My Filson Fly Fishing Vest Just Won't Quit

It's become a part of my fishing life.

I’ve fished this vest going on a decade now. It was part of a press package from Filson I lucked into. The brand had organized a trip to the Catskills for some media types in New York City and, through a friend of a friend, I ended up on the list. I barely knew how to cast. 

Since then, I have used it almost exclusively as my go-to fishing vest. It’s been with me on nearly every trip since 2014 (excluding saltwater adventures) and been through every type of weather conditions you can imagine. 

Its patina tells the stories of trips to far off rivers and long days on home water. It’s as dear to me as any other piece of equipment I own.

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I prefer having all my kit accessible instead of stowed away in a pack; I hate having to wade out of a run just to find a leader or spool of tippet. This vest keeps everything within reach.

I think what I like so much about it is that it reminds me of a piece of surplus military equipment. Dependable, no-nonsense. The wide webbing, the gusseted pockets, the heavy brass zippers and snaps, and of course, that pleasing Filson green. 

Or at least it used to be green.

The design is simple enough. A piece of webbing drapes over each shoulder and terminates in large zipper pouches suitable for a fly box or two, depending on the box. A short strap snaps the two pockets together in front, keeping the vest from flapping around. Behind, there is another piece of webbing with a brass D-ring for my landing net and an ample mesh pocket that’s great for storage.

It’s robust, simple and tends to disappear when worn, the way a good piece of kit should. 

On longer trips where carrying a day’s worth of gear is necessary – water, food, extra layers, camera, first aid kit, etc. – I tend to leave the Filson vest in favor of a small pack. But for as long as I have been looking, I haven’t found a daypack set up that I like more. 

When weighted by fly boxes and tackle (in the front) and a net (in the back), the vest is nearly perfectly balanced and tends not to ride up the back of my neck nor slide off my shoulders.

Mine has aged incredibly well and taken on the kind of lovely patina I hope all my things will someday have. 

Filson recently updated the model, it seems, though the silhouette looks identical.

Image courtesy of Filson. See it on the Filson site, HERE.

They’ve switched out that great loam green color for a kind of desert tan, and the zippers and connective hardware rings now appear to be plastic. This might not be as bad as it sounds; the brass hardware clinks and clanks on anything affixed to your vest (like nippers or forceps) and I have found that as the brass zippers have aged on mine they have gotten a little temperamental.

If I were forced to replace my vest I’d probably buy a new one from Filson for the $210. Especially because they don’t seem to be that findable on the second-hand market. I’ve seen a few on eBay over the years, but I’ve always been wary of knockoffs and fugazis.

If you do see one out there and it’s in good repair, let me know. I’d love to have a honest backup — just in case.