# Hardline's Bean Boot Break-in Bonanza!



## hardline_42 (Jan 20, 2010)

Most leather footwear break-in procedures are done over the course of several months, wearing them as often as possible and suffering the whole time. This is effective, but it's no fun and not always convenient. That's why I like to speed up the process as much as possible. The idea behind this break in procedure is to replicate many cycles of wearing, sweating, and drying into one day. This will work for any leather boot, from hiking to riding, but Bean Boots require a few special steps. Here's how I do it:

1) Start with a fresh pair of Bean boots and remove the laces. Bean's taslan laces are pretty terrible. They're always too short and they puke their guts out in no time. In the pic below, the Bean laces are on the right and the laces in the foreground are donors from a pair of Hoffman pac boots that I'll be using for break-in. Use laces that are long enough to reach the top eyelets.









2) Grab a (mostly) clean 5 gallon bucket. In fact, any bucket deep enough to accommodate the shaft of your boots will do. 









3) Find a pair of sacrificial hangers and some pliers/cutters. You don't hang your clothes on wire hangers anyway, right?









4) Cut the hook off the hangers and straighten them. Thread the hanger wire through the bottom eyelets, around the boot and twist them together behind the heel counter.









Form the tail ends into hooks that face up.









5) Hang the boots with the soles up using the toes and hooks to keep the rubber bottoms level. Fill the bucket with warm water so that it covers the leather completely and let them soak for ten minutes. Then, dump the water and let them drip excess water into the bucket. It might seem like a lot of work, but keeping the rubber bottoms and insoles dry greatly speeds up the break-in process and make it much less uncomfortable.









6) While the boots are soaking, grab two pairs of socks. My preference is to use a pair of liner socks and a pair of wool boots socks. The two pairs of socks will slip over each other, preventing blisters.









Here's a pic of the boots after soaking. They should be a good deal darker (notice the original color leather at the bottom of the right boot) and wet all the way through.









7) Lace them up tightly, all the way to the top, even if you never plan to wear them this way. Take special care to make sure the gusseted tongue lays as flat and even as possible as you go. I use over under lacing. Wear them until they're dry or as long as you can. This can take a few hours or longer depending on the weather. Also, I won't apologize for my polar bear jammies. It's Christmas.









8) While you're wearing them, there are a few movements you need to perform in order to break them in properly. Do these as often as you can:

a) Sit on your heels. This will define the heel crease. You should end up with a single fold across the heel counter, just above your heel. If you end up with two folds that don't meet, reshape it with your hand into one. Otherwise, the leather will pinch your foot. Forever.









b) Crouch. Again, you want to establish the instep crease. Try and keep it continuous across the top and the tongue. This one is less critical because you can always adjust the pressure over your instep with the laces.









c) Twist your ankle inward. You should get a wishbone shaped fold that connects the heel fold, holds your ankle and connects your instep fold.









That's it for the break-in procedure. After you take them off, store them in a cool, dry place for 24 hours until they're completely dry. The next step is to seal the welt (more like the leather/rubber interface) and sno-seal the upper. I will update this thread on that process later.


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## eagle2250 (Mar 24, 2006)

Very interesting. I've seen and used a similar process applied to accelerate the break-in period for pairs of leather combat/field boots, but never for breaking in a new pair of LL Bean Hunting pacs. May you long wear those Bean boots and may you do so in good health!


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## hardline_42 (Jan 20, 2010)

Thanks, eagle. They should be nice and dry by this evening, so I can post up the next few steps.


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## TSWalker (Nov 2, 2011)

:icon_hailthee:

:icon_study:


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## drlivingston (Jun 21, 2012)

Thanks Hardline for taking the time and effort to put together a most informative post. I have the Bean mocs but have been contemplating the purchase of the full boots. If bought, I would definitely utilize your awesome method.


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## Trevor (Oct 20, 2011)

Great Post. I read about this method and a few others when i first purchased my redwings. I felt like i was gonna die wearing them for the first few weeks!

Does the water change the color of the leather at all after it dries?

My Bean boots should hopefully be here in a week or so


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## hardline_42 (Jan 20, 2010)

drlivingston said:


> Thanks Hardline for taking the time and effort to put together a most informative post. I have the Bean mocs but have been contemplating the purchase of the full boots. If bought, I would definitely utilize your awesome method.


I have a separate method for wet-forming the tongue and laces on the mocs that I described in this thread. So far, they've never come untied and slipping them on and off is effortless.



Trevor said:


> Great Post. I read about this method and a few others when i first purchased my redwings. I felt like i was gonna die wearing them for the first few weeks!
> 
> Does the water change the color of the leather at all after it dries?
> 
> My Bean boots should hopefully be here in a week or so


The water will not change the color of the leather, but Sno-Seal (or any other wax/oil based water repellent treatment) will definitely darken it.


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## godan (Feb 10, 2010)

eagle2250 said:


> Very interesting. I've seen and used a similar process applied to accelerate the break-in period for pairs of leather combat/field boots, but never for breaking in a new pair of LL Bean Hunting pacs. May you long wear those Bean boots and may you do so in good health!


I learned a similar method in the Army. Hardline's excellent post is more sophisticated and probably superior, but we were in something of a hurry back in those distant times.


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## Bjorn (May 2, 2010)

If you urinate on them, the urine will soften the leather a lot. Not saying that method is as good. Just saying...

That's how they broke in really though boots back in the day.


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## hardline_42 (Jan 20, 2010)

Bjorn said:


> If you urinate on them, the urine will soften the leather a lot. Not saying that method is as good. Just saying...
> 
> That's how they broke in really though boots back in the day.


I've heard this plenty of times. Don't know if it's any more effective than warm water, but I'm not about to try it.


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## Topsider (Jul 9, 2005)

Too much work. I've always just worn mine.


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## hardline_42 (Jan 20, 2010)

Topsider said:


> Too much work. I've always just worn mine.


Some folks feel that way about tailoring an OTR suit. Different strokes :icon_smile_wink:


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## Topsider (Jul 9, 2005)

hardline_42 said:


> Some folks feel that way about tailoring an OTR suit. Different strokes :icon_smile_wink:


Not really a very good analogy.

Do you really think Bean boots need "breaking in?" Mine have always been pretty comfortable right out of the box.

The laces these days are crap, though.


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## drlivingston (Jun 21, 2012)

Bjorn said:


> If you urinate on them, the urine will soften the leather a lot. Not saying that method is as good. Just saying...
> 
> That's how they broke in really though boots back in the day.


I thought that only worked on jackets... Uhoh.. that isn't what they meant when they said pea coat?


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## Topsider (Jul 9, 2005)

drlivingston said:


> Uhoh.. that isn't what they meant when they said pea coat?


Urine the ballpark...


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## hardline_42 (Jan 20, 2010)

*Sealing the welt*

By now, you should have a dry pair of boots with curves in all the right places:




























The next step is an often overlooked one: to seal the seam between the rubber bottom and the leather shaft. The holes in the three-row stitching can be sealed with Sno-Seal, but the space between the rubber and leather needs Welt-Seal, an elastic material that permanently seals the voids. To start the process, you need Welt-Seal, dry, broken in Bean Boots (untreated) and a dull pencil or similar pointed wood tool










Starting at the front end of the boot, wedge the pencil between the leather and rubber and lift to expose the gap. Stick the tip of the Welt-Seal tube in the crease and run it behind the pencil, pulling both across the seam to the heel and stop. This stuff is the color and consistency of caramel. It's very sticky and stringy and easy to apply too much. Try and keep the tube vertical and don't lift the applicator tip off until you're done with the bead.










Then, run another bead over top of the first. Lay it on its side and let it sit for about 20 minutes. This is a messy business, so don't worry if it's not perfect.










After 20 minutes, flip it over and repeat on the other side. As it dries, the Welt-Seal will seep into the space under the leather and shrink from the surface. You can repeat the process with as many layers as necessary to fill in all the gaps.










Then, you can let it sit overnight to cure. This is an unpleasant step since a) the Welt-Seal stinks and b) it makes a mess, but it is the key to having a truly waterproof boot that will last longer than any Gore-tex membrane. The final steps still to come.


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## hardline_42 (Jan 20, 2010)

Topsider said:


> Not really a very good analogy.
> 
> Do you really think Bean boots need "breaking in?" Mine have always been pretty comfortable right out of the box.
> 
> The laces these days are crap, though.


It was a joke, of course. I think all leather boots that go above the instep/ankle/heel line "break-in" whether you speed up the process or not. The creases that take shape in the leather and allow your feet to bend comfortably are the result. As to whether or not Bean Boots need the process sped up, I don't know. I do know that they are not comfortable for me the first time I lace them up. The tongue doesn't sit right, the sides bow out and I get pressure in all the wrong places. I've always done this to all of my boots and it's never taken more than a few hours, which, to me, is worth it.


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## eagle2250 (Mar 24, 2006)

Bjorn said:


> If you urinate on them, the urine will soften the leather a lot. Not saying that method is as good. Just saying...
> 
> That's how they broke in really though boots back in the day.


Your suggestion appeals to me about as much as does the thought of eating a "yellow" snow cone! :crazy: ROFALOL. I think I'll just stick with hardline 42's suggestion.


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## Epaminondas (Oct 19, 2009)

Topsider said:


> Too much work. I've always just worn mine.


Concur. Though I've only had one pair on Maine Hunting Shoes (don't get much wear down here in Georgia). The 12 inch variety ( I usually wear the gum shoes nowadays down here) broke in just fine for me way back 20 years ago and I never felt abrasion at the achilles or anywhere else (and I wore them again two winters ago). This seems like a lot of work to address a problem never experienced.


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## hardline_42 (Jan 20, 2010)

Epaminondas said:


> Concur. Though I've only had one pair on Maine Hunting Shoes (don't get much wear down here in Georgia). The 12 inch variety ( I usually wear the gum shoes nowadays down here) broke in just fine for me way back 20 years ago and I never felt abrasion at the achilles or anywhere else (and I wore them again two winters ago). This seems like a lot of work to address a problem never experienced.


That's fine. Not everyone uses their boots the same way. I put these posts together for those who either want or need their boots to be comfortable and waterproof right off the bat. I cannot just slap these or any boots on right out of the box and go for a full day of small game hunting or canoeing without discomfort. I certainly can't step in ankle deep water in them without my feet getting soaked. This method works for me and, hopefully, some other outdoorsman who wants similar results.


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## hardline_42 (Jan 20, 2010)

*Sno-Seal*

Here's the last set of photos:

After the Welt-Seal has dried, trim it with a sharp knife. The boot on the left has been cleaned up already.









The next step is to waterproof the leather using Sno-Seal. The tiny packet these boots come with isn't even enough to do one boot. Make sure you have a jar of the stuff on hand. I used a hair dryer to melt it in. If you have a heat gun, make sure it's a variable temp. Most single and dual temps are too hot and will cook the leather.









Bottom boot has a layer of Sno-Seal on it. Make sure to massage the stuff into all of the seams and thread as well as the raw leather edges. Keep applying it until the leather no longer absorbs any more of the product.









The finished product. Now go find a ditch to stand in.









Thanks for reading.


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## Christophe (Oct 27, 2010)

Great thread, Hardline, the exceptionally informative as usual! The finished product looks like they've been worn in for a year or so already. I'll have to get some Sno Seal and Wet Seal and try this on my Bean Boots; they're a couple years old and seem fairly watertight, but I've never actually stood in a pond in them.


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## hardline_42 (Jan 20, 2010)

Christophe said:


> Great thread, Hardline, the exceptionally informative as usual! The finished product looks like they've been worn in for a year or so already. I'll have to get some Sno Seal and Wet Seal and try this on my Bean Boots; they're a couple years old and seem fairly watertight, but I've never actually stood in a pond in them.


Thanks, Christophe. If you plan to use Welt-Seal on boots that are already worn, make sure to clean the area thoroughly with alcohol or some other solvent (test it on a small area first). Welt-Seal doesn't adhere very well at all to dirty or oily surfaces.


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## dbhdbhdbh (Aug 10, 2012)

Fascinating. I have never felt the need to break in rubber bottom boots. All my Bean boots are old, so perhaps manufacturing has changed, but I have waded in water well above the rubber for extended periods, hours, without any leaks. Never used welt seal. I do give them an annual treatment with SnoSeal, but that seems to be all they need.


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## Topsider (Jul 9, 2005)

I would think that if you waded in water higher than the bottom of the tongue, you'd get water through the front of the boot anyway.

Sno-Seal is a good idea if you're going to be wearing them in the snow. Unfortunately, I don't think we're getting any snow this year that couldn't be handled by my L.L. Bean mocs.


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## eagle2250 (Mar 24, 2006)

Excellent thread hardline 42...Very nicely presented and one of the most instructive and useful that I can recall seeing offered in recent days (weeks/months?)! Thank you.


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## hardline_42 (Jan 20, 2010)

dbhdbhdbh said:


> Fascinating. I have never felt the need to break in rubber bottom boots. All my Bean boots are old, so perhaps manufacturing has changed, but I have waded in water well above the rubber for extended periods, hours, without any leaks. Never used welt seal. I do give them an annual treatment with SnoSeal, but that seems to be all they need.


Dbh, Sno-Seal is a good all around treatment and you can get good results from using it alone. The problem is that, in time, the Sno-Seal gets squeezed out of the rubber/leather seam with regular flexing of the foot. Welt-Seal is elastic and adhesive. It lasts much longer and holds up better to flexing. Again, everyone has different levels of use and I'd only recommend doing the whole shebang if your current method doesn't work for you.



Topsider said:


> I would think that if you waded in water higher than the bottom of the tongue, you'd get water through the front of the boot anyway.


The whole point to the method I described is to keep water out all the way to the TOP of the tongue. Otherwise, it'd be pointless to get any Bean Boots higher than your ankle.



Topsider said:


> Sno-Seal is a good idea if you're going to be wearing them in the snow. Unfortunately, I don't think we're getting any snow this year that couldn't be handled by my L.L. Bean mocs.


Sno-Seal is for keeping out moisture. I use my boots for canoeing, duck hunting in shallow water, surf fishing and, most recently, standing in stagnant saltwater and raw sewage doing hurricane Sandy relief work. All of my Bean Boots have unlined shafts and I find them uncomfortably cold in the snow. I have warmer pac boots for that.


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## hardline_42 (Jan 20, 2010)

eagle2250 said:


> Excellent thread hardline 42...Very nicely presented and one of the most instructive and useful that I can recall seeing offered in recent days (weeks/months?)! Thank you.


You're welcome, eagle :smile:


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## dbhdbhdbh (Aug 10, 2012)

You might think so, but hours with the tongue underwater and socks stay bone dry. And my oldest par, still getting regular use, are 28 years old.


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## cincydavid (May 21, 2012)

I also noticed the Knipex pliers in the photos...they make great tools, but they're surely not inexpensive.


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## Trevor (Oct 20, 2011)

cincydavid said:


> I also noticed the Knipex pliers in the photos...they make great tools, but they're surely not inexpensive.


Those were one of the first things i noticed in the pics! I got a pair of long handle diagonal cutters that you couldn't pry out of my hands!


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## hardline_42 (Jan 20, 2010)

cincydavid said:


> I also noticed the Knipex pliers in the photos...they make great tools, but they're surely not inexpensive.





Trevor said:


> Those were one of the first things i noticed in the pics! I got a pair of long handle diagonal cutters that you couldn't pry out of my hands!


Haha, you guys have sharp eyes! The mini bolt cutters are Knipex and the are NWS, my other favorite German pliers manufacturer. I'm slowly replacing all of my pliers with either of those brands. They're not unlike English shoes: slimmer, sleeker and more refined than their American counterparts.


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## Cuttington III (Nov 15, 2008)

Thanks Hardline! I have a pair of Red Wing Gentleman Traveler boots that I have only worn a few times because of the tough break-in phase. I think I might give this procedure (modified a little of course) a go.


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## cascadia (Jan 23, 2020)

I know this is an old post at this point. This is a great resource, one which I would like to make use of. None of the photos are available anymore, however. Is there anyway to revive them? I'd very much like to undertake the process with a new pair of boots, and the photos would help out a lot. Thanks for putting all this time into this write-up!


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## iam.mike (Oct 26, 2008)

@cascadia - We don't really have an easy way track down those missing photos because it looks like they were originally hosted on PhotoBucket.

Another option for you would be to do some power searching on Google Images for keywords related to the boots, setting the max search date to something before 2013.

For example:
https://www.google.com/search?q=Hardline+Bean+Boot&tbs=cdr:1,cd_max:1/1/2013&tbm=isch
That searches Google images for the words 'Hardline Bean Boot' and attempts to find pages/content that was published before Jan 1, 2013.

Alternatively, you may want to try this search:
https://www.google.com/search?q=000...AFAB_enUS502US504&oq=000_8245_zps88ecaa75.jpg
The above search attempts to locate a photo using one of the image names from the original post.

Hope it helps!


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