If you are in your fifties and miss pants that cinch at the waist, button down shirts and waffle weave button up long sleeve t-shirts, or are looking to be trendy with you or your child's initials standing six inches high on a backpack, then L. L Bean is your store.

Their clothes are mostly good quality, but some items are misleading. Their hiking boots for women with their own logo are made in China and tend to fall apart after six months wear and their name brand boots and shoes cost nearly three times what you would pay from other comparable stores.
A pair of Chios for instance will run you $40 or more. The prices are so high, that when they offer 60% off, you are still paying more for the item than you feel it is worth.

That said, they do offer items that are hard to find elsewhere and they do cater to tall people, which is a plus if your pants always ride up to your calves every time you take a seat!

They also offer free shipping and returns, so if something does not fit right, you can return it at no cost.

They carry a few things that are hard to find elsewhere such as bicycle shorts built into a more modest outer shell that allows you to carry things in your pockets and not have your bare butt shine through skin tight material. They also have bathing suits for men that double as hiking shorts and skirted and one piece suits for women that allow for modestly while still giving you the freedom to move and play outdoors.

Most of the clothing is outdated and many of the camping gadgets they sell are highly overpriced and not the best quality.

If you have a lot of money and like dressing like you still belong in the 70s then L. L. Bean will appeal to you. They do have a few cute things and at the end of season, you can actually find bargains, but you have to act fast on them, because they do not last long.

Just be aware that their cheapest self-logo clothing may look good when you first get it, but has a tendency to not hold up as well over time. The hiking boots I got from them had seams inside the ankles that rubbed raw spots on my ankles even with thick socks. Another friend was hiking the second year in her boots and the tread came unglued and peeled back mid-hike and several polo and pull over tees I purchased are not stretched out of shape and faded even though they have not been worn that often.

They do offer rewards points where you can earn cash back for your purchases and get $10 coupons for every $100 you spend, but considering their nearly 80 percent markup on clothing and camping gear, it really isn't the bargain it pretends to be.

Again, they serve a niche and some of their clothes are nice and hold up well, like the blue jeans and chinos, but they are expensive compared to other companies that make the same quality materials for half the cost.

L. L. Bean is a great place to buy almost anything. I love L. L. Bean. It's usually the first site I check when I need to buy something.

They have the best customer service on earth. I have been purchasing from them for about 20 years and they stand behind everything they sell. Their customer service agents have stand-out courtesy. Nordstrom employees are polite like LLbean but they are paid commission. LLBean is courteous just because that is who they are. No, I don't work for the company - they are in Maine and I am in California. I have an LLBean card as well - free shipping for returns is a great benefit.