Tecovas is the youngest house on the Boots floor by more than a century, and it sells to the man who has never bought a pair. That is not a criticism. Somebody has to explain the pull straps.
Where it started
Paul Hedrick founded Tecovas in 2015. By the company’s account, he looked at the western boot business and saw something hard to navigate, especially for first-time buyers, so he loaded a trunk with boots and sold them at farmers’ markets, local fairs and his old elementary school’s holiday fair.1 The company still designs every product in Austin, on the city’s east side.1
It has grown quickly since. Tecovas says it went from one man to more than 1,400 employees in ten years, and from a first flagship on South Congress to more than 50 stores across the country.1 The stores matter to fit: the brand’s own size guide begins by recommending you come in and try the boots on.2
How the boots are built
Tecovas says each boot is made in more than 200 steps, by hand, and that the process starts with the last. The house last has been refined over time to fit a wide range of feet.1 Inside, a three-layer insole encloses the shank for structure and support.1 The shaft, vamp and counter are finished in leathers the company describes as hand-selected.1
The dress boots are made in León, Mexico, where Tecovas says traditional hand leatherwork is passed from one generation to the next.1 The brand is open about the address, which we respect.
How Tecovas sizes
Read this part twice. Tecovas says its boots run true to standard U.S. sizing.3 For men, the brand recommends ordering the size you wear in dress shoes, and if you fall between sizes, the smaller of the two, because the leather gives and forms to the foot with wear.3 The fit guide repeats the rule: between sizes, order the smaller size.2
On fit at the try-on, Tecovas is specific:
- Toes should sit back from the top of the toe box with room to move. If they are cramped or touching, size up. The toe is reinforced to hold its shape, so it will not stretch to make room.3
- The ball of the foot should rest at the widest part of the boot.3
- The instep should feel snug but comfortable, “like a firm handshake.” If you struggle to get the boot on, or it pinches once it is on, go up a half size or choose a wider style.3
- Expect a quarter to a half inch of heel lift as you walk. No lift and rubbing at the back means size up; heel lifting out of the heel cup means size down.3
- For a high instep, Tecovas says many men find success going up one full size, though most of its boots are not explicitly built for high insteps.3
Widths
Tecovas cuts boots in D and EE. D is the average width; EE is half an inch wider than D.4 The brand suggests measuring the flat width across the ball of the foot, and if you fall between D and EE (an E), it recommends sizing up.4 Men who have always felt cramped in standard widths, or whose feet swell, are pointed toward EE.4
What to buy first
A first pair should be the boot you will wear on a Tuesday. Start with a brown or black cowhide western on a medium toe, in your dress-shoe size, in D unless your feet have told you otherwise for years. Once you know how the house last treats you, the exotics and the louder colors can wait their turn. If the counter is too quiet for you, Tecovas also cuts hats and belts and publishes fit guides for both.2
The Boots floor carries the Tecovas styles we have checked. Every buy goes through our link and the retailer is the seller.
Footnotes
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Our Story: Western Goods for New Frontiers, Tecovas. Checked 2026-10-21. ↩ ↩2 ↩3 ↩4 ↩5 ↩6 ↩7
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Fit Guides, Tecovas. Checked 2026-10-21. ↩ ↩2 ↩3
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How Should Cowboy Boots Fit?, Tecovas. Checked 2026-10-21. ↩ ↩2 ↩3 ↩4 ↩5 ↩6 ↩7
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D vs. EE-Width: Cowboy Boot Widths Explained, Tecovas. Checked 2026-10-21. ↩ ↩2 ↩3
