Filson
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Filson: Might as Well Have the Best!
Born in 1850, C. C. Filson inherited his father's pioneer spirit and love of the outdoors. After homesteading in Nebraska and roaming the country as a railroad conductor, he moved to the small city of Seattle, Washington in the 1890's.
Filson's timing couldn't have been better. By 1897, the Great Klondike Gold Rush was on, and thousands of fortune hunters were stampeding into Seattle, headed north. Armed with a strong work ethic, a reputation for honesty, and several years' experience operating a small loggers' outfitting store, C. C. Filson was ready to stake his claim to fame.
"TO OUR CUSTOMERS: if a man is going North, he should come to us for his outfit, because we have obtained our ideas of what is best to wear in that country from the experience of the man from the North – not merely one -- but hundreds of them. Our materials are the very best obtainable, for we know that the best is none too good and that quality is of vital importance. YOU CAN DEPEND ABSOLUTELY UPON OUR GOODS BOTH AS TO MATERIAL AND WORKMANSHIP."
-- C.C. Filson, 1914 Catalog
The Gold Rush Years: 1897-1899
In 1897, Filson opened C.C. Filson's Pioneer Alaska Clothing and Blanket Manufacturers, specializing in goods to outfit the stampeders to the Klondike Gold Rush.
Stories of harrowing experiences in the Yukon were widely reported. The diary of Hume Nisbet, 1897 painted this picture: "Try to recall your sensations on the coldest night you have ever known: try to intensify the most bitter ice blast that has ever pierced your marrow by a thousandfold; even then you will not be able to realize spring in the Chilkoot Canyon, far less midwinter on the Klondike."
It was for these terrible conditions that Filson designed his goods. He owned his own mill and manufactured Mackinaw clothing, Mackinaw blankets and knit goods, as well as selling boots, shoes, moccasins and sleeping bags specially designed for the frigid North. Filson kept in close contact with his customers, improving his goods to meet their specific needs. The stampeders depended on Filson. In that era, clothing wasn't a matter of choice, but of survival.
Tough, comfortable outdoor clothing for hunters and fishermen, engineers and explorers, mariners and miners.
The Gold Rush faded into history, but Filson kept listening to his customers, and outdoorsmen kept coming to Filson for rugged clothes. Drawing from his past experience outfitting loggers, he soon added clothing for the timber industry, including the Filson Cruiser, the garment that was to earn Filson a place in history. Designed and named by C.C. Filson and patented on March 3, 1914, US Patent #1088891, the Cruiser has remained Filson's best selling item. Today, Filson has sold over half a million of this trademark coat.
Worldwide reputation for honesty, quality and durability
Filson continued to make his goods from the best materials obtainable, and guaranteed every piece of merchandise. If he didn't stock an item a customer needed, he custom-made it for him. Filson's name became synonymous with reliability, satisfaction and honest values. By the 1960s, Filson' reputation as the premier outfitter for outdoorsmen had spread around the globe. In addition to being stocked by retailers of quality outdoor wear, Filson garments were being ordered by mail from places as far away as Greenland.
"The goods we quote must not be confounded with the cheap and vastly inferior grade with which the market is over-run. Such goods are not only useless for the purpose for which they are intended, but the person wearing them would be better off without them."
-- Clinton C. Filson 1914 catalog
What worked then, still works now
Over the years, Filson's philosophy has never changed: make sure it's the absolute best. Clinton Filson spent a lot of time talking to his customers and refining his designs to their specifications. So it's not surprising that the items that worked then still work today, over 100 years later. Comfort, protection and durability never go out of style.
Looks like I can finally get one of these Filson x Levi's Trucker jackets.
They upped the sizing to include XXL since they run a size small.
Will be getting black.
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I think you will really like it. It's one of my favourite trucker style jackets.
quick fit pic:
Too bad that Filson does not ship to Germany…
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nope I'm wearing lvc 519 bedford cords. The pants are quite nice, got them fairly cheap at the mrporter sale.
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I have a Mackinaw Cruiser that I love. A great fall weight jacket that can also hold up in the winter months.
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Urb check the sizing on the XXL, it's only tagged 44 in the chest.
I don't go by their site measurements ever. They're never right.
I have tried on an XL and I can button it but it was just too tight for a jacket.
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Had this bag for about 12 years now. I grew up in Seattle, where Filson is based, so I would always swing by and check out the goods. These are crap iPhone pics, but the color has washed out significantly over the years. Its a color whose name i forget but its not what is available currently. Or if it is, they changed it.
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I just copped one of these in the tan. That black is siiiiick. Wife is going to shoot me. I need the black one, new IH flannel, new IH hoodie and some 25oz'ers in my life stat….
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Black Filson Trucker XXL
Chest 25in
Length 30in
Arm 27inA little larger than I was hoping for but still fine and plenty of room to layer.
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if you get the time pls shoot a pic and I wouldn't mind to see that hat in it as well…
Yeah I'll get some up in the next week. The hat is awesome. It is more of a duck bill than a regular hat though. But I still love it.
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Thx Urb. Xxl sounds perfect for me. I am also interested in some pocs of your jacket. Curious as to what the black looks like in the sun. From store pics it looks kinda shiny
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Black Filson Trucker XXL
Chest 25in
Length 30in
Arm 27inA little larger than I was hoping for but still fine and plenty of room to layer.
Thanks for posting measurements Urb. Interested to see a fit pic.
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Thx Urb. Xxl sounds perfect for me. I am also interested in some pocs of your jacket. Curious as to what the black looks like in the sun. From store pics it looks kinda shiny
Most Filson Tin Cloth jackets have some shine to them for the first month or so(depending on how much you wear it). It's actually oily to the touch, which is what makes it so waterproof.
I just sold this
It's made of almost the same material and it was shiny at first as well. As you can see, there's no shine to this jacket, which even has a camera flash popping at it. You just have to wait for the oil to work it's way in. I mean you could even wipe it down lightly with paper towels to get any excess oil off.
