A Tale of BirkenWoe
posted by: shoesense in Birkenstock, Comfort Shoes, General, Sandals on June 19th, 2008
Girlfriends, I am MAD. I am boiling with righteous indignation. And it’s all caused by a pair of shoes. A pair of comfort shoes, to be precise. A pair of the PARAGON comfort shoes, to push that precision to its ultimate conclusion.
You’re right, I’m talking about BRIKENSTOCKS.
Let me back up a bit. When I first started shoeblogging (some two and a half years ago) I was all preoccupied with comfort AND style. I was trying to find the happy medium between 4″ stilettos and fugly Birkenstocks–which means neither end of the spectrum was a-ok by me. I’ve been documenting my search all these years, with some spectacular successes and failures along the way. But never, ever, would I have considered buying the stocky, ungainly Birks, the staple of Women Who Just Don’t Care Anymore, in my book.
Except… well… there was something about their molded footbed that seemed very alluring, especially with my foot condition (plantar fasciitis), which requires generous arch support for my high arches and a comfy heel cup. I do crave comfort, after all, and the brand takes pride in being “anatomically correct.” Everybody is wearing them, and even The New York Times covered their (unholy) appeal. Even Heidi Klum went ahead and bejeweled them and sold them for triple the price. And then I saw one of the Olsen twins in the Gizeh, one of their more popular styles. That kind of did it for me. The evidence was overwhelming and I started to crack. “Surely,” I mused, “I could use a pair of these to walk the doggie in the summertime.” I was obsessing over it and spent an embarrassing amount of time trying to find a style that was appealing to me. In the end, I settled on the same Gizeh, in yellow:
I had been feeling the love for the color yellow, so I felt extra-justified in getting these (Color! Gap! In! My! Shoe! Closet!), plus Sierra Trading Post had some super-duper sale in which these ended up to be 60% off the original price.
And so! Yesterday I took them out for a spin, so to speak–a 2-hr errand in which I walked for probably 1-1.5 miles and drove around for the rest of the time.
And I came home with BLISTERS.
Let me repeat that: my SUPER-COMFY-ANATOMICALLY-CORRECT OPEN-TOED, OPEN-HEELED BIRKENSTOCKS GAVE ME BLISTERS.
Where, you may wonder. Where could you POSSIBLY get blisters from a breezy thong.
Well, it’s not where you think–right between the toes. Nah. It’s in my soles, right underneath the balls of the feet.
Needless to say, I was schlepping pretty badly by the end of my errand run and really regretting the day I bought into the Birki hype.
Let me assure you, they ARE the correct size. Any bigger and I would have been wearing boats. Any smaller and I couldn’t have fit in comfortably in that molded footbed. By any measure, that was the right size for me. I’m guessing they went a little overboard with the molding and the support in that particular area. Some people may need that kind of support, but guess what? That’s right, I don’t!
So now I have blisters. And now I’m mad because I feel duped. Either that, or I have really freaky feet (though, um… I managed to NOT GET BLISTERS ON MY SOLES pretty much all my life).
I’m going to wear something really well-padded today to help me through the day. Moon boots, perhaps?
18 Comments
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May 07, 2013 at 8:10 pm, Beth said:
I've been wearing my Giza sandals for several years and am now getting blisters on the balls of my feet. I never got them in the beginning. They are completely broken in.
August 25, 2010 at 3:38 am, Michael said:
Ive been wearing Birkenstocks for a long time and they do take a bit to break in, but once they are broken in they soon become one of your favorite pairs of shoes. So definitely have some patience with them and they will treat you well.
And if your not sure about where to shop for them you should give overstock.com a try. They have a great selection as well as great prices. and shipping is only $2.95!
http://www.overstock.com/Clothing-Shoes/Shoes/Bir…
June 18, 2010 at 8:02 am, artchic said:
Okay! You are not alone! Thanks for the post and comments! I just bought the Gizeh today and wore them home from the store which was about a 20 minute walk…I was pre-occupied with the thong part of the shoe which felt strange….Being somewhat manic and indecisive, I had purchased these and two other styles of Birks from a local specialty store – OUCH! All you ladies who think they're dorky….they really are uber-euro cool and in theory – comfortable…
When I got home I realized that one of the other styles didn't work for me so I walked back the 30 minutes this time in my same Gizeh's and I was experiencing pain on the soles of my feet (balls of my feet) and I got blisters in exactly the same spot! The lady at the store said her co-worker goes thorugh the same thing each year with new Birks, and by the number of posts here, I guess these shoes require breaking in…hard to do with a blister on your sole!
I had 3 pairs in the past and don't recall this blister thing, but I had the Florida style before and I ended up with 2 Florida's this time too…hope they work out because I coughed $350 for 3 pairs of sandals that are killing my feet….:(
June 02, 2010 at 6:39 am, sineadylady said:
i have just bought some and i have 2 blisters, one on each foot, in the same place as each other, i had to buy a 2.00 paif of cheapy flip flips as i couldnt manage to walk home in them anymore!! i love the look of them and everyone tells me they are great but im not too pleased at all. im def gonna have to wear blister plasters, i think the copmeed ate the best ones. xoxox
January 03, 2010 at 1:21 pm, Birkis Maria said:
Even though you still have to break them in, you should try Birkenstock's sister brand Birki. The shoes are way cuter and just as comfy!
July 12, 2009 at 7:06 pm, Carrie said:
I've got mine not long ago, been wearing them out 3 or 4 times already. Worn them for the longest walk yet today and I've now got a blister in the exact same place. It's nice to know that all the pain will go away and I'm looking forward to breaking them in properly! Thanks!
July 15, 2008 at 12:50 pm, What in the World is your Shoeblogger Wearing Now: Stuart Weitzman Linen Espadrilles | ShoeBlog said:
[...] heights and the ensuing pressure, were throbbing, and in fact, I developed a companion blister to the one caused by my Birkenstocks, right underneath the ball of my left foot. Ouch! I guess I learned my lesson: good for a quick [...]
July 08, 2008 at 4:05 pm, Car said:
I’ve had a pair of birkenstocks for about two years now. I thought they were giving me blisters because I hadn’t broken them in yet, but two years later I’m getting blisters where they rub against the arch of my foot. I’m looking for a replacement…
June 22, 2008 at 6:16 am, violet_dagrinder said:
Yep, Birkenstocks, more than any other shoe I've ever worn, require some serious break-in time. And someday, when they are finally broken-OUT, you will mourn them. Because you can't just go buy a new pair. You have to buy a new pair, and then break the SOBs in. Rinse, repeat.
June 21, 2008 at 3:53 pm, j said:
These need breaking in, especially the thong. I've worn the clogs, Arizonas, Milanos and Cairo (like the Gizehs, but with an ankle strap).
Give them a chance, in shorter doses. Your feet and sandals will adjust to each other, and they will be best friends. I promise.
June 21, 2008 at 3:49 am, BarkingDogShoes said:
I love your yellow Gizeh's and hope that after a few more torturous outings they begin to accommodate your foot
June 20, 2008 at 9:53 pm, Jozette said:
I used to wear Birkenstocks all the time (10 or more years ago) and as I was reading your post, and I came to the part where you asked about where you got blisters, I said aloud "on the balls of her feet." That's what Birks do before you break them in. The soles are hard at first, but man, when they wear in … they are the most comfortable things ever and provide really good support. If you can bear to get them wet – wear them in the rain or dip your feet in water and walk around. It speeds up the breaking in process. But don't be disappointed! They will break in! And when they do – you'll love them.
June 20, 2008 at 7:21 pm, Christine said:
Am I mean to say, that's what you get for buying such fugly shoes?
June 20, 2008 at 6:40 am, Car in Utah said:
I bought these exact sandals in black a few summers ago. My first pair of Fred Flintstones, um, Birkenstocks. This is the only tolerable style they make, aesthetically speaking. I was shocked when I tried them on and the very high arch support was located in the wrong place! But after wearing them a few times the huge hump went away. Hopefully something similar will happen with your blister problem! They seem to be made of very moldable materials–unlike other crippling shoes I've purchased
June 19, 2008 at 3:48 am, galligator said:
Oh my, good luck. The last pair that gave me blisters (not birks) are headed for the good will donation pile. I'm just past the point of putting myself through agony to 'break in a shoe'. Having said that, after you heal up, you could always break them in around the house with a moleskin pad, or – dare I suggest – toe socks to relieve rubbing while the footbed molds.
June 19, 2008 at 3:09 am, jitterbugbaby said:
I join in the chorus here. That old saw that shoes shouldn't have to be broken in to feel comfy just doesn't cut it with Birks. The cork in the footbed molds to your foot shape as you wear them, and the sole flexes more and more easily. It takes a little while, but they do get there.
June 19, 2008 at 2:56 am, Kate said:
I have the Gizeh as well, and after a few hours I would get blisters on the balls of my feet as well. After a few more wears they molded better and my feet got used to the shoes.Try it again in a couple of days but only for a short walk, once you get used to them they feel AMAZING on your feet.
June 19, 2008 at 2:41 am, Nadia said:
You haven't broken them in. All my most comfy shoes took at least four wearings before they came to be my most comfy shoes. The birkis have to mold to your feet and your skin has to get used to it too. Don't despair, try again next week.