LL Bean Boots have landed

 

LL Bean Boots have landed:

LL Bean boots have landed - I have been considering buying a pair of these for a while now and have just never done it.  Mostly because even when on frequent sale on the LL Bean website with the addition of shipping and German customs I couldn't justify the expenditure.  However, while re-considering my options and perhaps looking for an EU-based retailer from whom I could buy them I came across the London Store located in Napoli, Italy of all places, that were running clearance on these!  The price was practically a steal (70% discount off the normal €100 price!) and having done a bit of due diligence (checking that they had a legit website, that they accepted PayPal, and that they had an actual retail location [confirmed on Google Maps]), I decided that I would give them a try.  Well, I have to tell you that their service turned out to be great.  The boots arrived to me here in Germany in about a week and the Proper LL Bean Box and all correct documentation.  I couldn't be happier about how the whole transaction worked out.  

So much so, that after consulting with the wife, we decided to order her a pair as well (hers are the ones with blue rubber uppers).  I will say that up to now, my wife had never been a fan of these 'ducky boots' but I think after here first wear, providing great comfort, I think that she is coming around.

Sizing - One word of caution - these boots run large, so if like me, you wear a men's US11, order the US10.  The size chart on the London Store Website already has the sizes correctly adjusted for European sizes so I just ordered the EU size 44 and they fit me perfectly.  My wife normally wears an EU 41 and we ordered that size for her off the London Store website and she is happy with the fit.  

Comfort - The upper leather shaft section starts off pretty stiff but will break in fairly quickly after several Kilometers of dog walks in the local forest.  The padding, support, and general comfort of the lower rubber section and insoles are extremely good, my wife commented on this right away and she is used to wearing some pretty high-end Agile Wellington boots when she expects to encounter muddy conditions.  

These boots are the Originals with no special lining or insulation and are 8" tall boots which I think is a great height for most conditions.  So far I have not had the opportunity to wear them in the snow, so I can't say for certain, but I'm thinking that with some thick wool socks, they will prove plenty warm.  Actually, I think that while breaking them in, at least, thick boot socks are the way to go on these boots.  I will try to update this after I have had the chance to wear them in some really wet, cold, and/or snowy conditions.

Foot stability - One issue that I was worried about is that as you can see in some of my photos, the heals on these boots are fairly narrow, so I had a concern about stability, but having worn them now on several occasions, this has so far not been an issue at all.  I tread through a lot of uneven ground, open fields, and ruddy paths while walking our Aussie shepherd and so far the bean boots have felt quite stable. One good thing that I have noticed is that the chain link style outsoles don't pick up much mud compared to other boots that I own.

The Unboxing - I'm only showing the unboxing of my Tan and Brown boots, as there was really no difference between the two other than the color of the rubber upper.  These don't come with a very fancy box, as one would expect of boots of this nature and price point.   One thing that I did appreciate was the hand-signed card enclosed with our boot saying who made them.  Mine were made by Deb and my wife's were made by Linda.  Thanks to both Deb and Linda for a job well done!

Having grown up and spent most of my adult life in Southern California, I never needed these great boots from LL Bean, However, I think the weather and general walking conditions here in Bavaria are perfect for them and so I'm glad that I have finally picked up a pair!

Here are some photos that I took of the wife's Blue and Tan boots and both of ours together.  They look cozie, don't they?

University Striped Wool Scarf by Ryder & Amies

University Striped Wool Scarf by Ryder & Amies

College Striped Wool Scarf by Ryder & Amies - I know that here in Germany at least, August hardly seems the right time to order a wool scarf, but it turns out (not surprisingly) that this is the slow season for ordering these from heritage university outfitter Ryder & Amies of Cambridge England and so inspired by some Ralph Lauren ads that I had recently seen, I found myself planning ahead for once and designing my new favorite University striped scarf on the super Ryder & Amies website.  

The Design Process:

The design and order process is really so much fun to do and I have to say that in August at least, their turnaround time is astonishing - from the time of order to its arrival in my mailbox in less than a week!  With 6 stripe patterns and 24 colors to choose from, the number of possible combinations is massive, so it's very unlikely that unless one orders one of their pre-designed university school patterns, you are unlikely to NOT have a one-of-a-kind item.  Best of all, as you can see below, their prices are beyond reasonable for a custom item!

Choose a Scarf Pattern

 A £42

 B £42

 C £42

 D £42

 E £45

 F £45

The Inspiration:

My inspiration thanks to Ralph Lauren (I love the Cricket jumper too, but this will be the subject of another blog post):

The Results:

This is the second self-designed scarf that I have ordered from Ryder & Amies and as with the first (which you can see here), I couldn't be more happy with the results.  There are still a few companies out there that truly understand great value and customer service.  Ryder & Amies are top-shelf in this regard.

Love the Ryder & Amies heritage patch as well!

OK, I'm no Ralph Lauren model, but overall I think the results are satisfactory:

Hurricane II by Joseph Cheaney & Sons

 

Hurricane II by Joseph Cheaney & Sons

Hurricane II by Joseph Cheaney & Sons - I picked up these lovely boots from Joseph Cheaney & Sons back in 2021 and they quickly became my Fall winter boots of choice.  Made from a beautifully finish pebble-grained leather with their exclusive bronze rubb-off finish, they just look stellar right out of the box.  built on their military boot last, these feature plenty of room in the toe box to allow for heavier winter socks and great overall comfort.  

While these exact boots are not in current stock, I can testify to the overall quality of these boots, so much so that I've been very tempted to buy the same model boots in brown Kudu leather, which I have seen in person at the Joseph Cheany store in Covent Garden, London last month and only past on because I didn't have room in my carry-on to bring them home with my:-(

Anyway, perhaps I'm only making this post now because I'm slightly obsessing over getting the above boots.  

Anyway, back to my boots in Bronze Rub Off Grain Leather, which I love and which also take a really great mirror shine and generally look and wear amazingly great.  I am so looking forward to unpacking these with my tweeds and fall/winter wardrobe and taking them for a spin!

Here are some unboxing shots:

New Tyrolean Style Shoes in natural leather by Billy's & Co. x Anglan

(Please click on any photo to enlarge)

New Tyrolian Style Shoes in natural leather by Billy's & Co. 

New Tyrolean Style Shoes in natural leather by Billy's & Co. - When one thinks of Tyrolean Style shoes one thinks of Paraboots, Huschung (both from France), or even Wallabies by Clarks UK.  One place your mind wanders would not generally be South Korea.  However, I had been looking for a good pair of Tyrolean style shoes and happened on an article on Heddles blog as was intrigued and not a little impressed with both the quality of these shoes by Billy's & Co. and also the very reasonable pricing.  Sold through the Anglan website (also Korean).

Last month I received these Tyrolean-style shoes made by Billy's & Company and wore them almost exclusively on a brief trip to Lago di Garda, Italy a couple of weeks ago.  I must say that am very impressed with their build quality.  They are very heavily built with leather soles and stacked heals and with Vibran Eton studded outsoles.  Based on my experience with these so far, I fully expect them to last for many years.

Ednam Estate Check Flat Cap from Lochcarrin Scotland

Ednam Estate Check Flat Cap from Lochcarrin Scotland - It has certainly been a while since I posted on this old blog, but I've got a few items that I recently acquired that I would like to share. First up is my newly arrived cap from Lochcarron of Scotland in a beautifully woven Ednam Estate Check that I just love. I had purchased several ties in various Tartans and Estate Checks a couple of years ago and I my favorite was in the Ednam Estate Check, so when I realized that they also offered the same pattern in a great-looking flat cap, I couldn't resist.  This is my first cap from Lochcarron, but given the overall quality, it certainly won't be my last..

About Lochcarron:

With a heritage dating back to 1892, Lochcarron of Scotland is the world’s leading manufacturer of tartan. Proudly Made in Scotland by skilled craftsmen and women who design, dye, warp, weave, mend and tailor our Scottish tartans and textiles. A truly global brand with timeless appeal, Lochcarron of Scotland offers a unique authenticity and showcases the very best of Scottish textiles.