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Destry Hoffard
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Posted: Wed Feb 20th, 2008 07:01 pm |
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I've got a pair of those big 16 inch models myself. Mom and Dad bought them for me when I was in High School. Best rabbit or bird hunting boots I ever owned. I don't do much of either anymore, so they've lain fallow for awhile, but they're always there if I need them.
Destry
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James DiSpagno
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Posted: Thu Feb 21st, 2008 02:23 am |
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| Talk about a great company to deal with! I bought a pair of their 16" Maine hunting boots in 1978 after wearing out one of my Dads pair of 10" models. While there I asked for the OLD MANS boot to be resoled. They could not believe he still had them after almost 50 years. Then in 2007 Icalled to send my 16" back for resoling and when asked my last name, the gentleman asked if this was Ross and I said no unfortunately Ross went to the happy hunting ground in 2003. He related that after purchasing 2 pairs of the Maine hunting boot that the old man had them resoled 4 times each in the 70 plus years he owned them. He said they really apreciated his and now my business. Those boots are packed away in his old gear and will tralel my path until they are passed down. What a great company, and I hope they remember where they came from. Thanks for listening. JIM DiSpagno
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Bruce Day
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Posted: Thu Feb 21st, 2008 02:50 am |
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I bought a 10" pair of Old Maine Hunting Shoes in 1971 and they are still going strong after use every season. I still use a poplin tent I bought from them in 1967.
I'm thinking about buying a new Maine Hunting Coat because I've never taken to a Bird N Lite I bought a few years ago.
They are still a fine company that struggles to compete against many aggressive newer catalog companies. I don't like the "made in China" syndrome but it seems they all have to do it to compete and remain in business. When I am presented a choice I buy US.
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Bruce Day
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Richard Flanders
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Posted: Thu Feb 21st, 2008 04:26 am |
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Roger that on buying US when possible. I'm needing some pocket knives and am going on Ebay and buying the older US made Schrade Old Timers for 2-3 times what they cost new. I could just buy the current Chinese made ones; they are identically and just as well made, but I refuse. I will pay whatever necessary for the US made ones and grin as I am reduced to macn'cheeze for dinner as a result....
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Destry Hoffard
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Posted: Thu Feb 21st, 2008 09:32 am |
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I sent a pair of 8 inch "Maine Hunting Shoes" back a few years ago when I got them in and the little rubber heel tag said "Bean Boot" instead. That's when I realized they'd begun to cave in to the Yuppie horde. Somebody said awhile back that they were "Maine Hunting Shoes" again and I hope that's true.
Destry
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Dean Romig
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Posted: Thu Feb 21st, 2008 09:52 am |
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| A lot of good things can be said about the L. L. Bean company but as with all successful businesses that have enjoyed such great success it boils down to their greatest asset. . . the employees. Dealing with the Mainers who work there is the best of all L. L. Bean experiences. You could tell if they weren't sincere. I have never dealt with one who wasn't. As we are conducting business we talk about kids, grandkids, dogs, the weather and so on. A true Maine experience.
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Dean Romig
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Posted: Fri Feb 22nd, 2008 12:34 am |
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Allan H. Swanson wrote: Dean : Mailed your copy of the L.L.Bean book yesterday . Allan
Allan, it arrived today. Wow, 1 1/2 days by USPS. . . pretty impressive.
I'll start reading it with my morning's coffee. Thank you so much
Dean
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Greg Baehman
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Posted: Fri Feb 22nd, 2008 01:45 am |
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Destry Hoffard wrote: I sent a pair of 8 inch "Maine Hunting Shoes" back a few years ago when I got them in and the little rubber heel tag said "Bean Boot" instead. That's when I realized they'd begun to cave in to the Yuppie horde. Somebody said awhile back that they were "Maine Hunting Shoes" again and I hope that's true.
Destry
Destry,
Bean catalogs both "Bean Boots" and the "Maine Hunting Shoe". I've been informed by one of their customer service reps that the difference is in the compound of the rubber bottoms--the MHS is a softer compound.
Last edited on Fri Feb 22nd, 2008 01:46 am by Greg Baehman
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Tom Flanigan
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Posted: Fri Feb 22nd, 2008 01:57 am |
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| The Maine Hunting Shoe has always been available. The recent incarnation has lighter uppers and more flexible bottoms. The Bean Boot is exactly like the Maine Hunting Shoe of old. I like the newer version of the Maine Hunting Shoe and use them exclusively for my partridge and other upland gunning. There are many better boots on the market but I grew up with a pair of Maine Hunting shoes on my feet and I hope to be buried wearing a pair.
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Austin W Hogan
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Posted: Fri Feb 22nd, 2008 02:02 am |
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As I remember from the display , the Maine Hunting Shoe had a darker rubber bottom, a darker leather top, was a 12 inch rather than a 10 inch shoe, and cost $10 additional, compared to the lower lighter shoes.
Best, Austin
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Dean Romig
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Posted: Wed Feb 27th, 2008 02:22 am |
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Post edited. Can't find how to post pictures. Frustrating  Last edited on Wed Feb 27th, 2008 03:13 am by Dean Romig
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Destry Hoffard
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Posted: Wed Feb 27th, 2008 08:33 pm |
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I dunno, I just know that when I ordered a pair of "Maine" a few years ago they came in "Bean Boot" and that I returned them wilh a letter explaining why and never heard a word back from them.
DLH
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Rob Bergh
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Posted: Wed Feb 27th, 2008 08:47 pm |
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Destry,
I recall a few years back seeing only "Bean Boots" in the store (and catalog) - and I was NOT happy with the change. At the store in Freeport this past week, there were both "Maine Hunting Shoes" and "Bean Boots" on display.
I am absolutely certain that the only reason the latter exists is to appease the Starbucks-Latte-Sipping-Prius-Driving-Whale-Hugging crowd.
A sad and spineless departure from Bean's origins...
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Tom Flanigan
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Posted: Wed Feb 27th, 2008 10:49 pm |
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Rob Bergh wrote: I am absolutely certain that the only reason the latter exists is to appease the Starbucks-Latte-Sipping-Prius-Driving-Whale-Hugging crowd.
A sad and spineless departure from Bean's origins...
I don't know Rob, but I suspect that if you had an equity stake in L.L. Bean, Inc. "spineless" is not the word that you would use to describe the company. L.L. Bean is in survival mode, as are many of the old retailers that some folks used to love and now hate because they had the audacity to define and pursue a coherent business strategy that would allow them to stay in business in an unforgiving market that demands change. There are many L. L. Bean employees whose daily bread is contingent upon management's ability to anticipate and respond positively to volatile and continually shifting market conditions. Those who cling unrealistically to the past, such as Herter's and a host of others, are doomed to become only a pleasant but soon forgotten memory.
As Polaroid, Verizon and other traditional companies have found out, the ability to survive and hopefully provide a decent shareholder return is contingent on management's foresight and agility in changing business strategy, focus and products as necessary.
Its easy to criticize when one's money or career is not on the line. By the way, I've never hugged a whale but I have been know to sip a Starbuck's latte on occasion. I especially enjoy a latte in the early afternoon after taking a few partridge wearing my L. L. Bean Maine Hunting Shoes. Ahhhhhh......the good life. I'm glad L. L. Bean management had the acumen to stay in business. I'd hate to think that I would have to spend the rest of my days gunning partridge in a lesser boot.
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Rob Bergh
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Posted: Wed Feb 27th, 2008 11:19 pm |
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Tom,
They're fine boots, to be sure. I have four pairs of various styles, that I've owned for years. But they all say "Maine Hunting Shoe" on the label.
What I do indeed think was spineless was Bean's decision to change the tag to "Bean Boots". I may be wrong about this, but I am virtually certain that for period of time, they were all labeled that way. Instead of the company being proud of the heritage of its product, they caved to political correctness (I'll bet that angered more folks than it appeased). My guess is that Destry's letter, along with plenty of others, caused them to "compromise" with dual product lines.
It may be petty, but I still am upset when I see the "new" tag. As far as I am concerned, they will always be Maine Hunting Shoes!
P.S. - Will forgive you the latte - just don't drink it while driving the Prius! 
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Tom Flanigan
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Posted: Thu Feb 28th, 2008 12:07 am |
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I'm not adverse to tradition Rob. In fact, most folks who know my stubborn adherence to traditional things of the past (English setter grouse dogs, Parker damascus shotguns, split bamboo fly rods, the Lawrence Welk show on PBS, etc, etc) comment that I should have been born one hundred years earlier. I agree.
However if, in fact, L. L. Bean removed the Maine Hunting Shoe label for a time, then I concede your point. But I've always found the boots in the catalog when I needed a pair and was told by a clerk that they were always available. Who knows.....
No, I don't drive a Prius but I use my Mercedes, sans latte, to drive Stoney the English Setter and I to our coverts. The Mercedes is a very traditional car and altogether appropriate for transporting English Setters and Parkers.
Speaking of tradition, I well remember when the New York Central railroad terminated in your town Chatham. I loved trains as a boy (still do) and always wanted to take a long train ride from Pawling to Chatham. I never did although I and a couple of friends used to hop the long and slow freight trains on the New York, New Haven and Hartford railroad. We used to start out in the morning and hike from West Pawling about 10 miles to Hopewell Junction and then catch the 3pm Eastbound freight back in time for dinner. There were apple orchards along the right of way and we used to grab some green apples and shove them in our pockets to eat on top of the box cars on the ride home. The unripe apples were sour as hell but they tasted good anyway. It was our tradition.
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Dave Suponski
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Posted: Thu Feb 28th, 2008 12:27 am |
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Not to high jack your conversation Tom.You just brought back some childhood memorys.My uncle was a railroad detective for the old New York,New Haven and Hartford railroad. I always remember taking train trips and boarding the train by my uncle just showing his badge.
Dave..
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Rob Bergh
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Posted: Thu Feb 28th, 2008 12:58 am |
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Egads!! That was a looooong time ago! The only evidence remaining of a Railroad having been here in Chatham is the Railroad Museum (still open summers) and the bike path, which occupies a portion of the old railroad bed. I was under the impression that the last train that left Chatham was delivering muskets to the Confederates, or some such thing... 
Tom, we approve of the Mercedes, any year or model! Your Stoney is no doubt well behaved, given his breed, and remains dignified and poised. My daily transport is a Suburban, and I am accompanied by Griffin The Whirling Weimaraner:
He's still a pup, and I am trying to get him to pay less attention to the tennis ball, and more attention to objects with feathers. The glass inside my truck needs cleaning daily. I also wish he'd not wear the wig outside the house...
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Tom Flanigan
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Posted: Thu Feb 28th, 2008 01:15 am |
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Small world Dave. The NY, NH and Hartford railroad detectives were always trying to catch us. We used to sit on top of the box cars and wave to the people stopped at the railroad crossings, sometimes throwing half eaten apples at the cars. People reported us from time to time and the hunt was on. It got so bad that at one point we had to hide in the bushes till the engine passed and then wait for the middle of the train so that the engineer or the guy in the caboose couldn't see us. At one point, a couple of railroad guys riding a truck on the rails in back of one of trains jumped out and ran for us. My brother and I got away but my friend got caught and stupidly gave his right name and ours. That night a couple of railroad detectives arrived at our door and gave us a big lecture about the dangers of hopping trains and forbid us to enter railroad property again, under penalty of arrest. We were back at it the next day and I have to admit that the lecture the night before added to the excitement of the ride. From that point forward, in addition to hiding from the engine, we always ran into the woods as soon as we got off the train. I'd give a lot to be able to hop a train and take that ride one more time. Some of my best grouse coverts were adjacent to the old NY, NH and Hartford right of way.
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Tom Flanigan
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Posted: Thu Feb 28th, 2008 01:22 am |
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Rob, thats one good looking dog. I'll bet her hair looks great in pigtails.
I'm old as the hills Rob and I seem to remember that the line to Chatham was abandoned when Penn Central took control of the New York Central about the time I graduated from high school. The line then terminated in Amenia. Its sad....I hate to see railroad tracks pulled.
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