Congratulations on receiving your new favorite pair of boots! Bean Boots are a wonderful piece of footwear that can be worn for years when properly maintained, and only get better with age. They’re my “everything” boots that I slip on most days whether for work, running errands, or going on a long walk outside. They are comfortable, durable, and versatile as can be and I highly recommend them to everyone. Here are my tips for owning your new Bean Boots:
- Maintaining the boots is important if you’re considering owning them a long time. (Some people own their boots for decades!) Without proper care, they may hold up OK, but it doesn’t hurt to give them extra TLC since they are made of leather and leather is a natural product subject to wear. Every year I use Boot Guard to help nourish the leather and help them continue to be waterproof. I also keep them out of direct heat sources since it can cause drying and cracking of leather (don’t put them next to a heating vent to dry!). According to their website, Boot Guard protects against drying, cracking, stitching damage, delamination and salt stains. Bean Boots are made to go through mud and less-than-ideal weather conditions, but it’s a good idea to wipe them down before going into storage instead of leaving mud on the bottoms for the next season. Here’s my blog post on waterproofing Bean Boots with the Boot Guard.
- Find what lace tying works best for you. I owned Bean Boots for years tying them normally until I finally tied them in an Eastland Knot and it was a game changer. Now they are “slip on” boots to me and get worn WAY more often because they’re 100 times easier to slip on and off and therefore I choose to wear them more. I highly recommend tying your boots this way for convenience but figure out what works best for you! Just make sure to loosen them to your liking before doing the knot. Here’s a video showing how to do the knot.
- Know what accessories you may need can come in handy in the future. Bean Boots are great on their own, but can be even better with the accessories available to them. Unless you have the thinsulate or shearling lined Bean Boots, most pairs can be made warmer by adding Shearling Insoles. I highly recommend these if you want to consider wearing your Bean Boots all winter. The second accessory I recommend is the attachment to the bottom of the boot for walking on ice – The Stablicers. If you plan on doing some winter walks on trails, these will be your friend! Lastly, my favorite socks for Bean Boots are the Cotton Ragg Socks. They come in a two pack and are a great value. They stay up, and I like the look of them peeking out the top of the boot.
Please let me know if you have any questions about your boots! I have owned several pairs for many years and love them more and more as they age.
