Billed as the “antidote to wet feet,” the L.L. Bean Boot is a true icon. It refutes the notion that things just aren’t made the way they used to be. Dating back to 1911, the boot was designed by Mr. Leon Leonwood Bean himself, who discovered during a miserable hunting trip that his usual boots left his feet wet and cold. Consequently, he tapped a local cobbler, who followed his instructions to stitch together leather uppers with the rubber soles of rain boots. Bean would go on to form the L.L. Bean Company to sell the eponymous boot. Decades later, the boot is still assembled in Maine, one pair at a time, by expert craftspeople whose skill and passion are built into every single pair. The classic silhouette combines a full-grain leather upper and an incredibly durable rubber bottom, making for a supremely versatile boot that can withstand just about anything. It’s both time-tested and timeless, and you’ll be thankful for your pair when the winter apocalypse comes knocking.
