July 31, 2015

Review: Filson Lightweight Duffle 70314

INITIAL IMPRESSIONS

The Filson Lightweight Duffle (70314) is basically a lighter, thinner version of the classic Filson 220 Small Duffle. The dimensions (18″ x 10″ x 11″), handles and pocket layout are exactly the same. If you like the small duffle in classic twill, you will like this bag; however, if you are not a fan of the minimalist design of the classic duffle, then this bag will not change your mind.

I happen to love the classic twill duffle and find it to be an excellent travel piece, so when Filson released a much lighter nylon version I placed my order immediately.

BUILD QUALITY

When I first unpacked this bag, I thought “wow, this thing is even lighter and thinner than I expected.” But is that a good thing?

If you look closely, the attention to detail in the stitching and the quality of the leather is top notch. There are no loose threads to trim (as there typically are on the twill bags), high stress areas are bar tacked and the fit-and-finish is very precise.

The fabric is a 12 oz. water-resistant nylon and has a very nice semi-matte textured finish on the outside. The underside of the fabric (as you can see in the photo of the rain flap) is softer to the touch and lighter in appearance.

While, the nylon feels very nice to the touch, and the bag is considerably lighter than its twill counterpart, I am curious why Filson did not source its fabric from a well-known nylon manufacturer, like Cordura. As nice as this fabric is, it does feel a bit under-matched to the heavy leather bridle trim, causing the bag to feel very floppy when empty.

In these pictures you can see just how thin the nylon (green) is, compared to the classic twill (tan)…

Filson stands behind its products, so I would not be overly concerned about the longevity of the bag; however, this is an entirely new fabric for Filson and the long-term wearability has yet to be fully proven.

This bag also comes with Filson’s leather trimmed nylon shoulder strap, which I actually prefer to the bridle leather. It does not need to be broken in and it distributes the weight very well across your shoulder. In fact, I use this strap on my other Filson bags now and I highly recommend it.

SHOULD YOU BUY NYLON OR TWILL?

This is a fantastic bag with excellent build quality. It is a great option for city dwellers that want the Filson aesthetic without all the additional weight of the classic twill; it would also make a great travel bag for weekend car trips.

However, as good as this bag is, I prefer (and would recommend) the 22oz. twill version. For airline travel, outdoor adventures and rougher handling, the 22oz. rugged twill is much better suited to the task. In addition, the twill bags will acquire a wonderful patina over time that this bag simply will not.

Another thing to keep in mind…the rugged twill duffle only costs $20 more than the nylon version and (in my opinion) offers a lot more value for the money.

BOTTOM LINE

If you are looking for a modern interpretation of a Filson classic for lighter tasks, then this bag may fit the bill. However, if you are looking for a Filson bag that better embodies the rugged, adventurer spirit that the brand is known for, stick with the classic twill.

April 2, 2015

FilsonFan is Back with Tons of New Content in 2015!!!

Welcome back, everyone!

Over the last couple years, Filson has been very busy introducing a lot of new styles and fabrics to their classic line of travel and work bags.

For quite a long time, the choice were fairly easy…decide whether you wanted a 256 Original Briefcase or a 257 as your daily bag and then choose either a 220 Small Duffle or a 246 Medium Travel Bag for travel and you were all set.

But now…the choices are almost overwhelming. We have great new fabric options, including 15 oz Oil-finished Tin Cloth and the new Lightweight Nylon collection, as well as a bunch of new styles, like the 72-hour Briefcase, the new Outfitter Bag and the redesigned Sportsman.

As I have been researching all the new offerings, I am starting to notice how difficult it is to find reviews of all this new gear. So, here is the deal…I am back to help provide you guys some needed clarity when choosing the next Filson bag(s) to add to your growing collections.

Filson 220 vs Filson 70314

This month, I will be posting a comprehensive review of the new Lightweight Nylon Duffle (#70314) in the “Duffle Bag Showdown,” in which I will be comparing it to the classic 220 Rugged Twill Duffle.

Stay tuned in the coming months for the following reviews and comparison tests:

72-Hour Briefcase (Tin Cloth) – – The Perfect Briefcase?
Briefcase Showdown II (256 Original vs 72-Hour Tin)
The Journeyman Backpack Review
Cloth Showdown – – Twill vs. Tin vs. Lightweight Nylon
Reinventing an Icon Lightweight Nylon (Duffles)
Strap Showdown – – Bridle Leather vs New Nylon
How to Properly Break In a Leather Strap and Shoulder Pad
The Magnum Photography Collaboration (Harvey Line)

As you can see, we have some exciting stuff planned and I look forward to reading your comments and answering your questions!

Thanks for visiting FilsonFan!

October 11, 2013

Vintage Filson 239 Part III

In the final part of this series, we will be enjoying pictures of Mark’s beautiful waxed Filson 239 XL Outfitter Bag. I personally own the Large Outfitter and it is one of my favorite bags. I was so surprised to see that it was discontinued in late-2012. It is truly the perfect bag for hunters, fisherman, skiers, snowboarders, etc., basically anyone that needs to be able to separate wet clothing from dry.

The bag feels more substantial than most of the other Filson pieces in my collection and with the interior and exterior pockets is a true display of classic craftsmanship. At the end of the day, I think the bag was discontinued because it became too expensive and labor-intensive to build without raising the retail price to a level that the market would not support. It will certainly be missed…

As always, I will let Mark’s words tell the story of this great looking Filson 239 Outfitter…

“This bag was a labor of love or a lot of labor anyway. I bought it 4 or 5 years ago from a guy in Ohio for a very good price. It had a terrible musty smell upon arrival-like it had been stored for years. But it has wonderful character that looks better in person. I aired it out and filled it with cedar for weeks, sprayed it with Frebreeze all to no avail.

Then I soaked it in a bucket four or five times for an hour or so, scrubbed it, dried it in the sun, aired it out more–and all that helped a lot. Let me tell you, it is hard to soak that canvas! Unfortunately the leather took a beating, which my concern from the start, but I knew I wouldn’t use the bag unless I got it clean. The leather became very stiff so I slathered it in Obenauf’s Leather Oil and LP for days resting it in the sun to help it soak in. The leather looks new but is very stiff and cracks in places. It will take a long time to soften, but I think it will.”

“This bag is HUGE and HEAVY and I really love it. I only use it for car trips. I can’t imagine lugging it through an airport. I’m not that tough.

I think its fairly old, as it has no inside pockets like you mentioned in your review and like my 2005 catalog states. I spent hours waxing it, but it’s a little harder to tell than on my rucksack, which gets more use and is thrown around more. You can see how the wax flattens out the canvas nap or grain and it has a low luster.“

October 4, 2013

Vintage Filson 262 Part II

This week, I am featuring images of Mark’s beautiful Filson 262 Rucksack, which has been waxed and aged to perfection. Notice that the back of the bag has not been treated to prevent the wax from rubbing off on the wearer’s clothing, which is a great tip. The leather on this bag looks fantastic and has aged naturally over time. As usual, I will let the owner’s comments tell the story…enjoy and thanks again, Mark!

“The 262 Rucksack was my second Filson purchase and I have used this bag quite a bit. I purchased the older version, which has the strap buckle sewn to the side seam. In the newer version, a triangular canvas piece has been added to attach the strap buckle, which makes it fit a little better.

I waxed mine and it darkens the canvas and kind of mats it. I really like the unevenness it gives the bag. I need to wax it again soon; I’m sure it’ll add more character. I did not wax the back since it sits against my clothing. The wax does tend to rub off on stuff. Also note, I haven’t treated the leather…it has lightened on its own.”

September 29, 2013

Vintage Filson 257 Part I

I get a lot of questions from readers about waxing Filson bags to protect them or to hasten the process of developing a patina. I have never personally waxed any of the bags in my collection (because I work in an urban environment); however, for those who use their bags in the field or want to give their bags a vintage look, waxing may be a good idea.

A friend of the blog recently sent me some great pictures of his bags that he has applied this process to and they look absolutely amazing. I will be featuring one of his bags per week on the site. First up, is his incredible looking Filson 257 Computer Briefcase. I will allow the pictures and his comments to tell the story. Enjoy and thanks Mark!

“This is my pride and joy. I hate to admit it, but I can just sit and stare at this bag. I looked for about 5 years for a bag in this condition and had all but given up hope. It’s been waxed several times and has a perfect patina.

I work in San Francisco and used to get a lot of odd looks with this armored bag, but now that all the high tech hipsters have latched on to the brand, I get jaw dropping stares of envy. I’m so cool. But not their kind of cool, Filson cool.”