To remove doubt, inside of tongue says "upper: leather and simulated leather"..
For the bucks paid, it is acceptable footwear. Looks decent and fits okay.
I plan to toss insert since it is unacceptably cheap and thin.
Real gel inserts should provide me with the comfort I need to do walkabouts
when I travel. This is my second pair of Deer Stags and I liked the first a lot.
Hope to give a more positive feedback with later update.