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Filson’s New Backpack Blends Heritage Materials with Technical, EDC-Focused Features

It’s streamlined, weather-resistant and modular, but it also has a traditional construction that hearkens to the history of bag making.

Close-up of a brown canvas backpack with a partially open black zipper pocket and a brown woven handle.Filson
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By Sean Tirman

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Filson exists in a relatively unique space. The brand has roots that date back to the late 1800s and the Yukon Gold Rush. Yet, it is still innovating and evolving to this day.

One of the brand’s latest drops, the Filson Trapper Creek 28L Backpack, exemplifies this perfectly. It’s an EDC-friendly, modern pack with a deeply contemporary feature set, yet it still has traditional elements in its build and construction.

Brown canvas Filson backpack shown from front and back with padded straps and side pockets.
At 28 liters, this pack is perfect for everyday carry and brief adventure trips.
Filson

Heritage hauler

It doesn’t take an expert to recognize that this pack has a construction that hearkens to tradition. The materials are front and center, and even a casual EDC fan can recognize their connection to bagmaking history and to Filson’s catalog.

The primary fabric is 10.5-ounce waxed 100-percent cotton canvas, a material that is right at home among the brand’s heritage-focused options, including other bags and even apparel (waxed jackets are a staple of Filson’s lineup).

Brown canvas backpack with padded shoulder straps and front pocket on a green background.
The padded back panel and straps ensure this bag remains comfortable to haul even under a full load.
Filson

That waxed exterior also makes it weatherproof, as the wax causes water to bead off, and it’s incredibly durable. It will also age magnificently over time and take on a unique patina as you use it.

It also gets heavy-duty brass zippers with leather pulls. And the whole thing is finished off with nylon webbing that, while not quite as traditional, offers plenty of durability and some extra utility (more on that next).

Tan waxed canvas backpack with black zippers and leather zipper pulls, featuring two Filson brand patches.
The bag’s external webbing supports modular attachments, like the Trapper Creek Modular Waist Pack.
Filson

EDC expander

While the materials tie this bag to the brand’s history and the larger history of bagmaking, the format is deeply contemporary and certainly speaks to the pack’s use in an EDC context. For instance, it has an interior padded pocket that, while it can be used for a hydration bladder, is undoubtedly better suited to stashing a laptop.

The 28-liter capacity also extends to a generous main compartment with a full-access opening and a bevy of internal pouches and other organizational options. And it has a water bottle pocket, another staple of outdoor bags and modern EDC packs.

Brown canvas backpack with padded straps and a green water bottle in a side pocket.
The expandable water bottle pocket is an indispensable addition.
Filson

Where it gets really interesting is on the bag’s external nylon webbing. These loops allow for additional modular attachments, such as the Trapper Creek Modular Waistpack (which functions as a standalone or an auxiliary addition). There are also loops on the shoulder straps that can serve as attachment points for smaller gear, such as a multi-tool.

Any way you slice it, this Filson bag is a near-ideal blend of classic styling and materials with modern-contemporary functionality. And it speaks to why the brand has remained such an enduring part of the industry.

Brown backpack with hydration bladder and mesh zippered pocket inside, shown open against a green background.
The clamshell zip allows for unfettered access to the bag’s contents.
Filson

Availability and pricing

The Filson Trapper Creek 28L Backpack is now available on the brand’s site for $249.

About the Author: Sean Tirman is an associate editor at Gear Patrol who specializes in EDC, cannabis and outdoor gear.

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