Filson Tin Cloth Cruiser

The Filson Tin Cloth Cruiser is a hunting and field jacket that Filson has made in Seattle since 1914. Tin cloth fabric, a paraffin-waxed cotton canvas, is stiff enough when new that the jacket stands up on its own like a piece of armor. Plan on about 3 months of regular wear for break-in, during which the cloth softens and molds to your body. Wax creates a water-resistant surface that beads rain without needing a synthetic membrane. Seven pockets include a large game pocket across the back originally designed for carrying birds and now serving as a general-purpose cargo space big enough for a laptop. Construction uses double-needle stitching at stress points and the buttons are melamine, which doesn't crack in cold weather the way plastic buttons do. Filson positions the brand around the concept of unfailing goods. A lifetime guarantee means if the jacket fails they repair or replace it, though the tin cloth is durable enough that failure is unlikely within a normal human lifespan. At their flagship store, trying on a Cruiser, the weight of it nearly 3 pounds makes you aware that you are wearing a garment engineered for a specific purpose. That waxy, slightly woody tin cloth smell is distinctive enough to identify the brand from across a room. At $395, it costs less than a Gore-Tex shell but more than most waxed cotton competitors. Price has increased steadily as the brand has moved from utilitarian outfitter to heritage fashion label. The jacket's willingness to accept stiffness, weight, and maintenance, you need to re-wax the cloth annually, in exchange for decades of service reflects a relationship with clothing that disposable fashion doesn't encourage.