The LL Bean Boot one of the most fickle sizing boots out there. So why bother ordering it in the first place? Well,the L.L Bean Boot seamlessly merges style with utility and effortlessly glides into the hearts of many millennials who are yearning for a product that tells a story they will never experience. Like seriously who will actually hunt in the wilderness of Maine with these boots on ? The only real hunting these boots will be used for is hunting for apartments in the middle of winter since your landlord is stingy with the heat.
This in-depth guide is for the city dweller preferably near the NYC area but feel free to extrapolate information for your own personal uses. Without wasting anymore of your time let's dive in and figure out if this boot is the right for you!
Sizing, Lining and Height
What Size to Buy?
| Wool Sock? | Whole Size (ie 10) | Half Size (ie 10.5) |
| Yes | Order Regular Size (10) | Go down .5 (ie 10) |
| No | Order 1 size smaller (9) | Order 1.5 Down (9) |
Lining:
Thinsulate? Goretex? Shearling?
Unlined Base Model: $109 for 6” & $119 for 8”, both great options, however I prefer the 6”, I’ll give the details later.
Thinsulate: +$20 and not available in 6” version, not really worth it, the only purpose of these shoes is to keep water out of the shoe when sloshing around on curbside puddles. Unless you’ll be roaming the concrete jungle without heavy socks under 10℉, then you’ll be completely fine with the unlined version. And spend the extra $20 on $3 a ride metro.
Gore Tex + Thinsulate: +$70 Breathable waterproof material that allows your feet sweat to evaporate through and yet keeps the moisture out. Not really necessary, and doesn’t make a substantial difference.
Shearling: +$100 Completely unnecessary unless you’re actually tumbling around in Antarctica in which case I’m completely unqualified to give advice *but please e-mail me I’ve been wanting to visit or work there for quite a while*.
Height: To be honest I’ve only had experience with the 6” and 8” versions of the Bean Boot, there are several pros and cons to both versions.
- Image Credit: Shellchicd
6” Bean Boot
| Pros | Cons |
| Light Weight | Lower Protection vs Puddles |
| Easy to take off | Sometimes susceptible to wetness |
| Subtle low key | Purist aesthetics |
| Motion Range | |
| Allows Ankle Flex Range |
8” Bean Boot
| Pros | Cons |
| More Protection | Heavy as stones |
| Looks more “Manly” | Stabilization and motion range |
| Hard to turn / navigate | |
| Can’t walk fast |
How it Handles:
Sidewalks: 8” On icy sidewalks the 8” version handles it pretty poorly, especially since you need a wider range of motion to rebalance yourself in case you do slip. God forbid walking down icy stairs with these on then you’re screwed. The 6” version handles it a little better since it allows you to wobble your ankles a little bit to compensate for sudden shifts in body weight.
- Photo Credit: Kellyinthecity
Slush: While in slush the you’ll be smiling that you bought the 8” Bean Boot instead of the 6”, since no matter how high the splash wave from an car is the 8” Bean Boot is more than enough wet protection. They both handle traction relatively well on slush terrain.
Wet / Rain: They both perform really well in the rain / wet area traction wise, however the 6” Bean Boot allows the user a wider range of motion and sufficient protection against the water on the ground.
Indoors:
Wood Polished, Marble, Slick smooth floors of any type: When wet does not handle well in these situations that why I’ll rather have a 6” Bean Boot so I can use raw human mobility to tackle trickier problems. The 6” handles like a regular shoe in these situations.
Carpet and other rough areas: Handles very well on these types of terrains.
Public Transportation Areas: Not really made for areas / surfaces like these, many of times I’ve tripped on the narrow subway station stairs. And while wearing the 8” ones I have a constant fear of falling and breaking my neck. That’s why I heavily recommend buying the 6” versions. On the buses and trains itself the 8” ones make it very hard to be nimble and avoid stepping on people’s toes on a crowded train. The 8” relinquishes your feet from your control, and soon enough you’ll be stumbling around like a amateur model on the runway.
Bonus Section: Sitting down, admit it most of you guys are gonna be sitting down most of the day with this shoe on, optimally take it off. Seriously especially during the “break in period” I wanted to rip the 8” Bean Boots and fling them across the room. They really confine your ankle area movement and seriously irritates me.
Full Disclosure: I have owned and used both the 8” and 6” variants of the Beans Boots and I heavily prefer the 6” version due to their range of motion and mobility.
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