% of their current lineup is on sale right now. If that doesn’t tell you something…
Thats a terrible strategy. It prevents people from buying since they'll just wait for another sale.
I quit buying Filson 25 years ago. They market there tin cloth as long wearing. Holes appear at every flex point almost immediately. Although my double Mackinaw from 50 years ago is still good. Their prices have become outrageous for woolen goods, so I’m no longer even shopping Filson. Thanks Carl.
Sadly I agree with everything you've said here. It's such a shame.
I will never give up my Double Mackinaw Cruiser made in the USA! I lost a lot of weight and it looks ridiculous on me now but I don't care. It's irreplaceable. I would buy a smaller size if I could but it is literally impossible unless I camp eBay for a few years when one shows up.
Filson’s fit is perfect for my body type. It really is a shame they’ve allowed this to happen.
Buy vintage Filson when you can, but keep an eye out for modern gems… irl the Stapleton line is very nice!
Good call!
There was a cool Filson shirt jac that I saw that was on sale. It was still expensive but I liked it a lot. Then I realized it was made in Bangladesh or something. At that point probably almost all of the price was just for the name. Disappointing.
The Filson tax is real.