Snowshoes are designed to redistribute a person’s weight over an area greater than their shoe size so they can traverse snow without sinking or getting stuck. But if the material cannot hold the weight of the operator the snowshoe can break and make it even harder to travel over snowy conditions. After learning of at least four reports of the plastic material breaking in their snowshoes, L.L. Bean has recalled around 3,000 pairs that could cause “a fall hazard to users.” At the time of the recall no injuries were reported.
The defective snowshoes were sold exclusively at L.L. Bean stores, on their website, and through their catalog from November 2016 until February 2017. The adjustable snowshoes were manufactured in Taiwan, imported by Synergy Sportz, LLC/dba Yukon Charlies Inc., and then sold by L.L. Bean for $170 as a stand-alone or $200 in a package that included poles and a bag. The L.L. Bean logo can be found on the front of the shoes that have an aluminum frame and ADVENTURE ADJ 25-30 printed on the side. The defective snowshoes in question are attached to either women’s or men’s boots and were sold in red or blue.
In June 2016 L.L. Bean recalled 6,700 water bottles made for children after learning that they contained high levels of lead. Luckily the lead, which is highly toxic to children, was reportedly located on the outside of the bottle and no health problems were connected to the recall. That announcement affected five different patterns of insulated water bottles that were made in China; Dino Bones, Flower Power, Orange Grid Camo, Purple Tie Dye Butterfly, and Robo Shark. All five versions have the L.L. Bean logo printed on the side. The ID number 297684 can be found on the bottom of the recalled bottles.
Owners of a recalled pair of L.L. Bean snowshoes are being told to stop using the product immediately and return them to the company. L.L. Bean told authorities that they will offer their affected customers a full refund. The Maine based clothing and outdoor company will provide a prepaid shipping label and will return either store credit or a prepaid credit card based on the consumer’s preference.
To contact L.L. Bean call: (800) 555-9717
To read more about L.L. Bean recalls see: https://www.llbean.com/recall/