Case Study - Filson Tote
I don't know about you, but I'm always looking for a good tote bag. I've tried the usual suspects, the LL Bean boat and tote or the freebies at grocery stores or apparel shops, but I wanted something a little different. It needed to fit my criteria.
First, it needed to be stylish and attractive and built tough, something to take into the field when bird hunting, throw sunscreen in for a day at the beach, or hold the daily provisions when at the golf course or racing through an airport. I like to stay organized, but when talking about my totes, the least amount of pockets, the better. Some exterior pockets are fine for my small daily accessories, but when it comes to the big stuff or trip-oriented accouterments, I'm the kind of guy that likes to throw it in and keep moving. I don't want to be slowed down by making sure everything is in its place when traveling. Again, I didn't love the look of the LL bean, although it fits the black hole idea I was looking for, and the freebies just didn't live up to the durability I was after nor the structure I needed. It must stand up on its own when sitting on the beach or the airport floor. I can't have my things rolling around or spilling out. So, my hunt began.
I had known about this brand called Filson from my hunting experience and my love for the outdoors and adventure, but I had never tried any of their products or knew about the out-of-the-field line, as I'll call it. I thought all of their things were quite purpose-driven. I stumbled into their store in Boston to see what they were all about. Sitting on a shelf in the back of the store was a navy tote with brown leather handles. The bag was a cotton material, which was a plus as I didn't love the look of a leather one. I find there is a time and place for that, but my bag isn't one of them. And the handles seemed rugged yet extremely attractive. It came across very masculine, which was a plus. Two large laptop-sized pockets ran along either side, and two smaller pockets flanked the bag. If I could draw up the perfect tote, this would be pretty damn close. As I've used and abused this bag, it just keeps impressing me and is one of my favorite everyday totes. It's gone everywhere using it for almost everything. It's been my daily bag for about two years now and hasn't even busted a stitch, much like the Barbour from previous articles. The damn thing just won't quit.
