Are Birkenstocks Worth It? - Kayla in the City

Someone asked me about Birkenstocks on Instagram recently: Are Birkenstocks worth it? Are they actually comfortable? And are they worth the money?

I’ve been wearing Birks since my sleepaway camp days in the early 2000s and they’re pretty much the only shoes I wear in the summer. While they’re not the cheapest summer sandal, I’ve found that they last. I can usually go 3 summers before the shoes are totally beaten up — and that’s with wearing the same pair to walk about 5 miles around the city every day.

They aren’t the cheapest summer sandal, the leather sandals are usually around $100 but I wanted to break down today why I’m a forever Birkenstock fan.

Why I Love My Birkenstocks:

They’re SUPER comfortable.

I’ve always joked that Birkenstock season is my favorite season, but it’s honestly true. Putting on my Birks for the first time every spring feels like pure bliss for my feet.

A few years ago I was experiencing a lot of foot pain. I went to a podiatrist and found out I have bunions. YAY. He recommended that I focus on wearing shoes with a hard sole — like Birkenstocks. I’m now hyper-aware of the fact that they make my feet feel better than any other shoe. During the summer I have zero bunion pain… in the winter I haven’t found my perfect shoe yet.

I prefer the “Arizona style” sandal which is pictured above. I find them the most comfortable whereas the “T” shaped ones bother my toes. That’s my own preference, though.

Even when the shoe is brand new I find them pretty comfy, although it takes a little bit of time for the leather to soften and the footbed to better mold to your feet. Once that happens I find them to be the most comfortable shoes, ever.

In the last few summers, Birkenstock also released a less expensive, waterproof, plastic sandal. I’ll dive into my thoughts on then more below but I don’t find them to be as comfy, but I know people that still think they’re great.

They last.

I have a pair of brown Birkenstocks that are still wearable from MIDDLE SCHOOL. How crazy is that? I wouldn’t recommend wearing your Birkenstocks in the pouring rain or into the ocean, but otherwise, these sandals are built to last. My favorite white ones, shown above, are maybe 3 years old now and going strong.

Someone recently asked me if the white ones are a pain in the butt to keep clean and honestly no. I just wipe them down with a little bit of water on a paper towel and it does the trick.

Birkenstocks might not be cheap, but I know I’ll have them for a few years.

I like to pretend they match with everything.

This one is debatable… but in my opinion, Birkenstocks match with all cute and casual summer outfits. Shorts? Yup. Yoga pants when I used to actually leave my apartment to teach yoga? Sure. A fun dress? You know it.

I’ve never pretended to be a fashion blogger, but I’m convinced white Birkenstocks (or these gold ones I just got for this summer and I LOVE) match with just about everything.

Which Pair is Best For You?

About 2 years ago the plastic Birkenstock was released. They’re vegan, less expensive, and waterproof!

As I said above I don’t love them nearly as much as my leather pairs. They’re great for traveling to somewhere beachy (perfect for my trip to Nicaragua when I was hanging at the beach and walking through muddy paths to get back to my villa). The sole is a lot flimsier and not at all solid. For my bunions, this isn’t great and I find I have more foot pain while walking long distances in the plastic shoes. I’ve heard from other people that they don’t notice the difference!

I’m glad I have a plastic pair for rainy days, beach trips, and such, but otherwise I prefer my leather ones.

Birkenstock also now offers soft footbed sandals as an alternative to the hard bed ones. I recommend trying both on to see which you prefer. The soft bed sandals are a bit squishier, I found them to be less comfortable since they are slightly less supportive. I also have friends that prefer the soft footbed because of their foot structure. One isn’t better or worse than the other — it’s a personal preference! I recommend trying both on to see which is better for you. I have high arches and bunions (I feel like an old lady at 30!) and the hard footbed feels best for me.

All in All:

I’m shamelessly obsessed with Birkenstocks, so much so that I splurged on a pair of Birkenstock sneakers last spring. I find their shoes to be the most comfortable shoe, ever, and their sandals are always well worth the money for me since I wear them ALL the time.

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