[Disclosure: These shoes were provided to me by Beckett Simonon as part of their affiliate program, if you use my affiliate link I do make a percentage off of your purchase.]
Few things can be compared to a clean, minimalist sneaker and that's exactly what the Morgen is. The GAT, formally known as the German Army Trainer, which, you guessed it, was known for it's use in the German army in the late 1970's were brought back to prominence by the brand Maison Margiela and their replica of the GAT sneaker (for more info on the GAT see this article: https://www.grailed.com/drycleanonly/history-of-the-gat-sneaker) . That being said, the Maison Margiela version is a designer shoe which also comes with the designer price tag, which leads some to search for an affordable, yet high quality version of the GAT. Which leads the way for companies like Beckett Simonon to provide their take on the GAT sneaker. I digress, enough of the history lesson let's proceed to the review.
The Morgen sneaker features the traditional GAT styling. Much of the piping is done in black suede while the rest of the shoe is in black leather. The sole is a gum sole that contrasts nicely with the all-black exterior of the upper. You may have some trepidation regarding the suede and it's longevity especially if you live somewhere that has a rainy climate. I would recommend that you coat the suede in a water repellent so the suede can maintain it's color and longevity. Saphir has several products that can help repair or prevent suede damage from the elements and I highly recommend them for any of your shoe care needs.
As you can see from the pictures scattered throughout this post, the Morgen has a relatively low profile and is especially flat in the toecap area of the sneaker. The profile is quite sleek and not bulbous at all. The sole is tapered very close to the upper of the shoe which makes the sneaker look very streamlined. I know some have preferences as to the profile of the shoe, with many preferring a low profile, sleek design which is exactly what you are getting with the Morgen.
In the image above you can see that I have removed the insole that is in the Morgen sneaker (In the box with your Morgens you will also find additional inserts to insert in the shoe on top of the already existing insole). With the insole removed you are left with a relatively hard inner of the shoe which is a vegetable tanned leather so the majority of your comfort is relied solely on the insole pictured above. The Morgen is a comfortable sneaker with a lot of padding in the heel of the insole and significantly less padding towards the toes. This did not bother me, but depending on your joint/foot makeup you may find that you need more padding towards the front of the shoe, which can be easily remedied by the extra insoles provided or other third party insole manufacturers.
I will say, compared to the dress shoes that I own from Beckett Simonon, I found that these sneakers were a little snug on my foot despite being the same size I usually wear with Beckett Simonon. If you have Beckett Simonon dress shoes already and find that they are on the edge of being too tight, then when buying their sneakers I might size up a half size to compensate for the sizing difference (Please note, this is just my isolated experience after only a couple of days of wear, so take it with a grain of salt.)
Although I am reviewing the all-black pair of Morgens, there are an additional 10 colorways of this same shoe that feature some with a completely full-grain leather upper as opposed to the combination of full-grain leather and suede. They are traditionally listed at $200, but you will find that if you wait for a coupon code you can snag them at anywhere from $99 to $149 which are both great prices for the quality that is in this shoe.
Something to be noted when generally ordering from Beckett Simonon: they work on a group made to order basis. What this means is that when you purchase one of their shoes, you usually have to wait until a listed date before they are crafted. The date is always listed on the page of the shoe you are looking at, but some do not notice this so I wanted you to be pre-advised. The use of a GMTO structure allows them to keep a low price on their shoes and boots.
As a general overview of the Morgen, I found it to be a really nice shoe with a solid construction and high-quality materials given the low price of the sneaker. This type of sneaker (the GAT) is something that I have never owned before and it's a nice change from your traditional sneaker while still being comfortable and relatively casual (although with some of the other colorways you could dress them up).
I hope you have a good understanding of the Morgen sneaker and my experience with them thus far so you can decide if they are a good match for you or not. If you have any additional questions that I did not address in this review then please reach out to me via here, social media, email, etc. and I will do my best to provide you with a satisfactory answer.
You can purchase the exact same shoes that are pictured above from this link: https://www.beckettsimonon.com/collections/morgen-trainers-classic-all-0801/products/morgen-classic-full-grain-leather-black?rfsn=1727667.928b5&utm_source=refersion&utm_campaign=affiliate&variant=12378929037429
and you can view the entire Morgen collection from this link: https://www.beckettsimonon.com/collections/morgen-trainers-classic-all-0801?rfsn=1727667.928b5&utm_source=refersion&utm_campaign=affiliate