I just began looking at Filson Packer hats this very evening, and came across your video. You sold me. The search ends here. The liner and the heft and thickness are what make the product. Every man loves a hat he can shape to his own character. For the price they're asking... Forget it. I'll look for another product. Thank you for the info.
I wonder how the conversion goes at the board meetings. "We have spent years establishing a name and a heritage, now let's throw it all away to make a few extra bucks"
Ya know, it's most likely that the founding members are now passed on or retired, and the new crop has no thought on the long-term damage this is actually causing. It's all about the profits. However, the longer they continue this trend of poor craftsmanship and higher prices, Filson will surely see that their name recognition only hold for so long.
Ty for this video, it saved me from buying the new one. I found a dealer here in my country who had one of the older still on stock. It arrived today, it's going to be my fly-fishing hat until I die
Thank you for your efforts in putting out the truth. I am also very disappointed in every single manufacturer national or not. I have a theory that we have become enslaved by the products and services we pay for. We keep getting less and less for our money. It's all about the marketing and selling. The actual products suck.
I appreciate the solid review. I was able to use your video to look at the features of your older packer hat to find one of the same quality. Picked it up for $26 used. Stoked.
@@maxwellhouseranch1004 I completely agree. It’s hard to find quality anymore. Most of my luck with the heritage brands has been to educate myself on labels/stitching/etc to find authentic “vintage” items second hand.
Same! I was disappointed with the Filson Tin Packer hat I got. The leather band was glued on instead of sowed and adhesived on and the lining in the inside was also missing and the stitching was coming loose. Speaking of the inner lining I hate that they don't have it anymore because when you sweat it basically becomes a waterfall with tons of sweat just rolling down your face now.
I purchased a Tilley Hat over the summer, I'm really enjoying it. I still wear my older Filson hats as well. The Tilley Hat is something to check out for sure
Great rant that needed to be said. I have the newer version and am disappointed after 9ish months of owning it (black Friday buy). Its the first and last modern filson product I've owned. Such a shame
Thanks for the video, I’m going to have to look into their older stuff second hand I guess which is unfortunate. I had the tin bush hat for about 7 years daily use for work atleast 3/4 of the year and it looks like it was a mix of these different compromises they have started making. The fabric seemed thick but it did not have that liner so it looks like since then they have continued to make these changes. I must say I did get a nice insulated packer hat recently but I can’t speak to longevity yet.
It's a very unfortunate situation, their prices are through the roof, and quality is way down. I have a lot of older Filson products, so when I see the new stuff in person the quality makes you feel like your being ripped off if you made the purchase. Another great company bites the dust in my opinion. Thanks for the comment.
Same thing now with the Canadian Tilley hats, only some are made in Canada and the rest are made in China. The quality of the ones from China are decent but they got the sizing wrong. Same thing as Filson they charge almost the same for the Chinese made as the Canadian made. Its sad.
It's sad to see a legacy brand like this fall prey to the whims of corporate owners who seek to profit off the hard won reputation that took generations of the original owners to build. In my sixth decade now I remember my grandfather and father wearing Filson cruisers in the woods of the PNW when I was a kid. IIRC, Filson is now under a third iteration of corporate owners who clearly have no respect for quality or the history of the brand. I used to visit their small store on First Avenue in Seattle. There was an old man dressed head to toe in tin cloth managing the small parking lot. Then Governor Gary Locke (who got rich from off-shoring of US manufacturing to China) built the baseball stadium we, the public, voted down, displacing them and that was the beginning of the end.
It feels bad to read these reviews, but I cannot say that I'm surprised. This is the future. Inferior materials, inerior quality, inflated prices. Hands up who thought 20 years ago that ordinary flannel shirt could cost well over 100 dollars. Many old companies with good reputation have adopted this new path and they are now focusing in selling images and their good name instead of good quality and practicality.
It's a real situation, selling an image not a quality product. They built up a name for themselves as one of the best, and seeing the quality go down hill is a disappointment for sure.
After some research, and a friend who has a Tilley Hat, I think thats the route I'm going to try next. I have several Filson hats that I love . I just so disappointed on the quality of the new products. I left them an email 2 weeks ago now, just letting them know how disappointed I was, they must be busy with restocking returns. I haven't heard back from them.
@@maxwellhouseranch1004 I recently bought a Tilley TM6 airflo to replace one I'd beat to hell. My old one was made in Canada and was literally the PERFECT hat. The new one was made in China and was noticeably inferior. I returned it and the search continues.
Great review, thank you. If the new Filson hat is made with a lighter material does that mean it's cooler to wear in hot summertime weather versus the older packer hat?
Yes I imagine it would , however I live where the weather is typically cold, and I'm used to their hats being of a certain quantity. I went out and purchased a Tilley Hat, it's awesome I am going that route from here on out for hats.
@@maxwellhouseranch1004 I see. Well, I live in the tropics so am looking for a hat of thinner material (preferably all cotton) but of high quality construction which will last for years and years. At any rate, thanks for the tip on the Tilley too. Might I ask which kind of Tilley hat you have? 🙂
I was just going to order a bush hat.... I have the packer from years ago and love it but I am so glad I saw this. Their are many USA made products that will be of better quality now, I don't need to spend it on this...
It's really a bummer that their quality has gone down, while their prices have risen . I'm done purchasing their stuff until some extreme changes are made within the quality control department.
I sent them back, I sent a letter with the return, and an email in regards to my disappointment with their product. I received no response back. I can say the hats are poorly made compared to my old filson hats. I would recommend looking someplace else for a different brand. I recently purchased a Tilley airflo 5 hat. It's amazing.
sadly this decrease in quality and switch to overseas manufacturers has spread down the line. i could accept the decrease in quality if the price decreased with it, but the prices have either stayed the same, or even increased, which is ridiculous. if they're not made in the USA, they cannot justify those prices.
I have a very old Shelter Cloth Packer hat that is very well made . That outer band on your hat looks ridiculous. Definitely send it back.. C.C Filson would be very unhappy.. I totally agree about their quality decline.. I have one of their pack bags that is made in Vietnam 🤯.
I found my daughter an old one used (like new) that I bought my daughter in a second hand store. I ordered myself a new one. The material they use now is way worse.
The made in the USA with imported materials tags came about a few years back. A lot of made in the USA products were in fact made with imported fabrics, but the garments just did not mention it. The tin comes from England and it’s been coming from there for a long time. Also Japanese? They make some of the best quality items in the world. Also Bonded leather (your old hat) is crap and I rather have cloth than bonded leather. I do agree with you that in recent years some of the quality has been lost. A lot of people take no pride in work and all they want to do is be millionaires of RUclips.
Well Filson joins Tilley and Conner as another once-high quality hat brand that has gone to hell by outsourcing manufacturing to distant countries. As they Fargo line goes: "And for what? A little bit of money." Well that's B.S. because I'll spend top dollar for top quality, but good luck finding that anymore. You know, you'd think that a company might be smart enough to actually, oh ... I don't know ... IMPROVE their product than turn it into shit. Up yours Filson, Tilley, Conner hats and all the rest. 🖕🖕
I have to agree. They have lost a lot of business with the cheaper made products. Had they just stuck with what they were doing, customers wouldn't be dropping off like flies.
@@maxwellhouseranch1004 Spot on. Can you imagine the pent-up demand for products that aren't just the usual sad shadow of what they used to be? I forgot to mention I just had the same experience replacing/returning a Conner leather hat - same price as before but really poor quality compared to the original. Shouldn't these companies actually want to improve? If I'm going to settle for a cheap product I'm sure not going to pay Tilley/Filson/Conner prices for it.
I just got one at Sierra for 30 bucks, it doesn't have the liner but I'm gonna use it for yard work so that's a good thing, the leather band feels sturdy and it's on securely, all the stitching is uniform, it doesn't have that ugly band on the edge (I got the shadow grass colored model) and for 30$ I feel like I got a great deal. I wouldn't pay 80$ for it but I would never pay 80$ for any hat. I've spent my whole life using shitty polyester brimmed hats and this is a massive upgrade, even though it's not all made in America at least it's better than a Chinese made hat. I guess you guys feel betrayed because you had brand loyalty. I don't have any brand loyalty because I just buy the best product at the best price regardless of anything else. Because I'm an adult with shit to do and money to save.
I just began looking at Filson Packer hats this very evening, and came across your video. You sold me. The search ends here. The liner and the heft and thickness are what make the product. Every man loves a hat he can shape to his own character. For the price they're asking... Forget it. I'll look for another product.
Thank you for the info.
I wonder how the conversion goes at the board meetings. "We have spent years establishing a name and a heritage, now let's throw it all away to make a few extra bucks"
Ya know, it's most likely that the founding members are now passed on or retired, and the new crop has no thought on the long-term damage this is actually causing. It's all about the profits. However, the longer they continue this trend of poor craftsmanship and higher prices, Filson will surely see that their name recognition only hold for so long.
Ty for this video, it saved me from buying the new one. I found a dealer here in my country who had one of the older still on stock. It arrived today, it's going to be my fly-fishing hat until I die
Welp, thank god I found this video. I was about to purchase this packer hat; now I know not to waste my money. THANKS!!
Thank you for your efforts in putting out the truth. I am also very disappointed in every single manufacturer national or not. I have a theory that we have become enslaved by the products and services we pay for. We keep getting less and less for our money. It's all about the marketing and selling. The actual products suck.
I appreciate the solid review. I was able to use your video to look at the features of your older packer hat to find one of the same quality. Picked it up for $26 used. Stoked.
@@JimHep nice, the older hats are made so much better. It's a bummer that the quality has come down so dramatically.
@@maxwellhouseranch1004 I completely agree. It’s hard to find quality anymore. Most of my luck with the heritage brands has been to educate myself on labels/stitching/etc to find authentic “vintage” items second hand.
Same! I was disappointed with the Filson Tin Packer hat I got. The leather band was glued on instead of sowed and adhesived on and the lining in the inside was also missing and the stitching was coming loose. Speaking of the inner lining I hate that they don't have it anymore because when you sweat it basically becomes a waterfall with tons of sweat just rolling down your face now.
I purchased a Tilley Hat over the summer, I'm really enjoying it. I still wear my older Filson hats as well. The Tilley Hat is something to check out for sure
Great rant that needed to be said. I have the newer version and am disappointed after 9ish months of owning it (black Friday buy). Its the first and last modern filson product I've owned. Such a shame
Thanks for the video, I’m going to have to look into their older stuff second hand I guess which is unfortunate. I had the tin bush hat for about 7 years daily use for work atleast 3/4 of the year and it looks like it was a mix of these different compromises they have started making. The fabric seemed thick but it did not have that liner so it looks like since then they have continued to make these changes. I must say I did get a nice insulated packer hat recently but I can’t speak to longevity yet.
It's a very unfortunate situation, their prices are through the roof, and quality is way down. I have a lot of older Filson products, so when I see the new stuff in person the quality makes you feel like your being ripped off if you made the purchase. Another great company bites the dust in my opinion. Thanks for the comment.
Same thing now with the Canadian Tilley hats, only some are made in Canada and the rest are made in China. The quality of the ones from China are decent but they got the sizing wrong. Same thing as Filson they charge almost the same for the Chinese made as the Canadian made. Its sad.
It's sad to see a legacy brand like this fall prey to the whims of corporate owners who seek to profit off the hard won reputation that took generations of the original owners to build. In my sixth decade now I remember my grandfather and father wearing Filson cruisers in the woods of the PNW when I was a kid. IIRC, Filson is now under a third iteration of corporate owners who clearly have no respect for quality or the history of the brand. I used to visit their small store on First Avenue in Seattle. There was an old man dressed head to toe in tin cloth managing the small parking lot. Then Governor Gary Locke (who got rich from off-shoring of US manufacturing to China) built the baseball stadium we, the public, voted down, displacing them and that was the beginning of the end.
Truly sad 😢
It feels bad to read these reviews, but I cannot say that I'm surprised. This is the future. Inferior materials, inerior quality, inflated prices. Hands up who thought 20 years ago that ordinary flannel shirt could cost well over 100 dollars. Many old companies with good reputation have adopted this new path and they are now focusing in selling images and their good name instead of good quality and practicality.
It's a real situation, selling an image not a quality product. They built up a name for themselves as one of the best, and seeing the quality go down hill is a disappointment for sure.
Bravo, sir! Great rant!
Got three from my father, all good, one XL probably gonna gives to a friend as its too large, leaving one green L and a black one!
I have the older model in green also, I’ve had it for years, it’s going strong. I would have sent both of those back too. Definitely inferior.
I just had the same experience but wondering what alternative would work. So now I’m looking at Tilley and Akubra. Any suggestions?
After some research, and a friend who has a Tilley Hat, I think thats the route I'm going to try next. I have several Filson hats that I love . I just so disappointed on the quality of the new products. I left them an email 2 weeks ago now, just letting them know how disappointed I was, they must be busy with restocking returns. I haven't heard back from them.
Tilley. Best hat in the world
@@maxwellhouseranch1004 I recently bought a Tilley TM6 airflo to replace one I'd beat to hell. My old one was made in Canada and was literally the PERFECT hat. The new one was made in China and was noticeably inferior. I returned it and the search continues.
Thanks. I was about to buy the same model. Dropped filson. Going for another local company. I think filson is for hipsters now.
If you're looking for a great hat, Tilley makes great quality hats.
Great review, thank you. If the new Filson hat is made with a lighter material does that mean it's cooler to wear in hot summertime weather versus the older packer hat?
Yes I imagine it would , however I live where the weather is typically cold, and I'm used to their hats being of a certain quantity. I went out and purchased a Tilley Hat, it's awesome I am going that route from here on out for hats.
@@maxwellhouseranch1004 I see. Well, I live in the tropics so am looking for a hat of thinner material (preferably all cotton) but of high quality construction which will last for years and years.
At any rate, thanks for the tip on the Tilley too. Might I ask which kind of Tilley hat you have? 🙂
@@ianbauer4703 tilley LTM5 Air Flow hat it's awesome
I was just going to order a bush hat.... I have the packer from years ago and love it but I am so glad I saw this. Their are many USA made products that will be of better quality now, I don't need to spend it on this...
It's really a bummer that their quality has gone down, while their prices have risen . I'm done purchasing their stuff until some extreme changes are made within the quality control department.
just ordered one base on other reviews ,it might be just stays in the bag and return .Thanks for this !
Any updates from Filson? I’m interested in this hat but don’t want a flimsy one for the price.
I sent them back, I sent a letter with the return, and an email in regards to my disappointment with their product. I received no response back. I can say the hats are poorly made compared to my old filson hats. I would recommend looking someplace else for a different brand. I recently purchased a Tilley airflo 5 hat. It's amazing.
@@maxwellhouseranch1004 thanks for the suggestion and the video! I had it in my cart and figured I had better RUclips before I hit submit. Haha
@@bmwallace2002 your welcome, that Tilley Hat is truly the best hat I've worn. I believe it will hold up as well.
sadly this decrease in quality and switch to overseas manufacturers has spread down the line.
i could accept the decrease in quality if the price decreased with it, but the prices have either stayed the same, or even increased, which is ridiculous. if they're not made in the USA, they cannot justify those prices.
I completely agree. It's very disappointing.
It’s definitely downgraded.
Look at Tom beckbe I believe there the same quality of the old Filsons
I have a very old Shelter Cloth Packer hat that is very well made . That outer band on your hat looks ridiculous. Definitely send it back.. C.C Filson would be very unhappy..
I totally agree about their quality decline..
I have one of their pack bags that is made in Vietnam 🤯.
Whats name the cowboy hat 5:43
That the Filson Bush Hat.
Sorry, my new Tilley is made in China!
Some Tilleys are, some aren’t and are still Canadian. Their website will specify. I love my TH5 to death. Best hat I own.
I found my daughter an old one used (like new) that I bought my daughter in a second hand store. I ordered myself a new one. The material they use now is way worse.
Recently purchased their anorak, well over 200$ and tbh quality is about the same drop off as the hats sadly.
The made in the USA with imported materials tags came about a few years back. A lot of made in the USA products were in fact made with imported fabrics, but the garments just did not mention it. The tin comes from England and it’s been coming from there for a long time.
Also Japanese? They make some of the best quality items in the world.
Also Bonded leather (your old hat) is crap and I rather have cloth than bonded leather.
I do agree with you that in recent years some of the quality has been lost. A lot of people take no pride in work and all they want to do is be millionaires of RUclips.
filson has always been overpriced as of late.
True, but at least the products they produced were of sound quality. Its really a shame.
I think Filson is over priced across the board these days. It used to be the best stuff you could find. 😢
Well Filson joins Tilley and Conner as another once-high quality hat brand that has gone to hell by outsourcing manufacturing to distant countries. As they Fargo line goes: "And for what? A little bit of money." Well that's B.S. because I'll spend top dollar for top quality, but good luck finding that anymore.
You know, you'd think that a company might be smart enough to actually, oh ... I don't know ... IMPROVE their product than turn it into shit. Up yours Filson, Tilley, Conner hats and all the rest. 🖕🖕
I have to agree. They have lost a lot of business with the cheaper made products. Had they just stuck with what they were doing, customers wouldn't be dropping off like flies.
@@maxwellhouseranch1004 Spot on. Can you imagine the pent-up demand for products that aren't just the usual sad shadow of what they used to be? I forgot to mention I just had the same experience replacing/returning a Conner leather hat - same price as before but really poor quality compared to the original. Shouldn't these companies actually want to improve? If I'm going to settle for a cheap product I'm sure not going to pay Tilley/Filson/Conner prices for it.
Maybe they are made by those poor prisoners in China ?
I just got one at Sierra for 30 bucks, it doesn't have the liner but I'm gonna use it for yard work so that's a good thing, the leather band feels sturdy and it's on securely, all the stitching is uniform, it doesn't have that ugly band on the edge (I got the shadow grass colored model) and for 30$ I feel like I got a great deal. I wouldn't pay 80$ for it but I would never pay 80$ for any hat. I've spent my whole life using shitty polyester brimmed hats and this is a massive upgrade, even though it's not all made in America at least it's better than a Chinese made hat. I guess you guys feel betrayed because you had brand loyalty. I don't have any brand loyalty because I just buy the best product at the best price regardless of anything else. Because I'm an adult with shit to do and money to save.