Design 
Quality of Materials 
Craftsmanship 
Fit & Sizing 
Value for Money My friends are all starting to get married.
I guess once they saw me do it, they figured it was time (it’s been four years, guys… come on!)
With a big list of fun weddings coming up, I decided I needed a good dress boot to go with my suit. After searching around a bit, I landed on the Beckett Simonon Elliot Balmoral boot.
In this review, you’ll learn about my experience with these boots, plus all the nitty-gritty details so you can decide whether it’s right for you.
Beckett Simonon Elliot Overview
The Beckett Simonon Elliot is technically considered a balmoral boot. What does that mean?
Balmoral boots are basically like Oxford shoes, but they have a boot shaft that reaches up your ankle. In the Elliot’s case, it’s a standard 6-inch boot.
Oxford shoes are recommended for more formal outfits and are widely accepted in business casual attire. A balmoral boot like the Elliot fits the same role fashion-wise, but offers more ankle support and more coverage for the colder months.
Usually boots aren’t considered for black tie and white tie events, but the only boot you can make an exception for is the balmoral boot (provided you get it in black).
Made with buttery smooth full grain Italian leather, the Elliot Balmoral boot offers a restrained brogue pattern and a formal closed lace construction.
Things to Consider Before Buying
The biggest drawback in buying from Beckett Simonon is their lengthy waiting period. At the time of writing, the average wait time is 6-8 weeks. But because they handcraft their boots and shoes to order, they don’t have any excess stock, and thus don’t need to factor that into their pricing.
That means you get a better boot at a less expensive price.
I’ll explain all this in further detail below, but for a snapshot of my thoughts: the Elliot from Beckett Simonon is similar quality to the $400 and $500 boots I have in my collection. It costs nearly half the price.
The waiting time was a bit annoying, but I can’t argue with the value for money.
So your biggest consideration is time: do you need a new pair of boots in the next few weeks for an event? I have some recommendations in the “Alternatives” section. And if you don’t need them as soon as possible, then perhaps a little waiting is worth it.
My Hands-On Review
First Impression
I picked up my Beckett Simonon Elliot boots in Bordeaux leather, which is a deep ox-blood color.
It’s beautiful.
Balmoral boots are very similar to Oxford shoes in that they have a closed lacing system and rank high in the formality department. The biggest difference is that an Oxford is a shoe, and a balmoral is a boot.
There’s a toe cap on the boot with some broguing details. One thing I really appreciate about this boot is that there are four speed hooks near the top of the shaft—this helps cut down on the time it takes to put my boots on.
The Elliot is a fairly slim boot, but it retains a sophisticated presence. This is the kind of boot you want to wear for important meetings and looking like a boss at a wedding.
Leather Quality and Care
The leather is the shining star of the Elliot. It’s an Italian full grain calfskin leather, and it’s tremendous.
It’s soft, supple, creases gently, and even smells good. Honestly, if the world went MadMax and I had to eat my boots to sustain myself, I’d eat my Beckett Simonon boots first. That’s how nice this leather is.
The leather is so densely packed with oils and waxes, you should be careful not to place these boots on any fabric right out of the box. They can actually transfer oil to the fabric. As a boot fan, that’s something I rarely see and I love it when I do.
Cleaning and caring for the leather is quite easy. I keep a pair of cedar shoe trees in these boots to help them keep their shape, and I treat them with Saphir Renovateur. It’s a pretty pricey leather balm, but it doesn’t change the color at all, it keeps the leather happy, and it adds a subtle shine to the boots so they’re maximally spiffy when I need them to be.
The Elliot balmoral is lined with a vachetta leather lining, which isn’t dyed. The lining adds comfort and durability to the boot, and makes the boot feel richer in general.
Sole
Beckett Simonon uses a Blake stitch for the Elliot, which is a fairly common method of construction for dress shoes and boots.
I like that the Elliot has a rubber sole, which helps a ton with traction and durability. It’s not the most formal option, but the sole is made in such a way that you can’t really tell the difference (other than the sound of the footsteps).
The Elliot has a leather midsole and footbed, which take some time to break in (though they’re never uncomfortable), and those are stitched directly to the rubber outsole.
They feature a leather stacked heel and a 5mm rubber toplift that can be easily (and cheaply) replaced if the heel is the first thing to go on most of your boots.
Made with buttery smooth full grain Italian leather, the Elliot Balmoral boot offers a restrained brogue pattern and a formal closed lace construction.
Fit and Sizing
Beckett Simonon sizes their boots like they do dress shoes. While I’m a size 10 in most boots (like Thursday, Red Wing, and Wolverine), I’m a size 10.5 in my Beckett Simonon boots.
When choosing your size, go with your most common sneaker and dress shoe size.
Beckett Simonon has a five question quiz that can help you determine your correct size if you have particularly wide or narrow feet, so I recommend checking that out before making a decision.
But in my experience, your dress shoe or sneaker size will get you a proper fit for Beckett Simonon.
Break-in Period
There really isn’t much of a break in period with the Beckett Simonon Elliot. The leather is quite soft and supple, but because it’s Blake stitched, there isn’t a ton of material underfoot that needs breaking.
That said, these are built with a leather lined footbed and a leather midsole, so it takes a few wears to sink into the footbed. Once you do, though, you get a custom-like fit that’s super comfortable.
Made with buttery smooth full grain Italian leather, the Elliot Balmoral boot offers a restrained brogue pattern and a formal closed lace construction.
My Thoughts Overall
What I Like
The Italian full grain calfskin leather and vachetta leather lining combo makes for the best leather quality I’ve seen in a sub-$250 boot.
The Elliot features Blake stitch construction which is classic, lightweight, flexible, decently sturdy, and can easily be recrafted by most cobblers.
I like the rubber sole, which boosts the durability and traction of the boot.
Beckett Simonon has excellent customer service and communication, despite the long lead times.
What I Don’t Like
The waiting period can be annoying if you need your boots quickly. The brand does a good job communicating with you throughout, but if you need your boots within the next month, it’s a deal-breaker.
Who is the Beckett Simonon Elliot Balmoral for?
The Beckett Simonon Elliot is the perfect boot for you if you’re looking to get a high quality pair of dress boots that you plan on wearing somewhat often, but you’re not in a rush to get them for a specific event that’s coming up soon.
For instance, I wear these boots to pretty much every wedding I go to, and they’re my top choice when I have to put on a suit and go to a meeting and I want to make a statement. They’re comfortable, the rubber sole gives good traction, and they look powerful.
The Verdict
The Beckett Simonon Elliot Balmoral boot is my favorite dress boot.
The quality is on par with the $400 and $500 boots in my collection (including R.M. Williams, Allen Edmonds, and Alden).
But it can be a deal-breaker if you don’t want to wait the 6-8 weeks it usually takes to get your boots. Check to see the delivery date, as Beckett Simonon will offer an estimated delivery date. It could even be as short as 4 weeks. But it could be as long as 12 weeks, too.
Still, if you’re looking for the best value for money and a little waiting doesn’t bother you, then I believe the Beckett Simonon Elliot is a fantastic buy. The same is true for all Beckett Simonon boots (I also have the Douglas Jodhpur—their boots are all quite similar in quality and construction).
So, is it the right boot for you?
Made with buttery smooth full grain Italian leather, the Elliot Balmoral boot offers a restrained brogue pattern and a formal closed lace construction.
SIZE 16