When it comes to customer service, Leon Leonwood knew what he was doing.

No, Leon Leonwood Bean didn't make the best pair of hunting boots in 1912.  In fact, ninety percent of the boots he sold were returned because they pulled apart at the sole.  So how did L.L. Bean become a successful and thriving business known for providing quality goods across the globe?  L.L. created much more than a pair of boots in his brother's shop basement, he laid the foundation for some of the best customer service in the market.  He kept his promise to satisfy his customer and refunded the price to anyone who wasn't satisfied with it.  While this nearly put him out of business when he started, it also brought him a faithful following of men and women who knew they could trust L.L. Bean.

He went back to the workshop unshaken, tested his products, used them in the field, and soon he was creating the durable goods we all know and rely on today still.  With his love of the outdoors and an enthusiasm for people, L.L. showed us that his customer really was the most important person in his office.  L.L. Bean's legacy for outstanding customer service remains as strong and reliable today as their beloved hunting shoes.

When I first purchased a women's Field Watch twenty years ago, I hadn't thought about replacing the battery.  After a few years of faithfully wearing my timepiece, the battery had nothing more to give.  I visited a few stores around town, and it became clear that none of them were going to guarantee the water resistance of the watch after they took it apart.  If the seal wasn't restored at first try, they didn't have the parts to repair it and try again.  Discouraged and behind schedule, I went home and decided to call L.L. Bean to see if they could help.  I told them my watch battery died, and they told me they'd be glad to replace it.  All I had to do was send in my watch, and they would take care of the rest.  But I didn't have another watch to use in the meantime.  How long was this going to take anyway?  The two week estimate turned out to be seven days total.  From the time I put my watch in the mail to the day it was returned to me and back on my wrist, it was seven days-- not bad for a package that made its way from Virginia to Maine and back.  But what really surprised me was this: Inside there was a check reimbursing me for the shipping costs to mail my watch to L.L. Bean.  Not only had they replaced the battery and mailed the watch back to me, but they did all of that free of charge.  I paid nothing for shipping, a new battery, and the best customer service I've ever known.  On top of all that, I had the most fantastic watch I have ever owned back on my wrist.  This story is just one of many that demonstrates outstanding service to the L.L. Bean customer.

It's experiences like this that are the hallmark of L.L. Bean's success.  This kind of customer service is not the exception, but the rule.  If Terry answers the phone, she can tell you the shirt you want on page sixty-four runs a little big, so she bought it a size down from her regular one.  Joe will tell you that his hiking boots have been well worn for the last seven years and were comfortable out of the box.  If he doesn't have enough information to answer your question right away, he'll find it; and while he does, you may discover that he has family in Lynchburg (so do I), Virginia and they've had almost as much snow as Freeport so far this year.  

Leon Leonwood's enthusiasm for his customers and the outdoors is alive today, and it circulates throughout the company into every last vein.  When you order from L.L. Bean, you begin a loyal friendship.  They will do whatever it takes to make you a happy and satisfied customer.  Just give them a call, or stop by next time you're in Freeport.  They're open twenty-four hours a day.

The back story on L.L. Bean
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The Neat Sheet Can't be Beat!

This ground cloth will cover all your needs.

Kick off the New Year!

The new year is here!  It's time to take a step in the right direction!  Some of you may be thinking, great ... now she's going to tell us we should exercise more, eat more healthfully, and stop visiting the tasting room at the brewery every afternoon.  Alas, I am not going to tell you any of those things.  In fact, what I am going to tell you will help you have a more enjoyable walk into the brewery this afternoon.

Last March I socked it to you.  Going on and on about some of my favorite low-cut socks for warmer weather.  But what good are those socks doing you now?  Well, not much good unless you're inside the gym or hanging out in some warm, sunny, tropical climate (I don't want to hear about it.  Okay, maybe I'll look at a few pictures.).

You're sporting hiking boots on the weekends, maybe your oh-so-chic knee high boots (they look much better on your wife, Bob), maybe even your RedHead boots or wellingtons.  You're sealed up like a UPS package.  You've lost all that airflow from the mesh on the front of your running shoes.  There's no longer a little air sneaking down your ankle into your shoes.  No air holes in the arch.  You're trying to keep your feet warm and dry.  Keeping your tootsies toasty may not be a problem, but dry ... ?  By lunchtime you feel like you walked through a puddle, and you may as well have.  Your socks are getting wet from the inside out.  No airflow means all that moisture that had several ways to escape, is now trapped inside your boots.  It's like a steam bath in there.  Then you head outside into the cold and feel like you're walking sock-footed in a winter wonderland.  But wonder not.  It's your soggy socks bringing you down.

One company has virtually solved this problem.  I sang their praises last spring, and I'm singing them again.  Wigwam has created my new favorite sock for boots and shoes-- the Wigwam Pro Series Crew.  The sock is soft, has a cushiony feel, and even comes in a variety of colors.  While I usually prefer fabrics that are at least partially natural, especially when they're against my skin, this one isn't (40% Olefin, 36% X2O® Acrylic, 20% Stretch Nylon, 4% Spandex).  I have to say, I don't mind it a bit.  This sock feels amazing!  What I really love about this sock is that it's perfect for most any use.  I wear them in my hiking boots all day on the trail just as comfortably as I wear them all day in my Frye boots.  They're not too thin; not too thick.  The price is nice too.  They're one of the least expensive technical sock companies out there, and I think we're just beginning to see what they can do.

Wigwam has a great list of dealers to help you find them online or at your local outdoor gear retailer.

lululemon athletica - Candlelight Tank

lululemon athletica - Candlelight Tank

Next Up: A Fall (re)Treat.

As the weather cools and temperatures invite us outdoors, I continue my search for outdoor seating and a refreshing beverage.  If you find yourself on one of these patios, please save a seat for me!

Don't be sheepish in your search for a good fleece.

There used to be only one or two companies out there who made fleece.  What they made was densely knit, hard wearing, and very very warm.  It was the kind of fleece that lasts a lifetime.  Okay, maybe not a life time, but a very long time.  Now there is fleece everywhere, and I don't mean it's just among the outdoor gear companies.  Every retailer out there has some sort of fleece jacket or pullover ranging in price from the "stocking stuffer" category to the "wow, my car payment is less than that" category.

So how do we begin to decipher what's what and who's who?

My first words of advice on fleece: If you want fleece that will be used outdoors to keep you warm and dry, then buy fleece from a company that makes gear to keep you warm and dry.  In other words, don't buy fleece for your rugged adventures at Old Navy.  If you do, you should expect to be disappointed in its performance.
Secondly, the evolution of fleece has been constant.  Now there exists heavy dense fleece, lightweight fleece, fleece with zippers, fleece that blocks wind, fleece with stretch ... there's a whole flock of fleece out there.

So for warmth in a good hearty fleece (hearty like a good stew), go for EMS.  Their dense knit fleece is fantastic.  The stuff is so warm, it seems like it must be two fleece in one.  It will keep you warm, and though it's not windproof, its density will shed a bit of breeze.  This can be used as an outer layer, or an inner layer in the same way you would wear a heavy wool sweater, only this fleece won't smell like a sheep.

If it's wind block you crave, there are many options.  Over the years, I've found Mountain Hardwear to offer some of the softest wind block fleece out there.  You would never know there is a wind blocking membrane in this stuff.  It feels as soft and supple as the best stuff out there.  You won't hear a crinkle or crackle.  Not to be out of character, their fleece is a bit pricey, but I've seen good durability, and softness that lasts through years of wear.

For something a bit lighter, try Patagonia.  You may be thinking, as I used to, that Patagonia once made some of the thickest warmest fleece on the market.  You would be right, but times have changed.  These days Patagonia's best fleece products are not the thick, sweater like pullovers of yesteryear.  These days, they have all sorts of fleece, too many I might venture.  They offer some great options in the Regulator series.  The R1 is similar to the expedition weight Capeline, but through some magic, doesn't stink.  It's feels great against the skin, and offers a touch of stretch.  Beware, like many of their items, this fleece is very pricey for a light layering piece.  My advice: wait for the sale.

Next Up: The Fleecing of America

Here a fleece, there a fleece, everywhere there's fleece and more fleece.
So which ones will keep you warm, dry, and comfortable; and which ones will leave you feeling like a sheared sheep in February?
Let me herd you in the right direction ...