Tecovas Cowboy Boot Guide for City Slickers: Find Your Pair | GQ

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The direct-to-consumer menswear boom has come and gone with more disappointments than genuine delights. But of the many millennial-branded upstarts that have risen in the modern era, Tecovas—a label established in the mid-2010s with headquarters in Austin, Texas—is one of the very few honest-to-goodness brands we can get behind.

By using time-honored techniques, quality materials, and employing the craftsmanship of true shoemaking artisans, Tecovas cowboy boots have become one of the most popular and respected offerings in the western footwear space. That’s no small feat when you’re up against storied cowboy boots brands like Lucchesse and Tony Lama. But through shrubs, thorns, and unruly varmints, the brand made a big bet on tackling a niche corner of the fashion market, and it's paid off.

There’s a handful of components that make up cowboy style, but if there’s a single garment that best distills the western aesthetic, it’s a pair of cowboy boots. They’re the ambassador of the gunslingin’, bronco-ridin’, cattle-ropin’ style. Though a snappy western shirt, or a metal-tipped western belt bring a lot of western flavor to the table, it’s the boots that truly push your outfit into yee-haw territory.

So if you’re looking to giddy up to a more western way of dressing, start with Tecovas. Even when you narrow it down to a single brand, the breadth of options is overwhelming, especially if you’re starting from zero. Below, we break down our favorite styles and a few important tips and considerations on finding your first (but surely not last) pair.

Take Me To: Tips for Buying Cowboy Boots | How Should Cowboy Boots Fit?

Tecovas’ traditional cowboy boots sit at approximately 12 inches tall and come run the gamut in terms of silhouette and price points. They range from chill, monotone colorways spare of excessive details to two-tone varieties with clashing colors and ornate stitching.

While all the styles are exploring, we're partial to the Cartwright, which we anoint as the best cowboy boot for most folks thanks to its hand-laid cording at the shaft, a resoleable Goodyear-welt construction, and a slew of colors and leathers to choose from, including genuine cowhide and goat leather.

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Designed for cattle roping, the roper boot is a shorter boot that stands about 10 inches tall and with a shorter, straight heel, as opposed to the angled “Cuban” heels of many other cowboy boots. The shorter shaft of the roper means a smaller canvas for the ornate decorative stitching of taller cowboy boots, so they’re often more pared-back by comparison. With a more humble stature and reserved design, ropers are less intimidating and an easier way to dip your toes into cowboy boots. Think of them as the gateway cowboy boot.

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While most cowboy boots are meant to be pulled on, these are meant to be zipped in. Zip boots retain the characteristic shape of the cowboy boot from the toe to the top of the shaft, but have an added zipper to help things move along. They’re usually shorter than a roper and feel even less like boots you’d see on a cowboy and more like boots you’d see on a rockstar.

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The brand’s horseman boots can reach heights up to 13.5” and are made expressly for horseback riding. With tall, angled heels to help keep the rider’s feet stable in the stirrups, tough bison or bullhide leather to handle spurs, and pull holes at the top of the shaft for easy donning, these are a rider’s best friend.

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They may not take up much space in Tecovas’ roster, but there’s a smattering of cowboy-style work boots in the mix. Each of these styles features beefy rubber soles with pronounced lugs for extra grip or a thick wedge sole for superior support and comfort, each with the Vibram stamp of quality. On top of that, each of these work boots comes with a removable, comfy insole, plus water-resistant hides and weatherproofed seams to keep moisture out.

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Looking at all the cowboy boot options can feel like looking at a litter of puppies. They’re all handsome, but difficult to tell apart at first. Here are all the details you should consider before picking up your first pair. The three most important aspects to consider are materials, toe shape, and sole type.

Getting the right size is imperative, especially when you’re considering a pair of cowboy boots. The widest part of the toebox should feel comfortably snug, but shouldn’t pinch your toes. You should have enough room to slip your heel into the boot, without too much slippage. It’s fine if there’s a bit of heel lift, but not so much that the boot could fall off.

Order a half-size down if there’s too much heel lift or if you’re in-between sizes. Order a half-size up if your toes are feeling cramped or if you have a high instep or high arch.