Tecovas Dean 2021 Boot Review

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• Tecovas, the “Warby Parker of cowboy boots” offers great products at affordable prices.
• The Dean zip ankle boots combine a classic western touch with rock’n’roll panache.
• The company’s boots are handcrafted in León, the heart of Mexico’s famous boot industry.

Paul Hedrick, the founder and CEO of Tecovas, the leading brand of western boots aimed directly at consumers, has a simple goal. “We want to be the best western shoe company ever,†he said. Initiated in a recent interview.

“I wanted to design boots that would appeal to the longtime boot wearer as well as the newcomer,†he said. Hedrick believed he could achieve this by reaching “the sweet spot for making beautiful boots, generally universally attractive, more comfortable and above all at a better price”.

It appears that Tecovas achieved this goal by selling their handcrafted boots well below the price of high-end offerings from brands like Lucchese and Tony Lama, without sacrificing quality. The boots are all made in León, the heart of Mexico’s famous leather shoe industry, where artisans go through 200 stages to create Tecovas’ boots.

They have just launched their first collaboration, a collection of Made In products, an Austin kitchen utensil brand. The collection features a special colourway from Tecovas’ latest release, the Knox, a wedge string with a one-inch Vibram outsole, treated cowhide upper and double footbed.

I’m testing the brand’s The Dean, a cowboy-style zipped ankle boot that combines western flair with rock’n’roll panache. In addition to its clean look, the versatility of the boot seduced me.

First impressions

Like all Tecovas boots, the Dean is handcrafted in Mexico using traditional methods and materials. This includes hand-laid string – the design pattern found on many cowboy boots – and Goodyear piping, which allows for easy resoling.

The Dean boots are made from a buttery soft full grain calfskin. They are also lined with leather and have a zipper on the inside to prevent the metal from irritating your ankles. The Dean’s have thin uppers, which means you don’t need bootcut jeans to fit your pant legs over them. They have 1 1/4 inch stacked leather heels with a rubber cap for traction.

Dean is available in two colors: Bourbon, a rich brown; or Midnight, a stunning black. They adapt to the size and break easily. On my second wear they were comfortable enough for a four mile walk through town.

When unpacked, the Dean boots had that rich and distinctive leather scent. There was no strange chemical smell or the smell of glue that you sometimes find with cheap boots. The zippers are strong and close easily. The finish is impressive.

Dean Zipper boots are very versatile in terms of style. They look as stylish with jeans, a t-shirt and a leather jacket as they do with a suit.

Disadvantages to consider

There is nothing wrong with these boots, at least none that I can find after several weeks of heavy use.

The bottom line

Tecovas offers a wide range of sizes in both men’s and women’s styles, including the full width EE; a nice variety of leathers, from caiman to sand shark; and free delivery, returns and exchanges. They can go hand in hand with the premium boots from old guard brands like Lucchese, Tony Lama and Justin, and cost less. Dean boots cost $ 255 and are worth the price, considering the quality of the materials and workmanship.