Cowboy boots are rooted in function and iconic style making them a staple article of clothing for many people’s wardrobe both here and far.
To be truthful, Tecovas makes a decent boot. As good as Lucchese, Rio of Mercedes or some other big names? From my experience I would have to say no. Especially when you get to the higher priced pairs, but even when you grab a lower cost boot, you are getting more than just a name in my opinion.
The cowboy boot is an extremely powerful object which can evoke strong feelings in western culture. If you own a pair, you know that a pair is intimately linked to it’s owner. A pair of cowboy boots represents a hero. A person with a strong work ethic. A person that is polite. Also, a person that could may have an “outlaw” type quality, but cool at the same time. All of these feelings and emotions can and are represented in a person’s pair of favorite cowboy boots.
Below I would like to talk to you why I prefer my name brand Rios of Mercedes and Lucchese cowboy boots to a pair of Tecovas. I really don’t want to bash another boot, but just to give you a little insight at why I prefer these name brands to this “new style” of mass marketed boot.
Name Brand vs. The Stereotype Of Name Brand
Name brand can be a good thing and of course it can be a bad thing. To be honest, there is a big difference between certain products when it comes to name brand vs. a generic type brand. These days I think you can see a lot of those differences in a pair of boots. I know it sounds a little “Boujee” or stuck up to flaunt a name brand, but a handmade pair of cowboy boots usually means so much to the person wearing them, they are legitimately proud to show them off. I have mentioned in previous articles that a pair of handmade cowboy boots are treated by their owners like a piece of art. These aren’t a pair of Nikes that go out of style in 6 months. A name like Lucchese or Tony Lama can bring up a wide range of emotions that the boot wearer is not only proud of, but make him or her reflect on the culture they grew up around.
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What I Don’t Like About Tecovas
Shoddy Materials?
Tecovas uses heel counter materials that are not leather, so it may not last as long. Also, the shank is dipped in plastic and has the potential to crack and cause squeaking in the future. The leather outsole has been said to be of a lesser quality so you may need to get them resoled sooner. They still may not cause any issues in the future and chances are you may be fine if using for just casual wear. I’ve heard some models of Luchesse (key point is “heard”) also cut corners in some manufacturing and the Mexican made ones are not nearly as good as the US made cowboy boots for the reasons I mentioned above as well.
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Not Made In The USA
Sorry, but not sorry. Yes Tecovas are designed in the U.S., but are made in Leon, Mexico. Sorry, I will pay a couple extra bucks for a pair of cowboy boots made in the USA.
The Fit
I have seen other peoples reviews about Tecovas boots. Some good, some bad and that is to be expected with any product. I did try a pair on and I wasn’t very pleased with the fit up around the top of my foot which caused way too much heel slip. I went a size down and that didn’t fix the problem. I guess they just weren’t made for me.
What I Like About The Name Brands I’ve Mentioned
In my opinion name brand boots are more resilient and durable not to mention more comfortable. I’m not only talking about the high prices models of Lucchese and other, but the lower cost styles of those big name brands.
I think I have come to the conclusion that there are 3 types of cowboy boots out there. Cheapy cheap boots that I won’t even mention any names, generic type boots which I would fit Tecovas, Cuero boots, and others into. And then high end boots such as the boots we talk about here at We Heart like Stallion, Rios Of Mercedes, Tony Lama, etc…
| Men’s Name Brand Boots At A Great Price! | ||
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| Black Jack Exclusive Ranch Hand Brown Burnished Boots – $395 | Rios of Mercedes Men’s Chocolate Mad Cat Goat Boots – $495 | Tony Lama Signature Series Midnight Mont Blanc Boots – $299.99 |
| Click Here – Black Jack Exclusive Ranch Hand Brown Burnished Boots | Click Here – Rios of Mercedes Men’s Chocolate Mad Cat Goat Boots | Click Here – Tony Lama Signature Series Midnight Mont Blanc Boots |
Little things like fine intricate handcrafting, stitching and exotic materials used to make name-brand boots give them a signature style that you just can’t get from a pair of Tecovas.
Name brands and Leather covered soles – A brand like Tony Lama offers leather soles for almost every model / style of their boots. These have a higher durability than rubber-covered ones. A leather upper is often bonded strongly with a leather sole since leather bonds to leather very well.
The Quality of leather used in Name Brand Boots – It’s not even close! Leather quality is graded whether it is skin from an exotic animal like kangaroo, alligator, snake or whatever (even calf), the graded leather used by Lucchese, Rios of Mercedes or the other big name brands is far better than what is used by Tecovas. Tecovas will go out and find the cheapest leather out there so they can stick to their price point. No thank you!
| Women’s Name Brand Boots At A Great Price! | ||
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| Old Gringo Women’s Sintra Oryx Boots – $265 | Lucchese Women’s Catalina 6” Floral Booties – $295 | Lucchese Patsy 13″ Tan Mad Dog Cowboy Boots – $395 |
| Click Here – Old Gringo Women’s Sintra Oryx Boots | Click Here – Lucchese Women’s Catalina 6” Floral Booties | Click Here – Lucchese Patsy 13″ Tan Mad Dog Cowboy Boots |
Who is actually making your boot? Well at places like Lucchese and Rios of Mercedes, it’s the same craftsman that have been there for years handcrafting boots stitch by stitch. These are the best cowboy boot craftsman in the entire world. Not much else that needs to be said about that.
I’ve always been a “Made in the USA” type of person, now more than ever. So I guess that is one strike against Tecovas boots. But hey, this is America and you get 3 strikes before you’re out. Something like that anyway. They are a decent boot and if you’re not really into boots like some people, then I guess they are okay. In reality, a lot of people look at cowboy boots as a work of art. From the style, to the hand craftsmanship, to the quality materials they use and last and not least, the name the boots represent. When it comes down to it, I’m more of a “quality over quantity” type person.
Why should you be wearing a pair of name brand boots like Lucchese, Rios of Mercedes, Tony Lama, Stallion, etc…?
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These handcrafted western boot brands are made in America for men, women, and children. Made from the finest materials by the best boot craftsman in the business. There are plenty of styles, colors and types of leathers to choose from so you don’t have to worry about limited selections. If you’re a boot lover and want something better than Tecovas or some other lower quality boot, you need to be looking at places like Pinto Ranch!
It’s Your Money, Do What You Want With It
As the title says, it’s your money, do what yo want with it. A pair of Tecovas might be exactly what you are looking for. Wear them once in a blue moon out to a country bar or something and take some line dance lessons. They may last you 5 or 6 years that way. If you are wearing a boot more than once a week, I would suggest getting something a little better. Check out Pinto Ranch’s selection of top names like Tony Lama, Rios Of Mercedes, Lucchese, etc… What every you are looking for, guy or girl, they will have the highest quality boot money can buy. They also have a great selection of western wear and accessories. Basically a one stop shop for your inner country!
I do want to emphasize that I don’t think Tecovas makes a bad boot. It’s a decent boot for certain types of people. But I will say there is no way they are in the league of the brands I’ve mentioned several times here today. Don’t let their multi million dollar advertising budget fool you.
“Tecovas will go out and find the cheapest leather out there so they can stick to their price point”. What is this statement based and or cited from?
I personally own some Tecovas and the quality, detail, and leather is amazing. Time will tell on the leather soles lasting and I can compare that to the Lucchese boots that will soon be arriving. In regards to the fit of the boot, I did experience a heel slip when I tried them on. I was fortunate enough to be at a Tecovas store to try on another pair of the same style. Because these boots are hand made and no two pair are truly the same, you may experience a better fit should you return them (free service for Tecovas). When I tried on another pair of the same style, true to form the boot felt like it was made just for me.
I think the argument that a boot being made in the USA is of better quality can be a flawed point when it comes to traditional boot making. Leon, Mexico and several other areas within the country of Mexico are known for making the best boots using skilled hand-making techniques. It’s kind of like saying that wine made in California is better than wine produced in Italy or France simply because it’s USA produced.
From boot experts!
Just wanted to inform you but the brands you mentioned that make boots in the USA were strategically placed at border towns from the beginning due to skilled labor from Mexico (Skilled labor NOT found in the USA). A local custom bootmaker in my area came from big brand factory, he’s a bootmaker/shoemaker by family trade and let me know MOST factory workers are Mexican nationals whom cross the border every day to work at the big brand factories, they get paid far less than american nationals at other shoe factories like Allen Edmonds, or Alden. The workers you speak of that have been there for decades is not accurate as they bounce from factory to factory depending who will pay them more, or employ them for the season. The use of Mexican labor is true for Tony Lama, Lucchese, and Rios De Mercedes. There are very few makers whom are American national made and they’re prices HUGELY reflect this. (AKA Custom bootmakers starting at $1500+). Anyways are their higher end lines better than Tecovas? Hell yeah, of course. But they are also significantly more money than Tecovas. Whether that is worth the price increase, that is up to the individual to decide.
I do realize that, but when I was talking about the people that have been their for decades, I was refering to mainly the “designers” and not the laborers. Mexico has some great bootmakers and highly skilled workers.
I refuse to do business with any company that is dishonest with their reviews. I sent back my boots even when I realized that they will not post reviews from verified buyers that are less than 4/5 stars. I left an honest review with pictures showing the discrepancy in marked sizes. It was not mean spirited or over the top. I did not bash the company at all but still it was not posted. When I called to ask why they had not published the review, they said that the department that reviews the reviews has not yet gotten to it, even though there were other reviews posted with dates after mine. I believed this for a week, then I called back in 3 weeks and got the same answer. It has now been 2 and a half months and multiple reviews have been posted for the same boots that I bought but mine was never posted. This was not an issue of them not seeing I was a customer as I bought both pair of boots directly from them.
I will never do business with this company again as a result. This is a dishonest practice and I am really surprised to see this company doing such things.
Sorry to hear that, but this website doesn’t represent one individual website, we review brands and certain styles of those brands. I would love to know what company you are referring to? I have heard nothing but good things about the companies and the products that we have written about. Please let me know who in particular you are talking about. I’m all about telling the truth and letting our viewers know about any dishonest practices!
Interesting opinion. I have a number of Lucchese and Tony Llama boots as well as a few Tecovas. Bought the Tecovas after watching a few youtube videos from cobblers who have resoled them. Taken them apart and did an honest comparison to other more established boots. These were honest opinions from people who ought to know what makes a quality boot. Obviously there is a big difference between a 500 dollar pair of boots an a boot that costs north of 1k. And there should be. Both Lucchese and Tony Llama have boots in the 400 to 800 range. When comparing apples to apples I’ve found Tecovas to be a good value and doesn’t give anything away to the others. As long as you’re in the same price range Tecovas boots are just as good as my Tony Llamas or Lucchese boots. Only time will tell if I’m right. I’ve had my Lucchese’s for almost 30yrs.
Most of the quality boots you mentioned are made in china and vietnam
Incorrect, most I mentioned are made in Texas, some in Mexico.