A great thing about being an outdoor enthusiast is being able to follow gear and apparel brands that have been at their craft for 90 years or more.  Orvis, Filson, and L.L. Bean fit that bill.

Spending time finding just the right apparel and equipment provides satisfaction only matched by the first time you get to use it. Just browsing the options sparks memories of fun times at the lake or out in the wilderness. It builds anticipation for the next great adventure, the next chance to connect with nature. The hunt begins with choosing a fitting company that best meets your needs.

Remember J Peterman from Seinfeld?  Yes, that’s another thing these brands and their catalogs evoke.

There have been a few stalwarts of functional outdoor gear over the years, names that are trusted and American-made and owned. In this article, I will discuss the offerings of three awesome brands: Filson, Orvis, and L.L. Bean. Each one of these has a niche in the market, and each has its own strengths and weaknesses. This side-by-side comparison covers product selection, price, quality and unique advantage.

Filson

Best For Rugged Outerwear

Founded: 1897

Based:  Seattle

Iconic Product:  Tin Cloth Jacket

Filson products are certainly made of high quality, durable materials, evidenced by the fact that some of their outerwear layers get passed-down from generation to generation. They are the place to find merchandise that serves its function well and is built to last a lifetime. Filson is a great choice for top-of-the-line hats, shirts, pants, jackets, bags and accessories.  Their cold weather and wet weather outerwear is really top-notch, with the Tin Cloth lineup being second to none.

Among these three profiled companies, Filson ranks the highest on overall excellence in design and durability. Items purchased here are constructed for long-term use. Filson may not try to boil the ocean with their somewhat limited selection, but everything they carry is focused mainly on high-end clothing and activity-specific extras. They only have a limited selection of sporting equipment, however. Their concentration is more on apparel solutions.

Their legendary cloths — the tough-as-nails Tin Cloth, Cover Cloth, and others — provide enough range to suit nearly any activity.  We own several pieces with these fabrics, and can say that they are a cut above when it comes to rough use.  If you are looking for something that will not need replacement for a long time, Filson is it.  Plus, it tends to look even better with age and wear.

Filson’s leather goods are also a cut above, being both attractive and also tough as nails. Much of the Filson leather is bridle leather, leather that undergoes a more labor-intensive production process making it soft, attractive, and durable. Any baggage or luggage from Filson has this leather, and its accessories like wallets usually have it too.

With high quality comes a higher price as well. Filson is definitely the most expensive when compared to Orvis and L.L. Bean and they do not offer any lesser products at a more affordable rate. Filson is a company that refuses to tarnish its name to gain some lower-end market share. Their product line is undiluted as well. This is not the place to find a large variety of items, activity equipment, or outdoor vacation packages. Filson is set on delivering the best of its niche: clothes and bags to use for outdoor sports. Filson is undeniably the choice for those seeking out superior products, and they are priced accordingly.

A visit to the flagship store in Seattle is a real treat if you are in the area.  If not, most major metro areas have a good retail store to check out as well, and the Filson catalogs are legendary in their photographs and design.

Find Filson here.

Orvis

Best for Sporty Casual Wear and Fly Fishing

Founded:  1856

Based:  Vermont

Iconic ProductHeathered Felt Hat

Orvis is a sporting goods company that has a mission to serve specific needs. They offer mid-level pricing on good quality products focused on fly fishing, hunting, and hunting dogs. For each of these categories they offer a great selection of clothing, bags, gear, equipment and themed household goods. Orvis is the recommended option if searching for specific needs involving these activities. The are perhaps best known for fly fishing, where they carry rods, reels, lines, flies, tackle bags, and accessories like fillet knives. For hunting, Orvis’ selection includes practice clays, knives, binoculars, gun care supplies, vision and hearing products, and much more. In addition, they have a good offering of vacation and training packages for each of these sports.

We have used Orvis gear such as fly fishing waders and boots, and consider them to be among the best on the market, right up there with Simms.

Orvis’ clothing lines are very comfortable and durable.  Some of our favorite travel wear comes from Orvis, and even though much of it is made for hiking and fishing, it wears very well when you need to be comfortable.

The overall selection found at Orvis might be lacking for certain people. This is because of their niche-driven approach. They have the smallest base selection of the three brands we are discussing, as well as the least variety within most categories. However, they provide the best direct offerings for the individual needs they do address.  Don’t let the smaller selection deter you if they happen to have something that you could use.  Their price range falls in between the other two and is very reasonable taking quality into account. This brand is not for everyone but it does serve its core market very well.

Find Orvis here.

L.L. Bean

Best for Overall Selection and Base Layers

Founded:  1912

Based:  Freeport, Maine

Iconic ProductClassic Duck Boot

If Filson is the brand tailored to the Northwest, then L.L. Bean is the Northeast’s answer to it.  L.L. Bean is one of the biggest household names in the sporting goods industry. They have the largest overall selection of these companies hands down. They also have the broadest variety, as L.L. Bean offers a little bit of everything. They sell clothes, shoes, bags, accessories, gear, themed household items, vacations and equipment for a long list of outdoor activities and sports.  They make some of our favorite tents on the market. Within each category they offer large variety as well. Most of their products range from low to mid-level prices, with the aim of providing many possible choices for their customers.

The quality of the products offered by L.L. Bean is not as impressive as their competitors presented here. Their goal seems to be in providing solutions that are good quality affordable to everyone, but not necessarily legendary.  We will say that they offer some great all-purposes camping equipment, including the best 4-person tent in our opinion. With this comes an expectation of a shorter lifespan for their products. Their product lines are immense and can be overwhelming. One can easily spend the better part of a day just searching through their vast catalog of inventory. L.L. Bean is the best option of the three when searching for sporting goods equipment, but their apparel is not at the same level of quality what you will find through Filson or Orvis. They are the best choice when you are looking for a wide range and affordable selection that is capable of spanning many needs.

A visit to the factory and flagship store in Freeport, Maine is lots of fun, but you will find their retail stores in about 50 locations around the country.  The majority are concentrated in the Northeast.

Find L.L. Bean here.

Summary

Filson, Orvis, and L.L. Bean are all good brands that each have something to offer. In closing, let us review the main positive and negative feature of each.

Filson provides the highest quality apparel but is lacking in selection of other types of items.  Filson is the one to go with if you are looking for ultra-tough outerwear layers that will last for years.

Orvis offers reasonably priced needs for fly fishing and hunting but does not adequately cover other outdoor activities. Orvis’ clothing tends to be very comfortable and relatively stylish.

L.L. Bean has the broadest selection for any need, but their inventory is of perhaps slightly lesser quality than the other two.  One area where L.L. Bean excels is with its next-to-skin layers.  Their thermal base layers (and hiking socks) are outstanding.  L.L. Bean is the place to go if you just want a ton of selection and perhaps a deal or two.

Comments

  1. Agree on all accounts, but I buy from all three. Filson quality is top, the cost is the quality of the product and I have never been disappointed. Bought the Mac Cruiser coat, shirts, three wool vests, wool pants, Rain Jackets. I have had them all for over 30 years and the still look mostly new and wear amazing. Some a little thin at the elbows, Orvis meets my needs and the quality has been wonderful, never disappointed in anything I’ve bought. Orvis is my go to for everyday wear, always comfortable, better flannel shirts than Filson, I like the weight better and the fit is fantastic. Most recent buy is and Orvis Barn Coat for my daughter and I’m excited to give it to her. I hope the size it like LLBean does because they seem to make their jackets roomier and more comfortable in the fit. Looser in the arms and arm pits with a bit extra room in the body for ease of movement. I buy my belts through LLB and most of my outdoor boots, cost and quality excellent. I had two Barn coats, wore on out at the elbows, wife put away until I find a taylor to replace with leather patches. It had a great 12 year run and wish they had the sense to make them again. Know a lot of folks that love those Barn Coats and miss being able to get them. Fact is I just bought one from Cabelas for my daughter, reclaiming on I got 10 years ago. LLBean could make a lot of money reinvigorating the Barn Coat from 10 to 15 years ago, with the flannel lining and slick nylon I think lining. Pay attention LLBean. I got two on the closeout sale for something like $39. Best investment, I look for them all. Filson, got the slicker for $59, recent Orivs Barn Coat sale at $50 off, LLBean two amazing Barn Coats, $29. Cabelas: 2 Light Safari coats for $29 (x2), 4 Great Safari Vests $29. I buy some for friends when the great deals are available, never disappoints them. No I do not charge them for our gifts.
    You cannot go wrong with any of these three companies, and NO I don’t mind paying extra for Filson, I buy for the long term with Filson and have never been disappointed. My son bought me an amazing field bag (?) 20 years ago and it looks like new. I apply Filson or Cabelas wax every 2 or three years.

    These three companies provide great products and services, just know what you want to buy and how you will use the product. I’ve never been disappointed. Replacement is more than reasonable, in most cases even amazing with all three companies. Realize that time and use will and should be included in your expectations for replacement and even exchanges. Without following use instruction, cleaning instruction and even storing instructions you cannot expect any company to replace an abused, or over used product.

    These three companies serve America very well. Sometime you have to deal with difficult service, realize they are people too. Guess what, everyone has a bad day, or even a bad week. If you don’t like the service rep, tell them you’ll call again later. YOU AS A CUST(OMER NEED TO BE NICE TOO.

    Blessings to all, especially these teams that serve all of us world wide.

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