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[00:00:00.00] A woman stands in front of a display of hiking shoes. She holds one in front of her on a counter.
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[00:00:00.05] If you're looking for a shoe that's going to help you get outside more often, I truly believe there's no better choice than the Trail Model Hiker.
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[00:00:07.51] The shoe rotates on a shiny black surface. It's brown with cream accents and it is a mid height boot. Text: L.L.Bean, Behind the Design: Trail Model X Hiking Boots
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[00:00:09.23] Hi, I'm Jenn. I'm the Corporate Merch Manager in Footwear at L.L.Bean. Footwear is a really complicated category to work with. There's so many pieces and components that go into making a shoe.
[00:00:21.03] On any given day, we'll be in here with our product developers looking at material swatches and color cards, CAD designs with our designers. Today, we're going to talk about the redesign of our iconic Trail Model Hiker.
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[00:00:34.37] It has a pale pistachio green sole. She looks at the shoe in an old catalog.
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[00:00:35.57] When we brought Trail Model into the line in 1999, it was our best value day hiker. So when we were thinking of the redesign, we updated it with today's technology, but still priced at that best value price point.
[00:00:48.90] We're going to talk about all of the components of Trail Model X. We're going to start from the bottom up with our completely redesigned outsole,
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[00:00:56.81] The outsole is black and yellow.
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[00:00:56.90] made with our VertiGrip rubber, and we completely redesigned the lug geometry of the outsole. The lug are those little grooves in the bottom of your shoe, which improved the traction on wet surfaces by 50%.
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[00:01:09.37] A designer uses a machine to test the sole on a wet surface.
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[00:01:09.52] Layering on top of that, we've got an ESS plate, and it's a new feature.
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[00:01:13.76] Text: E S S Rock Plate for Protection.
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[00:01:13.95] It just adds one more layer of stability and protection underfoot. Then we layer in our Comfort Ride midsole. So Comfort Ride is an EVA foam. Has a little bit of a harder durometer, which means it's a little bit more stable underfoot, giving you even more protection on the trail.
[00:01:31.62] We've got our True Performance insole, which is a dual density insole, and this just adds a nice out-of-the-box comfort underfoot. And then we layer the upper on top of that.
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[00:01:42.55] She holds an upper that's brown and dark brown.
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[00:01:42.63] Talking about materials-- suede mixed with mesh. We've also got a synthetic heel piece in the back and the toe. And that'll just give you a little bit of extra durability when you kick your shoe on and off.
[00:01:53.94] It's also made with our Tech 2.5 waterproof membrane, so this is going to keep you nice and dry on the trail or on a rainy day.
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[00:02:01.39] Water splashes over the model shoe.
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[00:02:01.50] The waterproof membrane comes up right below the gusset. It's this piece that connects the tongue to the upper, so it's going to keep you dry up to 1 centimeter below that line.
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[00:02:13.62] The L L Bean Testing Facility.
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[00:02:13.83] The way that we test that upstairs is through a flex test that we developed ourselves. It's a super stringent test, highest standards in the industry. We dunk the shoe in a tank of water, and it flexes for 15,000 cycles to really test, to make sure your feet are going to stay dry. We changed a lot about what was built into the Trail Model.
[00:02:33.48] The one thing we wanted to make sure we maintained was a consistent feel and fit. What controls the feel and fit of this shoe is the last. This is the same last that we used in our previous Trail Model design. So when our customers are ready to buy their new pair of Trail Model, it's going to feel exactly like the pair that they've known and loved for years.
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[00:02:53.16] The shoe twirls on the shiny black surface. Now it changes to show different colors and styles.
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[00:02:54.41] We have Trail Model in several different models and heights. We've got a low height for both men's and women's. One has the waterproof membrane. The other one is ventilated, so it doesn't have that membrane, which makes it a little bit better for warmer climates and keeps your feet a bit cooler.
[00:03:09.99] We also have mid heights, which just give you a little bit of extra support around your ankle. And then we've got a new material package, a full grain leather for both men's and women's, and a mid and a low waterproof. And the full grain leather just gives you a little bit more of a premium look and also more durability.
[00:03:27.62] And finally, we've got Trail Model in toddler and in kids, making it great for the whole family. I think one of the most fulfilling parts of the job is you get to see it out in the wild with someone actually wearing the products that you had a hand in developing and enjoying time outside.
[00:03:47.12] So Jenn, I know you get a lot of awesome customer feedback. I wanted to give you this one to read.
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[00:03:52.39] She reads a review with five stars.
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[00:03:52.61] I've been a huge fan of L.L.Bean for years, and for the past five years have been purchasing the Trail Model 4 hiking boots as my work shoe. As comfortable as the Trail Model 4 is, the new Trail Model X is even more comfortable. 10 hours a day on your feet, you need a good, comfortable pair of boots, and these definitely satisfy the requirement. As I write this review, I already have another pair in my cart to have them ready for non-work wear.
[00:04:16.97] That's awesome. Thank you so much for that review. This is exactly what we were looking for when we redesigned the Trail Model.
[00:04:24.19] [MUSIC PLAYING]
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[00:04:24.44] A pair of mid height Trail Model on the shelf. Text: For more product stories and outdoor inspiration, visit l l bean dot com slash explore
[00:04:32.44] A line of Trail Model shoes in different heights and colors. A shoe rotates so the L L Bean logo and name is visible.
