Filson Rucksack

Please excuse my absence. I know, that some of you have come to expect a post a day or even more, and I still strive to continue doing so, however this is something I do in my spare time and at the moment I haven't had any time to spare. Unfortunately the time hasn't been spent in the basement doing something creative, nor have I been attending a lot of social events, I have been stuck at school with different projects.

So actually I just decided to do a really quick post on another backpack alternative, but this one is on a very obvious one, so I do not have to write a novel.

I like Filson and I like Filson a lot. I do own quite a lot of Filson. And I have to say, that if I were to buy some outerwear right now, I would be looking at their selection. The bags I have from Filson have all held up very nicely, and I think, they'll be around for another couple of years or decades.

The Filson Rucksack is mainstay in their very rugged, yet classic assortment of bags. It is constructed of a sturdy 22oz cotton twill, that has been treated with oils and waxes for water repellancy. As with most Filson bags this bag also features a heavy duty solid brass zipper (YKK, for the connoisseur), and of course their nice American bridle leather is also used on this pack. I say American Bridle because there is a difference between English Bridle leather and American bridle leather, but I won't be going into that topic now.
The use of such beefy, but of course also durable, materials make this bag quite heavy to carry, which of course is a downside to many people. However the quality is "bombproff", as one reviewer noted.

Did I mention, that this rucksack is made in the US? Well, it is.

If I were looking for a bag for travelling, I would probably be buying the Filson Duffle in medium or large. But I could probably also be talked into getting one from JW. Hulme or a vintage Gokey...

The Quest for the Ultimate Winter Coat - The Duffle

A good friend e-mailed me the other day asking about advice regarding winter coats. He asked for the ultimate winter coat/jacket, saying that it needed to be warm, handsome and have some details/qualities and it had to be made to a certain standard.

I spent some time thinking about it and I was slightly baffled by this because I never really thought about buying just one coat or jacket, as I have always enjoyed some diversity. Therefore I will try to highlight some good, classic winter coats that would probably get you through winter in good and warm health, while still looking good.

The duffle coat is a stable. Period. It has been around for many years and it has stood the test of time. Originally it was introduced as a military coat, but it has later become a go-to coat for preppies and mods. I don't own one at the moment, but I have had one from Gloverall. Gloverall have seen a resurgence in the last couple of years. Latelt they have been making the classic duffle in some different cuts and colours while trying to capture a younger audience. If you feel like wearing a turquoise slim fit duffle in Nylon, that is fine by me. Though it would be advisable to get one in a more wearable colour, like navy, gray, black or dark green. Gloverall is still made in England and the wool used is of a descent quality, though it is very prone to pilling. But that is how it looks, and it looks good in a way, though I know of some people, that have been disappointed with the pilling.

If you are after a more rugged solution, brands like Harnold Brooks, Fidelity and Schott comes to mind. Besides them a lot of good brands like Engineered Garments and National Anthem have featured a duffle in their collection several times.