We take our gear seriously at F&S, whether it be for hunting, fishing, or camping. Our selections are based on many factors, like quality, price, and purpose—just to name a few. But sometimes there’s more to a fishing jacket or hunting knife than what you see.
Through my years of covering the best outdoor gear, I’ve discovered some really cool brands with some really cool stories doing some really cool things. In our new “Behind the Brand” interview series, we are telling those stories through the words of the founders themselves.
Paul Hedrick was into cowboy boots before cowboy boots were cool. Even when he left his home state of Texas for downtown Manhattan, he still wore his trusty pair to the office of the private equity firm where he worked. So, it only made sense that when he decided to venture out on his own, Paul went into something he had long been a consumer of: the boot business.
We sat down with the Tecovas founder to chat about how he turned a one-man operation in his apartment into arguably the most popular Western boot brand today. So popular, in fact, that—like Yeti or Stanley—Tecovas has basically become a noun. In our interview, Paul shared the unique stories behind the boots' names and walked us through how each pair is made by hand by artisans in Mexico. He even picked out his top three Tecovas—which is impressive, given that the man owns over 80 pairs of boots. Yes, really.
Field & Stream: Tell us about growing up in Texas. What was that like?
Paul Hedrick: I'm born and raised Texan. I grew up in Houston and went to elementary through high school in Dallas. I loved growing up in Texas. I was pretty lucky to be raised in a great neighborhood, where we all played a lot outside. It's where I learned to fish at Little Perch Pond, and I still love fishing today.
I was a pretty nerdy kid. I was a bookworm who loved getting lost in fictional worlds. My other passion was art and drawing. When I was a kid, I wanted to be a cartoonist and later an architect. So I fell in love with design pretty early on, although I didn't do anything with it for a while.
How did those passions turn into Tecovas?
The birth of Tecovas was both a personal journey and a business opportunity.
On the personal side: I went to college and worked really hard. I did everything I thought I was supposed to do. I even ended up getting what I thought was my dream job twice in a row, first as a management consultant and then later with a private equity firm.
That was over a decade ago in 2012. I knew I wanted to work in brands and products for the rest of my life.
I had this amazing high-paying job. But I didn't really feel like I was on the right path. I didn't feel that sense of joy every day. And then I applied to two business schools and got rejected. That sealed the deal.
I decided to zig when everyone else was zagging. That's the day I decided to become an entrepreneur.
What made you decide on boots?
I'm really passionate about cowboy boots—always have been. I was into them as a kid and got back into them in college. I was actually wearing them almost every day to the office in Connecticut and Manhattan.
I also love country music, and I love being from Texas. My friends and I would throw a lot of Texas theme parties and we'd go see our favorite country artists whenever they were in New York. I was almost living a double life.
So when I was thinking about industries to dig into, the first one I could think of was was cowboy boots. And man, I basically fell down a rabbit hole.
I was a buyer, but I was never an expert on boots. But I fell in love learning about them, about how they're made and how they're sold.
I got a peek behind the curtain of the industry and I became more and more convinced that there was a massive gap in the market. I figured a new brand could fill that gap, and why not me?
What was that gap?
It was two fold. First, could you create an amazing high quality brand that didn't feel unapproachable? And then, could you change the way that people thought about buying cowboy boots and how they buy cowboy boots?
I wanted to do both with one brand, which was a big goal. But I wanted it all. I wanted the best quality, the most comfortable, the most versatile, and the best value.
There was no one else selling boots direct to consumer on the internet. It was becoming clear that having a digital-first strategy was the best way to reach national scale. So 10 years ago, I took all that, quit my job, and got to work on the brand.
What were the early days of Tecovas like?
We launched in fall of 2015. I basically pressed go by myself in my apartment in Austin and we sold our first boots over the internet in October 2015, mostly to my friends and family.
What was the first boot you came out with?
I launched with two men's and two women's boots. I wanted to have a relatively "complete" collection. I didn't know what the future line-up would look like, but I wanted the first year to be focused on the classics. We focused on the silhouettes I thought were the most timeless and the leathers anyone could pretty much wear anywhere.
My goal on day one was to design the perfect cowboy boot (the Cartwright), the perfect roper boot (the Earl), the perfect cowgirl boot (the Jamie), and the perfect western bootie (the Penny). Three of those were dogs of mine and one of them was my buddy Cartwright. My old pal from Austin is forever emblazoned on our shelves.
How did you come up with the name Tecovas?
I wanted a name that was unique and Texan. And it had to feel right. I wanted something unusual we could own and that you wouldn't know how to pronounce at first. We were honestly looking for obscure Texas references. And we discovered the Tecovas formation. It's a geological formation in the Palo Duro Canyon, which would be the country's Grand Canyon if the actual Grand Canyon didn't exist.
It's timeless and beautiful and stunning and unless you were a geologist, you've never heard the word before.
What was your main goal when you started the brand?
During my research, I found that a lot of people I talked to were intimidated by boots, even if they had them. The shopping experience can be a little overwhelming. I wanted to make boots anyone could buy, whether you're buying your 100th pair or your first. They had to be really high quality—the best boots in your closet—but also approachable.
What was your process for designing the boots?
I'm not really a trained designer, but I could draw. So I drew a lot of stuff on paper and translated it into digital files. I just hammered through it.
I drew the first designs—which are still on our best-selling cowboy boots today—in a notebook and flew them down to Leon, Mexico where we make them.
How and where are Tecovas boots made?
Everything you see on the shelf today is still made in Leon, Mexico. It's a global hub for boots—some of the factories there have been operating since the early 1900s. These people are certainly the experts.
Tecovas boots are all made by hand. The creation of just one pair takes over 200 steps and maybe 100 people end up getting involved. The boots are created with a process called Goodyear welting, where you create the upper first, then you stitch a welt along the outside of the outsole and then stitch an outsole on top of that. It's a pretty amazing process to watch.
What I like about boots is that there is always a story. Most people have a personal story about their boots, whether they inherited them or they discovered them in Austin or Nashville or bought them for a memorable event. But what I love about our boots is that they also have a story about how they're made.
Do you personally own a pair of boots with a good story?
Man, I only wear Tecovas, and with every pair of boots I have, I remember exactly when and where I got them. The pairs that are most special to me are the ones that were from a big moment in the business, whether it was the first exotic boot we made or the first Cartwright.
How many boots do you own?
I have a closet full. I think there's like 80 pairs in there right now. I probably need to clean it out.
What makes a Tecovas boot unique?
There are some amazing boot brands out there. One of the most important parts of developing a brand is making sure you shine on your own.
We pride ourselves on being the best combination of quality, comfort, and style on the market. Our goal is to make the best boots out there. Period. What's also unique about us is we shoot people straight on price. We're not marking up our boots to the moon.
What are your top three favorite pairs of Tecovas boots?
My personal favorite is the Cartwright, which I mentioned a number of times. It's the original cowboy boot, and it's our most timeless design. I've worn them the most.
I've got a couple that I've re-soled. I've actually got one pair being re-soled right now for the second time. So it's on its third life.
I love the Dillon, which is named after my childhood chocolate Lab. It's probably my favorite boot to wear for special occasions. It's sharp and comfortable and always draws compliments. It's got this amazing caiman belly hide that's pretty striking.
I wear the Knox a lot. It's probably our most comfortable boot. It's built with a removable comfort footbed and a wedge sole. It's the one I wear on all my longest trips, when I'm doing the most airport walking, whether I'm going to Europe or Asia. It's kind of seen the whole world.
I have to throw in an honorable mention for the Annie. I don't wear it because it's for women, but it's been the most incredible boot for our business. It's our best-selling boot by a pretty good margin.
It's just this perfect cowgirl boot that we didn't come out with until 2019. But it's become a mainstay and now we make it in all kinds of colors. It's usually the boot we're doing really fun designs on every spring and fall. And it's definitely the one most women gravitate toward when they're entering the brand.
What's next for Tecovas?
This year, we're focused on what we do best: launching great new boots and opening some amazing new retail store locations all over the country. We have 32 stores open today and that's been an amazing part of our experience and our growth.
It's probably a lot of people's favorite part of the brand. You can come in and have an amazing fitting experience. We've got free alcohol, free boot shines, and free branding in all of our stores. So we're really leaning into the experience this year.
We've got some major launches coming this fall. So I would just say stay tuned.
Last question, and it's a fun one. Given your love of Texas and country music, who are your favorite country artists right now?
Oh my gosh, my list is too long. On my all-time list, I have to put Robbie Keane Robert O, Ken Lyle Lovett, and George Strait. On the current list, I have to put Charles Wesley, Godwin, Shane Smith, and Zach Bryan.
I love Morgan, of course. I've met him a few times and he's an amazing dude. And he's just a killer star, so I'll throw him on the list. Maybe I'll throw Eric Church on the list, too, in case he's listening and watching. He is an awesome dude.
Any famous last words?
I think we have a pretty awesome mission statement. Our mission is to steward the next generation of Western and I love it because it packs a lot in there. We're in an era where Western is finally fully part of the American diaspora of style and culture. People are more interested in it now than ever, and I think it's pretty amazing.
It's here to stay and we're proud to be on the forefront of it all.
