Review: Beckett Simonon – Garcia High Top Sneakers in White/White
Don’t get it twisted, your ankle that is. It’s been nearly 100 years since Converse made the first high top sneaker for basketball and it’s still being made today. But not all shoe companies are making sneakers just to give you extra air time, a lot of them are just making good looking sneakers. Today I’m checking out Beckett Simonon’s high top version of their Garcia sneaker.
The Specs
| Brand | Beckett Simonon |
| Model | Garcia High Top Sneakers |
| Colour | White/White |
| Retail Price | $159 USD |
| Size Reviewed | 9.5US |
| Fit | Half size down from my sneaker size Half size up from dress my shoe size |
| Upper Material | Full-grain Italian leather |
| Sole Material | Rubber Sole |
| Lining | Vachetta Leather lining |
| Laces | Waxed cotton laces |
| Made | Handmade in Bogota, Colombia |
| Extras | Dustbag, laces |
The Look
Perforated toe box, check. Leather side panels, check. Reinforced heel tab, check.
There’s no doubt that the Garcia High Top sneaker and its low top variant take style cues from the legendary Air Force 1. And Beckett Simonon aren’t alone in paying homage to the AF1, the Common Projects BBall’s take similar style cues. The only thing that’s missing is Nike’s Air cushioning unit in the sole.
Although the Garcia does take sporty design cues, the shoe is much sleeker in silhouette and not as chunky as an Air Force 1. But it’s also not as slim or tall as the Nike Blazer Mid ’77 Vintage.
Also, the more I think about it, the Garcia’s height is more akin to a mid top than high top. But I guess anything taller than a regular sized sneaker could be considered a high top.
The full grain leather used for the uppers looks great, there’s a few wrinkles here and there. But nothing unexpected. The stitching is spot on as well from close inspection and I couldn’t pick any major quality control issues in my pair.
The Feel
Let’s start off with sizing, I’ve always followed Beckett Simonon’s size guide, this time it worked out perfectly but I have had issues in the past, with some pairs being slightly too big or narrow. My sneaker size is a US10 and they recommended a US9.5. This pair of Garcia High tops is US9.5 and fit me fine.
I’d like to note that since they are high tops I do need to loosen the top few lace rows to actually put the shoe on. It’s pretty par for the course for high tops or boots though.
The one slightly annoying thing I found was the tongue tends to slide around and doesn’t stay centred. It could benefit from a lace loop on the tongue to keep it in place.
Other than that, the leather uppers and lining are what I expect from a pair of Beckett Simonon shoes. Good quality leather that’s not super soft, but not super stiff either. The upper is sturdier than the softer lining.
The rubber sole looks and feels similar to their other Beckett Simonon sneakers I’ve tried in the past. Grippy, solid and supportive.
Is it Affordable?
If you’re looking for a pair of less sporty and more classy high tops without the swoosh, it’s definitely a good pick. The Garcia High Top is also nowhere near as expensive as Common Projects BBall sneaker.
There are loads of alternate white leather high top sneakers available like the Converse Chuck Taylor and Nike Blazer Mid 77. But if you want something a little more low key without the branding its hard to look past the Garcia High Top.
$159 USD is more than a fair price for this pair of high tops. They also regularly go on sale, so it’s even better value. Just remember Beckett Simonon use a made to order sales model, so it does take about 3 months for the shoes to be manufactured plus delivery time.
If you want 20% off the Beckett Simonon range, use the code EARL20.
Disclaimer: Sneakers were provided by Beckett Simonon for review, we paid to get them shipped to Australia. Some links in this review are affiliate links that help to keep this site running at no cost to you.
