LLBean Wildcat boots for snowshoeing and trail crampon use. My Sorels are warmer for stationary use . Too hot for walking and too sloppy for snowshoeing. I do like the removable felted inner boots.
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Maine Hunting Shoe
- Thread starter Boreal Birch
- Start date
I've been wearing trail runners and GTX style hiking boots for years and am finally sick and tired of them wearing out. I'm starting to get very picky about what I buy for boots/shoes and will no longer accept anything with lots of seams, which always seem to be the fail point. The worst are the seams around the toe patch, for lack of a better word, in the location of the pinky toe right where the shoe flexes. It's surprisingly hard to find boots and shoes without that seam.
I have a pair of Redwing boots, don't remember the model, that I bought for work and lately I've been wearing them more and more for other activities as well. Very comfortable.
My Rocky S2V Jungle boots have held up extremely well so far. I use them when I know it's pointless to try and keep my feet dry (canoe tripping) or else when I know water won't be much of an issue, like my recent desert hiking trips this past winter.
Last night I ordered a pair of Schnee's 'Traveler' pac boots. Maybe not true pac boots but they're the same construction, just cut very low. They're available in tire tread or lugged soles and I called them up to ask about the qualities of each. They were very helpful on the phone and they had no hesitation in recommending the lugged sole for slippery moss and lichen covered rocks. These will come in handy around here and I think I'll take them to Canada this summer/fall for my canoe trip as dry camp shoes. It will give me an opportunity to check how well they grip slippery rocks in the boreal forest and if they pass the test I'll buy a tall pair for my daily canoe tripping boots.
Alan
I have a pair of Redwing boots, don't remember the model, that I bought for work and lately I've been wearing them more and more for other activities as well. Very comfortable.
My Rocky S2V Jungle boots have held up extremely well so far. I use them when I know it's pointless to try and keep my feet dry (canoe tripping) or else when I know water won't be much of an issue, like my recent desert hiking trips this past winter.
Last night I ordered a pair of Schnee's 'Traveler' pac boots. Maybe not true pac boots but they're the same construction, just cut very low. They're available in tire tread or lugged soles and I called them up to ask about the qualities of each. They were very helpful on the phone and they had no hesitation in recommending the lugged sole for slippery moss and lichen covered rocks. These will come in handy around here and I think I'll take them to Canada this summer/fall for my canoe trip as dry camp shoes. It will give me an opportunity to check how well they grip slippery rocks in the boreal forest and if they pass the test I'll buy a tall pair for my daily canoe tripping boots.
Alan
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Ok, My turn.... In the winter, I wear almost exclusively Mukluks, Steiger or a pair I made myself(no rubber sole)! In the summer months, it really depends, when on the water paddling ww stuff, I wear my 5 10 water tennie, the best I ever own in terms of comfort, grippiness and durability... When on longer trips, the 10" main hunting shoe for sure! I use to wear Xtra Tuff insulated rubber boots exclusively for many years the retain in the coldest of winter months, but Xtratuff are no more(they still make them, but they should not call them that anymore...Boreal Birch can attest to that I'm sure) I also have a pair of Redwing 877 heritage series, they are one of the most comfortable boot I had the chance to own, I wear those for every day work( not steel toe, but if I'm not on a work site I don't care) and when on work site, a pair of Blundstone green patch... They are comfy, light and they last quite good!! That is pretty much it... Other than my Hiking boots that I don't wear often enough...
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I'm glad to hear these are durable but they look closer to a booty than a boot. I worry about foot protection. Would you wear them if you were portaging heavy loads over long distances with uneven rocky ground?
The 5.10 Canyoneer seems a bit more robust and boot-like but dang they're ugly.
Alan
I had a pair of water tennies, and used them on an extended trip with rugged portages. I really liked them. Grip was incredible, comfort and drainage were good, sole protection was good, and they were more supportive than I expected given their light weight. The only problem I had with them was that the rubber rand on the outside of the foot was pretty low, and bushwhack portaging and jamming my feet between boulders wore through the nylon just above the rand. For portaging on established trails this wouldn't be an issue.
I now have the Canyoneers. They are significantly stiffer and more boot-like than the tennies, although they look like a running shoe in pictures. Grip is again excellent, foot protection and support are good, the only downside is the stiffer sole makes it harder to tuck your feet under the seat to kneel. I now have 2 years, about 45 tripping days, on them and they show almost no wear - the first tripping boots I have gotten more than a year out of in quite a while.
They may be ugly, but they have a beautiful sole.
-wjmc
I now have the Canyoneers. They are significantly stiffer and more boot-like than the tennies, although they look like a running shoe in pictures. Grip is again excellent, foot protection and support are good, the only downside is the stiffer sole makes it harder to tuck your feet under the seat to kneel. I now have 2 years, about 45 tripping days, on them and they show almost no wear - the first tripping boots I have gotten more than a year out of in quite a while.
They may be ugly, but they have a beautiful sole.
-wjmc
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I have used both, and the Canyneer would put my feet asleep... I found them way to stiff for kneeling in ww canoes, I found the tennie way better in all aspect, I teach swift water rescue or I should say use to... And never had a problem in and out of the water in any kind of ground, sharp rocks, smooth sleepers ones, even running on uneven ground to help others in trouble!!
Something I always do now with river shoes, is I seam grip or aqua seal all the stitches for longer life!
Yes. I have better foot feel of what I am stepping on . I tend to stumble on rocks if I wear a thick sole
I too kneel and use versions of the Merrill Maipo water shoe. The downside is that the sides can get abraded from jamming feet between rocks
Heavy packs aren't usually an issue. I am much closer to 100 than to 40 so go lighter anyway
Interestingly hikers climbing in the Whites where the last 2000 feet of elevation looks like a scree pile use trail runners too
I like my Sorels, the only thing that keeps me in a tree stand for any length of time. I bring a spare pair of socks in case my feet sweat on the way in and change out as soon as my feet begin to chill.
They are good while doing snow removal and working outside in cold weather.
My daily shoe is a pair of Red Wing 606's. I wore them when I was truckin' back in the day C'mon and I'm on my second pair in retirement. I will no doubt give them a fresh "mink oil" treatment for Easter Sunday.
Just got my Sorels back today from the cobbler. I had the seams at the bottom laces sewn and one Ilet resown. They are ready for a mink oil treatment and into summer storage.
Is that for real? Even if not its quite funny!
It was the pic in an article about the Sox and Pirates game being postponed Yesterday.
I was gonna make a joke about Bill Buckner wearing Bean boots in game 6 against the Mets for the '86 playoffs but thought better of it. Or maybe I just did?
Anyway, as quality boot prices go those boots still look like a deal. Other good boots I've looked at going for nearly $300 make my eyes water and mouth go dry, but LL Beans are still close to affordable. But I guess if you get what you pay for then I shouldn't complain about a high price-high quality relationship.
Years ago we used to buy various things from LL Bean from their paper catalogue before all this internet stuff, and were never disappointed. Then the Canadian dollar fell and the catalogue prices rose, and then something had to give. I have a brother who makes the drive down to New Hampshire nearly every year for a week's vacation with his wife, where they do the warehouse store route. I understand there's a Bean store there? Maybe one year I'll slip him a couple Benjamin Franklins for a pair of good boots, or just make a trip of it myself. Throw some gear in the car and the canoe on top and make it a real memorable trip.
Anyway, as quality boot prices go those boots still look like a deal. Other good boots I've looked at going for nearly $300 make my eyes water and mouth go dry, but LL Beans are still close to affordable. But I guess if you get what you pay for then I shouldn't complain about a high price-high quality relationship.
Years ago we used to buy various things from LL Bean from their paper catalogue before all this internet stuff, and were never disappointed. Then the Canadian dollar fell and the catalogue prices rose, and then something had to give. I have a brother who makes the drive down to New Hampshire nearly every year for a week's vacation with his wife, where they do the warehouse store route. I understand there's a Bean store there? Maybe one year I'll slip him a couple Benjamin Franklins for a pair of good boots, or just make a trip of it myself. Throw some gear in the car and the canoe on top and make it a real memorable trip.
Billy B doesn't have the sting it used to in New England. We're getting used to winning around here, especially after the greatest comeback in Super Bowl history. It zeroes that one out, and I can now watch the ball go thru his legs without turning away and muting the audio.
In all fairness to Bill he put up great numbers over a 20 year career. Most players can only wish for that.
I winced seeing that but whooped with joy seeing my favourite player (at the time) jogging home.
I winced seeing that but whooped with joy seeing my favourite player (at the time) jogging home.
Back to Brads question. There is an LLB Outlet store in North Conway NH.. The one in Freeport too ( and its about 90 min from the NConway store)
While you are coming.. go to Errol and LL Cote.. They have boots. Not like the MH Shoe and nothing designer or yuppy. LL Cote IS Errol.
We don't pass up a Goodwill Store. LL B stuff shows up there especially if its a wackadoo color that did not sell in outlet stores.
I live on a lake 39 minutes from Freeport. Have big house with dock and canoe access. Welcome canoeists!
While you are coming.. go to Errol and LL Cote.. They have boots. Not like the MH Shoe and nothing designer or yuppy. LL Cote IS Errol.
We don't pass up a Goodwill Store. LL B stuff shows up there especially if its a wackadoo color that did not sell in outlet stores.
I live on a lake 39 minutes from Freeport. Have big house with dock and canoe access. Welcome canoeists!
Thanks YC, for the info and especially the invite.
I have much to google.
I have much to google.
Someone showed me a different pattern for lacing my boots once. It makes putting them on and taking them off a lot easier.
Photo upload is giving me fits again but here is a link.https://www.flickr.com/photos/133956285@N05/?
Photo upload is giving me fits again but here is a link.https://www.flickr.com/photos/133956285@N05/?
It's easy to embed photos directly from Flickr. Just a simple copy and paste.
Follow the link you posted and below and to the right of the photo are 4 icons: a star, arrow pointing right, arrow pointing down and diagonal arrows. Click on the arrow pointing to the right (share) and it opens a dialog box that gives you 4 options at the top: share, embed, e-mail, BBCode. You want BBCode for sharing on this forum. Choose what size you want to share (I like the largest medium) and copy the link that it gives you. Paste it directly into your post and the photo will show up:
LLBean Boot by John Buck, on Flickr
Flickr should remember your choices (BBCode and picture size) so that in the future all you have to do is click the 'share' arrow and copy the link it gives.
Alan
Follow the link you posted and below and to the right of the photo are 4 icons: a star, arrow pointing right, arrow pointing down and diagonal arrows. Click on the arrow pointing to the right (share) and it opens a dialog box that gives you 4 options at the top: share, embed, e-mail, BBCode. You want BBCode for sharing on this forum. Choose what size you want to share (I like the largest medium) and copy the link that it gives you. Paste it directly into your post and the photo will show up:
LLBean Boot by John Buck, on FlickrFlickr should remember your choices (BBCode and picture size) so that in the future all you have to do is click the 'share' arrow and copy the link it gives.
Alan
Thanks Alan.
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