The Beckett Simonon Experience: Reid Sneakers Full Review7 min read

The Beckett Simonon Reid sneakers are the 3rd pair of shoes that I own from the brand, the first being their Morgen German Army Trainers in navy and second being the Dean classic black Oxford.

Beckett Simonon separates themselves from competitors by offering a high quality product at reasonable prices while cutting out the middle man. The wait is long, but oftentimes good things are worth waiting for.

So far, my experience with the brand has been positive and I’m hoping it continues with the Reid low top sneakers.

In this full review, I’m going to touch on the Beckett Simonon brand & experience, the shoe packaging, style & design, quality & craftsmanship, comfort & durability, shoe sizing & price, pros & cons and finally wrapping things up.

BECKETT SIMONON REID SNEAKERS REVIEW

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If you need a little introduction on Beckett Simonon here’s a quick rundown.

ABOUT BECKETT SIMONON

Beckett Simonon is an online only retailer that initially started with a Kickstarter campaign. They’ve come a long way since then. 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 similar to Gustin in that they crowd source and then deliver at wholesale prices.

FULL BECKETT SIMONON EXPERIENCE

I went through the complete Beckett Simonon experience, the whole 3 month process from the initial order to delivery on my doorstep.

They assigned a dedicated brand representative who sent production updates every 2 weeks from when the leather was sourced, to cutting of the leather, and so forth.

I got to know who was in charge of stitching the uppers and crafting of the shoe which is a nice personal touch that you don’t get from other brands. I like that they share the story behind your products, which makes the wait well worth it.

Additionally with each update, they provide excellent customer service. If I had any questions about products or manufacturing processes, all of their contact information is readily available.

» Related: You might like this long term review of the Beckett Simonon Morgan Trainers.

REID SNEAKER PACKAGING

The Reid black low top sneakers come in a red, maroon-ish shoe box with floral print on the lid. After opening up the box you’ll see two generously sized shoe bag inserts and of course the sneakers filled with standard shoe stuffing paper. Also included are two black foam sole inserts for extra cushion and added support.

» Readers’ Favorite: Adidas Stan Smith Review (Must Read this Before Buying)

STYLE & DESIGN

The style and design of the Beckett Simonon Reid low tops is minimal and clean. There’s no decorations or embellishments, just a modern silhouette similar to other classic, yet trendy all-white trainers like Common Projects Achilles and Koio Capri (another minimal sneaker brand I recently tested out).

Of course instead of the white trainers I went with the black leather and white sole. I’ve never owned black leather sneakers before and so I wanted to mix things up a little.

The design is modern with a slim profile. There are some sneakers that have a bulkier sole, but the Beckett Simonon Reid low top is a truly minimalist sneaker.

This shoe is perfect to pair with all kinds of casual outfits. I’d go as far and say that you can effortlessly dress them up with smart casual looks, especially the black colorway.

Some men wear white trainers with suits and while I normally stay away from this aesthetic, it can be tastefully done if the sneaker is pristine and minimal.

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

QUALITY & CRAFTSMANSHIP

The shoe construction is solid. Upon inspection I couldn’t find any visible imperfections with the leather or stitching. The shoes are clean all around which shows that their quality control is on point. Makes sense since they own their own factory and have full control over that process.

Leather Upper

The Beckett Simonon leather upper is made of full grain calfskin leather is sourced in Italy from Gruppo Mastrotto, a tannery with a long tradition and a great reputation. They supply most high-end sneaker makers (usually in the $300-$400 range). The leather is meant to be durable and develop a patina as it ages.

Lining & Insoles

The shoes are completely lined with vachetta leather which explains why the inside is incredibly soft. It’s a breathable material that provides comfort and durability. It’s fully leather lined with exception to a small spot behind the heel which appears to be a suede material. Additionally, the shoes come with foam insoles for added comfort and protection for your feet.

Soles

The Reid’s rubber outsoles surprisingly aren’t made of the usual Margom rubber which is used by many other sneaker brands. Beckett Simonon uses an in-house natural rubber over synthetic rubbers like PVC.

Like the popular Allen Edmonds dress shoes, the Reid sneaker’s insole and outsole (midsole) is lined with cork. And so over time your feet will mold to the shoes as they create a custom-like footbed. There’s nothing quite like custom comfort.

Laces

The shoes come with black waxed cotton laces to match the black leather. Their laces are sourced from a family-owned company in Spain.

COMFORT & DURABILITY

Let me tell ya, these sneakers are as comfortable as it gets. Buttery smooth from the first wear, the Beckett Simonon Reid sneakers feel like you’re walking on clouds. Even better that it comes with comfortable foam insoles for added comfort and height which is a win-win for shorter guys.

I also find that the addition of an insole helps provide a better fit, especially if the shoes are slightly loose like this pair is on me. I’ll go over shoe sizing in the next section.

I’ve worn the shoes for about two weeks now (I know, it’s not a long testing period), but they wear nicely. Thankfully there is no squeaking and the leather is creasing normally as quality sneakers do. The creasing appeared early on which surprised me a bit, but it isn’t out of the ordinary.

So far so good. I’ll have to update in the future after I’ve been able to give these sneakers extended wear.

SHOE SIZING, PRICE, ETC.

Beckett Simonon shoes generally run true to size. I got the 8s for the black Reids, however if I could choose again, I’d pick 7.5 which wasn’t an option when I made my order.

Not only the Reids, but my Morgen Trainers and Dean Oxfords are both size 8 and slightly large on my feet. They’re not clown shoes oversized by any means, but I’d say there is a good half-inch between my heel and the back of the shoe when my foot is slid all the way to the front. That being said, the addition of the foam sole inserts help for a more snug fit, it’s almost perfect. And so I’ll be wearing these sneakers with the inserts from here on out.

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.

Finally the sneakers are more wide than narrow, but are not overly wide by any means. They’re pretty much standard width with a little extra room which is good for those who struggle with more narrow fits.

PRICE

The price for the Reid sneakers and all other Beckett Simonon sneakers (when they have them) are $200 retail, but normally discounted at $149. Better yet, they offer Gentleman Within readers an additional 20% off your order with code GENTWITHIN for a grand total of $119. That’s as affordable as it gets for the total value of the sneakers.

SHOP BECKETT SIMONON

» Quick Note: You might like this long term review of the Beckett Simonon Geller Trainer.

BECKETT SIMONON PROS & CONS

PROS:

• The full Beckett Simonon Experience is unmatched
• Sleek, slim and modern silhouette
• High-quality full grain calf-skin Italian leather
• New designs frequently updated based on user feedback
• Offers many colorways to choose from
• Free shipping and free returns

CONS:

• 3 month wait period is long
• Shoes and products often disappear without notice or mention of restocking

 

THE BOTTOM LINE

So far so good with the Beckett Simonon Reid. The Reids look great, wear comfortably and are stylish casual sneakers. The black colorway is slightly elevated over all-white in my opinion and can easily transition from day to night.

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

Both the black and white Reid trainers are back in stock on the Beckett Simonon website. Check the links for size availability.

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

A note: Beckett Simonon sent me these sneakers. These are all my thoughts and opinions based on my experience. Gentleman Within holds all control over editorial content.

WHAT IS YOUR TAKE ON THE BECKETT SIMONON REID SNEAKERS?

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

Looking forward to seeing you in there.