LL Bean Warranty

[kelso2340]

I know there have been a few discussions on the LL Bean waders but I was wondering if the warranty that I have been hearing is true. Lifetime no questions asked? And if they no longer make the model you will receive full credit In the amount you paid towards a newer model. Does anybody have any personal experience with LL Bean and their warranty?

 

[mattofcarlisle]

I started out with a pair of their Emerger waders. 1 month in, the feet leaked. I returned them and credited the emerges toward a pair ofWest Branch waders. They lasted about 4 months, then in September, both feet leaked while I was on the Little J. Sent those back & got a pair of their "Wicked Tough" waders. They lasted the better part of a season, then ..... The feet leaked.
I now have a pair of their Helix waders going on 3/4 years - no issues.
Long story short, they honor their warranty.

 

[Gorosaurus]

Others might make better quality waders- I don't know if that's true or not, though.

But I would steer anyone toward LL Bean simply because of their guarantee. It's a 'satisfaction' guarantee, not a lifetime guarantee. So yes, in the distant future they could find some loophole or just simply go out of business.

I've replaced mine 3 or 4 times. Maybe more. Essentially they never lose the initial equity- if you buy a $200 pair of waders, but then a new and shiny pair becomes available, you can simply return the initial pair and pay the difference.

And yes, when you call them you don't have to beg to return them. Just give a good reason (they leak) and off they go. I usually have them send me a new pair first, and then use that box to send back the old pair.

 

[phiendWMD]

I spoke with LL Bean last fall about their warranty. I was assured that if for any reason I was unhappy with their waders I could return them There was no time limit.

 

[Swattie87]

I usually look at waders as a disposable type of deal and usually just get whatever Cabelas house line is currently on sale for about $100 when I need a new pair...they've all lasted about a season leak free and then I can usually coax another half season out of them with repairs. I treat em' rough (lots of brush and climbing) and don't want to feel like I need to be gentle with a more expensive pair.

When I was in the market for waders this most recent time Bean's Kennebec's were on sale for approximately $150, down off of $200. I put out the extra $50 on top of what I normally spend and bought a pair, and love them. I would definitely feel comfortable recommending them.

That being said, I have a bit of an issue with the stance being described above in reference to their warranty, or satisfaction guarantee. Waders are not reasonably capable of lasting a lifetime...they are designed to keep water out, and water is a very worthy adversary. All waders will eventually leak, period, no exceptions. Name one person who fished a lifetime on one pair of waders. It's the nature of the beast. The material loses it's ability to keep water out, seams stretch, booties tear, etc. Knowing this, I don't think it's right to think you're entitled to free waders for life after buying a single pair, and taking advantage of Bean's warranty. Don't get me wrong, if the waders fail before you got reasonable use out of them, then heck yeah, use the warranty. But if you got several years of good, high performance use out of them, the right thing to do is to BUY your next pair of Bean waders, knowing full well they'll take care of you if they're not up to snuff. How can you honestly claim you weren't satisfied in that case? Everyone's threshold for "reasonable use" is different...mine is probably about 2 years for $200 waders, knowing how I use them...It's ok to reasonably expect more than that. It's not ok to think you're entitled to never pay for a pair of waders again because you bought one pair.

Perhaps if it weren't for warranty/satisfaction policy abuse those Kennebec's would be $150 all the time, not just when they're on sale...?

 

[BrookieChaser]

Swattie87, I see your point. I was sort of thinking along those lines.

I had a set of LLBean hiking boots that had the same warranty. I wore them out. I did not use the warranty because they lasted longer than I expected.

 

[shortrod2]

I agree with Swattie 100%. I have a pair of LL Bean waders they are about 5 years old, Yes I need to attempt to repair some leaks again. But I received good bang for the buck wear from them before they leaked. I will not be returning them, if the repair does not work, I will most likely buy a new pair of ll Bean waders.

 

[djs12354]

I have two flavors of 'LL Bean waders. Had an issue with the Emerger 'll pair. I had fallen on a trail and holed the waders, by the issue was unrelated to that. Called Bean and discussed the issue with customer service. Short answer, send email back. We will replace them.

Had the new waders in two days. I highly recommend 'LL Bean.

 

[KeithS]

You really need to decide on using Bean's warranty based on time in the waders, how they've been used, and how much you paid for the waders.
Do you fish 50 whole days each year, or 50 times each year for two hours each time out?
Likewise, the guy who parks in a lot and walks a trail to where he enters the stream has less wear and tear than the guy hiking and bush-wacking remote brookie locations.
I bought the Rapid Rivers on closeout. I get maybe 450 hours a year with very little backwoods hiking. If I had 2 or 3 pinholes that I couldn't get to stop leaking, I'd have to think long and hard about using the warranty, because there aren't a lot of briars or thorns on most of my trips, but there are some.Howevert,if I had a seam leak, due to stretching and wear, that would be a different story. I wore them out climbing on in-stream rocks and going up and down banks.
Bean's has a great warranty. You have to decide for yourself, when there's an issue, if you want to use the warranty. Everybody's economic situation is different and your own philosophy of integrity has to be used.

 

[ryguyfi]

I returned a pair of waders last season that had a slight leak in the boot. They didn't ask me anything and just replaced them in just a few minutes. I wouldn't go anywhere else for waders.

 

[stal42]

Just brought back a pair of rapid river waders this past week that had totally ripped apart in the shoulders. Purchased in 2011. Without hesitation they got me the Kennebecs and charged me $20 which is the difference between what I paid and the current price of the new ones. I may be returning the Kennebecs though as I am a bit disappointed in the fit. Way too big through the thigh/leg which is sure to cause rubbing/wear. I do like the new belt design. The shoulder strapping is odd too though, and it is very tight on back of neck.

Long story short, the representatives at the store down the road were very pleasant and happy to help. Said they would love to hear feedback on the new design and made the whole experience very pleasant (as they always do). Love this store.

At the end of the day, I might end up going with some g3 guides due to the reasons above, but I will continue to shop at ll bean for tons of other things for myself and family. My daughters snow boots are great, as is her winter coat, fleece, and other accessories.

 

[JackM]

I only ever dealt with them by mail-order for mens' shirts and other work-uniform needs. I never bought high-end stuff except when my nephew helped me land a pair of waders on the cheap. They mean it when they say "satisfaction guaranty." If 7 years down the road, you are dissatisfied with the product, you should take them up on their offer. There is nothing shameful in enforcing your contract rights. A company selling good quality items will never be harmed by honoring satisfaction guarantees. In fact, as Bean knows, it enhances your image immeasurably when people exercise your warranty.


Oh, in the poll, I selected "other." The reason is that the poll really will only tell you which seller has the greatest reputation in its name. All the sellers have a range of quality. Consider Simms' low-end waders may be less durable than Orvis' low-end waders, or one company's mid-range waders could be better than another and so on. Likewise, the poll speaks of "manufactuers," but I would suspect many of these companies who sale waders source them from a variety of manufacturers even within their own line-up and possibly even with a single line.

 

[afishinado]

A "satisfaction guarantee" is not the same as a "lifetime guarantee."

Most people are "satisfied" with a product if it meets or exceeds the expected lifetime of said product. In this case, waders, which are expected to last a hard-use season or two without leaking or five or more years when used occasionally....ymmv.

The customers that expect to buy just one pair of waders in their lifetime and bring them back for replacement in the coming years and decades are unreasonable, IMO, and just drive up the price for everyone else.

 

[pcray1231]

Yes, Bean’s warranty leaves much to the imagination. And I could see people taking it as a true lifetime warranty. i.e. if a wader leaks after 10 years of total abuse those people are gonna return it, and get a brand spankin new pair. And I’m guessing Bean would allow them to do that.

But sorry, I can’t morally support such actions. I’d feel like a slimeball if I did that. These are the same people who buy something on a 3 month return policy, use it for 3 months, return it, and buy another, then return that in 3 months, etc.

I have a pair of Rapid Rivers. Bean gave me an honest, handshake type warranty, allowing me to determine whether I’m satisfied or not. I appreciate that. And in return, I’m going to treat them honestly. Breathable waders just aren’t a product that lasts a lifetime. My status quo is that a similarly priced wader from other manufacturers would last me 2-3 years. If these waders had failed prior to 2 years I would have taken Bean up on their warranty. But they didn’t. I’m 2 ½ years in and have some minor leaks, and going through with the repairs, reviving the surface coating, etc. So they lasted me about exactly how long I expected them to. The track record isn’t overly impressive, but not a disappointment either, so I can’t say I’m not satisfied. So I’ll get what remaining use I can get out of them and won’t take them up on their warranty.

 

[pete41]

I went through so many waders I thought they were all ripoffs-then I tried Cabelas neoprenes and they last for years-couldn't believe it but they did.That was out west with heavy usage.
About 20 years ago so can't speak for their quality now.

 

[pcray1231]

Neoprene's do last a long time, even cheapo ones. Different ballgame altogether.

But, to get that longevity, the trade-off is, well, that you have to wear neoprene's. Hot, sweaty, non-breathable neoprenes.

 

[pete41]

punch holes in them.lol

 

[gutcutter]

punch holes in them

If they were L.L.Bean Neoprenes, would the lifetime "satisfaction guaranteed" warranty still apply?
Food for thought...

 

[CRB]

Wife has a pair of the Simms Blackfoot's, the last year they were made in USA,- still going strong. Those were the cheapest at the time simms offered. Will be purchasing anther pair of them in the future.
LL bean clothing is wicked good, I went through a period where I sent back a pair of shoes each year for 5 years straight and received a new pair each time.
PS turn the waders inside out after fishing to dry, turn back right side out dry and hang to store them.

 

[echuck66]

My first pair of chest waders in recent memory were Cabelas classic brown neoprene waders. I went through a pair about every two years for six years, then finally broke down and bought a pair of Simms G3 waders last year. They're a bit more expensive, but in my honest opinion, well worth the extra money.

For one thing, they're the breathable type and they came in a size large enough to fit me correctly. The biggest advantage to the breathable type is that they are light weight. My neoprene waders would weigh a ton after a full day of fishing. The Simms G3 have withstood some serious trekking through brush and woods too without any problems whatsoever.

In my opinion, Simms is the best manufacturer of waders. Your experiences could differ from mine, but I'm happy, and that's what really counts, isn't it?