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
Birkenstock Arizona, £105 from Size
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.
The Arizona 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 classic black leather.
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
Birkenstock Boston (Natural Leather), £125 from End Clothing
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.
The Boston, 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 black leather, but I actually sort of prefer them in suede — especially in this tan colourway.
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.
Birkenstock Reykjavik review
Birkenstock Reykjavik, £180 £145 from Size
Pros: Futuristic, fashion-forward design, comfortable, easy to clean
Cons: Design will split opinion, expensive, colour leaks when wet
Rating: 4/5
If you find the look of the Birkenstock Boston divisive, you might fall off your chair when you see the Reykjavik.
I had to do a double-take when I first saw the picture of them, but I’ll admit they grew on me.
Their leather upper is virtually the same as the Boston clog, but instead of Birkenstock’s signature cork footbed, the Reykjaviks feature a statement polyurethane sole that covers the toecap of the shoe and most of the heel. The effect is quite futuristic.
In its press release, Birkenstock claims that the Reykjavik is a “perfect 24/7 all-rounder, especially on long and active days”.
That’s quite a claim, so I wore them for a long (but easy) walk, and I’ll admit they held up really well — they’re immediately comfortable and very lightweight.
However, unfortunately for both me and the Reykjavik, I got caught in heavy rain during the walk, and I can testify that they’re not waterproof. Not only did my feet get soaked, but the dye from the leather leaked through onto my white socks.
However, I can forgive this in a pair of shoes that are evidently designed for summer conditions, and I can also vouch that they’re easy to clean.
What I struggle to forgive, however, is a price tag of £180. That’s £45 more than the Bostons and £95 more than the Arizona.
Birkenstock Shinjuku review
Birkenstock Shinjuku, £189 from End Clothing
Pros: Fashion-forward design, comfortable
Cons: Very expensive, design is a bit overcomplicated, run large
Rating: 2.5/5
Like the Reykjavik, the Shinjuku is one of Birkenstock’s newer styles, and like the Reykjavik, it comes with a futuristic design language to match.
However, I didn’t warm to the design of the Shinjuku in the same way I did to the Reykjavik.
I think that’s down to the overabundance of features; there’s the sort of wide leather straps going across the top of your feet you get on the Arizona, as well as thinner fabric straps, big metal buckles, and further straps going around the back of your heel.
However, they’re comfortable enough, and the number of straps does mean that there’s a lot of room to adjust them to your feet.
I would recommend sizing down, though; I was sent a 9.5 due to stock issues, and although I knew they’d be slightly too big, they were easily a full size too large for me; I’d go a half-size down from your true size.
The main issue with the Shinjuku, though, is the price; at £190, they’re even more expensive than the Reykjavik, and double (double!) what I paid for my Bostons in 2021.
For that money, I’d recommend you get a pair of sandals from Suicoke instead; they’re marginally cheaper, have the same Japanese-inspired design language as the Shinjuku and probably have slightly more fashion cache.
Where to buy Birkenstocks in the UK
As the most drooled-over sandals brand in the UK, Birkenstock is unsurprisingly available in almost every major shoe retailer.
Come summer, stock can often get low in some sizes — especially in the trendy Boston — so I’d recommend pulling the trigger sooner rather than later, especially if you’re lucky enough to find your preferred size and colour in the sale.
You can buy Birkenstocks from:
Birkenstock review: the verdict
For me, Birkenstocks are the essential summer shoe. They’re versatile, comfortable and stylish, and come in enough silhouettes, colours and materials that there is something for everyone.
However, having tested out two styles that have been around since the 70s and another two that have only been introduced in recent years, I’d recommend you stick to the Arizona and Boston; they’re more affordable and more timeless.
I’d recommend you stick to the Arizona and Boston; they’re more affordable and more timeless.
It’s undeniable that all of Birkenstock’s styles require a bit of an initial investment, and you do need to be careful when choosing your size, but once you’ve worn them in, you’ll never look back.
