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I have a pair of the pull on style from Cabelas. Compared to my red balls they leave something to be desired. The red balls are about 20 years old and though the bottom lugs are a bit worn they are doing well. The cabelas are beginning to show signs of the rubber cracking from dry rot despite being wiped down with armor all occasionally. Despite this they still work fine and don't leak. Those are only about 15 years old . Seriously the cabelas have been good boots for the price I paid.

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Have been wearing them for 40 years and for fall hunting here in the NE they are very good. Why buy a Chinese copy when you can get the original.

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I'll add to m post above that my red balls hav long since been discontinued so I'll never be able to replace them . I do however have 3 pr of the beans 2 low cut and1 pr of 6" boots. I like them a lot and given the choice I would spend the extra to get the beans or maybe a pair of schnees if you want the cleated sole and plan on wearing the boots to hunt in. My pull ones I wear to the Mail box etc. These boots last a long time so you amortize the extra cost it really is peanuts.

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Originally Posted by bangeye
I have a pair of the pull on style from Cabelas. Compared to my red balls they leave something to be desired. The red balls are about 20 years old and though the bottom lugs are a bit worn they are doing well. The cabelas are beginning to show signs of the rubber cracking from dry rot despite being wiped down with armor all occasionally. Despite this they still work fine and don't leak. Those are only about 15 years old . Seriously the cabelas have been good boots for the price I paid.

I have a pair of those Cabelas pull-ons as well. They are pretty much done now after a lot of yrs of use scooting around town in the winter and walking the dogs. I was happy with them but they are no longer available here in Canada.

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I too got caught because m not a date checker. Maybe the answer if it bothers people so much to have old threads resurface is to add software to convert threads to read only after 30-60 days.

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LL Bean, hunting boots are good as camp slippers, after the hunt and your lounging around camp...

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Originally Posted by gunswizard
I bought my first pair of LL Bean boots in the early 70's and have had several pairs since. With merino wool socks and the sheepskin insoles they were good for fair weather flat terrain hunting. When conditions were slippery they were an invitation for a fall.

Yep...wear a pair of regular Bean Boots with a pair of wool socks daily in the winter and in the spring when I get the Canoe out but when I do any serious off road activity I put on the Danners.

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A couple of weeks ago I purchased the Maine Pac Boot to replace a very old pair of Sorels that were my favorites. I chose these new boots over the Lacrosse Ice Kings because of the tread pattern. I don't like the chain tread when hunting hilly terrain. The Bean boots have an agressive tread on the Maine Pac model. Coincidentally, Bean took this model off the website the day after I bought them. I don't know why. Anyway, I like the boots even though they aren't as warm as the Lacrosse brand.

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I can't think of a single thing Maine Hunting Shoes are good for. For starters the soles are terrible on wet hard surfaces.

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I like Rocky. Never had much interest in the Maine shoe.

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Best boots I've sued for hunting in the muddy (and flat) south. Down here, ANY kind of cleat will just cause wet clay to stick like dogshit.Also used the fleece lined version on a bison hunt where the terrain was relatively flat and they worked just fine. They do have their limitations when it comes to steep terrain as they offer little or no grip.


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LL Bean boots are perfect for what their intended purpose - active hunting in wet conditions. I have worn them for over 40 years for dog walking and bird hunting. Yes, there are newer alternatives like Muck boots, and I have those, too. However, the advantage of LL Bean boots is that you are able to tighten up the top of the boot on your calves and water won't pour into the boot if you go into water over the top of your boots. I bird hunt in both my LL Bean boots (14" variety, no longer offered) and my 15" Much boots.

I have stepped into water over my boot tops, and wearing the Bean boots meant that I was able to keep hunting. I didn't get a "soaker", and have to quit hunting.

Regarding the original question - are the Cabela's knock-offs any good - that has been answered above. LL Bean has rebuilt many pairs of Bean boots for me over the years. They stand behind their products.


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Originally Posted by Jerseyboy
LL Bean boots are perfect for what their intended purpose - active hunting in wet conditions. I have worn them for over 40 years for dog walking and bird hunting. Yes, there are newer alternatives like Muck boots, and I have those, too. However, the advantage of LL Bean boots is that you are able to tighten up the top of the boot on your calves and water won't pour into the boot if you go into water over the top of your boots. I bird hunt in both my LL Bean boots (14" variety, no longer offered) and my 15" Much boots.

I have stepped into water over my boot tops, and wearing the Bean boots meant that I was able to keep hunting. I didn't get a "soaker", and have to quit hunting.

Regarding the original question - are the Cabela's knock-offs any good - that has been answered above. LL Bean has rebuilt many pairs of Bean boots for me over the years. They stand behind their products.


Worth repeating and I'll add they are my bird hunting boot of choice down here in Georgia.


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Originally Posted by Jerseyboy
I bird hunt in both my LL Bean boots (14" variety, no longer offered) ...


You can still get the 16 inch. I use them pretty religiously when I'm not going to be sloshing through standing water (then I use Lacrosse rubber boots) because they are not only comfortable but also perfect for warding off briers.

You just have to get up 30 minutes early so you'll have time to lace them. smile

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Originally Posted by RevMike

You just have to get up 30 minutes early so you'll have time to lace them. smile

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Or order the speed lacers... smile


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Originally Posted by jorgeI
Originally Posted by RevMike

You just have to get up 30 minutes early so you'll have time to lace them. smile

RM


Or order the speed lacers... smile


What?? Now you tell me!! blush


"An archer sees how far he can be from a target and still hit it, a bowhunter sees how close he can get before he shoots." It is certainly easy to use that same line of thinking with firearms. -- Unknown
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I've got a pair with Vibram soles and Thinsulate inner booty. I got them in 1995 for late season deer hunting. I finally gave them to #3 son about 3 years ago. With the Vibram sole on them, they're quite handy. However, I had a close friend that wore the standard boot with the chain tread, and he was forever falling on is butt. There were waay to many close calls with him and loaded shotguns.

You can't beat them for durability. The only thing that's worn on mine are the laces. However, I had to stop wearing them. There was too much flex in the sole and it exacerbated my Muldar's Neuroma. Even with the Thinsulate, I would not give them high marks for warmth.


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Yes, the chain tread soles on Bean boots aren't the best for grip. However, they don't bring half the swamp back into your vehicle with you! If it gets seriously cold and slippery, I either add something like Trax to my boots, or wear tougher boots., Sometimes we hunt in snowshoes if the snow can be negotiated by the dog.

I buy my Bean boots big enough to wear with a liner sock plus a fairly heavy wool sock. This way sweat wicks away from my foot and I don't get blisters. Bean offers their boots in wide width, which I need as I wear a 12EEEE shoe.

They work for me here in the wet and forested northeast, but I would never wear a pair on a hunt out west.


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They are good for flatland stalking and Bow hunting as the soft soles are quiet and allow some feel as you sneak along.

Go up a muddy creek bank or anything steep and count on a spill almost every trip.

I wish they had a 14-16" version with a plain boot bottom and vibram soles as they are a quality boot.


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Very sporting on wet logs traction wise.

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