These Iconic American Boots Just Got a Surprise Performance Upgrade

The highlight of L.L.Bean’s collaboration with Grammy-nominated recording artist Noah Kahan is a pair of Bean Boots with a unique new upper ingredient.

By Steve Mazzucchi

Published October 23, 2024

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Updated December 13, 2024

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Sometimes a collab is almost entirely aesthetic. A celebrity partners up with a brand, they give some reliable staples a new coat of paint and a bunch of social promotion and call it a day.

With roots reaching back centuries — to when sailors discovered rubbing linseed into sailcloth made it more water-repellant, and later started cutting jackets out of the stuff — waxed canvas is one of the original performance materials.

That’s all well and good. But other times, the team-up results in fresh approaches to existing products that extend beyond looks.

Such is the case with one of the standouts in L.L.Bean’s new collaboration with acclaimed singer-songwriter Noah Kahan: a pair of Bean Boots featuring an upper made of waxed canvas.

L.L.Bean x Noah Kahan Bean Boots product

Men’s L.L.Bean & Noah Kahan Bean Boots

$249 at L.L.Bean

New England pride

For the record, the boot is just one item in an eight-product capsule loaded with nods to iconic L.L.Bean products — and to Kahan’s German Shepherd, Penny, whom he calls “basically a cowriter” of Stick Season, his acclaimed 2022 double-platinum-certified album.

Dubbed “The Northern Attitude Collection” in honor of one of the album’s biggest hits, the brand’s second team-up with Kahan also features bags, hats and apparel — including a Boat & Tote and a Chamois Shirt — inspired by Kahan’s Vermont roots.

L.L.Bean & Noah Kahan Bean Boots with Penny — Bringing new meaning to the term stick season is this portrait of Kahan and Penny. Kahan’s hat, Chamois shirt and of course boots are all part of The Northern Attitude Collection.

As part of the partnership, L.L.Bean is donating $100,000 to Kahan’s The Busyhead Project, an initiative aimed at helping to end the stigma around mental health.

“I grew up wearing my brother’s Bean Boots, so the brand has always been a part of my life,” says Kahan. “Wearing L.L.Bean makes me feel like I’m outside, even if I’m not, and this is important because going outside is self-care for me, especially when it comes to my mental health.”

A match made in history

These particular boots distinguish themselves in a few different ways. The air-mesh comfort lining features an exclusive print, a duck-festooned New England nature scene. The badge on the tongue IDs the collab and features an illustration of Penny.

Most notably, however, the upper is made of waxed canvas. With roots reaching back centuries — to when sailors discovered rubbing linseed into sailcloth made it more water-repellant, and later started cutting jackets out of the stuff — waxed canvas is one of the original performance materials.

noah kahan bean boots details — Duck details and a waxed canvas upper are two elements that stand out on this particular Bean Boot.

Interestingly enough, while Bean typically uses leather for the upper in its endless Bean boot varieties, waxed canvas is not entirely new to the brand’s footwear. The material is present in one version of the Maine Hunting Shoe the brand still carries.

The Maine Hunting Shoe is actually the original boot Leon Leonwood Bean himself created way back in 1912 — that evolved into the triple-needle-stitched, American-made Bean Boot that is so beloved today.

The new Kahan boot bears a strong resemblance to that product, but there are some key differences. The new boot is the more traditional Bean Boot height of 8 inches, versus the Maine Hunting Shoe’s 10, and it features the supportive steel shank common to all Bean boots.

The Maine Hunting Shoe lacks this element, which means you’ll feel it should you accidentally step on a fallen branch — but any nearby ducks will be less likely to hear it.

kahan bean boots lace-up — Like all Bean Boots, the Kahan edition features triple-needle stitching for big-time durability.

The real performance upside with the Kahan boot is that it not only has the standard waterproof bottom (with grippy chain-tread outsole), but also having waxed canvas up top should provide some extra protection in particularly wet conditions.

On outdoor adventures, your feet will stay a little bit drier and warmer should you be out on a boat, caught in a rainstorm or, in a more urban scenario, navigating a particular deep puddle.