# LL Bean Maine Hunting Shoe



## FX Jenkins

Just field tested my new pair of the 10" Maine Hunting Shoe with the 200gram Thinsulate/Gore-tex liner and I am completely satisfied...do buy one size down as they run big....very comfortable boot that combines the best of both the traditional leather and modern day rubber hunting boots....


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## ROBD

I've had a pair for 14 years and they are some of the best shoes that I own.  I've worn the soles down to nothing now.


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## FX Jenkins

I asked about resoling and LL bean sent me this...

Thank you for contacting L.L.Bean regarding repair of L.L.Bean Boots.

We offer a service to replace the rubber bottoms of L.L.Bean boots, using the same materials used in the original. For any rebuilding, the leather must be in good condition so that we are able to re-stitch it.  

We can also repair our traditional eyelet-style gumshoe, but we cannot repair the slip-on rubber moccasin.  

The cost of replacing our traditional chain-tread rubber bottoms is $39.00 for non-insulated boots. Costs for other boots include:    
-- Bean Boot/Maine Hunting Shoe $39.00
-- Gore-Tex insulated $42.00
-- Thinsulate Insulated $43.00  

There is a shipping and handling charge of $6.95. The repair time is generally 3-4 weeks.  

To send your boots for repair:  
-- Clean them first.  
-- Include a note in the package that provides your name, address, daytime telephone number and email address.  
-- Please also include your billing address and preferred delivery address.  
-- You can include a check or a credit card number with expiration date.  

The address if sent by U.S. Postal Service is:  
L.L.Bean Repairs Dept
PO Box 1000
Freeport, ME 04032  

For packages sent by UPS or FedEx, it is:  
L.L.Bean, Inc
Attn: Repairs Dept
3 Campus Dr
Freeport, ME 04034  

If you would like a repair estimate, call 888-663-3999, Monday through Friday, 8 a.m.-6 p.m. EST.


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## JustUs4All

Wore a pair of those out 10 years ago and sent em in for new bottoms.  They sent them back good as new.  Finally wore em out again and bought a new pair this fall.

Good company, good product.


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## Twenty five ought six

I have the plain boots, and have had new bottoms added twice.

Great boots.


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## KDarsey

I have a pair of the non-insulated that are 15 years (maybe more) old, my son even wore them some. Still on the original bottoms and I would not trade them for any other boot out there. I have wore them all day hunting (read 'walking') and they are great.


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## Doc_Holliday23

These are the only hunting boots I wear now for 8 or 9 years.  I just have regular Bean Boots, 200 gram thinsulate in the foot.  I was on LL Bean just last night looking at boots trying to decide what I want.  I'm thinking about getting another pair or just resoling my old ones.  Mine are worn down to basically nothing.  I also have a pair of the low rubber moc in waxed canvas that I wear all the time.

In the Maine Hunting Shoe, is the thinsulate all the way up the leather upper or is it just down in the foot?  I know the Gore-Tex liner comes all the way up.  

What is the difference in the 10" Bean Boots with the Gore-Tex/Thinsulate and the Maine Hunting Shoe?

I've also thought about getting a pair in Bison leather.


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## Vernon Holt

I have worn the rubber bottomed Bean Boots for a number of boots.  Started wearing them before they offered any insulation.

Living in N. GA, I do appreciate the insulated ones.

I have been completely satified with their product.


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## rip18

Many thanks for that info FX Jenkins.  I keep meaning to see how to send a pair back to get re-soled, but it gets down to crunch time & I just order new pair.

I've tried non-Bean brands, but they sure don't seem to be made as well...  I've got two LL Bean tops from the last 20 years to send back for bottoms...


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## FX Jenkins

Doc_Holliday23 said:


> In the Maine Hunting Shoe, is the thinsulate all the way up the leather upper or is it just down in the foot?  I know the Gore-Tex liner comes all the way up.  I'll pull my liner out check tonight..
> 
> What is the difference in the 10" Bean Boots with the Gore-Tex/Thinsulate and the Maine Hunting Shoe?  Let me clarify - I bought the 10" Maine Hunting Shoe with a Gore-tex/Thinsulate liner with the dark brown leather as seen in the first pic below. It is supposed to be based off of the original llbean hunting shoe which had a softer leather and more supple rubber sole.  My first pair of regular 6" LL Bean boots, 2nd pic, with the tan leather were thicker and a little more stiff.  I think the rubber sole was a little thicker also, but I gave them away as I didn't take the advice to buy one size smaller.  Sorry to confuse everybody.  For general heavy  duty use, I would go with the Boot style, which you can get with a Gore-tex/thinsulate liner, but for hunting, I opted for the hunting shoe.



10" Maine Hunting Shoe with a Gore-tex/Thinsulate liner






6" LL Bean boots


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## homey

Do you buy the LL Bean boot or the Maine hunting shoe?There is a difference.


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## Local Boy

I bought a pair about twenty years ago.  I wore out the soles.  Sent them back agreeing to pay and they resoled them with no charge.  Wore out the soles and had them resoled again.  Because of so much stitching and wear, they started to leak.  I bought another pair.  Definitely got my money's worth.  I have the uninsulated.  They are great for knocking around and hunting.  The uninsulated rubber bottoms are not good when the temp gets down around 40 deg.


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## Twenty five ought six

I should add that if you have wide feet (like 6E), the L.L. Bean boot is one of the few that I've found that can be comfortable.


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## FX Jenkins

Doc_Holliday23 said:


> In the Maine Hunting Shoe, is the thinsulate all the way up the leather upper or is it just down in the foot?  I know the Gore-Tex liner comes all the way up.



It appears the Gore-tex and Thinsulate liner are one in the same....there is nothing attached to the leather or rubber soles inside of the boot.  But they have added velcro tabs at the top of the boot to hold the liners in place.


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## SWAMPFOX

*Custom Fit*

I can't remember but it seems like a life time ago, you could send LL Bean a tracing of your feet with the sox on you were going to wear with your boots and they'd make you a custom pair. I don't recall this being a lot more expensive a the time, although if it's still available today,  it probably is. 

Anyone remember that as being a service they'd provide? I have a very narrow foot (A width with AA heel)  is the reason I was asking.

Thanks.


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## Buckbuster

I have a pair that are probably 20 yrs. old. High quality and American made and very Comfortable.


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## Howard Roark

Found this pair on a trout stream 10-15 years ago. 1 of 3 pairs I have. 

Just spoke with a CSR about returning for new soles.


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## TurkeyH90

Ive worn them for years. Thinking about getting a tall pair for deer hunting.


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## Nicodemus

TurkeyH90 said:


> Ive worn them for years. Thinking about getting a tall pair for deer hunting.




I have a pair of the tall ones that I wear sometimes. I also have a pair of the 100 year anniversary Maine Hunting Shoes that I always wear when it`s cold.


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## NCHillbilly

I had a pair years ago and finally wore them out. One of the best items of footwear I ever owned.


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## strothershwacker

I've got a tall pair that I wear for swamp boots. I use bowstring wax on the seams. Watertight! They also double as my snake boots in early season. Im sitting here in my lil' slip on LLBean rubber bottom shoes now. Wear 'em bout every day. Great products!


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## Nicodemus

strothershwacker said:


> I've got a tall pair that I wear for swamp boots. I use bowstring wax on the seams. Watertight! They also double as my snake boots in early season. Im sitting here in my lil' slip on LLBean rubber bottom shoes now. Wear 'em bout every day. Great products!




I might trust my tall ones against a copperhead or small cottonmouth, but not a canebrake and surely not a diamondback. The leather is just not thick enough. They are a comfortable boot though.


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## Davexx1

I have three pair of the 10" uninsulated LLBean boots and one pair with the goretex and thinsulate. I rarely wear the insulated boots as they are too tight.

I wear a light or medium weight Smartwool sock with these boots all year long and am comfortable except in cold temps. If working or hunting in direct sun, the rubber can get hot.

Each of the uninsulated boots has been resoled at least twice. Trapping in the saw palmetto, briars, and swamps  in Florida is hard on the stitching, but the company can/will fix them. They used to fix/restitch them for free. If the rubber bottoms are wore out, they will put new rubber bottoms on your leathers for $39 or $41. When they do that, they also include a new set of insoles and laces. One pair of my uninsulated boots is the 10" dark colored bison leather boots. It was said the bison leather was softer and more comfortable than the regular Bean boot that is made with cowhide.

Snake proof? I don't think so. We have a lot of cactus down here also. Many times I have been walking on the flats and have inadvertently walked into or kicked an unseen cactus and had a long cactus thorn go thru the toe of the rubber boot bottom and deep into my poor toe. I couldn't pull the cactus thorn out and couldn't pull the boot off because of the excruciating pain of the thorn embedded thru the boot and deep into my toe. It was a long slow very painful hobble back to the truck. Once there, biting a bullet and jerking the thorn out with a pair of vice grip pliers finally brought some relief.


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## JustUs4All

It is recommended that in that environment you should travel with a Leatherman Tool.


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