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Original poster

Birkenstocks: are they worth the money?

74 replies

BansheeofInisherin · 06/07/2023 18:44

I walk a LOT as I do not have a car ( London). Up to 10 km per day. Are Birkies really as comfy as everyone says and worth the high price? I have very narrow feet. Usually, i just wear trainers. But fancy a change as summers getting hotter.

Which one is the most comfy ( and least ugly). I think I might want silver or dark grey, and easy to put on and slip off.

OP posts:
Cottagecheeseisnotcheese · 06/07/2023 20:22

I have Milano with an ankle strap better support love them they are not available in as many colours

DumDeeDoh · 06/07/2023 20:22

I have Franca ones and they are good for narrow feet. You can have the straps as tight as you want. I would order an 8 and a 9 and see which one is best. They do free returns i think

FrillyGoatFluff · 06/07/2023 22:28

I didn't get on with proper Birkenstocks, but M&S have a leather dupe and they're amazingly lovely to wear. I'm a 7 and had to go for a 6.5, but they are so so comfy

EggInANest · 06/07/2023 22:47

I walk a lot in Myaris and really love them.

mrsbyers · 06/07/2023 22:52

I’m a month into my first pair , two strap Arizona and I’m a size 9 - little bit of running initially but now they are really comfy , walked for miles in them last week on holiday. I love that I don’t have to hook my toes to keep them on too

pantjog · 06/07/2023 22:56

So so uncomfortable for me. An expensive mistake.

ReviewingTheSituation · 06/07/2023 22:57

I have narrow feet and love my Mayaris. I have a new pair every 2-3 summers, and I don't really wear anything else all summer. I have walked miles in them too.
I have white, to go with everything and so they don't look too heavy. They come in both narrow and standard widths.

The strap across the middle of your foot means you don't have to do the toe-grip thing you need to do with some of the others.

I can't recommend them highly enough.

Tangled123 · 07/07/2023 00:00

I love my Arizonas, I’ve had them about 2 or 3 years now and have been living in them this summer when not at work. I had to size down in them though.

ChicoryDip · 07/07/2023 00:14

I bought my first pair of Gizehs a couple of months ago. Hated them at first and thought I'd just wasted £££. Kept wearing them for short trips and suddenly they are so, so comfortable and I've worn them every day.

ILikeDinosaurs · 07/07/2023 00:39

Sarvanga38 · 06/07/2023 19:07

I wonder if Arizonas will do you if you have narrow feet - sure others can comment. I've just bought my first pair and I have wide feet but reckon I could maybe have done with narrow ones.

Show quote history

I have the narrow Arizonas, they are fab. I have 'regular' feet, not too wide or narrow. Op, definitely try both widths, the narrow fit me so much better than the regular and broke in faster too.

PaperRhino · 07/07/2023 01:07

They are a bit hard for my feet, though I do have some of the Madrid single strap ones as I think they look nice. I only really ever wear trainers or sandals and have a zero tolerance of uncomfortable shoes! Personally I like FitFlops for comfort, have a silver pair from about 10 years ago and can walk miles and miles in them

twilighteaser · 07/07/2023 06:40

I have narrow feet so buy the narrow, soft footbed Birkenstocks, and I can walk miles in them. I'm someone with a lot of feet problems and they are some of the very few shoes I can tolerate, the other brand is Fitflop. I do have a pair of narrow normal footbed Birkenstock too and even these are very comfortable, now they are bedded in.

Pinkrubberduck · 07/07/2023 06:59

I have narrow feet and walk a lot and find them super comfy now - took a while to break them
in and get used to the moulded footbed.
Try a designer outlet store to get a pair to try without breaking the bank to see if they work for you.

LaCerbiatta · 07/07/2023 07:04

I love gizehs, been wearing them for years and find them really comfortable, but don't understand why I can't get on with arizonas ☹️. The buckles hurt the top of my feet so much...

AlrightJulia · 07/07/2023 07:25

I found the foot bed hurt my feet as I didn't fit in the ridges properly. And they felt loose and kept slipping off. I now have Salt Water Boardwalks - thick comfy sole, no ridges, and a back strap to keep them on. My grumpy feet are so happy with them!

Stickybackplasticbear · 07/07/2023 07:47

I adore mine and live in them all summer. The one strap ones. Definitely worth it for me. I've been buying them for years.

JT69 · 07/07/2023 07:50

I can walk for miles in mine but they do need wearing in. I miss wearing them for work - my joints and back certainly were better for them. I’m a TA (We have to wear sandals with a strap now and closed toes)

Hazelnuttella · 07/07/2023 07:54

I have the Arizonas which are comfy but I couldn’t walk long distances in them. They’re fine for shuffling around but not for striding - I have to tense my feet at a slightly unnatural angle to stop them flying off. (They are the correct size).

For proper walking I need a toe post to grip - I like the Gizeh ones.

supadupapupascupa · 07/07/2023 07:56

Love mine (one buckle Arizona) but they give me blisters if I walk too far. For that I would get two buckle.
Took me a good year to break mine in as my arch is in a slightly different place.
Worth it!

Azaeleasinbloom · 07/07/2023 07:59

I live in mine - Arizona for hot days, Boston clogs for cooler, jeans days, and I bought a pair of their trainers this year.
If you try them OP, wear them around the house a few times before you decide. They can take a bit of getting used to. Be sure to get narrow fit if you have slender feet as they do run big.

CeeceeBloomingdale · 07/07/2023 08:02

My Arizonas took a lot to break in then they were super comfy. Unfortunately they have stretched and are too big so I only use them in the garden but I got several years of good use from them first

Teabutnotasweknowit · 07/07/2023 08:06

Hated mine, really uncomfortable, couldn't walk anywhere in them and they smelt (I don't have smelly feet).

GettingStuffed · 07/07/2023 08:15

This year I bought a pair of Arizona dupes but they are starting to look worn already but my Birkenstock have always lasted at last 3 years.

I like the Arizona and Gizeh best, hate Madrid as they make a noise when I walk.

I'm waiting for the sales to buy next year's pair.

FancyNancyShoes · 07/07/2023 08:19

I have at the last count 9 pairs of Birkenstocks (inc slippers) form white Ramses, gold and a hot pink Madrid (only for short distances) and blue Arizona (second strap irritates after a while), but my faves are Gizehs (I have quite a gap between my big toe and the next so suits me), just had a delivery of oiled tabacco and I love them. Also have them in other colours

I like many here can walk for miles and miles in them, and do think they are just worth the money (but think they are now getting a little too expensive). I have tried many of the lookie like ones, and none are up to scratch.

Once they have moulded to your feet, perfect!

stealthbanana · 07/07/2023 08:20

ILikeDinosaurs · 07/07/2023 00:39

I have the narrow Arizonas, they are fab. I have 'regular' feet, not too wide or narrow. Op, definitely try both widths, the narrow fit me so much better than the regular and broke in faster too.

Show quote history

I have a narrow size 42 (U.K. 8) foot and the arizonas are way too wide for me, even the narrow fit. There is too much space between the strap and my foot (if you had really high arches this might not be a problem?)

I have a pair of single strap big buckles (I think madrid?) and love them. I could walk 10k in them but if I was purposefully doing so I would wear trainers - I don’t think any pair of shoes without a heel strap is going to be as good for your feet as a proper trainer.

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