It is important to consider these as light hikers, with emphasis on the "light." I purchased mine in March 2011 and wear them on intermediate trails. As many reviewers have noted, the sizing is small so I ordered a half-size larger and the fit was perfect. The shoes are comfortable and superbly waterproof. Unfortunately, they fail when it comes to durability. Within three months the stitching below the achilles notch had failed, and within a year the wonderful, deep tread had eroded by more than half. As of this writing the soles are essentially smooth. In contrast, I have another pair of light hikers (not LL Bean) over 8 years old, and the tread remains at least 2/3 intact. These shoes were comfortable from day one, so I continue to wear them but I remain disappointed in the quality of assembly and the "mountain" treads that are not much better than pencil erasers in terms of wear.
This is his second pair. He has extremely wide feet and finds many shoes uncomfortable. Also, he works outside a lot in tough, muddy weather. These shoes wear like iron (it took him three years to wear out his first pair), fit beautifully, and look handsome. They are not cheap, but they are worth every cent.
Purchased these shoes as a Christmas gift for a friend. The length was perfect, but the width was a bit too narrow (because I never him shoes, I had no idea he needed a wider size). I returned them for a wider size, and voila, perfection! That's the great thing about LL Bean; returns are hassle free, and now my friend can get these over and over again, rather than try on several brands of various models in retail stores. He works outside and needed a sturdy, well constructed shoe that provides ventilation. Other brands literally become "unglued" in Florida's heat and humidity. Buyer's take note, these do not require a heavy sock to stay comfortable, and feet may get uncomfortably warm if you do (in Florida). These also look good without an overly trendy design.
