Filson 257: An Alternate Use
Happy New Year to all my faithful readers! It has been a busy holiday season, but now it is time to get back to business. For the first post of 2013, I thought I would share an alternate use that I recently discovered for my Filson 257 Briefcase Computer Bag.
As I stated in my earlier review, for many people the Filson 257 is a little too large to carry everyday (unless you have a unique situation that requires the extra room). However, in addition to a briefcase, I think it makes a great carry-on bag too.
I am known by friends and family to be a very light packer (and a borderline minimalist), but my travel philosophy is always focused on packing only the essentials and trimming clutter when at all possible. As you can see from the picture (taken after unpacking from a recent trip), I was able to fit the following items into my Filson 257…
- Packing Cube*
- MacBook Air
- Kindle Touch
- Nalgene 16 oz water bottles (x2)
- Beats Audio Headphones
- A hardback book, a legal pad and some pens
*I am easily able to fit two casual outfits, two pairs of underwear and socks, as well as a few toiletry items into the Eagle Creek packing cube by rolling my clothes.
Granted, not everyone can get away with packing this light, but this system works remarkably well for me on short getaways. The Filson 257 has just enough internal organization, coupled with a spacious main compartment to fill this role quite well.
This bag now serves a dual role in my Filson collection (as both a daily-use bag and as a carry-on bag), which makes the cost ($275 USD) much easier to justify for those on a budget.
Bottom Line: don’t think of the Filson 257 as merely a briefcase. It is a versatile chameleon in the Filson lineup.
Well done. I actually have the 258 that I use when I’m lugging stuff around, otherwise I just use the 256. Not only is it great for the larger loads, but it also doubles as my weekend/overnight bag. What more could you want out of your bag? Well worth the investment if you ask me.
I agree with you 100%. I could probably travel for a week in a 258:) They are such great bags and the added versatility of being able to convert a briefcase into a carryon is just icing on the cake.
Hello. Hope you can do a comparison between the Pullman and the Medium Duffle. Usually travel abroad twice a year (7-10 day trips), but would also love something versatile that can be used for weekend trips. Enjoy your site so please write more reviews!
I will be reviewing the Pullman over the summer after I have had a chance to put it through its paces. If you are considering the Pullman and the Medium Duffle, I would steer you toward the Medium Travel Bag. To me, it is the ultimate travel bag and offers better organization and structure than the medium duffle (which is HUGE in person); I also find it to be more versatile than the Pullman because of the way the Pullman opens. Stay tuned for the review and thanks for visiting the site.