Customer Reviews L.L.Bean Vista Camp Pants

I like the fabric, the weight, the color, the fit and the concept. Here's the issue ... the pants are long, which would be great if the ankle closures did their jobs. They are fabric, not elastic, and tie instead of fastening with a toggle. They don't stay tied. If these pants are redesigned to have an elastic and toggle close at the ankle, let me know. I'll be at the head of the line to purchase, because I like everything else about them.

The fabric is great but there is a double bound seam around the leg on the thigh, a couple inches above the knee, and it CHAFFS . This takes away from the comfort especially on hot day. Had wanted them for hiking but not comfortable after 10 min. Bought the capri style of same pant and it does NOT have the seam. Love them. Will get a second pair of capri.

Part of the description for these pants reads as: "We designed this best-selling pair from rugged nylon that stands up to even the most rigorous hikes." I wore them ONCE, and the snagging that occurred around the lower legs has rendered them unwearable a second time. Not very rugged! Truth be told, I did wear them in Scotland, while hiking over some very rough trail-less terrain that included bashing through waist-high heather. They'd probably be fine for most trail hikes, but I've read from other reviews that they don't wear particularly well over time. It's a shame, because they're very comfy, and they dried very quickly. I'd enquired whether it'd be possible to receive a replacement without returning the original pair, because I'd end up more out of pocket by the time I'd paid shipping to/from the UK (I'd bought them in the US during a visit last year). I offered to provide photos of the damage, but was told no, the original pair had to be returned in order to receive a refund or replacement. It's a shame, as LLBean customer service used to be second to none.

I am so disappointed in these pants. They feel great and look great. I love all the pockets and the fabric. The big problem is the pilling after 4 washing and wears. They are so shabby looking. I expect pants at this price to look great for a couple of years. I note that a lot of people complain about the pilling. LLBean is sending a new pair. Some people state if you wash them inside out they do not pill. I will try this with the new pair. So disappointed.

I bought 3 pairs of these pants for my trip to Italy. I wore a pair for 4 days and noticed on the 5th that the seat and thighs of the pants were snagged all the way down the leg. I had not sat down all day except for lunch (sightseeing, you know). So a wicker seat in a nice Florentine restaurant pulled all the threads out of these pants. This is a terrible shame, as these are as comfortable as wearing pajamas, as well as being lightweight, non-binding, and quick to dry. In short, these are perfect pants to travel in except that are not the least bit durable. I can't imagine what would happen if you were hiking and brushed against jagged rock. There is durable material out there for the kind of use these pants were designed for. But it can't even stand up to sitting down. This is a terrible lack of quality control. Did no one developing these pants bother to see if the fabric could take the smallest kind of abrasion? Now I am wary of sitting on anything but the smoothest surfaces and having to walk around with a jacket to put over the ubiquitous wicker chairs in restaurants here in Italy. As soon as I get home, these pants go back. What a terrible shame. We expect more from Bean, but I guess this is the way the company continues to go. I haven't been able to buy a shirt from them in 15 years because of the way they have changed their sizing. I thought I'd found a winner here. Sigh.

When washed they were so wrinkled. I rewashed and let hang dry, still so wrinkled. Although they say not to iron, I did on a cool setting and the material melted! So very disappointed. I liked these pants very much. I haven't ordered from LL Bean since this happened in March.

I bought these pants in June 2019 and by mid August of the same year the fabric is pilling and looks terrible. Really comfortable pants but definitely overpriced due to the fabric issues. I have these same pants in capris and they are doing the same thing. Disappointed.

The fabric and fit are fine But all of the pockets are way too small. I liked the zippers on the main pockets but the depth of these pockets isn't near enough for "camp." And the additional pockets have buttons. Buttons are very impractical. Plus the button pockets are also way too small especially the front ones.

Fits great and design is nice with pockets. But, the fabric was terrible. It started pilling right away at the second wear!! I won't buy this again.

I gave these cute pants 2 chances and both times the material started to pull. I bought the same pair in Navy and have not had an issue. Really bummed to have to send the 2nd pair back.

I will start by saying that I love the fit and overall design of these pants. They are very comfortable and lightweight. I bought a pair prior to our going on our annual hiking vacation and figured that once I saw how they wore I would buy them in other colors as well. Alas, within four days of wearing, under gentle hiking conditions, they began to pit and pull on the fronts of the legs. Not at all what I would have expected from LLBean and not what I would expect of pants of this price. Regretfully, I will be returning these pants once we are back from vacation. Please, LLBean, can you offer these pants - same cut and fit - in a more durable fabric??

When I received these pants I was delighted! Soft light fabric, fit comfy but not baggy or messy looking. Unfortunately the topstiching on one of the knees unraveled after only a few wears. Customer service was very helpful and replaced them promptly. Sad to say the second pair was no better. First one knee topstiching unraveled, then the other. Then the fabric started to pill. Topstiching I could have redone on my sewing machine, but there is no help for pilled fabric. I do not do any extreme sports !. Just a grandmother taking grandkids for hikes, gardening, shopping. I would not have thought LL Bean would sell pants that can't hold up to that kind of activity.

I love the look of these pants, BUT I cannot recommend them because the stitches at the seems rip. The pair I have first ripped on the second wear. I repaired that. By now (3 months after purchase) I have 5 or 6 rips in stitches and the threads are coming loose. I have given up fixing them. For a $70 dollar pair of pants I expect much more. When I wear them all I'm doing is walking and getting up and down from the floor, nothing rigorous. I'm very disappointed. They pill too, but I would overlook that if the construction was up to par.

The pants fit well and are comfortable. The lightweight fabric is perfect for summer. I have three pairs and on each pair the seams that run above the knee blows out. I've had to re-sew them three times. I feel these pants are excessively overpriced. I would not mind paying $25 for these pants but the pants have a poor design and the fabric is not rip-stop, the fabric snags easily and of course, the seams constantly break. I think they need to go back to the drawing board and reconsider where to place the seams on the legs. Think about it, every time you bend your knee that seam is being put under stress and the thin fabric cannot handle it. Also, lower the price!

I love the pants, but I ruined the first pair because I didn't know you couldn't iron them so I had to order another pair. You should have a label on them saying "do not iron"

When I first received these pants and started wearing them I thought they were wonderful. Bought a pair in every color. But after 2 washings and 5 days of wear, these pants were coming apart. Large areas of stitching have come loose and disappeared. There is a lot of piling in areas that rub together e.g. the inside of the thigh areas. These pants are literally disposable. They can not stand up to any type of rugged activity. I am returning the unworn pairs.

I really like everything about this pant and ordered 2 more and one as a gift. Now I see quite bad pilling which looks like lint. This is a shame and unacceptable in a $70 item. When I have time I will contact L L Bean about this. Disappointing.

I washed and wore both the green and the grey pants. Both pair have pills and or small pulls in the material. Other than that they are very comfortable and will get me through the summer dog field training season.

I bought these pants in hope of taking them on a 13 day European cruise. I wanted something lighter weight with pockets. Loved the idea of having a drawstring waist and ankle. Here was the problem, for $69 these pants are so thin I cannot see how they will hold up. They seem almost cheaply made and not the quality that I love with LLBean. The fit was great but the ankle ties are strange. Don't really tie tightly unless you knot them which looks strange. Would have been much better with a stretchy draw string with a plastic toggle to hold where you want it. Unfortunately they were returned and I will have to keep looking for my perfect travel pants.

These pants are very comfortable and I love the zippered pockets. I ordered a petite and the length is great. I found the waist to be a little large (I am pear shaped) and threaded some elastic through the waistband and that worked well. My 2 complaints: #1: they are pilling badly at the inner thighs #2: the pants have some stretch, but the stitching does not. So I have some seams across the thighs where threads have popped. For the price I expected much better quality.

Like another reviewer mentioned, I too bought 2 pair of these pants for a canoe trip. On the very first day the seam stitches in the diagonal seam near the knees started breaking. I was on an 11 day wilderness trip and had no option but to hand sew the seam closed myself. Both navy and black pants did the same thing. When I got home I decided I loved everything else about these pants so I would machine sew the seam back together. I used a slightly stretchy seam but unfortunately on my next canoe trip the seam still broke open. Not sure what to do with these expensive pants that will always break the stitches on the diagonal seam by the knee. The other issue was since I have to hand wash these on our canoe trip I found the waistband took forever to dry. It seemed to stay damp for most of the day. The body of the pants dried very quickly. Pockets are well placed. The extra ease in the buttons is a great detail. So these are now the pants I love to hate as I will have to sew them every time I wear them.

These are beautifully cut, extremely comfortable pants. The waist has elastic but doesn't look frumpy and the pants leg are more straight and don't taper as dramatically as the picture (a plus for an apple shaped gal like me) BUT they make noise when I walk as my thighs rub which is a NO NO. Unfortunately, the fabric is like noisy windbreaker fabric and I returned the pants.

I bought three of these pants over the course of a few months in the late spring. Used them for several trips, mostly handwashing them and hanging to dry. They are easy to wash, comfortable, flattering, and I love the pockets, especially the zipped ones. I have not noticed the problems with fabric snagging that others report, although I agree that they tend to pick up lint. BUT... they have one major design flaw. The horizontal seam above the knee is in fabric that is stretchy, but the *seam thread* is NOT stretchy. On all three pairs, those threads have broken, weakening/opening the seam. The seams in general have tended to pucker, making the pants hang a bit less gracefully and look aged before their time. I expect to get at least a few years out of any item of clothing, and these have already been downgraded to around the house wear and have a questionable long-term life span.

I liked them, but had to cinch them up quite a bit. Then in the second wash the drawstrings (in a bow) disappeared down the rabbit holes and could not be retrieved.

Selected these pants for their light weight, multiple pockets, and availability in navy, black and olive (would prefer a darker olive). The problem is they slip down after little movement. I suggest a stop for the elastic waistband and several belt loops to allow one to use a belt, which might help prevent the slipping. Unfortunately, I will have to return the pairs I ordered.