Filson Double Mackinaw

I realize I have been slacking on getting some new content up here, but instead of giving excuses as to why, I am just going to start in on my next “daily use” item.

I have a list of things that I would like to cover. But, I figured this one would be best to do before what little winter we have had this year leaves us. I am a big fan of wool for outdoor uses. From baselayer, to outerwear, I just love the stuff. Four years ago, I figured why not incorporate it into my daily clothes too and I purchased a Filson Double Mackinaw Jacket.

Perhaps it is that I am just not the most stylish person in the world. But, as soon as it starts getting cold in the fall, until it starts warming up in the spring, this the jacket I wear every day. No kidding! If I dress up in wool dress pants and dress shoes, this jacket looks fine. Jeans and boots….yup. Take it camping….yup. Seriously, there were days when I would come hope from work in this jacket, dress pants, dress shoes, etc, go in the house and change, and then wear it to stack wood for the wood stove. It has truly been a one size fits all conditions type of jacket for me.

Filson’s website has info and pictures of all the features of the jacket, so I am not going to re-create it all here. Instead, I will just take note of a couple of the features that I think are extra cool. The lower pockets will let you top load them full of stuff, and then it still allows you to stick your hand in from the side. The top loading pockets hold quite a bit, and the side pocket is useful for when you fill up one, you can keep your hand warm in the other. Another relatively common feature is the inside pocket. This isn’t really anything special, as most jackets have something similar. I use mine for my pipe :) Probably the coolest feature of the jacket is the rear game pouch. It has large buttoned openings on either side, and is one big comparment that can be accessed from either side. While I would not put a bloody carcass in there, it does supply quite a bit of room. It may look funny, but I have wadded up two kids jackets and stuffed them in there just to keep from carrying them. Lots of possibilities there.

The final thing I wanted to comment regarding this jacket is the wear. I already mentioned how often I wear it, and that I wear it stacking wood. Just because this thing is expensive does not mean that I have taken it easy on it. I have used it for cutting wood, working outside, stacking wood, hunting, and it has been on most, if not all, of my winter camping trips. These are things that I would not want to do with many modern material jackets. Despite all of that, after 4 winters, I see virtually no sign of wear on this thing. You have to love wool!