filson Mackinaw clothing?

doc henderson · January 03, 2020, 03:24:33 AM

Was looking to invest in some wool stuff for outdoors stuff. I know that wool can hold insulation capacity even if wet. I do not tolerate wool next to my skin, but was looking at the jackets and poss. bibs in wool.. in plaid (a bit loud for me) or the forest green (c/w old BSA/Mil stuff) Plan to use them for the next 20 years. are they still high quality? sounds like they are made in the USA. will they hold up?. are they for work or just for show? is there a better supplier? the jacket is 395 bucks so not cheap! what say you all?

snowstorm · January 03, 2020, 06:27:51 AM

for less than $ 400 maybe you could buy a snowmobile jacket from polaris or klim with a gore tex outer with thinsulate

47sawdust · January 03, 2020, 06:50:22 AM

I like the looks of Filson but always cringe when I see the price.I frequently wear everyday clothes with unlined coveralls,good felt pacs,multiple pairs of gloves to swap out as needed.Not as sharp looking as
the Filson ,but most of the time no one sees me.

Old Greenhorn · January 03, 2020, 07:06:18 AM

All my good stuff for hunting or winter camping is Woolrich and yeah it was expensive. I still have some of my Dad's hunting shirts bought in the 50's. The pants that I bought when I was 19 look and wear like new. I take very good care of them. Those pants, along with thin silk or equivalent thermal underwear have kept me toasty while camping at 20 below. They don't quit when they get wet either. I can't wear them while working in the woods, just too hot. But for camping and hunting they are perfect. It's an investment.

69bronco · January 03, 2020, 07:11:24 AM

Check Johnson Woolen Mills in Vermont.

lxskllr · January 03, 2020, 07:47:07 AM

I have filson stuff, but not wool aside from liners. Most of the "classic" stuff is US made, but you have to read the descriptions. I was big into them years ago, but after they got sold, all the import stuff showed up, and they became more of a ll bean for people with more money than sense. I'll pay extra for US made, but I'm not gonna pay US prices, for imports.

If it were me, I'd look into the tin bibs, and wear something for insulation under them. Durable, and keeps water away. Also more modular. You can add/subtract to account for weather. I'm fairly against high insulation garments, but I get hot easily. If /I/ wanted filson kit for getting stuff done in inhospitable conditions, I'd get tin bibs, a tin jacket, wool vest, and whatever else from normal stores to increase insulation.

moodnacreek · January 03, 2020, 07:49:27 AM

Yes, Johnson in Vt. Not cheap.

petefrom bearswamp · January 03, 2020, 08:14:19 AM

You might try Stanfils in Canada
I bought woolen underwear from them several years ago and it is top notch.
Dont know if they make other stuff too.

dgdrls · January 03, 2020, 08:45:05 AM

Quote from: lxskllr on January 03, 2020, 07:47:07 AM
I have filson stuff, but not wool aside from liners. Most of the "classic" stuff is US made, but you have to read the descriptions. I was big into them years ago, but after they got sold, all the import stuff showed up, and they became more of a ll bean for people with more money than sense. I'll pay extra for US made, but I'm not gonna pay US prices, for imports.

If it were me, I'd look into the tin bibs, and wear something for insulation under them. Durable, and keeps water away. Also more modular. You can add/subtract to account for weather. I'm fairly against high insulation garments, but I get hot easily. If /I/ wanted filson kit for getting stuff done in inhospitable conditions, I'd get tin bibs, a tin jacket, wool vest, and whatever else from normal stores to increase insulation.

Agree 100% "I'm not gonna pay US prices, for imports."
Like @lxskllr wrote, I too have some "tin" cloth Filson, which is fantastic stuff.
Wool or tin, I suggest the double/cape style coat they'll keep you drier.

D

WV Sawmiller · January 03, 2020, 09:50:39 AM

BTW & FWIW - allergy to wool used to a valid exemption from military service. Curious minds want to know.

Firewoodjoe · January 03, 2020, 10:28:19 AM

If u don't mind camo the wooltimate from cabelas is nice. I really like mine. But I feel there not durable enough for outside work. And I have woolrich. Seems good. I don't think anything is as good as what it should be for the cost.

Andries · January 03, 2020, 11:08:56 AM

For outside working clothes, the preference over here is insulation (wool, primaloft, thinsulite, or down) under a very durable layer (Carhart, Dickies, Berne).
The thick canvas outer blocks wind fairly well and resists rough work like lumber handling or firewood work.
Wool is the clothing of choice for hunting, because it is quiet in the woods.
Popular wool brands up here are Woolrich, Mackinaw and Pendleton.

Filson is more of a pricey, Wet Coast brand. Good stuff, but a second mortgage on the house is required to pay for it.

upnut · January 03, 2020, 12:23:58 PM

I own several Stormy Kromer caps and a Stormy Kromer wool vest, made in da U.P. and great quality. They also sell an assortment of wool coats to suit your needs. For firewood work I usually wear zip to hip unlined Carhartt bibs, a hoodie, and a blanket lined Carhartt chore coat layered over the top until I get warmed up. Wool is reserved for really cold temps......YMMV

Scott B.

Corley5 · January 03, 2020, 04:11:27 PM

I was looking for a "good" winter coat last season. You know, new and clean to wear to respectable places ;) ;D ;)

. I was at Jay's in Gaylord and checked out their selection of wool. They have several name brands. Some apparently had thicker layers of invisible gold. One name brand was made in Pakistan :

I ended up with a new Carhartt Extreme Blizzard coat for half to a quarter the cost of the wool jackets. The Carhartt is made in Mexico :'( :'(

Brad_bb · January 03, 2020, 05:43:13 PM

Wranglerstar used to talk up Filson a lot. I had never heard of it, but in the last year I started seeing internet ads and a store open in my area.

For a family company with all USA made products, I could understand that they were expensive relatively. I'm sure you did get what you paid for. But it also makes them a ripe company to buy, reduce costs(usually by importing products) and trade on the name that was built over a long tradition. They get sales up significantly, pump it up, and then sell it off to another company. Seen it many times. Sounds like they are in phase one. This usually happen several times before the reputation is all used up. If you're buying a traditional product and they confirm they made it here, it's probably still good. Just know which products are still the same, and which are imports that they are charging a bunch for trading on the name.

As a kit I hated the feel of wool. But in Military school we had wool blankets on our beds. I got used to them such that it didn't bother me any more. Wool is a good insulator.

Southside · January 03, 2020, 07:26:10 PM

I have had two Filsons tin cloth jackets. The first one was worked pretty hard and it showed, so I contacted them as I felt it should have lasted longer. To my surprise they sent me a replacement. It is a nice jacket, dry and warm. But knowing I am going to beat a jacket to death I pick up Carhartt now when on sale. They last two, maybe, three years in farm / mill use so for $50 I can't complain.

For jeans and underwear I have gone to Deluth. Not cheap, but we'll worth it. I would get a week or two out of a pair of TSC jeans before they started to fall apart. Had some Deluth jeans over 18 months now and not a tear in them.

doc henderson · January 03, 2020, 08:50:39 PM

I also use the Duluth underwear, but like the Carhart double front jeans. you can put knee pads in-between the layers on the front. Did I misread that? You can wear the underwear for 1 to 2 weeks before it falls apart? @Southside :D :D :D In 2016, when we went to Philmont, many took the high performance undies. you wore a pair, and washed a pair and let them dry. since you did not shower each day, not uncommon to wear the underwear for more than one day!

Southside · January 03, 2020, 10:19:12 PM

What? You were never taught the "turn em inside out rule"? That practice extends the intra wash period quite significantly. :D

I have a Lull, retired the knee pads after buying that beast, don't go to the ground, bring the ground to you. Don't need those fancy pants you wear. :D

doc henderson · January 03, 2020, 11:05:10 PM

we were in Duluth last year, and looking in the coat closet, turns out I bought a lined vest and forgot it in the closet. I will try it this winter, but it is too "pretty" to wear in rough timber.

GRANITEstateMP · January 04, 2020, 11:28:22 AM

Both my wife and I bought wool jackets from Labonville here in NH years ago. They were made here, fit good, and were our "nice" coats. Can't complain, other than mine no longer fits... Coat seems to have stayed the same size, but I may have grown a bit... :(

scsmith42 · January 04, 2020, 06:34:07 PM

Doc, I have a Filson Tin cloth jacket and that thing is indestructible. It has a wool liner.

For double front jeans, I've found that Bailey's Wild Ass and Prison Blue's (Wild Ass made by Prison Blues) last longer than Carhart, are more comfortable and cost less. Plus you can order them with factory suspender buttons, which I like.

RPF2509 · January 06, 2020, 07:28:18 PM

I have had a Filson wool cruiser jacket for 10 years now. Still looks like new and it will probably be handed down to my son. Cry once. The only wool I can tolerate next to my skin is merino. The Mackinaw wool is way too scratchy. I use a polarfleece scarf to keep my neck happy. For active wear the jacket is almost too much (I have the single layer cruiser) as you overheat quickly if the temp is above freezing. Its thick enough to break a breeze but if its really blowing the wind goes through. A light windbreaker or rainjacket over the wool changes it into a toasty oven. I often carry a windbreaker in the back pocket if I know its going to get nasty. I'd only get the double layer unless I lived where it went subzero frequently. The only other drawback I can think of is snow sticks to it instead of sliding off and your body heat will melt the snow if the temperature is around freezing. Wet wool will still keep you warm.

51cub · January 06, 2020, 09:32:42 PM

I don't wear Filson but only because I already have stuff that works for me. I was looking at some at Farm-Way, though. It looks like it's worth the money from what I could tell. I haven't seen a Filson catalog in awhile, so I don't know if you can get any better prices for it one place over another

repmma · January 07, 2020, 06:23:56 AM

Ive always used wool outerwear for hunting. Codet (Big Bill) has served me very well, ive got a jacket that must be near 20 years old. Cant say if its better than Filson or Johnson but it just seems to be a more functional average joe type brand, not shall i say the yuppiefied feeling i get from the USA brands. Its made in Canada.

quilbilly · January 15, 2020, 09:34:30 PM

I have filson tin gear, a whole set. I like the pants better than the coat. They are tough though, the only brand I'll pay good money for second hand.

I had a Mackinaw second hand. Lasted for 30 years. The price is scary but when well taken care of the quality is real. Just make sure it's made in the USA. They've started making some items outside the US recently.