In these unpredictable late Fall/early Winter days it pays to have layers and versatility. One of the most important items a guy can have in his arsenal is a good breathable but water and wind resistant jacket that you can wear with or without a sweater or down vest. Now, there are a lot of good imports that will fit this bill, namely Barbour and Balstaff, that make high quality jackets and light coats with good looking contemporary fit and feel. But sometimes it’s good to buy American and not just because of patriotic pride but also because of style and excellence of craftsmanship. And that’s where Filson comes into the picture.

Cover Cloth Mile Marker Coat

Founded in 1897 in Seattle, Washington by C.C. Filson, the company pioneered the use of waxed and oiled cotton to make durable, lightweight and water resistant outerwear for lumberjacks, fishermen, prospectors and ranchers. Filson established a healthy trade with customers heading north to Alaska, as well, who appreciated the versatility of their many grades of outer- and underwear for the often-harsh conditions of their Arctic home. Today you’ll still find many of the items in their collections given the “Alaskan” label to denote a burlier fit and suitability for heavy layering. Filson is also a great proponent of Native American craftsmanship, such as the current Cowichan line of sweaters and wool items handmade by members of that nearby Pacific Northwest tribe.

Men’s Cowichan Sweater

But it is in their wonderfully authentic oil-finished and waxed cotton jackets and coats that Filson does its very best work. Modern and stylish takes on classic working man’s outerwear include the Mile Marker Coat, perfect for the motorcycle enthusiast with a 3/4 length tapered fit featuring plenty of roomy pockets, moleskin collar, elastic wrist and waist gathers to keep the wind out and the ability to accept Filson zip-in vest liners and button-on hoods for added warmth deep into the cold months. Or the Lined Short Cruiser Jacket made of soy-waxed cotton and lined with cotton flannel, a perfect everyday jacket in Fall and early Spring with a classically masculine fit and feel.

Lined Short Cruiser Jacket

Those are just two of my favorites — they even come with a can of oil finish wax in the pockets to help you refresh them and keep them water repellant — and I definitely recommend browsing through the varied offerings over at their cool site. They also feature a line of excellent leather accessories and boots and even restored, one-of-a-kind vintage items from axes to messenger bags and totes. Obviously you’ll soon see that nothing they make is inexpensive and the prices do in fact rival those British-inspired imports Barbour and Belstaff. But just like the Brits know how to keep dry and warm in damp and cold weather, so too do the folks in Seattle, so you know their efficacy is going to be similar. And there is just something about the Filson product lines that’s a bit more rugged and a bit more authentically outdoor oriented than their very fashionable foreign luxury counterparts. Chances are a Filson jacket or coat will be keeping you warm and dry twenty years hence so was the $300 you paid for it really that pricey? At a time where US quality and craftsmanship is really coming back with a whole new generation of artisans taking up the challenge of producing well-made practical and stylish clothes and outerwear, one might say that Filson is the granddaddy of that American spirit. They’ve been keeping it real in the USA for nearly 120 years and they’re still setting a very high — and a very handsome — bar.