Birkenstock Unisex Arizona Essentials Sandals

My friend chera experience Fart noises all day.

If you want to walk around making fart noises with your shoes, 10/10 buy these

My Old Chap Tillman Talk *Updated 3/2019* Order your normal size and take the sharp edge off the sole!.

I have worn Birkenstock sandals for about 20 years now, usually getting a new pair every couple of years. My most recent pair of leather Birkenstocks were literally falling apart and hurt my feet to walk in, so it was definitely time to replace them. This being the beginning of summer I was looking to go with a more water friendly option since we had plans to go to the beach, camping, etc. I arrived at these EVA Birkenstock sandals, and I was little leary. Years ago I had a pair of rubber Birkis, they gave me blisters and smelled awful after a few weeks and needed to be scrubbed to get all the gunk out of the nooks and crannies of the footbed. These are entirely different, and have a smooth footbed which does not collect gunk. After the initial period of getting used to the softer, spongy footbed, I have decided that these are really great, a much better alternative to cheap flip flops that offer some foot support.
Two issues I want to address based off of reviews I read prior to purchasing:
I saw a lot of people claiming that they had to order a size smaller than what they wear in "Normal" Birkenstock Arizona sandals. I heeded this advice but ended up exchanging the sandals I initially received for my regular size. I wear size 44 in leather Arizonas, and I find the size 44 in these EVA sandals to be the same fit.
Secondly I saw some complaints that the footbed tore after a short period of time in front of the straps. I believe this is due to the front edge of the sole being very squared off. I was walking across my hardwood floor and caught the sandals on a joint between the boards, something I don't recall ever being an issue before. These sandals are much more flexible and I nearly folded the toe under the sandal, which I think if this happened a few times would result in the damage I saw. I used my belt sander to take the hard edge off and bevel it about 45 degrees. The same could be done with a nail file, foot file, concrete sidewalk, etc. Since doing this I have not had any more issues of this nature.

Update 3/19:
I've retired this pair and replaced it with another of the same design. I wore these nearly every day for about 8 months and I think I could probably keep going for a while but they are looking a bit worn. I'm impressed with these. I feel as though I certainly got my $40 worth of use out of them. When I got them in July 2018 I figured if they lasted to the end of summer I'd be satisfied. They definitely have done this and as I said continue to be serviceable, although most of the tread has worn away. I expected by this point that they would have torn and been out of commission but they have exceeded expectations. As a longtime Birkenstock wearer I have tried most of all their different lines. As mentioned I used a pair that I imagine were a precursor to these, that pair had a hard rubber one piece sole with a synthetic upper. I think it was the worst pair of Birkenstocks I'd ever had so I was skeptical when I saw these and thought it might be about the same. I've been pleasantly surprised with how wrong I was, these have proven more durable, easier to clean off (hosing them off pretty much gets everything, no nooks and crannies for gunk to build up), and far more comfortable. I expected at some point I'd have to wash them with bleach due to odors but I've never detected even a hint of foul smell. For $40, these are a goo introduction to those who aren't ready to shell out the big bucks for the leather versions, and they are also a great deal for people who like Birkenstocks but need something waterproof (they don't soak up water either!).

My Old Chap Amysan Talk Narrow works for wide for these adjustable Birkes.

If you're an in-between size, maybe this will help. I wear 7.5 size shoes, and I own many pairs of regular Birkenstock sandals that are 38 medium/wide (the outlined footprint on the cork). However, I buy size 39 Birkenstock hiking boots. For Crocs I purchase size 8. After searching a bit, I realized that there are no WIDE size 38 or 39 for these sandals, and one reviewer incorrectly said that these are not adjustable. I purchased size 38, and though these are called narrow, they are very comfortable for my wide feet. I did not need to adjust the buckles, but I could if desired. I'm very happy with my purchase!

My Old Man OldBikeRider experience Survived the Camino de Santiago.

These sandals have given me outstanding service. I bought them to use off-trail while walking the Camino de Santiago, a 500 mile pilgrimage starting in France and ending on the West coast of Spain. Lots of loose gravel and rock paths, lots of climbing hills and the inevitable descents. Add pavement, cobblestones and fine dusty trails as well. About two weeks into the 5 week walk my top-rated $160 hiking shoes wore the skin off the tops and sides of my feet so I wore these sandals to get relief one afternoon. I did wear 2 pairs of socks (thin and thick) as I did for the hiking shoes. I never put on the hiking shoes again. I got no blisters or other problems and at the end of each day I dusted them off and wore them around towns and cities.
I did feel larger rocks on the bottoms of my feet and made some effort to avoid them, but honestly I felt them in the hiking shoes as well.
I continued to wear them in Paris and Istanbul on the final legs of my trip and will be buying another pair as these are beginning to show some wear.
Note that I DID NOT get a discount or anything for writing this review.

My friend Ken Matheny Talk BirkenCrocs!?!.

I'm sure I am not the first to put this together, but these are almost like a perfect marriage of the 2 shoe companies who specialize in super- supreme comfort for feet, fashion be damned! (I think they look good, but whatever).

I have always been reluctant to spend the $100 + to have authentic Birkenstocks, and remember enjoying some knockoff brand sandals in the 90's. Well, these here let you try out Birkenstock engineering and comfort for a small percentage of the price. I have since then purchased some Birkenstock clogs, but this is my first day with them, so I will review those later.

These are very comfortable, and I think the black ones look enough like leather to fool most. But the comfort!!!! I went to the park with my wife and walked several miles over various terrain, and my feet felt great. Likewise, I have worn them to work on casual day, and they stand up to all day wear as well. I also took them to the pool with no worries!

Bottom line, if you've ever wanted to try a pair of Birkenstocks, this is an inexpensive way to experience the brilliance that has kept this company in business for over 2 centuries. They are also super light weight, and don't seem to harbor foot odor. (Not that I have any of that, of course).

My Old Man laurie said Pass.

I have many pairs of Birkenstocks and thought this would be a good one for when I take my dog swimming. My feet kept getting wet so I thought this to be the answer. Nope... once your feet are wet they slip terrible inside the shoe and you really have to be careful not to slip and fall.

My Fellow Dangerous when Cooking said Only birk arizonas to give me blisters in half a day..

I'm a longtime Birk Arizona-loving person. I bought these for all the reasons given here: cheap, waterproof, lightweight, great for wet/dry conditions in the summer, etc. Got the same size I usually wear and they felt the same on my feet. However, after half a day, I had sore red blisters forming on both little toes from rubbing against the plastic upper strap. (Strap was on last hole, as usual) I live in a dry climate, at high altitude in New Mexico, so this was not due to summer humidity or sweaty feet. Things stay dry all day here. It was the rubber upper. I'll stick with my leather and suede Arizonas from now on. Wish I could return them, but wore them outside.

My Old Chap GF in CA tell us Decent option.

I need a summer shoe that provides great arch/foot support, and that fits my feet. I recently rubbed the top of my foot raw with a new pair of closed shoes, so was looking for something that didn't rub that part of my foot. I have wide high volume feet: size 10 E or EE in Women's (usually a 9 EE or EEEE in Men's), a high arch, a high instep, and short chunky toes. I have recurring plantar fasciitis as well as pain on the side of my foot that both are much improved when I have enough support; with my high arch, it is hard to find supportive sandals (no orthotic can fit). Because there are almost no wide sandals or flip flops that also have support, my choices were limited and I had to try several average width shoes.

But, we all have differently shaped feet, so what works for one in a shoe, will not work at all for another. I spent hours reading reviews, bought 4 pairs, and none worked. This time, I bought 7 pairs: Oofas, Birkenstock EFAs, Chacos, New Balance, Vionic, and 2 pair of Footminders.

The Birkenstocks were the second pair out of the box. It, as with the Oofas, fit - two in a row! I ordered a 42 or 9 Men's shoe.

Initial fit - these are VERY wide with enough room for a very high volume foot. I usually notch straps on the fifth/last hole, but I was in the third one here. I could feel some support as I stood up, the shoe was stable, and it had a bit of cushion - not squishy at all, but nice.

Width - For a shoe that is not sold as a wide, the foot bed is very wide. No part of my foot is outside of the foot bed. Of course, these are not flip flops, as the others I tried, but this is remarkable to me.

Length - length was perfect for a Men's size 9-9.5.

Comfort and support - since it is EVA, it is likely to be a bit sweaty. But, even if they fit, I didn't want to spend $100 on the original Birkenstocks until I was sure they fit well. The support is ... not sure. It seems to support the mid instep very well, but not outer part. This makes it feel as if I have something poking my mid instep, instead of supporting it. The material is firm without a lot of give.

Wear - no idea.

Overall - these are very wide and would absolutely be great for a high volume foot. Not sure they would work well for a narrow foot at all. In the end, I preferred the New Balance Recharge and the Oofas more. I considered keeping these to see how I liked them over time, but decided against it. See photos for more info.

My Old Chap igz experience Just don't wear them with socks, please...!.

I'm writing a review as I replace mine from about two years ago. Yeah, these are great sandals! Like others have mentioned, think BirkenCrocs!

Just like traditional sandals, expect to break them in a bit. They do become a bit more supple and soft with time.

For the comments about the looks... You do see what you are buying, right? These are a rubbery foam-like sandal. But they are molded to look exactly like standard Arizonas.

Sizing, as others mentioned, do not order up, perhaps even a euro size down. I typically wear a 44 in Euros. Even my standard Arizonas are a 44, but the next pair I'm ordering will be a 43.

To the comments about the split at the toe and strap... Yeah, I've got that too. But it's because of the slight mis-sizing. The toe of the sandal would catch sometimes and fold over as you step. You come down, and split. But in the year and a half that it's been split, it never tore away.

These have not deteriorated in any other way, even when I left them on my balcony for a few months, the environmental buildup on them just scrubbed away.

The sole has lasted and had not worn down much. That was something I was concerned with at first, but they hold up!

They are so light weight, it's easy to forget you are wearing any footwear at all. And because they are sandals and not flip flops, your foot moves more naturally. The combination makes for a very comfortable experience!

Just don't wear them with socks, please!

Don't mind my dirty feet in the pictures.. Just got back from a pressure washing job while wearing these...

My Old Neighbor Bethany say An excellent choice!.

I have owned several pairs of the classic Arizona and when I saw these I knew I wanted to give them a try. If you have had classic birks you understand how awful it is when they get wet. I’m working seasonally in Alaska this summer and needed something that is okay with the moisture up here. I’ve had these for about a month now and I love them. The EVA foam is actually softer and more comfortable than the cork in my opinion and they are perfect when wet. They weigh nothing. So lightweight and easy. Plus they have all of the looks of the Birkies you love so much. Half the price too. Can’t beat it!