The Beckett Simonon Dowler Boot Review

I was sent the following product in exchange for my honest opinions.

I’ve been given the opportunity to review yet another pair of Beckett Simonon boots. If you missed my first review, check it out here. This time I’m talking about the Dowler. When I check out Beckett Simonon’s website, this is the boot that jumps out at me so I’m excited to get to share about it.

The pair of Dowler’s I have are the tan color, which happens to be my favorite of their offerings. However, I also really like the black and the bordeaux colors as well. I’ve had the opportunity to handle as well as own some nice pairs of shoes and boots and the Dowler’s really impress me. If I have critiques I will tell you, but I really do think these are great boots and I’ll tell you why.

Beckett Simonon’s packing impresses me. In the box, you’ll get a booklet that tells you about their product and manufacturing, slim insoles, boot bags, and an extra pair of laces. I think these are all nice extras that they didn’t have to include.

I love the look of a cap toe boot, which is what the Dowler is. These are boots that you could dress up or down. They’re a very versatile style, which is part of their appeal.

The boots themselves are made from full-grain Argentinian leather. They have a smooth feel and a shine under the light, which comes from them being conditioned with a shea butter and carnauba wax. When wearing them, they definitely have pronounced creases as your foot flexes. I’m unsure what the result of this will be over time as they break in. While the leather is soft, they definitely require some break in. However, I do think they are fairly comfortable out of the box. I imagine the comfort will only increase as the leather breaks in more.

The complaints I have with this boot pretty much all involve the soles. The soles are stacked leather. The outer, mid, and inner soles are all leather. This is my first outer leather sole on a pair of boots. They definitely start out slick until you get some wear on them. The only thing holding you on the ground at first is the rubber padded heel. It provides some grip. The leather scuffs up and gives you more traction, but it’s not aesthetically pleasing. I would’ve preferred a rubber sole on this boot similar to maybe a Thursday boot or the Wolverine BLVD. However, I do think the leather sole makes the boot lighter, which is nice.

The inner sole being leather means that it will somewhat mold to your foot after a few wears. I would love to see Beckett Simonon embrace cork soles though. I think cork soles have the best conformity in molding to a foot and provide the most comfort. That being said, I do find these boots very comfortable.

The soles are Blake stitched. A Goodyear welt seems to be the standard and are known for being able to be resoled. Beckett Simonon says that these are resolable, but it maybe harder to find someone willing to do it. I hope to wear these to the point that one day I’m able to report back on the ease of resoling a Blake stitched boot, but for now I’ll say that I’d love to see them start to transition their boots to Goodyear welt.

One of my favorite things about Beckett Simonon boots is the fit. Honestly, this is why I love them so much. The shape of the toe box on their boots feels like it was designed around my foot. Their boots have the perfect amount of room, but still look sleek and attractive. The inside of the boot is lined with soft Vachetta leather that’s comfortable and absorbs moisture.

Lacing these boots up involves using four speed hooks. I really like speed hooks and feel like they make the boot easier to get on and get off. I do find the laces on these boots to be short though. I can’t use all the hooks and have enough lace to tie the boot. I have to either leave one or two sets of speed hooks unused.

The boot started out a bit stiff, but mine are beginning to break in after a few wears. I think they will feel great after fully broken in. The leather pressed against the upper of my foot when walking, but that quickly went away. As I said earlier, I find these boots really comfortable.

Size wise, I went down a half size from my Nike or Adidas sneaker size and it feels like a perfect fit. Beckett Simonon has a size calculator on their website that will help you in getting the right size. These are made to order so getting that right size matters. There are also reviews on their website and reading feedback from others may help you get that perfect fit.

The downside to the Beckett Simonon model is that when you order, you may be waiting two to three months to get your boots. That’s hard to do in our fast paced society. However, I think the quality and the price make these worth the wait. You’ll be hard pressed to find boots as nice as these at this price. These boots retail for $229 at full price, but you can get 20% off your first purchase just by joining their e-mail list. That brings these down $183.20. I honestly don’t believe you’ll find nicer boots at that price.

When it comes to the Dowler’s, the pros outweigh the cons. These boots are both comfortable and attractive. They’ll be flexible in your wardrobe if you’re attempting to find that “one boot that does it all”. At the price they’re offering, you’ll be hard pressed to find better. I find myself looking for excuses to wear them and I bet you’ll do the same. Check out a few more pictures in the gallery below.

Pick up your pair of Dowler’s right here.