Got my Filson Waterfowl "coat" (jacket) in Tin, first had it in my hands about 15 minutes ago. Highland Sports in PA came through, despite their internet problems- this is pretty quick delivery, as I ordered on Sunday night, and Filson would not ship direct to me. I hope they get the problems worked out.

I opened the box, and my first impression was that I might have gotten in over my head this time. The jacket was a pretty heavy, neatly folded rectangle that DID NOT FLEX.

Ok, I admit it. It's obvious that Filson came up with the Cover Cloth jackets (which I've been wearing every day) for wimpy, city/suburban dwellers like myself. I thought I had never seen Tin Cloth before, but I recognize it now.. they sell it in the hardware stores under the trade name "Masonite".

I got it open, and even got into it (I can't really say I "put it on").

Oh, boy, does this stuff smell a LOT more than the cover cloth.

Thankfully, I now know the smell will go away pretty quickly. So far, though, I'm just trusting you that this stuff does break in... eventually.

It seems like it fits.. or will... but I think I'm going to have to "train" (and air) it a bit before I can take it out into polite society- or introduce it to the lady of my life.

This is to normal jackets what my Lone Wolf Harsey folder is to normal pocket knives.. that is, what Arnold Schwartzenegger is to Raph Nader, or Jurassic Park is to Playland. It looks like something they might be manufacturing for themselves out on one of the further Colony Worlds.

For this time and place, it is what I'll call "agressively unfashionable". I think I'm going to like it. <img src="/images/graemlins/wink.gif" alt="" />

I also ordered a hood for the Cover Cloth jacket, which I should have in the first place- I could have used it a few times already. I considered ordering one for the Waterfowl as well, but the Filson catalog raises the idea of ordering the hood in Shelter Cloth instead, which makes some sense to me- I guessing that a hood really needs to be this heavy, and might be better if more flexible, but I wanted to get to know the fabric first.