LL Bean duck boots?

akula83

akula83

Joined
Aug 19, 2008
Messages
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Anybody have an opinion on these shoes/boots? I am thinking they would be very suitable for snow/slush/rain wear for just "out and about" daily activities. Also they are made in the U.S.:thumbup: LL Bean makes quality products but I would like to hear from anybody who have used them. Thanks.
 
They are pretty good for slushy snow. They are comfortable too, but for hiking or any other activity with lots of walking, they are not so great. They do not have support and the "chain" treads slip on muddy hillsides. For whatever reason (the cut of the boot?) I get a blister or at least some chafe on the Achilles tendon area.
 
Great boot for "out and about" Just not a dedicated hiker. Quality is top notch in my opinion and I have had a pair for 20 years I can't kill. I love mine.
 
Get them with some kind of lining. The unlined flavor basically fits and feels like you are wearing a deflated basketball on each foot. JMO.

:thumbup:
 
Cabelas offers a clone that has thicker soles with better traction. I have both the Bean and Cabelas boots and prefer the latter. I don't believe Cabelas will resole theirs though, which LL Bean will. Years ago, Bean offered a version of this boot with Vibram lug soles, they were REAL nice boots, don't know why they stopped making them. Be aware also that Bean offers this boot with two different sole compositions as the "Bean" boot or the "Hunting" boot.
 
I used to have a low pair I wore every day to the barn. I gave up on them because they wore out really quick. Maybe it was climbing the ladder to the hay loft in them but the rubber part always split on the sides right where the the ball of my foot went across.
 
Thanks for the input guys. I feel you all have confirmed my idea of what these shoes can do and their limitations.
 
Speaking as a former L.L. Bean employee, I use the Bean boots on soggy days without any problem. The trick is to get the right sizing. You are supposed to order a size down if you are not going to wear double wool socks with them. I also put a pair of super feet into the soles along with speed laces to make them even more comfortable. JMHO
 
Get the LL Bean ones, all the other "duck" shoes & boots come from China and they just don't last very long. I've worn through several pairs of cheap-os trying to save money. Either the gum soles wear out too fast, or I've had problems with the last 2 pairs I bought where the rubber upper splits.

Pay a little bit more for the quality.
 
LL Bean will stand behind them 100% too. If you don't like them, they will replace them or give you your money back.
 
mogwai said:
What are the differences?
Click to expand...
Without digging out the catalog, if I recall correctly the "Hunting" boot sole is of a softer composition than that of the "Bean" boot. The "Bean" boot is marketed more towards urban yuppies than outdoorsmen, thus is designed to wear better on concrete.
 
Great for home and street wear (provided you buy some kind of insoles for support). Not good for the woods... way too slick, especially after the shallow chain tread wears down. I used to wear them a lot until I had a couple of falls in the woods and realized I was courting disaster.

Stay sharp,
desmobob
 
Great thread and reviews! I've been thinking about getting a pair for kicking around in too.
 
Sorry to be late chiming in... I have owned a pair of the 12" hunting shoes for 6-7 years. For me, they make the perfect winter boot (I'm in central Maine) with double wool socks for most conditions. I keep the leather well maintained with sno-seal (any beeswax-based treatment should work fine), and it makes them quite waterproof. I have even used them on a few fall canoe trips where I'm in and out of shallow water quite often and it's too cold to wear light water shoes.

To echo a couple of the points above, my pair is definitely a size bigger. I bought my standard size and if I don't wear double wool socks, they are loose. IMO, they are also not great for long foot treks. I'll have to look into tenkara's idea of super feet.
 
Yep, I want em' for urban yuppie wear, I have plenty of the He- Man GTX off roaders for the rough stuff.
 
Maine_JMW said:
Sorry to be late chiming in... I have owned a pair of the 12" hunting shoes for 6-7 years. For me, they make the perfect winter boot (I'm in central Maine) with double wool socks for most conditions. I keep the leather well maintained with sno-seal (any beeswax-based treatment should work fine), and it makes them quite waterproof. I have even used them on a few fall canoe trips where I'm in and out of shallow water quite often and it's too cold to wear light water shoes.

To echo a couple of the points above, my pair is definitely a size bigger. I bought my standard size and if I don't wear double wool socks, they are loose. IMO, they are also not great for long foot treks. I'll have to look into tenkara's idea of super feet.
Click to expand...


Hey JMW. Where in Central Maine? I used to live in Oakland, right next to Waterville.
 
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