Wow, I didn't know being a rugged outdoorsman cost so much.
$225 for a vest? $355 for a pair of boots? Here's something more reasonable.
$30 socks.
Clearly I was doing something wrong when I tried my hand at selling stuff like this.
Ben
Filson has always been high end but their stuff literally lasts for generations. They started making clothes for the Alaskan Gold Rush.
My hunting coats and vests will easily make it down to my grandchildren's children.
Unfortunately, as you see from their catalog, they have started to cater to the yuppy market. Price doesn't seem to matter to some people and some of their stuff is ridiculously expensive as you have seen.
I don't mind paying for some things that I know I will only have to buy once, like their double tin coat or vest. I did actually wear out one pair of double tin pants about 10 years ago when I used to do a lot of rabbit hunting. I just had them cut them a little short, had then re-hemmed and gave them to my son. He still wears them.
They actually used to warn you about buying the double tins by saying in their catalog... "If you don't need them, you will not want to wear them."
A few years ago the company was purchased by a major clothing corporation (they keep that very quiet) and they have stared outsourcing a lot of their stuff. One of their stongest selling points used to be that all of their stuff came out of Seattle.
This year's catalog has a section where they start backpedalling about having to outsource.
The heavy double tin stuff is still made in Seattle as is all of their heavy wool garments. I have the Double Mackinaw wool coat and pants and they will long outlive me.
Scott