Beckett Simonon Morgen Trainer Review (GATs 5 Years Later)8 min read

My journey with Beckett Simonon goes way back, over 5 years to the date. I was browsing the Male Fashion Advice (MFA) subreddit one day and saw a sweet deal for a pair of German Army Trainers (GATs) called the Morgen Trainer.

I never owned a pair before and thought it was a cool alternative to the basic white trainer silhouette, a la Common Projects. and so I decided to pull the trigger, even though I knew I’d have to wait 3 months to get them.

The style and silhouette reminds me of my old Diesel sneakers I had way back in high school—with a similar look and feel w/ the navy, but a more flattering silhouette and the gumsole detail. I searched and couldn’t find any photos of them unfortunately.

In this comprehensive review, I’m going to quickly cover the brand and detail my experience with the Morgen Trainers over the years—the style & design, quality & craftsmanship, comfort & durability, shoe sizing, pros & cons—and finally the price to performance.

Beckett Simonon Morgen Trainers (GATs)

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If you need an introduction on Beckett Simonon here’s a quick rundown:

About Beckett Simonon

Beckett Simonon is an online only retailer that offers everything from dress shoes to boots and sneakers along with other men’s accessories. They currently operate on a made-to-order basis which means that they hold no inventory. Everything is manufactured in-house which allows for them to have control over their production, and also offer fair, ethical conditions to their craftspeople.

You place the order, they craft the goods, the middle man is cut out. And 3 months later (I know, it’s a long wait) you’ll have your shoes.

Beckett Simonon’s business model is crowd sourced and then delivered at wholesale prices.

» Quick note: If you’re enjoying this review, then you’ll probably like this Nike Internationalist Review too. 

My Experience with the Morgen Trainers

There are some differences between the original pair that I got 5 years ago and the updated version. For one, the blue pair is slightly narrower and is lower than the white pair. It’s a subtle difference, but noticeable, particularly while wearing them. 

My navy pair was actually more comfortable out of the box and the break-in period was much shorter than the white pair. That’s not to say the updated version is less comfortable now, it just takes a little longer to break them in. As of now though, both of the shoes are almost equally as comfortable.

The white pair’s shoe tongue still digs into my front foot a bit and can be slightly uncomfortable while wearing no-show socks, but it’s not a big deal and I usually forget about it after wearing them awhile.

» Related: You might like this long-term review of the Everlane Court Sneaker.

Now, let’s get into the style & design.

Style & Design

The German Army Trainer also known as the GAT is a unique and classic sneaker that has plenty of history that is best discussed for another article.

This iconic sneaker has a ubiquitous design that was actually first created with function, not fashion in mind as it was specially made and fit for soldiers of the German Army.

The GATs design makes this shoe style unmistakeable in the wild, with the rubber gumsole, leather strips along the shoe’s upper, suede detailing on the toe box (navy pair) and the aerodynamic silhouette. It certainly features a more prominent profile than the simpler Beckett Simonon Reid sneaker.

While the style is now fashionable as ever, no brand actually owns the design. Beckett Simonon’s Morgen Trainer resembles the classic German Army Trainer that many other brands offer.

The Beckett Simonon GATs look best with more casual and athleisure outfits, and they can even be dressed up with a casual blazer, but that’s about as far as I’d go in dressing them up.

Shop Morgen Trainers

» Related: Check out my Beckett Simonon Reid Sneaker Review. 

Quality & Craftsmanship

Are the Morgen Trainers a quality shoe? Let’s find out.

Leather Upper

The Morgen Trainers are sourced from a Gold-Rated tannery in Arzignano, Italy, made from full-grain calfskin leather. This rating is the highest level of recognition awarded by the Leather Working Group. And so you know that the leather quality is up to par.

There’s a difference between the white leather pair and the navy pair in that the white pair is visibly wider of the two and naturally has a wider lacing system. As for which one looks better, that’s a matter of personal preference.

I personally prefer the original navy pair’s slimmer, narrower silhouette slightly. And also worth noting is that the leather upper of the OG navy pair is slightly softer than the all leather white pair.

Lining & Insoles

The Beckett Simonon GATs are lined with Vachetta leather which is breathable and temperature regulating and so you can actually wear these kicks sockless if you choose, although I always prefer to wear no-shows with shoes like these. Both pairs have equally as soft shoe leather interiors.

The newer (white) pair has an elastic stretch band inside the shoe that aids in functionality and fit, although it doesn’t really make much of a difference in terms of how it wears compared to my navy pair.

I appreciate that the white GATs also have a removable cushioned leather insole while the navy GATs do not. Under the insole of the white pair is a hard cork foot bed that’s likely to mold to your feet over time.

Outsoles

The Morgen Trainer’s rubber outsoles contrast against the shoe’s leather. The gumsole is extra grippy and has a bit of shock absorption as well.

The rubber is quite durable and hasn’t worn down much over the past handful of years for my navy pair. I’ve had the white pair for a shorter duration, but the soles are still in great shape.

Laces

The shoe’s laces are waxed and thin. Easy to lace and once laced, they stay laced.

Check Morgen Trainer Price

» Readers’ Favorite: Adidas Stan Smith Review (A Forever Classic Sneaker?)

Comfort & Durability

Prior to this review, I’ve been wearing both the navy and white Morgen Trainers outside on the basketball court, shooting hoops. I find that this is a great way to test a shoe’s comfort and durability. 

As mentioned before, the original (navy) pair that I own is the more comfortable shoe, by a small margin and that’s only because of the elongated and stiffer shoe tongue on the white pair. Other than that though, both GATs are extremely comfortable to wear around all day. I’ve never gotten any blisters or crunched toes and foot pain wearing these sneakers which I can’t say the same for some others.

The shoe’s leather is quite durable, not much creasing on the leather at all, except for standard wear and tear that you’d expect over time. I’m not someone who beats up his shoes and so they don’t have any battle scars over the years. All in all, the shoes are comfortable to wear while playing basketball and so it passes the rigorous activity test.

Shop Morgen Trainers

Shoe Sizing

Beckett Simonon shoes generally run true to size. I got the 8s for both the white and navy GATs which is my ideal sneaker size for other brands like Nike, Adidas, Allbirds, Koio, Greats, Oliver Cabell, etc.

However, if they offered a 7.5, it’d be a better fit as the Beckett Simonon Morgen Trainers and my black Reids both run a little bit big on my feet. I’m surprised they still do not offer a 7.5 since they offer half sizes 8+.

It’s worth noting that the foam/leather insole does help to make the white pair more snug and slightly better fitting than the blue pair. Although overall, both shoes fit me just fine, especially when I’m wearing thick socks.

If your size is way off and you need to exchange, it’s a good thing they produce a small amount of extra stock just incase, so you won’t be waiting 3 more months for your replacement. As of this time, they do not offer wider options and so if you’ve got wider fit, you might be out of luck.

» Related: You might be interested in this review of the Beckett Simonon Geller Trainer.

Price to Performance

The traditional retail price for a pair or Morgen Trainers is $250; however, the price that you can purchase them, made to order is $159. The shoes used to retail for $200 a few years ago, but with the prices of everything rising due to supply chain shortages and inflation, it’s no surprise Beckett Simonon had to raise their prices as well.

At $159 though, I’d consider the Morgen Trainers a pretty solid deal. Its quality is on par with other brand sneakers in the $200-300 range. And better yet, they offer Gentleman Within readers an additional 20% off your first order with code GENTWITHIN for under $128. 

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Morgen Trainer Pros & Cons

Pros:

• A stylish and timeless pair of sneakers
• Great for casual wear and can be dressed up to a degree
• Made with high-quality full grain calfskin Italian leather
• Comes in 6 versatile colorways
• Free shipping and free returns

Cons:

• Must wait 3 months for your batch to finish and shoes to arrive
• Personally prefer the first generation GAT over the newer model

Room for Improvement

In my eyes, there’s not much negatives for the Beckett Simonon Morgen ‘Army’ Trainers. I do think they would benefit from adding wider width shoes because without that option they’re leaving out a large portion of men who would love to buy their shoes, instead opting for brands like Allen Edmonds which carries a myriad of different shoe widths.

Another thing I’d like to see improved is consistency with their styles and designs. The navy pair that I originally purchased is almost like an entirely different shoe, which I actually prefer over the newer model. Other than this though, I’ve got no complaints.

What are German Army Trainers?

The German Army Trainer, aka GAT, is a leather shoe that’s constructed with rubber gum soles, two stripes of leather overlaying the shoe’s upper and often a suede detailing along the toebox.

The outsoles have a unique pattern of circles and grids, distinguishing it from other sneakers. GATs were originally made specifically for soldier’s in the German army, hence the name.

The Bottom Line

In the end, the Beckett Simonon Morgen Trainer is an all around solid pair of sneakers that’s stylish, durable and comfortable as ever. Though it might not be the most versatile pair of kicks, it’s a pair of shoes that any man can benefit from having in his regular shoe rotation.

The shoes are well made, sourced from Italy and crafted ethically in their own factories which is a big plus. And it’s always nice to know the details behind products you buy and that transparency is clear with Beckett Simonon.

For a review of the Beckett Simonon Durant, check out this brogue battle vs Allen Edmonds.

Do you have a pair of German Army Trainers?

Let’s continue the discussion over in the Gentlemen Within Private Facebook Community.

Looking forward to seeing you in there.