Rated 5 out of 5 by jjenonnie Our Second Pair
These boots are for my adult son who wears them every day in his job as a UPS driver. We ordered his first pair in November '11, and they still look nearly as good as the day they arrived. He's been talking about getting a second pair just to have on hand in case these ever wear out (!!!). Just then we get a notice from LLBean that they were having a sale (how timely of them:) so we ordered right away. He has had cheap boots, expensive boots, major name brands, etc., and none of them have performed like these. Please, LLBean, don't ever change these boots, and he'll order them forever!
May 20, 2013
Rated 3 out of 5 by EricN Let Down
Well, this is a tough review. I had the BLUE Cresta Hikers that were manufactured in Italy and really REALLY loved them. They had great support, fit around my upper ankle well, and were serious Back Packing boots. The fit and support were awesome and I never had a blister, ever. Unfortunately, the Vibram sole had a bad spot that came "un-welded" and they were sent back in exchange for the new GREEN Cresta Hikers. These new boots are not the same by any means! While attractive and comfortable, they lack much of the support my original pair had, in fact the sole is such that I received a bad stress fracture while hiking with full pack after just 4 hours on the trail. These are great day hiking boots, but for serious hiking in rough terrain with a full pack, they are not near stiff enough and seem to lack the additional thickness that the Vibram sole had in my original Cresta's and are about 1 -2 inches shorter in height. They are not even made by the same company and come from Romania. They are comfortable and kept my feet very dry in a 10 mile hike in pouring down rain conditions. ONLY until I slipped crossing a rain swollen creek did one of my feet get wet and even while soaked, the boots fit well and didn't leave any blisters. I would recommend them only to those that want a light boot for day hiking.
May 5, 2013
Rated 5 out of 5 by Emria Finally a boot that fits !!
Bought these all leather boots for my husband, who always has trouble finding B widths. He is a happy camper now, great boot, true to size, very comfortable. My husband likes them so much so I just purchased a second pair the Fabric/Leather boot. Thank you LLBean for a great product.
April 21, 2013
Rated 5 out of 5 by UPELO Third Pair
I just bought my third brown pair in 15 years. My first pair I put allot of backpacking miles on the boots with not one blister. It's unreal how dry they keep your feet you can stand in 5 inches of water an hour and not get your feet wet. My second pair I used more of a day to day use boot and hunting great traction, warm, and dry just perfect. Great multi-purpose boot, I went from the tree stand right to a nice restaurant. Note: All three boots I've had to order 1/2 size smaller. Oh and absolutely great support! L.L. Bean please please never stop carrying this boot and if you do let me know so I can buy a life time supply.
April 18, 2013
Rated 3 out of 5 by
beauderek LOVED this Boot before Removal of Steel Shank...
I've been using the Cresta Hikers for a number of years. My first experience w/the boot was the approx. 25+ mile Great Range hike in the Adirondack High Peaks of Upstate NY, covering 8 of the High Peaks including Mt. Marcy, and summitting a total of 12 peaks. My group did it in less than a day, and I wore my boots out-of-the-box. (I also wore jeans and packed fried chicken, which I still haven't lived down).
I loved this boot and respected it's craftsmanship so much after numerous grueling hikes, and recommended the boot to everyone I talked to. I HAD to, it was AWESOME. One of my friends, who is also an avid hiker and has summitted 30+ of the 46 Adirondack High Peaks, bought the boots after I gave mine much praise through every one of our hikes.
I recently replaced my pair as the sole started separating from the leather. I've climbed 3 High Peaks since getting the new pair, and I felt an INSTANT difference. My boots had so much GIVE to them as I was climbing. The rigidity that I had grown to depend on, and inspiration for originally buying the boot, was gone.
LL Bean had since removed the steel shank from the Cresta Hiker, as many people likely were using the boot as it was NOT intended for. Admittedly, though I am an avid hiker, and bought the boot for that purpose, I have done the same. It was hard not to, the boot was just so comfortable. I have since invested in other footwear so I can keep my Crestas dedicated to what they're meant for.
At this point, I'll hold on to the Crestas since I own them, but I can't count on them any more in the backwoods.
I want to do nothing less than BEG LL Bean to put a steel shank back into the Cresta Hiker, at least have it as an option to the thermoplastic nylon shank.
I depend on a solid boot to get me through multiple miles in the mountains. Now I feel forced to look elsewhere, and I haven't been able to recommend them any more.
(I also can't recommend bringing fried chicken on a long hike, to bring this back around. It was amazing the first time, quite honestly, but after that it lost it's novelty).
Thank you LL Bean for bringing us great products, I just really need that steel shank back!!
Sincerely,
Derek
April 16, 2013
Rated 5 out of 5 by Guywithclothes Don't buy this boot....
Now what kind of a fool says don't buy this boot and gives it a 5 star rating? Relax, Bubby, and read on. Don't buy this boot.... unless you want a high quality slice of heaven enveloping your precious dogs. This boot, once broken in, is one of the most comfortable pair of kicks I've ever stomped around in. I'm glad that I had combed the reviews on these soles for the soul and went with a 1/2 size larger as I feel that the sizes run a tad small but the extra size ordered has my feet happier than an animated penguins.
The boot does take some breaking in and when I slapped 'em on out of the box I felt like I was the proud owner of a pair of ski boots. Some weeks later these things have become my go to footwear. After a full day of work I can kick 'em off for 10 minutes then don them again for work around the house or running around town.
The durable sole has a great tread to help keep you where your ancestors worked so hard to evolutionarily get you, bipedal instead of flat on your back. The laces, eyelets, and hooks are are high quality and the tongue is reinforced to prevent wear. The boot is water resistant and built so that you could stand ankle deep in water, if such is your wont, and your feet will remain dry. My feet are notorious for aching after a days work or lengthy romp in the wilds, but not in these magnificent kicks. The comfort afforded is the best I've ever experience in a boot.
Is $199 too much for quality footwear? Not for these. In my humble opinion these boots are worth every penny. Couple that with a lifetime guaranty and, well, I'll update this review on my deathbed if I change my mind. Until then there will be miles of concrete, mud, trails and gravel, and countless hours of work and play that my feet will be happily clad in these beauties. Well, bubby, that's my review. Hope it helped.
April 7, 2013
Rated 5 out of 5 by SnowyJoey Love!
These boots are excellent. The craftsmanship and attention to detail are fantastic. The are a true hiking boot worthy of comparison to top brands like La Sportiva and Asolo. At $200 they are a great value compared to others mentioned. They require very little break in and the gor-tex ensures waterproof comfort. Thank you LL Bean for offering such a great boot.
Thanks
Joe
March 17, 2013
Rated 5 out of 5 by CMK1 Comfortable out of the box
Though LL Bean cautions that their backpacking boots need break in time, these were comfortable right out of the box. The foot bed is soft, arch support is excellent, and the collar of the boots come above the ankle to provide stability. Quality seems excellent. The seams are well sown or sealed. The leather looks, feels and smells great.
I will add, however, that I feel a little misled about the product. The video for these boots is shot in an Italian factory where an owner of the family business talks about the heritage and quality of the handmade boots they make. This helped sell me on these boots. So imagine my disappointment when I saw "Made in Romania" on the box. In fairness, the LL Bean website reads "Made in Europe," but the video set my expectation for Italian, hand sewn leather boots.
March 9, 2013
Rated 5 out of 5 by jbemail Best boot I've had in 15+ years
A winner of a classic leather boot! They are heavy, rigid soled boots with solid construction. I have put on numerous on and off trail miles and they are holding up like champs. I am a 10 EEE and its become all but impossible to find a good boot fit these days. Unlike many other manufacturers today, LL Bean seems to pay attention to the little details when specifying foot wear standards and quality.
March 4, 2013
Rated 5 out of 5 by Drake2 I am in LOVE with these boots.
Truth be told, I use these boots for work, and I'm a barista. And they're GREAT. Very comfortable, very durable. And, with my job, I spill stuff on them all the time--and they clean up pretty easily, if I even need to clean them at all. My first pair lasted for two or three years, I think--wearing them for work AND as my casual boots. The soles did wear down eventually--but after a LOT of punishment. I used them to hike Amicalola Falls in Georgia, too, and they performed great. The only addition I made was that I also bought some Dr. Scholl's gel insoles for them. The boots are comfortable by themselves, but with the insoles, it's like walking on PILLOWS. (Rugged pillows.) I'm already planning for my second pair--just because I want one black and one brown.
February 27, 2013
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