It’s On Sale
Filson Pullman Suitcase
This is the case I carry when I travel. Fits a week’s worth of clothes easily, including shoes, and is sized for carry-on. Note that it has no wheels, however, if that’s your thing.
$259 from $370 at Cable Car Clothiers (price will change in-cart)
Briggs & Riley
Filson
Globe-Trotter
Hartmann Tweed
Our Luggage Picks
If you’re a regular traveler, it makes a lot of sense to invest in high-quality luggage that will get you where you’re going in style. Shoddy, mis-matched luggage won’t do. Luckily, if you don’t know what to buy, we can help you.
You should be looking for luggage with a simple, classic aesthetic, in a practical form factor. It should also be repairable and replaceable, and you should be able to add to your set as circumstances require, even years after your initial purchase. Below are our recommendations.
The Practical: Briggs & Riley
Briggs & Riley make simple, durable luggage with an ironclad guarantee. If you don’t mind the slightly anonymous look of the ubiquitous nylon roller bag, this is the stuff to buy. Like better-known manufacturers, Briggs & Riley bags are lightweight and made to take any abuse that an airline baggage handler or international trip can dish out. They’re also covered by the best guarantee in the business. It is, put simply, unconditional. If it breaks, they will fix it for you. You don’t need to provide a receipt, you don’t have to prove that you weren’t negligent, they just fix it. Surprisingly, their luggage is also affordable - they’ve got standard rolling carry-ons for less than two hundred bucks.
The Rugged: Filson
One of my mother’s best friends quit his banking job in the 80s to become a fly fishing guide. He swore by Filson, and their motto, “Might as well have the best.” I think of him when I carry my own Filson luggage.
Filson luggage is made of oil-impregnated twill, which is incredibly rugged and mostly water resistant. Filson also guarantees your satisfaction - if you don’t like how your piece is wearing, they’ll replace it or repair it at cost. I think their Passage line is homely and I’ve heard reports of compromised quality, so stick with the classic rugged twill. It’s beautiful and should last a lifetime.
The Luxurious: Globe-Trotter
If money were no object, I would carry Globe-Trotter luggage. It’s the most beautiful I’ve ever seen. It’s also fantastically expensive. So beautiful, though. So beautiful. They’re handmade in England of a special resin-coated “vulcan fibre” which was the height of technology when the line debuted in 1897. “The well-known test of a 1 tonne elephant standing with its full weight upon a Globe-Trotter case took place at the Zoological Gardens in Hamburg and remains a testament to the strength of our cases.”
The Thrifty: Hartmann Tweed
Hartmann luggage has been operating continuously since 1877, and their tweed line has been central to their business for a great portion of that time. Not only is it distinctive and aesthetically pleasing, it’s also widely available on the second-hand market. It’s not uncommon to see a full set of Hartmann Tweed go for less than a hundred dollars on eBay, and they pop up regularly on Craigslist and in estates as well. Their presence in these venues is a testament to their durability and timelessness. It may be relatively difficult to find contemporary-style rolling carry-on bags, but if you’re willing to carry a suitcase, you can acquire a full matching set for a very reasonable price.
Q and Answer: Clothing for the Field
Michael asks: I’m a biology student and as my classes become more advanced, more field work becomes involved. This means trekking through woods, wading in streams, getting on all fours to collect mushrooms, or turning over rocks to look for insects. Is there something I can wear for all of this that is fashionable and practical? I’ve no problem dressing myself well out of the field, but I’d like to look a cut above the traditional jeans, sneakers, and t-shirt that are prevalent in the field.
Right now, Michael, thousands of cool kids are sitting in pools of their own drool, wishing they had an opportunity like this. At this moment, nothing is cooler than classic field clothing, and you have the chance to wear it for reasons beyond simple fashion. Enjoy yourself.
The best outdoor clothing has a hundred-year-plus history. The clothing that British ramblers and American sportsmen wore in the 1920s, ’30s and ’40s remains just as functional and beautiful now as it was then.
Spend some time with brands like Filson, Barbour and Orvis. Look for vintage pieces from companies like L.L. Bean and Abercrombie & Fitch which made fine quality outdoor clothing for many years before turning mallward. (Even now, the real outdoor and hunter’s clothing at Bean is some of the best they make.)
My advice is to focus on a simple kit. Buy some great khaki pants, some solid shirts, a wool shirt or two, a great knit, a Barbour or Filson coat, a pair of amazing field boots and a pair of boots for wet work. The outerwear in particular should last a lifetime with proper care. Take care with fit - contemporary style suggests a closer fit than most legacy brands offer - this can be corrected with careful sizing or a bit of tailoring. There’s no need to go overboard in this direction, though, if you plan to keep your gear for decades. And remember: all the most durable items in your kit are probably available used.
It’s On Sale!
Martin + Osa is clearing out stock of Filson bags at a significant discount. The Pullman above is my primary travel bag, and I love it. It’s one of several Filsons on sale at as much as 50% off. It’s tough to find Filson on sale, so this is a big moment for you. The sell-off is part of a larger accessory sale with a lot of nice stuff available, including some pretty belts and scarves.
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