Alvies vs Tecovas: An Honest Comparison From the Alvies Side

Two Austin boot brands, a year apart. This comparison uses only what each brand publishes about itself.

Alvies is part of the Bespoke Western house, so this comparison is not neutral — read it knowing that going in. We are comparing only what both brands publish about themselves, and where Tecovas has not stated something publicly, we are leaving it out rather than guessing.

Where are they from?

Alvies started in Austin, Texas in 2014, and Tecovas followed in 2015 with a team based in Austin. Alvies came first, founded in 2014 by Alvie Faulkenbery IV with co-founder Clay Sexton. The first boot Alvie designed, according to The Lamar's product copy, was based on the premium cowhide boots he most often saw his grandfather wearing; he later inherited them, and at over 40 years old they still look great. That idea, that a well-built boot can be resoled and handed down instead of thrown away, became the founding insight behind the brand. Alvies started selling boots out of an Airstream in Austin; it was acquired by 2 the Moon Ventures, the venture firm behind Bespoke Western, in May 2025, and the announcement said Alvies would "continue to operate independently under its current leadership." Tecovas followed in 2015, founded by Paul Hedrick, and has built its business selling direct online and through its own retail stores.

How are the boots built?

Every Alvies boot is Goodyear welted and handcrafted in León, Mexico, per alvies.com's FAQ. A Goodyear welt is a leather strip stitched to the upper and the insole, and then to the outsole — a construction method that lets a cobbler resole the boot instead of retiring it. That is the same construction detail behind the "resole it for life" idea Alvies was built on. Tecovas describes its own process differently: it says each boot is "made in over 200 steps — by hand," and that for its dress boots "the journey begins deep in the heart of León, Mexico," per its own story page. Tecovas' own Help Center says its boots are built with ¾ Goodyear welt construction, so welt type is not what separates the two on paper.

Warranty and returns

Alvies publishes a limited lifetime warranty on its boots. Its own FAQ puts it bluntly: asked whether it offers a lifetime guarantee, the answer on alvies.com is "Hell yeah we do." Alvies publishes the terms on its own warranty page: it covers manufacturing defects in materials and workmanship for the original owner, and it does not cover sole or heel wear. Tecovas' Help Center states that items in unworn, unwashed and unused condition can be returned within 30 days of receipt. Tecovas' Help Center says it offers a 12-month limited warranty on items its warranty team deems defective. For purchases made through bespokewestern.com, the house's own return terms live at the refund policy page rather than on Alvies' own site.

Sizes and widths

Alvies boots sold on bespokewestern.com run in men's D and EE widths, with women's boots currently stocked in B. Several men's styles are stocked up to size 15; there is no size 16 on the site today. Alvies' own try-on guide says the boots are designed with a wider toe box, that a boot's width is the part that breaks in the most (so it can feel tighter than other areas at first), and that a little heel slip — roughly a quarter to a half inch — is completely normal in a new pair. Tecovas publishes its own fit guide on its own site, with its own guidance for its own lasts. We are not drawing a size equivalence between the two brands here, and we would not recommend anyone else do it either — a size in one brand is not a promise of the same fit in another, no matter how close the two companies sit geographically or historically.

Price

Alvies boots on bespokewestern.com vary in price depending on the leather and style — cowhide styles like The Lamar, The Comal, and The Shoal Creek sit at the lower end, while styles in rarer leathers, like The 6th Street in python, run higher. We do not cite Tecovas prices here.

Which should you choose?

If a lifetime warranty on manufacturing defects (original owner, no sole or heel wear) and men's width options up to EE matter to you, Alvies covers that ground on paper. If you already own a pair of Tecovas and are deciding whether to add a pair from the house, the fair way to compare is the same for anyone: look at what each brand actually publishes about welt construction, warranty terms, width options, and price, rather than relying on general reputation. We are not issuing a verdict on which boot is better made or more comfortable — that call depends on your foot, your budget, and your hands on both pairs, and no comparison page can make it for you honestly.

Where to go next

• Shop Alvies boots
• The Lamar
• The Comal
• The Shoal Creek
• Tecovas alternatives across the house
• Your first cowboy boots: the complete beginner's guide

Sources: alvies.com FAQ, alvies.com/pages/how-to-try-on-your-boots, tecovas.com Help Center, tecovas.com/pages/our-story.

More from the house

• Alvies
• Alvies Boots: Who They Are and What to Buy First
• Best Cowboy Boots Under $500 That Last
• Cowboy Boots for Wide Feet and High Insteps
• Are Tecovas Boots Worth It? Comfort Yes, Wear Mixed
• Tecovas vs Ariat vs Lucchese: Price, Build, Terms