Filson clothes, worse than Rocky Boots.

[lonegunman]

So you hate your Rocky Boots? you better avoid anything from Filson to keep your disappointment to a minimum.


I purchased a couple of sweaters from a local store that stocked Filson outdoor stuff. Sure they are about as "outdoor" as Eddie Bauer but the sweaters were pretty decent looking and I thought I'd give them a try.

This is their claimed warranty,,,,,,,,,"We guarantee every item purchased from us. No more, no less. Your satisfaction is the sole purpose of our transaction." — Clinton C. Filson, 1897


I had an issue with the sweaters shrinking when they got wet in the rain and decided to try their "guarentee". I returned them I got no response for weeks. I called and got a stunningly rude woman who at least admitted they checked them and they had shrank quite a bit, she then offered me 1/2 of what I paid and no replacement. I balked, she accused me of trying to rob them and she made a snide comment implying that because I ordered a "tall" size I was a fatty anyway and hung up on me. I never heard from them again. Gotta love Seattle socialists.

No credit, no refund, no return of my sweater,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,after a month I filed a complaint with the BBB. Three weeks later I got a used catalogue and a wadded up "credit slip" in the mail. It was for less than 1/2 the lowest price they ever sold the sweater for, not my paid price.

Every company is "great" until they have to honor a warranty or guarentee, then their true colors show. Buyer BEWARE. They have an "F" rating for a reason.

Their high end crap is simply not worth the extra dollars. If you start thinking a traditional coat or jacket in wool or waxed cloth might be nice,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,start looking elsewhere.

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[Certaindeaf]

You'd think they'd make sweaters that would do the opposite, what with all the legalized dope smoking and muchies going on up there.

 

[simon99]

I've never liked Filson clothing at all. With all the new wonder materials for wet, rainy, cold days there are so many other companies that have passed companies like Filson right by in the technology department.

 

[Jamie6.5]

I've never owned any Filson, but I am really surprised by any wool that shrunk from getting wet in the rain.
I have owned tons of wool stuff over the years. From Pendleton to Duo-Therm, to Swiss wool surplus pants and wool sweaters galore. I've NEVER had the rain shrink any of it, even when it had been soaked through and hung to dry near the wood stove.

Now the washer and dryer, that's a different story altogether. You didn't happen to put them in the dryer after they were rain soaked, did you?

My SIL ruined about $600.00 worth of Pendletons with a single trip through the W&D once.
They went from fitting my brother perfectly, to being slightly too small for my 10 y/o niece after that one trip through the laundry.

But that wasn't the fault of the manufacturer or the fabric. That was just an ignorant SIL, that didn't know as much (Jack S4!t) about cleaning wool clothes, as she thought she did!

 

[lonegunman]

Rolled them up in a towel to dry them and laid them out flat on a towel to dry. Not especially hot and not in direct sun. The arms and total length got 3-4 inches shorter. I like most modern gear, I did have a pair of old east german wool pants that was awesome and wore them for years. A wool sweater over modern thermals is as good as a jacket most of the time and easier to move around in with less noise.

They portray themselves as peddling "American made" products and high quality and from what I could tell they basically lie. The hemp shirt socialist on the phone probably didn't like it that I was wearing their Seattle hippy sweater on a hunting trip.

 

[Jamie6.5]

Bummer.
Thanks for the heads up. On the quality AND the customer service.
Anybody selling wool that can't get wet, needs to avoid doing business in the PacNW.

 

[Brutus57]

I never had any problem with my Filson wool or oil finish clothing. I'd still have my double mackinaw cruiser if it hadn't been stolen (it saved my arse on a wet, snowy, windy elk hunt (same day my Rocky boots almost killed me!). That double mack got soaked and still kept the windchill off me. I still have a wool vest, nice slacks and an oil finish Upland Game coat. Also a tin cruiser and 4 hats in wool and oil finish. I won't buy anything from them that is made overseas, however. One of these days I'll replace the wool cruiser when I can afford it. The company has changed in a number of ways in the last 20 years with too much overseas stuff. It looks like to me they've "gone corporate." I used to shop at their factory store in Seattle and had nothing but good experiences in the 1990s. Again, personally, I am sticking to their US made stuff but they should stand behind anything they are going to sell.
I'd go up the food chain to get a supervisor, manager.

Brutus Out

 

[Sstrand]

Call the office of the vice-president in charge of customer service.
The VP has more at stake than the customer service representative.
Don't settle for an uncooperative underling.
Sheldon

 

[Jamie6.5]

Call the office of the vice-president in charge of customer service.
The VP has more at stake than the customer service representative.
Don't settle for an uncooperative underling.
Sheldon

This might work.
I had trouble with an uncooperative shipping supervisor at Zenith once.
I looked up the number for their corporate headquarters, gave 'em a call and asked for the V.P. by name.

I was astounded when he picked up the phone. I told him what my issue was, and the kind of reception/service I had received from his shipping dept., and why I felt it was wrong. He agreed with me, took down my address, and said he'd fix it.
The next day, the FedEx guy was on my front porch with my new Zenith product.
And Zenith paid the freight.

It might be worth a phone call.
Ya never know.

 

[Oregonhunter5]

I have had nothing but excellent service from them. Had a OLD wax jacket . Bought it used. They said its to hammered to fix, so they gave me a new one for free.

 

[lonegunman]

Every once in a while someone might get "excellant service". The same person cannot answer all the email and phones and EVERY person I spoke with could not hang up fast enough. I was painfully polite and got nowhere. The BBB tried to contact them and got nowhere.

No response to emails, phone calls or messages after the initial woman got nasty and accused me or trying to "steal from them".


They acknowledged the sweaters shrank and refused to replace them,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,great warranty.

I'll do my part and steer as many people away as I can in the future.

 

[Sun195]

Sorry to hear that - I've always heard good things about Filson and their stuff seems well-made. (albeit, expensive)

 

[jluck]

Every once in a while someone might get "excellant service". The same person cannot answer all the email and phones and EVERY person I spoke with could not hang up fast enough. I was painfully polite and got nowhere. The BBB tried to contact them and got nowhere.

No response to emails, phone calls or messages after the initial woman got nasty and accused me or trying to "steal from them".


They acknowledged the sweaters shrank and refused to replace them,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,great warranty.

I'll do my part and steer as many people away as I can in the future.

Don't bother with the BBB there a extortion company just there to take money from businesses for "the rating", Go way up the food chain within the company.

 

[Silver Hand]

I haven't kept up with the newest trends in outdoor ware, but the tin clothing I purchased from Filson lasted me longer and kept me dryer than anything else I ran around in the woods with. Wile running with the hounds chasing bear in the rain and snow year after year and also wile clearing our acreages, they got thread bare in a few places and sewn back together here and there. Then when they shot down hunting with dogs I soon noticed they finally did shrink a bit, but the damnedest thing was so did all my other clothing.
#1 Don't go hunting in tan this day and age. Someone will shoot you on opening day!
#2 Man up and put them on the counter where you purchased them and get what you want in exchange. Or your money back! If you followed the cleaning instructions to the letter, Any good manager handling such a unique and expensive line will be able to reason with the truth having had sold large quantity of the same product. If your clothing went south so did many other customers that have the same problem. Mass production lends itself to this kind of duplication if a problem exists.
Silver Hand

 

[mortar maggot]

I have had good luck with Filson.

My waxed jacket has had many holes patched on a few occasions, They admire that I actually wear it and work in it, as in not a city coat.

I got a wallet for Christmas one year, after a few years the seams started to come apart, they handed me a brand new one and apologized for the inconvenience.

I have many other items that have given me no issues.

 

[mortar maggot]

I forgot to add in my double tin bibs.

I was clearing some land and was hot, tired, and thirsty, and decided just another cut or two with the chainsaw. I put the saw into my left thigh, my leg was bruised but NOT cut.

 

[Backfire]

I own a few Filson products - 3 wool vests and a couple of shirts. They're a bit expensive but, properly cared for, they last for many years. I'm sorry to learn anyone has had a negative experience with them. I haven't had to return anything, so I have nothing to add to that.

 

[lonegunman]

Like I said,,,,,,,,,,,,,I never had a problem, until I had a problem.

Three things happened.

1. They acknowledged the problem was with their clothing.

2. They offered to cheat me by refusing to replace the clothing and offering me 1/3rd of the value.

3. When I balked at that idea, they promptly and I do mean INSTANTLY accused me of trying to cheat, they got nasty when I reminded them that THEY offered the warranty. From that point onward they refused to respond to emails or speak to me on the phone. I asked for my sweaters back. They refused to return my sweaters and sent me a wadded up catalogue from the recycle bin with a zerox of a "store credit" that will not replace their products.

They have an "F" rating from the BBB for a reason. Buy their products at your own risk.

 

[Inspector]

Who can afford Filson anyway? I can buy a decent middle of the road new rifle for the price of their coats. I can buy other clothing to get me through any eventuality for less money. Guess I have different priorities.

I have been known to throw several hundred down on a nice pair of boots....

 

[BAMCIS]

Who can afford Filson anyway? I can buy a decent middle of the road new rifle for the price of their coats. I can buy other clothing to get me through any eventuality for less money. Guess I have different priorities.

Their customer service doesn't have to worry about me. I won't be wearing their stuff anytime soon. I like to buy USA made, but sheesh! With these prices I'll try to find another American made company.

Gimme a break! This is CLOTHING!

I have been known to throw several hundred down on a nice pair of boots....

Yup. Me too. The last boots I bought I could've bought a nice rifle.