Birkenstocks review UK: I tested four styles of Birkenstocks and my favourites were the most affordable
TOE-ON-SHOW season might be drawing to a close, but that doesn't mean that we'll be putting our Birkenstocks away until next year.
These days, the brand offers an array of styles, and I've reviewed four to see if they're worth your money.
Pros:
- Stylish
- Comfortable
- Environmentally friendly
- Adjustable
- Huge number of styles and colours available
Cons
- Sizing can be a bit of a lottery with the Arizona
- Expensive (especially newer models like the Reykjavik and Shinjuku)
Rating: 5/5
Birkenstocks review: quick summary
It's hard to understate quite how much I've come to love my Birkenstocks.
Although they take a bit of wearing in, after a few weeks they became one of the most comfortable pairs of shoes I own (which is no mean feat — I own a lot).
They're amazing for throwing on to go to the shops, they're the first thing I throw in my suitcase when I go on my summer holidays, and they can be dressed up to make a very stylish outfit — especially the Bostons, whose louche clog silhouette has been seen on Spring/Summer runways for half a decade now.
The main drawback is the cost — the popularity of the Bostons has pushed their price up to over £150 for some styles, while the Arizonas cost a slightly less painful £105. Newer styles like the Shinjuku fetch a jaw-dropping £190.
While that might be what you'd expect from a pair of shoes or boots, for a pair of clogs or sandals, it's undeniably pricey.
However, the price is justified by the fact that I've had pairs of Birkenstocks that have lasted me the best part of a decade — and when you're wearing them almost daily for half of the year, that's not bad going.
Birkenstocks review: full review
Birkenstock Arizona review
Pros: Classic timeless design, durable, comes in a huge array of designs
Cons: Expensive, footbed starts to look dirty after continued wear (but you can buy cleaning products to counteract this)
Rating: 4.5/5
Nowadays Birkenstock makes every type of shoe imaginable, including boots, sneakers, slippers, and even rain boots.
However, if you're reading this review, it's probably because you want to know about the brand's bread and butter: sandals.
is likely what you think of when you think of the word "Birkenstock". It's the platonic ideal of a sandal: two straps with adjustable buckles and a cork footbed.
It comes in more than 100 variations, comprising different fabrics, colours and properties, but for maximum versatility, I went for .
Having been in production for more than half a century, it's fair to say Birkenstock has had its fair share of time to perfect the Arizona, and it's hard to fault them at this stage.
Thanks to a shock-absorbing cork footbed and a design that is contoured to support and stabilise your feet, Arizonas are better for your trotters than almost any other sandals or flip-flops I can think of.
While the footbed does take some getting used to (especially the way that it raises in the middle) they quickly became some of the comfiest shoes I own.
Something to note is that, in the Arizona, you might want to size down slightly — the first pair I got, despite being a size 9, made me look like I was walking on a pair of surfboards.
However, it's not too big of a deal, because Arizonas are super adjustable. In fact, I first started wearing them when I was wearing a cast after breaking my knee, because they were the only shoes that were adjustable enough to wear.
The only other thing to mention is that the cork footbed does get quite dirty, thanks to buildups of dust, dirt and sweat. However, Birkenstock does sell products designed to counteract this.
Birkenstock Boston review
Pros: Probably the trendiest of Birkenstock's offerings, durable, comfortable
Cons: Expensive
Rating: 5/5
While the Arizona is the prototypical Birkenstock, if you're looking to be bang on trend, then you should look to a more northern part of America.
for all intents and purposes, is a clog, and to be honest there's no particular reason for them to have become as fashionable as they are; indeed, my friends have taken to calling mine my "Birken-crocs".
I got mine because, like a flea-bitten dog with mismatched ears, there's something endearing about their ugliness.
And it's undeniable they have the most clout of any Birkenstock, thanks to high-profile collaborations with the likes of Dior and Stussy and their appearance on the feet of celebs like Kendall Jenner.
Again, for optimum wearability, I got mine in but I actually sort of prefer them in suede — especially in .
The Boston is fundamentally very similar to the Arizona, with many of the same components; the only difference is that instead of having the Arizona's double-strap design, there is a single piece of leather that covers the entire upper part of your foot.
I think this tweak in the design makes them a bit more durable than the Arizonas; the stolid, singular piece of leather has held up remarkably well over three years of wear, whereas the straps on the Arizona do start to show signs of fatigue after a couple of years.
My only real qualm with the Bostons (and Birkenstocks more widely) is their price; they currently retail for £125. When I bought them in 2021, I paid £85 and thought that was a splurge.
Even if you take interest into account, based on a price of £85 in 2021, a pair of Bostons should cost around £100 now. And even considering an increase in the cost of materials, a price rise of £40 over three years feels hard to justify.