The second edition of the Filson Series.
“MIGHT AS WELL HAVE THE BEST.” – C.C. Filson
That is the signature line that Filson as been synonymous. This is due to their quality, reliability and durability of the material they have used and it still being used even now. From their rugged twill to the Mckninaw Wool, these two materials have been carrying Filson through the decades.
The rugged twill and the Mckinaw wool will always be staples to their company and are well received by consumers. They have also added the Oil Tin Cloth and it is on its way to becoming a staple.
Since being purchased by BedRock Manufacturing Co, in 2013, Filson has been adding and experimenting a wide variety of materials and offering it to consumers. They have experimented with fabrics that ranges from, lighter weight canvas, denim, wool, and tweed. Those are manly seen from exclusive collaboration with other brands and are usually sold out within a few months.
They have also added new materials in their line but based on history, they do not seem to become a classic. These materials are the vinyl coated polyester fabrics. It was first introduced in 2014 to even be more rugged and protect items from elements. It was also an introduction of the Filson brand to the modern era of rugged items. They used this material in a number of products that ranges from duffel, backpack and pouch and all are rolled up from the top. During the introduction of this line, it was met with mixed reviews. My thoughts of the line were 50/50 because it did not look like a Filson product. As of last year, I notice that the line were going on sale and it took a while for it to sell out. Now in 2017, it is no longer seen or available in their website.
Filson Dry Bags
This is not is not the first time that Filson were getting mixed reviews. As you know. I have the medium travel bag in color Navy. Filson stated that this is the same quality and weight as their rugged twill on the otter green and desert tan. I disagree. This is due to having two rucksack in both desert tan and otter green and both rucksack have more weight more stuff and not supple. The rugged twill on the navy is not as stuff, it is light weight than their counterpart. This is also true in the Filson x Urban Outiftter collaboration. The canvas that used in that collection was lighter weight. This is definitely true in the Nanamica collaboration, which I think had the best collaboration in terms of look and it is quite rare.
LEFT (TOP) UO X FILSON : RIGHT (BOTTOM) NANAMICA X FILSON
I am not entire sure what Filson is up to. It seems that this new materials they are introducing to the market is more of an experiment to test how the consumer will react to them. Whether it is successful or a failure, Filson must be careful as their saying as always been “MIGHT AS WELL HAVE THE BEST.” They will always be hold to that standard and if for some reason they just want to test the water then they have to stick with it, if not then surely their loyal fans will be disappointed at their new offerings.