The best gifts are the ones that the recipient still has (and uses) long after they were given. Easier said than done though, especially in the realm of clothing — styles change, materials become obsolete, things get worn out. If only there were a brand guaranteed to withstand the test of time …
Enter Filson, paragon of American heritage goods and your savior when it comes to giving timeless, enduring gifts. Filson has been crafting rock-solid gear in the USA since 1897, and they guarantee each and every piece for life. It ain’t cheap, but it’s worth it — these are items that will stay with a person over the years, accruing stories and a warm patina as they go, maybe even bequeathed to later generations with tales of the mensch who gifted them in the first place (that’d be you).
Not only that, but they’ve got an extraordinarily deep bench of goods, ensuring you should have no trouble finding something for anyone on your list. Or at least anyone on your list who you’d like to remember you fondly several decades from now.
Rail Splitter Selvedge Jeans
When a brand that was knocking out heritage goods during Grover Cleveland’s presidency throws their hat into the denim ring, you best pay attention. The just-launched Filson Denim division brings the brand’s storied commitment to quality and durability to America’s most storied pant, and the Rail Splitter Selvedge is a prime example — crafted from Japanese selvedge denim woven on shuttle looms with rugged detailing like a metal shank-button waist closure and double-layer pockets. If you’ve got a denim snob on your list, hook ‘em up with these.
Mackinaw Wool Cruiser
Originally designed in 1912 for foresters and timber cruisers in the soggy Pacific Northwest (and patented in 1914), the Mackinaw might be Filson’s most iconic garment and the epitome of their “what worked then, works now” ethos. The wool, sourced from Oregon’s Pendleton Woolen Mills (they of the famed blankets), boasts a super tight weave that is water repellent and keeps out the wind while remaining breathable. Plus: four snap front pockets as well as a full-width map/chart pocket across the back, with double-layer wool around the torso for extra warmth. Comes in five colorways, but for our two pennies you can’t beat the lumberjack vibes of red/black buffalo plaid.
Vintage Flannel Work Shirt
Filson’s flannels are also a staple of the “heirloom garment” world, and the Vintage Flannel Work Shirt is, in our humble opinion, the best of the bunch. Crafted from brawny 8.5-oz. cotton twill that’ll keep ya plenty warm in the Great Outdoors but also features a brushed interior to keep ya plenty comfy.
Bullbuck Double Front Jeans
Similar in design to the Rail Splitter above, but sporting double-layer leg fronts for maximum durability. The 13-oz. denim comes from North Carolina’s legendary Cone Mills, a major selling point for those in the know. Another major selling point: the fact that these bad boys come in black, which is criminally underrated in terms of how great it looks when beat up.
Down Cruiser Vest
There are puffer vests and then there is this. Crafted from Filson’s oil finish Cover Cloth (a lightweight, highly water-resistant waxed canvas the brand is known for the world over), the Cruiser Vest is stuffed with 280 grams of responsibly sourced goose down per panel to keep the wearer both warm and dry. Flannel-lined handwarmer pockets plus a snap-flap chest pocket and “slotted utility chest pocket” that’ll hold everything from pens to stogies. Pro tip: this vest over the above flannel is a very good look.
Medium Rugged Twill Duffel
At some point your giftee may want to pack these clothes and others and, you know, go somewhere, at which point he/she will be crazy thankful for this water and abrasion-resistant twill weekender. Rust-proof brass zipper and hardware, plus rugged bridle leather handles that wrap all the way around the bag for extra support. Sized for the overhead compartment as well, which is always a plus.
Watch Cap Beanie
This one’s for the stocking, and you could stuff it no better. 100% virgin wool sourced right here in the USA that wicks moisture and insulates even when it’s wet, with the low-key Filson tag right on the front.
Filson x Buck Knives 106 Compadre Axe
True, this item does not fall under the umbrella of “clothing.” But if you’ve got a person in your life who is known to need/use an axe, he/she will be beyond stoked to unwrap this collab between Filson and Idaho’s Buck Knives, whose famed Model 110 Folding Hunter Knife revolutionized the industry back in 1963. The Compadre Axe is the perfect size to swing either one or two-handed depending on need, and crafted from chip-resistant 5160 spring steel with a Blaze Orange Cerakote® finish that not only protects against rust, but also looks damn cool.
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