I purchased (against advice) a duffle bag from Boyt to help haul my loot home from DSC. Before I even got out of the convention center the rivet holding the carry strap broke. My PH laughed his ass off as he had told me he sees this often with Boyt. I had older Boyt stuff and in comparing I see they used to sew the tabs on well now they use a cheap rivet. Anyone else see this?

I have never seen it,but have read (on the internet no less) that Boyt has sent everything to....China and the quality is way down.


For canvas/leather luggage, Filson is gonna be your best, albeit most expensive, option.

Filson. My Filson duffle bag looks like a time capsule for international travel . . . sort of like a well worn double rifle case. It has been on at least a dozen international trips and still going strong.

+1 for Filson. Even in EU at todays FX rates.

Red Ox. Try them.

I recently bought a couple Boyt gun cases and they are Chinese crap. I have some older cases and the difference is night and day.

5-6 years ago I bought a large Boyt rolling duffel. The very first trip 2of the 3 stiffeners pop riveted to the bottom broke loose and disappeared. Bottom line- Boyt is expensive junk

Filson for 21 safaris in 21 years, and a few other places as well. Great customer service. They once replaced a X-large duffle that had gotten soaked on one end in diesel fuel in the back of a cruiser and the canvas began rotting - Duct Tape got it home! Not my fault but certainly not Filsons' either. No questions, just sent me a brand new bag!

quote:

Originally posted by larryshores:
Red Ox. Try them.

+1 for Red Oxx

I've always had great luck with Red Oxx. I'm sure Filson is great as well, and it looks a bit more traditional, but I've always been pleased with Red Oxx duffles, rifle cases and slips, briefcases, shaving kits and small bags, etc.

The older Boyt's were nice and well built bags. Apparently that has changed a lot.

The Filson bags are still quality luggage and bags, but as was said you will pay more.

Orvis also has nice bags and they stand behind them too with both warranty and repair on their Battenkill luggage. One thing that is different though is that Orvis has stopped offering the larger size bags. My wife and daughter both use the Orvis medium or large suitcase ( I am not sure which) and several of our pieces have made many trips. We also had those suitcases with us this past year through S Africa, Zim, and Namibia all with excellent service.

As it is we have both Orvis and Filson in some various sizes.

For those of you using and liking the Filson bags, are you using the rolling duffle or the plain duffles? I am getting old enough to like the help of wheels...

quote:

Originally posted by Edod:
For those of you using and liking the Filson bags, are you using the rolling duffle or the plain duffles? I am getting old enough to like the help of wheels...

I use the large rolling duffle. I had one issue several years ago. One of the plastic runners on the bottom broke. Called Filson. They sent me not just one new runner but three new runners to replace all of the existing runners.

Mike, please share the model of the one you like the best. Thanks.

Mike,
Thanks for the information. I have some old Filson bags and jackets which have served well for many years. My only complaint (other than steep price) is their weight. I will give the rolling duffle some serious thought. I think one will probably outlive me, but I would also think its weight would really eat into the 50 lbs you can take on a plane.

Like MJines, I switched to the rolling model as age was creeping up on me. I got the XLarge model but since the airlines dropped the weight limit to 50# I think the Large is big enough.

IMO, the biggest problem with the large Filson rolling duffle is the weight. At 9 pounds, almost 20% of your allowance is the bag itself.

On my last trip while checking in for departure with United I was travelling lite as usual but was charged over a hundred dollars for excess baggage weight-only one rifle along as well.
As a carry on I carry a small Samsonite hand bag and was once thinking of upgrading to a larger attractive green redox carry on I saw at SCI.Then this year in March at the boarding gate they went around collecting nearly everyones carry on bag for check in luggage.I was lucky mine was smaller than what most people used and was allowed to board with it.At that moment I felt glad I did not purchase the Redox bag.

quote:

Originally posted by Duckear:
IMO, the biggest problem with the large Filson rolling duffle is the weight. At 9 pounds, almost 20% of your allowance is the bag itself.

. . . maybe that is why they last decades.

The Westley Richard's duffle bags are very attractive but I think they don't have wheels.The Filson bags looks like a good bag however.

quote:

Originally posted by MJines:

quote:

Originally posted by Duckear:
IMO, the biggest problem with the large Filson rolling duffle is the weight. At 9 pounds, almost 20% of your allowance is the bag itself.

. . . maybe that is why they last decades.

Because folks leave it at home instead of paying the overweight fees?




I have two filson bags. A medium field bag and a briefcase.

My briefcase is 10 years old and looks great.

The field bag has been great for tossing in the truck or gator with 'stuff' for a day hunting, both in Africa and Mississippi.

Having both colors, of the two, the olive color looks nicer longer IMO. The khaki shows dirt, ie character, much quicker.

Boyt will replace the free of charge BUT...I have had three Boyt bags and ALL came apart!!
Rolling Duffel came apart in several places after very limited use (two-three trips)
Smaller Boyt bags...straps broke...rivets broke....
Not as sturdy as they appear to be sure!

I also use and recommend Filson bags.

I have two sizes of filson rolling duffles. They go everywhere I go for the past 10 plus years. Never a problem.

I had an XL rolling duffle by Filson that had been abused by the airlines for many years. Pieces were broken and the fabric ripped in numerous places. I spoke to a Filson rep at the DSC a couple of years ago and asked if they did repairs.

He gave me an address and said to send it in for evaluation. I soon rec'd a call and Filson asked what color I wanted in a new bag.

I loved that old bag and the memories that went with it, but I was thrilled to get a new bag. Filson earned my loyalty forever.

Shootaway: I have a Westley Richards bag with wheels. It is beautiful but it is also very heavy. Mine sits in the closet when flying because I can't make weight limit with very much in it. I only use it on hunts I drive to.