Skip to main content

The Manual may earn a commission when you buy through links on our site.

Filson’s New Collection Honors Smokey Bear and the U.S. Fire Service

Happy 75th birthday to Smokey Bear! While his cake will not have candles, American heritage outerwear company Filson is making sure there are plenty of party favors to celebrate. Filson launched a limited spanning shirts, boxers, mugs, and more as a playful way to honor Smokey and help outdoorists dress with a message.

“So much of the world of Filson is immersed in the great outdoors. It was a natural fit for us to invite [Smokey] into our brand. His message was one that we felt deeply given our close history with the United States Forest Service. He’s influenced generations and has endured decades. He evokes a sense of nostalgia. Smokey is a beloved American folk hero who instills a sense of pride and care for our wild places,” Filson chief creative officer, Alex Carleton, tells The Manual.

filson smokey the bear shirt
Filson
Recommended Videos

Each piece rocks the classic black bear profile in different iterations used by the Forest Service over the last 75 years. In a word, the color pallet for Filson’s capsule is woodsy. Dark Mushroom, Service Green, Olive Gray, and Faded Black bring Smokey’s forest home to the forefront, making the pieces feel less like a farce and more like every-day wear.

The aesthetic is paired-down and subtle, but anyone can recognize Smokey’s face and be reminded of his slogan: Only You Can Prevent Wildfires. It’s basically a meditation for those who love camping and the great outdoors. Today, the Smokey Bear Wildfire Prevention campaign is the longest-running public service advertising campaign in U.S. history. Smokey’s furry face also holds protected status by U.S. federal law.

Filson

Smokey’s milestone 75th birthday and the archival graphics used in Filson’s collection got us wondering how this bear became the poster child for wildfire prevention. It’s a crazy story that begins with wartime advertising …

Following the attack on Pearl Harbor, Japanese submarines surfaced on the coast of California exploding an oil field near Los Padres National Forest. There was an overarching fear of more attacks, paired with anxiety that these shells could ignite raging wildfires.

The Cooperative Forest Fire Prevention (CFFP) program was born in 1941 to inspire Americans to take ownership in the prevention of fires, with the first slogans being more political than recreational: “Forest Fires Aid the Enemy,” and “Our Carelessness, Their Secret Weapon.”

Filson

The following year, a seemingly unrelated cultural phenomenon took place: Walt Disney released the film Bambi. Forests and their animal creatures were endeared by the American public and Disney loaned the film’s characters to the CFFP program for a new poster. After a year, the CFFP had to come up with their own animal star.

Smokey the Bear appeared on his first Forest Service poster in 1944, putting out a campfire with a pail of water. Artist Albert Staehle depicted Smokey in a pair of blue jeans and a ranger’s hat.

A real black bear rescued in 1950 became the living, breathing embodiment of Smokey Bear, and come 1965 Smokey Bear received so much fan mail that a unique zip code was designated for him: 20252. The U.S. President is the only other person to have a private zip code. So yeah, he’s sort of a big deal.

Filson’s Smokey Bear collection pays homage to the different faces and sayings of Smokey direct from the archives and officially licensed: that means no bootleg or knock-off graphics.

Across the 16 pieces are blankets, short sleeve t-shirts, long sleeve shirts, pins, a Nalgene water bottle, knit beanie, cap, patch, hoodie, and mug.

Filson

It’s fitting that Filson would be trusted to design a Smokey capsule, seeing as their reputation for quality outdoor wear stretches back to the 1800s, covering outdoor homesteaders and fortune hunters during the gold rush.

But Filson’s Smokey capsule (which has been around since 2016) also goes deeper than plain merch, pairing with a massive “Protectors of the Forest” informational campaign that shares stories from badass wildland stewards like firefighters, rappel crews, pioneers, and Native American fire crews, plus details from the most cutting edge wildland fire research, how to become a wildland firefighter, and ways to donate.

We feel good about that. Sporting a Filson Smokey shirt not only celebrates Smokey, but advocates for continued work and personal responsibility to prevent wildfires. The U.S. Department of Interior says about 90% of wildland fires are caused by people (versus 10% from lightning or lava), so it’s still a rampant issue.

Dress with a message and don’t let your campfire go unattended. You can purchase items from the collection below.

Jahla Seppanen
Former Former Digital Trends Contributor, The Manual
Born and raised off-the-grid in New Mexico, Jahla Seppanen is currently a sports, fitness, spirits, and culture writer in…
These are our favorite luxury camping sites in the U.S.
Man camping outdoors

Summer’s end might be just around the corner, but that doesn’t mean all your activities are over. With the end of the summer season, many are gearing up to return to school or work, meaning it’s time to cram in all of the last-minute trips possible. The end of the season also marks an ideal weather to take those final trips, as the weather is starting to cool off but you still have the privilege of longer days. With this in mind, now is the perfect time to head off on those final summer camping trips and make those last-minute summer memories. However, not any camping trip will do, across the United States there are plenty of luxury camping sites, also known as glamping, that can get you out in nature with style. These luxury camping sites are full of amenities to make your camping trip fun and comfortable. 
The Resort at Paws Up in Greenough, Montana

Located in Greenough, Montana, The Resort at Paws Up is an award-winning luxury campsite with everything you and the rest of your crew. With 100 miles of trails and 10 miles of river, the site has plenty of activities to explore. After exploring the over 70 activities available, you can rest in one of three lodging options the resort offers. Choose between a luxury home, safari-style tent, or secluded tree house to lay your head and enjoy the beauty of nature. Perfect for families, groups, or work events, there's a little bit of everything here. Available year-round, The Resort at Paws Up is also ideal for a vacation during any season. 
Borealis Basecamp in Fairbanks, Alaska

Read more
There’s an easy way to find EV-ready road trip routes in the U.S.
Hipcamp and Subaru have you covered
Route 66, Utah

Campsite booking company Hipcamp has just partnered with Subaru of America, Inc., to unveil a new resource featuring 10 electric vehicle-ready road trips across the U.S. This initiative allows road-trippers to filter for camping options along each route, making it easier to find easy access to EV charging and pet-friendly and family-friendly stays.

Showcasing 10 popular trips across the country, this new resource gives you everything you need to explore the routes in their entirety or in shorter segments. Thanks to Hipcamp’s ever-growing community of hosts and the increase in EV infrastructure, more than 80% of Hipcamp sites are now located near publicly accessible EV stations.

Read more
The 4 best beaches in the U.S. for camping like a castaway
Get away on your own swath of sand at one of these beach camping spots
The landscape of False Cape.

Discovering a private stretch of beach is like stumbling on a slice of paradise. And, one of the best ways to seek out your own swath of shoreline is with a beach camping trip. Offering a chance to spy migrating marine creatures, catch epic sunrises, and fall asleep to the sound of the tide, a beach campout makes for an idyllic getaway any time of year. In the south, ocean temperatures are still warm enough for swimming well into the fall, and beaches situated along the Atlantic Flyway offer the chance to admire masses of migrating waterfowl during the fall and winter.

While on the other side of the country, beach campers have the opportunity to spot migrating gray whales bound for the warm waters around Baja during the fall and winter. The best places to visit throughout the U.S. are a number of state and national parks, national seashores, and wilderness areas that offer opportunities for beach campers to snag a spectacular spot in the sand. Keep reading to find out where the best beaches for camping are located.
Olympic National Park
Washington state

Read more