![]() ![]() Of the first 100 of these sold, 90 were returned, and he replaced each one. Later iterations would lead to the Maine Hunting Shoe. He took a size 7 1/2 galoshes and had a cobbler stitch a boot upper to them and the boot was born. Hunting boots in those days were leaky and they would stiffen and harden as they dried. The story goes that in 1911, Leon Leonwood Bean wanted hunting shoes that would keep his feet warm in the damp Maine Woods. So I am the perfect person to dispel some of the myths, to share some of its secrets, and to take you on a tour of these interesting and wholly original boots.Ī post shared by Janice Grabowski History of the Bean Boot My oldest pair I bought around 1992 and they are still going strong. Now, as recognizable as these boots are, there are many misconceptions about them. So, now that a colorful wave of sorority girl posts of Bean Boot wearing college students has subsided, is it safe to wear them again? Yes, and it always was as long as they are the classic ones. The Boot also has this essential quality of Maineness about it, the State where they were invented and are still made. The Bean Boot is representative of LL Bean, as anyone who has seen their marketing or the Beanmobile can attest. It is also symbolic of the brand that made them. It is symbolic of an imagined American wholesomeness that traces a roped-sole footprint path back into the past through the hunters and outdoorsman who originally used these boots in the early part of the last century, to its crossover to Preppy culture somewhere in the late 1950s, then its brief Instagram fueled viral popularity around 2011 and now unto us. It is symbolic of Autumn in New England, of thick wool sweaters over flannel shirts draped over jeans. It transcends this categorization to “symbolic.” ![]() I keep a pair of shoes at work and use the boots for commuting (I think they look kind of odd paired with dress trousers).It would be easy to call the Classic 8” LL Bean Men’s Bean Boot “iconic,” and accurate as well, but the Bean Boot does something more. It took a few wears to break the upper leather in a bit around my ankles, but no complaints. On a side note: I’ve liked the boots quite a bit. Just be aware that the lining seems to fill up the boot about half a size, which seems to throw off L.L. Obviously, your feet may be different than mine. Lined + thick socks = regular size (10.5 to 10).Lined + thin socks = regular size (10.5 to 10). ![]() Unlined + thick socks = size down one (10.5 to 9).Unlined + thin socks = size down one (10.5 to 9).After wearing them now for a week and a half straight in the Chicago snow, I haven’t had any issues or felt regretful for not getting a lined pair of boots. I figured they’ll be cooler to wear during warmer months when it rains and they fit perfectly with thick socks. In the end, I opted to go for the unlined boots. There was no way thick winter socks could be worn with this pair. When I tried on the boots with lining, it was really tight on my toes while wearing thin socks. It felt as if I was going barefoot in a pair of Sperry Topsiders (for reference, I wear a size 11 in those), but not uncomfortable and definitely room for wearing thick winter socks. I did this because I plan on using these boots all year and wanted to know how they would fit with a thinner sock.Īfter trying on the size 9 in both unlined and lined versions, the unlined version definitely fit the best. When I was trying on boots, I was wearing a regular, thin pair of dress socks that I typically wear with all my other shoes. And finally, you have to decide if you want to also get a boot with an insulated lining. However, if you’re like me and wear a half size (me: 10.5) then it gets more tricky.Īlso, you have to factor in whether you’ll be wearing thick socks with the boot. Bean recommends that you size down one full size from your typical shoe size. I was only able to try on the boot without lining and the Thinsulate/Gore-Tex lining. There are three basic Bean Boot types: The basic rain boot, the boot with Thinsulate lining and the boot with Thinsulate/Gore-Tex lining. While I was able to stop by their South Barrington, Ill., store, I realize that not everyone has this option available to them and if you’re buying online there are a few things you definitely need to know. Bean’s stores and try these on to get the best fit. It goes without saying that if you have the opportunity, then you should stop by one of L.L. If you’re thinking about buying a pair in the future, but are unsure of how these boots fit because of their odd sizing, then I have a few tips to help you out. Two weeks ago, I purchased my first pair of L.L. ![]()
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