Customer Reviews L.L.Bean Trail Model Hiker 4 Ventilated Low

I like the shoe. It was a comfortable fit and a nice look. Unfortunately, the cut of the shoe caused it to rub against the under side of my ankle (something I also noticed in another review) as I walked making it impossible to walk without discomfort for any length of time. Given other reviews it would appear that this is not a problem for all.

So this shoe makes walking comfortable again, my previous walking shoes were a bit too narrow, which I did not even fully realize until now. The sole and tread are high quality and look like they are going to last for a while. I like the fact that you can get these in large, odd sizes, I wear a 13 W. My only complaint is that while they are labeled as "ventilated", they actually run a bit hot, and they are not even waterproof. But the stitching, insole cushioning are high quality, and the laces are robust. I am enjoying these!

It is a comfy good-looking shoe and did not require breaking in. My dog Parker and I do over 50 miles per month, so a good fitting and comfortable shoe is important for our long walks.

Great shoe but too narrow. Need a EEE.

This is second pair of same model. The waterproof variety, curiously, feature an arch support noticeably felt not in the non-waterproof version , why I exchanged the latter for former, as is my first pair. ALL my other shoes, running, casual, etc., are 9.5 so these run large or small as 9s.

Well made, sturdy, good looking but like other LLB shoes Ive had there is little arch support. I have purchased an orthotic insert that fixes the issue, but I doubt that I am alone thinking a little more arch would be a good thing.

Too small, returned 2 days later. No response. No shoes!

I like this shoe for our daily 2.5 mile walk. It's comfortable and provides good support. I bought them 13 months ago. Today I noticed that the material in the heel is badly worn. I didn't feel the wear and I don't think they slip much if at all, so I'm confused as to how the wear occurred. I expected them to be more durable.

This is my 2nd pair of these shoes. Had a great experience with the first pair. They held up great on many a hike and wearing them all day at work. Super comfortable and great fit! They were retired for yard shoes when the soles wore down. Unfortunately my new pair the threads in the toe on my right foot have started to separate from the shoe. Kinda bummed because these have been sitting in the closet all winter, I just pulled them out for the warmer weather. They haven't seen much use since the cold weather set in back in November.

I really like these shoes. They fit well and after a weeks break-in are very comfortable. They are fine in heavy dew, snow, shallow puddles, but leak when in a really heavy rain or deeper puddle. I went to a Pats game right after I bought them, heavy rain, rushing water on sidewalks and my feet were wet. I thought it was because my rain pants sent water into the top of the shoe. But over two months I find if water goes over the sole onto the leather my toes and bottom of my feet are wet and it takes 2 days to dry off. I was therefore disappointed, but have decided to keep the shoes and just be cagey with heavy rain as they fit well and work great otherwise. But do not expect them to be fully waterproof. My one question to Bean's is, does waterproof mean waterproof or did I get a bad pair?

Well built and comfortable and at this date, seems to be wearing well. The only issue I have is that the sole seems to have a cleat pattern that picks up pebbles and they get stuck on the bottom. Which means they end up in my house driving us nuts. If you have wood floors and go in and out all day, consider this as a negative.

I have purchased 3 pairs of this shoe and warranty replaced one pair. I love the shoe, comfortable, stays cool, generally a good shoe. Only drawback is every pair fails on the top of the toes. When it starts to fail within the first year, don't wait to warranty return or you will miss the opportunity to return for replacement. I now have 4 working pairs, 2 for ugly work and 2 for casual work around clients. I will buy again. The pic is showing 2 loose threads on my 6 week old right shoe.

I bought these shoes before a trip to the Eastern Sierra Mountains. I did 2-4 hour hikes on marked trails. A lot of up and down. I like these shoes because they have a good sturdy footbed and good traction. They are a little heavy. I'm 68 years old and my feet need more support than they use to. At the price point I found these shoes very good. I got the 'ventilated ' model because it's summer and I could tell the difference. Good solid Bean product.

The only problem I have with this shoe is that the pull loops are sized extra small ... anyone with a M to L sized index finger will have a hard time pulling the shoe on.

The ventilation makes it a better choice than the other Trail Model 4's on hot days. It dries fairly quickly after brief walks in damp grass, but gets a bit too wet to be useful in rain or other wet conditions. Great for working around the yard or shorter, dry walks & hikes. However, it has less cushioning than the other models, so not great on hard surfaces like rock, concrete, or even long walks on hard-surfaced floors, and my feet felt sore after a long hike (2+ miles) on a mostly grass & gravel trail. Agree with other comments re: the "slippery" laces; even a double-knot sometimes comes undone.

These are great urban hikers/walkers. Not sure that they are up to the task of hiking off the beaten track or on uneven terrain as their cushioning and support is light. But they work great on sidewalks and light trails. They also have good traction.

I wore these every day during a five week summer trip to Europe. Comfortable while walking in cities or in the countryside, riding the train or bus, and while shopping or dining. Little wear and tear showing. Minor quibbles: the laces need to be double-knotted and are a bit lengthy. Definitely for dry weather.

My podiatrist told me that I must wear shoes with a stiff sole, so I have resorted to wearing hiking shoes most of the time. These have great support. I love the fact that they are ventilated, which is necessary here in Alabama for the warmer months, or most of the year. I wear a 9 wide and they fit very well. I'm thankful that L.L. Bean continues to provide wide shoe sizes for those of us who cannot wear regular widths. There are two reasons why I gave these shoes a 4 instead of a 5. The shoe strings come untied too often. A different type of shoelaces would work much better. Also, the seams on the end of the toe of one shoe are coming out after wearing them for a few months. I'm used to better quality from L.L. Bean, but I love these shoes so much that I bought a second pair and a pair of the Trail Model hiking boots (not ventilated) in the same style.

I like the looks of this shoe. It is light weight also. It is a little bit too short for me. I wear a 12 and wish there was a 12 .5. otherwise the fit is good.

Very nice shoes. I have purchased Bean hiker's for a number of years. However, I needed to re-order twice to get right size this time. Still good quality and I am happy with my purchase now.

I chose to look at Bean brand shoes because of the customer service. I chose these shoes because they seemed like a good option for me. I like the breathability and ventilation. They are very light and cool. I needed a shoe that wouldn't let my feet get uncomfortably hot. My main complaints are styling and cushioning. First, they look like something for older customers. They aren't "hip" or "stylish" like many other shoes today. Second, they have very firm soles. I would call them hard bottomed. Don't expect any bounce with these. I've had some running shoes for years I wear for walks and these shoes are so much harder.

This is my second pair of this type of hiker from LL Bean. The first pair lasted almost 7 years. My new pair is better constructed than the first and I highly recommend these hikers for almost all conditions.

The picture of the shoe looks like leather and more durable my surprise was not at all. leather like I was hoping to get And is not waterproof, but it is comfortable

I got these for my husband for Christmas. While they are comfortable, the seam by the big toe gave way in a few months. Sadly, the cashier accused my husband of returning an old item on a recent receipt. It was embarrassing and rude.

I'm rating these shoes after wearing them for 5 weeks and 100+ walking/hiking miles. The back inside part of both shoes is wearing out causing a hole to appear in each. The right shoe is worse off than the left. I've had to use duct tape to cover the hole to prevent the shoe from blistering the back of my foot. This was also an issue with the LL Bean shoes that these shoes replaced (albeit with many more miles before the shoes required my intervention). I'm attaching several photos to show the wear.