What is a duck
boot?
An avid outdoorsman,
Leon Leonwood Bean wanted to create a comfortable, dry pair of boots for
tromping through the backwoods of Maine.
The L.L. Bean signature
boots are still sewn in Maine and have stood the test of time. They keep feet
remarkably warm in chilly weather thanks to Thinsulate Insulation. The
supportive steel shank and rubber chain-tread bottom provide comfort and
traction.
While many boots on the
market might look similar to L.L.Bean Boots, they lack the attention to detail
and the premium-quality materials that have allowed this footwear brand to stand
the test of time. Thinsulate™ Insulation olefin/polyester in rubber bottom for
extra warmth during cold snaps. Best of all, they are made in Maine, one pair
at a time.
These shoes are used as
hunting shoes because they are comfortable to walk on snow and water. This shoe
was first invented in 1912 by Leonwood Bean (L.L Bean). The Duck Boot was
originally referred to as the L.L. Bean Boot.
The company L.L.Bean
was founded in 1912 by its namesake, avid hunter and fisherman Leon Leonwood
Bean in Freeport, Maine. The company began as a one-room operation selling a
single product, the Maine Hunting Shoe (aka L.L.Bean Boot). Bean had developed
a waterproof boot (a combination of lightweight leather uppers and rubber
bottoms) that he sold to hunters. He obtained a list of nonresident Maine
hunting license holders, prepared a descriptive mail order circular, set up a
shop in his brother's basement in Freeport, Maine, and started a nationwide mail
order business. By 1912, he was selling the "Bean Boot", or Maine Hunting Shoe,
through a four-page mail-order catalog, and the boot remains a staple of the
company's outdoor image.
In addition to the
original purpose of walking in wet conditions, the duck boot has also become
successful simply for its style and appearance. The duck boot has gone in and
out of fashion similar to many other styles of fashion
footwear.
Learn more about the
duck boot options at L.L. Bean or
other fine footwear retailers.
We are not certain how
L.L. Bean first designed the boots, but some companies make the boots with the
upper section of the shoes produced using water repellant fabric called duck
cloth canvass and the bottom of the shoes made with a rubber sole. The boots
are intended for the rainy season or if you live in an area with a good amount
of water like a duck may.
About Duck
Fabric:
Cotton duck (from
Dutch: doek, "linen canvas"), also simply duck, sometimes duck cloth or duck
canvas, is a heavy, plain woven cotton fabric. Duck canvas differs from plain
canvas in that the threads in the former are more tightly woven. There is also
linen duck, which is less often used. Cotton duck is used in a wide range of
applications, from sneakers to painting canvases to tents to sandbags. Duck
fabric is woven with two yarns together in the warp and a single yarn in the
weft. Find duck fabric
mills here on Apparel Search. Learn more about fabric in our fabric
definitions section.
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