Now that's March, winter has decided to arrive in the Boston area. With the first significant snow since Halloween 2011, it was time to dig into the closet and reach for that prep essential: The LL Bean duck boot. While it is commonly known as the duck boot, it's official name is the Bean Boot, and it has been around for 100 years. The boot got its start when L.L. Bean was on a hunting trip in Maine, he could not keep his feet dry, and, thus, invented the Bean Boot. Today, the boots are still made by hand in Freeport, Maine, and are dunked in a tank to guarantee they are watertight. They come in a variety of different styles, colors, and insulation options, but overall the boot largely remains unchanged.
For many years, the boot had more of a cult-type following in New England, and especially in Maine, but it is now rapidly growing in popularity on college campuses across the country. Four years ago, the brand manufactured 150,000 pairs, but is expected to manufacture 500,000 pairs in 2012.
Perhaps the greatest point of pride with this boot is that LL Bean is not going to outsource to companies overseas to handle the spike in production. Every single pair will be manufactured in the United States, which means the company is creating jobs for Americans!
Head on over to LL Bean to get a pair of duck boots, find a store near you, or check out their other great products.
*I referenced this Time Article in the writing of this post.
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