Undercover Shop Visit: Filson Edition

Upon learning that Seattle, Washington based Filson opened up a store just down the street from the FlyfishMagazine HQ, I really couldn't help dropping by and snapping a few pictures inside the newly opened temple to tincloth and flannel.  The new shop is located in the upscale Legacy West area of Plano, TX.  In the same vein as our "Undercover Fly Shop visits", we kept our presence under wraps and luckily didn't get shown the door by security.

The Rustic Exterior

Lots of wood, antlers, and even a pair of original Filson Pants add to the decor.

The clothes are nice but the luggage / packs are awesome.

The location seemed to carry a fairly complete representation of the Filson line of products including clothing, luggage, hats and packs.  Service was excellent with a staff member making sure I got a look at all the fishing related offerings.

The thing to know about Filson is, that while you will pay a premium for their gear, (their simplest fly fishing vest is $225), the products are so well made that you will probably never have to purchase it again in this, or possibly even your grandchildren's, lifetimes.  About eight years ago Filson sent me a fly fishing bag.  I have carried it all over the country and it remains so new looking that it makes me worry that folks will think I am some sort of yuppie who never gets his line in the water.  I didn't make a purchase today, but I do have my eye on a $45 ball cap should I ever find myself in the store without The Editorial Trophy Wife in tow.

Coming to a river near you: Filson Waders

Our operatives in the field have confirmed reports that the long awaited Filson waders are slated to hit the outfitter's shelves later this month. We got our first look at these during the 2007 Fly Fishing Retailer Show. According to the company the waders will have many features that Filson's customers have come to expect from the rugged brand.

Filson Stockingfoot Waders, featuring a proprietary five-layer construction, are waterproof, breathable and salt water resistant. Performance elements include a gusseted crotch and articulated knees for freedom of movement, outer leg seams for greater durability, neoprene booties to accommodate a large range of foot sizes and Mackinaw wool lined handwarmer pockets. The suspenders are removable for quick conversion to waist-high waders with a removable belt and drawstring top closure. Classic Filson design elements include bridle leather trim and Filson brass snaps on the mesh front pocket.

In honor of Filson's entry into this product line, they have announced that 1% of the proceeds from the sale of these waders will be donated to the American Rivers Wild and Scenic River Campaign.

"Filson customers will be wearing our new waders on the many rivers protected by the Wild and Scenic Rivers Act," said Bill Kulczycki, president and CEO of Filson. "It is our responsibility to preserve the wild places where our customers play."

Proceeds from Filson’s initiative will be utilized by American Rivers to support its Wild and Scenic River campaign which increases the protection of the nation’s most outstanding rivers through Wild and Scenic designations.

Watch for more developments on these and other Filson products in the near future. Chances are favorable that we might be able to get our hands on a set of these for a proper field test on our soon to be announced summer wilderness excursion (hint: it's to visit a state in the union that Filson products are designed for specifically). If so an extensive report will be sure to follow.

First Look: Filson Announces Women's Line

Classic outfitter Filson has announced that it will be launching a women's clothing line which will hit retail stores next month. From their press release sent out earlier today:

In response to strong demand from female outdoor enthusiasts, Filson (http://www.filson.com/), an established hunting and fishing apparel and accessories brand with a 110-year heritage in the outdoor category, is launching its first women’s line, available at retail next month. This classic line, known for its iconic pieces engineered especially for these outdoor endeavors, incorporates the same first-class quality and performance in its men’s offerings that have established the Filson legacy in American apparel and gear history. The Filson tradition, revered by generations of customers, now is available for the most discerning outdoor female devotee.

Don't expect red plaid to be a big part of this new offering. Pictured above from the new line is the Women’s Feather Cloth Fly Fishing Long Sleeve Shirt MSRP $67.50. It will be available in Desert Tan (shown), Sunrise Yellow, and Salmon.

We expect to have more information on this new venture for Filson in the very near future. In the mean time check out our previous coverage of Filson including a first look at those ever elusive Filson waders.

2007 Gift Guide Part III: Editor's Picks

It is still very much a work in progress but I have posted the third segment of FlyFishMagazine.com's 2007 Holiday Gift Guide. For my personal picks, I have tried to choose items that represent an excellent value for the fly angler regardless of price point. So far this includes luggage and gift items for the fly fisher from Filson and a very nice wading jacket from Patagoina.

Look for more "Editor's Choice" items tomorrow.

FFR Show 2007: Reflections from the casting pond

The wife and I just got back into town from the retailer show in Denver, Colorado where we were able to look at copious amounts of new fly fishing gear, hang out with old and new friends, and get a general feel for the direction of fly fishing as an industry from folks who make their living at the sport we so enjoy. We will have more detailed postings about gear and such later on but for now here are a few of our impressions from this year's show:

Patagonia Pals

First things first, we have to mention Patagonia, Inc. For the past two years they have acted as our host at the show and thanks to folks like Brian Bennett and Steve Stracqualersi we have always been made to feel very welcome. They are a great organization that makes excellent fly fishing product and more importantly does a great deal of good for the environment. A few of their programs that deserve mention are 1% for the planet, Common Threads Garment Recycling, and supporting the World Trout Initiative. A few their products that caught our eye include the combination FishingVest / PFD , and their Pack Vest which combines a fishing vest and back pack in one package. We will be posting about additional Patagonia products in the near future.

New Rods

On the upper end of the spectrum we got our hands on the new Orvis Helios and can say that it has to be the lightest fly rod we have ever held. It will be available in 2008 for around $755.

The big news from Sage was their new line of bass rods. We didn't get to try one of these at the casting pool but with their old school yellow finish they sure did look nice. Their 7'11" length might just allow Sage some inroads into the world of competitive bass tournaments.

Brad Beefus of Ross Worldwide took us through the paces with their Mel Krieger endorsed Essence fly rod series. The rods come in three levels of "trim," with slightly different actions, the FC, FS and at the top of the line the FW. With rods from $99 to $199 and complete outfits from $199 to $249 these rods are an affordable option for anglers. Ross designed these rods and their tapers from the ground up and it seems to have made a difference in the end result. We test casted a 3 weight from each of the three rod classes and found each of them to have a very nice feel. The rods and outfits will hit the market in October of this year.

Reels

Ryan Harrison, managing partner of The Waterworks /Lamson sat down with us and took us through his line of super light weight reels. He explained the company's revolutionary drag design featuring a completely sealed conical clutch as well as their almost bomb proof hard alox finish. The company's big news was the introduction of $120 price point reel called the Konic. The Konic features the same drag as their $400+ models but is die cast and has a salt water safe polyurethane finish.

Polarized Eye wear

We will have more detailed posts on this later but we were able to spend time with three of the players in fly fishing eye protection and fish spotting.

Smith Action Optics - Long time friend of the fly fisher. Tons of anglers wear them.

Panoptix - Started in Cycling - Flip Pallot wears them.

Kaenon - Italian design - proprietary lens material. Conway Bowman wears them.

Waders

Seattle outfitter Filson debuted their new five layer fishing waders which will be available March 1st, 2008 at a $310 MSRP. I can say that they look and feel just like what you would expect in a Filson wader. They have built in gravel guards, wool lined hand warmer pockets with brass buttons.

We will continue our coverage with additional products from the show in these and other categories so be sure to check back often.

First look: Filson waders found in the wild.

Live from the FFR show floor:

Available in March, 2008, Filson waders. Five layer construction and leather trim. More info later.