I have been the happy owner of a Filson bag for about a year (I already talked about it in my article on men's bags). I bought this bag on eBay US, and it has already been used for a few years by its American owner. I also remember that he had tears in his eyes in the emails at the idea of parting with his two bags (originally I wrote to him to see if he agreed to ship overseas). Atlantique): but he needed money...
and me with a bag: so no mercy (or almost) 😉
Filson 257 bag test (long term)
It is clear that the bag continues to have a wonderful patina and that it wears very little (if at all). It's canvas that weighs 22 oz (a good selvedge jean is around 14 oz), often doubled: you can get up early to rip or tear it!
You might think that beige canvas is dirtier and more complicated to maintain than leather, but this is not the case: Filson canvases are paraffined from the inside to make them (almost) waterproof. The manufacturer passes liquid wax through the canvas and then brushes it on the surface to remove excess wax.
Maintaining the canvas is therefore very simple: dry brush (or toothbrush), and possibly a damp cloth if dirt has become encrusted. And it works very well.
As for the leather, it's saddle leather: it's really super-resistant. It patinates very well, I might moisturize it occasionally with the same product as for the shoes (leather moisturizing cream).
Finally, the copper rivets and zip can have a very pretty yellow/green finish by oxidizing very slightly (for your information, copper only oxidizes on the surface when it patinates, unlike steel or cast iron that rusts).
You can compare the patina with the new product, here in khaki:
Filson parka review
Well, I really looked into the brand's men's clothing: and you really have to have the physique of a lumberjack to wear them: I even swam in the S even though I have decent shoulders.
Little reflex: I still went for a look at the women's section... which is entirely unisex as Teresa (the manager of the Filson factory previously) told me and I came across a very beautiful parka.
I have rarely seen such functional clothing: there are zipped pockets but also several compartments in each buttoned pocket.
The material was chosen very judiciously: it is a composite material made up of a layer of nylon sandwiched by two layers of wool. The result is not only waterproof, but also water-repellent (the drops slide but do not stick), while remaining perfectly windproof but breathable!
Additional attention: a nylon mesh lining (like the armpits of basketball or football jerseys) for even more ventilation and thermal insulation in the garment.
The finishes are excellent: we find the YKK zippers with the leather straps at the end. The hood is very well designed, and we also have drawstrings to insulate the inside of the parka when it's cold.
The benefits of workwear
I end with a digression on workwear: I've been dipping into it for 2 years now (Heschung shoes, technical parkas, Japanese canvas jeans) and it's something extremely addictive: we rediscover the pleasure of wearing loose clothing designed with a real functional problem.
Then, these are materials which age extremely well and which can become magnificent over time despite their raw side. We're a long way from precious little boy's clothing: if you want an all-purpose but raw and masculine look: these are some pieces of workwear that you need.
But beware of those who are just starting out and would like to try it too quickly: you can quickly come across as a bag if you dress in items that are too big and if you don't have enough perspective on the impact of clothing in a silhouette .
The choice of pieces also requires a certain knowledge of materials, and their wearing is based a lot on the contrasts of materials. So first train your skills on simple, fitted outfits, like Guide BonneGueule .
Note: HD photos
Transcription of Geoffrey's intervention
In a second little improvised video, I'm just going to show you how beautiful materials patina because finally, I realize that I'm dressed entirely in clothes that have aged a little.
That’s a bit of workwear magic. These are clothes that really age. If you see the whole thing a little between a Filson bag which dates back three, four years ago because I bought it in the United States. The heschung aged quite quickly from lugging them around the national parks. And then, the Rehnsen jeans that I have also worn for a year, a year and a half quite intensively.
In the end, you have a set of materials which is very coherent, which is not at all precious, which is very virile because it ages as we use it. Just complete it with more precious, silky things like the little Surface To AIR cardigan and/or a Monoprix t-shirt inside the outfit and it goes by itself.
That’s really what’s good about workwear. It doesn't go for fashion, it goes with what you wear every day while still being really, really stylish when it gets old.
