# L.L. Bean Main Hunting Boot: How to size?



## Trip English (Dec 22, 2008)

Gents, hoping someone can help. Now that I'm in Greenwich I don't live near a Bean anymore and am going to pull the trigger on some 12" hunting boots, but I can't remember whether I size a half size or a full size down. I have a pair of duck boots and can swear they're an 8.5 (I usually wear a 9.5). I can't find the size written in them anywhere. Any thoughts?


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## Speas (Mar 11, 2004)

Well, they only offer whole sizes so I'd guess you'd want a 9.


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## vwguy (Jul 23, 2004)

From their site:

L.L.Bean Boot Fit Information
The fit of the L.L.Bean Boot is generous to allow for insulation in cold weather.

To wear with light or midweight socks: If you wear a whole size, order one size down from your normal size. If you wear a half size, order one and a half sizes down.

Example: If you wear either a 9 or a 9½, order a size 8.

To wear with heavyweight socks: If you wear a whole size, order your normal size. If you wear a half size, order the next whole size down.

Example: If you wear either a 9 or a 9½, order a size 9.

Brian


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## unmodern (Aug 10, 2009)

I just ordered a pair of the 8" ones. I'm a 7.5 in dress shoes (AE, &c.), and Bean boots' smallest size is 7, and they don't come in half sizes AFAIK. So I was worried they'd be too big.

I ordered the 7's, and while they seemed a bit big at first, I have really gotten to love the fit. With medium to thick socks, they fit perfectly, as a matter of fact. No slippage or anything (all that ankle support helps). I got the Thinsulate-lined kind, so maybe that adds some thickness, too. I bought these as winter boots, and I don't like tight-fitting winter boots; whereas, for a dress shoes/thin sock fit, sizing down 1/2 would surely have been insufficient.

While I think a 6.5 would have been just as good for me, the 7 works. If I were you, I'd order the 9 and not the 8. The 8 might be too small, but I doubt the 9 would be too big for a winter shoe.*

*NB. I'm going to order some mocs for thin sock/barefoot spring wear, and in those I will want to go a size and a half down. (I'll order a women's size, probably.)


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## Mazama (May 21, 2009)

Trip English said:


> Gents, hoping someone can help. Now that I'm in Greenwich I don't live near a Bean anymore and am going to pull the trigger on some 12" hunting boots, but I can't remember whether I size a half size or a full size down. I have a pair of duck boots and can swear they're an 8.5 (I usually wear a 9.5). I can't find the size written in them anywhere. Any thoughts?


Trip, IME the Bean sizing instructions (*To wear with heavyweight socks:* If you wear a whole size, order your normal size. If you wear a half size, order the next whole size down.) are right on the money. But also note than unlike most brands of rubber/leather pacs the Bean Boots/Maine Hunting Shoe come in three widths so you need to consider that as well.

I wear a size 10D in a dress shoe but invariably prefer a 10 1/2 Wide in serious outdoor boots to accommodate heavier socks. My 12" Maine Hunting Shoes in 10 Wide fit fine with heavy socks. But in other pacs, Hoffman and Kenetrek I go up to 11.

BTW, boot manufacturers vary in how they measure boot height. Some measure from the heel position inside the boot which tells you how far the boots comes up your leg. But LL Bean measures the Maine Hunting Shoe from the floor to the top of the boot. This means their 12" boot only comes about 10" up your leg because the boot heel plus thick insoles total nearly 2". I wish I'd gotten 14"- apparently no longer offered - and suggest going with their 16" if you might wear the boots in standing water or snow.


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## Clay J (Apr 29, 2008)

I typically wear a 13d, but in my bean boots i wear an 11! the bigger the size the more gigantic the fitting...


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## jht3 (Jul 8, 2009)

i was just in the store trying some on the other day. i measure in and wear a 13B dress shoe, but the store only carries the M width boots. the 13M was very big all around, especially in the width, so i placed an order for 12N and will be picking it up from the store tonight. i tried them on with thick wool socks after initially just my thin dress socks.

i didn't even think to try an 11...uh oh


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