I bought this sofa because I liked the idea of a lightweight piece that one person could easily move. It is satisfactory in that regard, but otherwise it is very uncomfortable for sitting, especially for tall or heavy adults. It is also impossible to use as a bed without added padding because the sleeping surface is so hard and lumpy. Not a good buy unless you are trying to discourage long visits! The fabric also looked shabby after a year or so of moderate use in a family room. I have never dislked any LL Bean product except this one.
We have the sleeper sofa and matching chair. BY FAR THE WORST SOFA & CHAIR POSSIBLE. I cannot believe that LL Bean continues to sell this product. PLEASE, do not buy this. The cushions are CONSTANTLY slipping and needed adjustment even after only sitting for a couple of minutes. I don't even think I can bring myself to sell this to another person at a garage sale. It should just be burned... LL Bean, PLEASE STOP SELLING THIS PRODUCT!
We bought the early version of this couch when we got married 8 years ago. What a waste! Within a month or two of buying it and daily use, we realized that for the first time EVER we had an L.L. Bean FLOP. I really do NOT understand why L.L. Bean continues to sell this couch! We were sucked in by the lightness of the couch as well as the sleeper sofa capabilities for such a good price. Well, let me tell you, this is one of the most uncomfortable sofas we have ever sat on or owned. I did OK sitting on it by myself, but my husband is a big guy and after sitting on the couch for a few minutes he would be falling/sliding off the front. We finally ended up putting a piece of plywood under the (attached) cushions to try to give the seat some support. It helped a bit, but not enough to keep it. After about four years we sold it in a garage sale, saved our money, and bought a real couch. We would have been better off putting the original $600 towards a real couch to begin with...so I LOVE L.L. Bean, but please don't waste your money on this couch! And L.L. Bean...PLEASE STOP SELLING THIS COUCH...It is not up to your normal standards!!
I have the original model with the narrow armrests in vintage red, which was probably the smallest sleeper couch available at the time. The fabric has proven to be extremely easy to care for. I'm not sure how, but it seems to be cat-claw-proof. I love the color as well. The seat cushions do tend to shift forward as you sit on it, leading to the "falling off" effect which is not comfortable. You need to push them back in periodically. It probably will be less comfortable to sit on for larger or taller people as the cushions will take less time to shift forward. Recommended if you need a small, light sleeper couch.
