Birenstock was purchased by LVMH (the company who owns Louis Vuitton) earlier this year, and suddenly they start releasing subpar quality items at a high price tag. Coincidence? I think not...
Thank goodness that they don’t own RM Williams anymore and its back in Australian hands. Looks like the boots are to be produced there into the foreseeable future and the production isn’t being shipped off shore
And it's such a joke too because you can't even leave reviews on their website at this time. I found this video because I had such a horrible experience with my Birkenstock Jackson boots and couldn't leave a review on their website. I was trying to scour the web for other user experiences.
I'm from Portugal. It makes sense to see Birkenstock associated with Portugal because of the cork, but sad to see the quality of the boots. Its a shame because we have quality factories here that could make a very good boot.
You should not feel shame. I've bought a pair of Albatros Mont Blanc Mid outdoor boots. You may not heard of albatros but it is known for quality workwear. According to the description the boot, which was true, it is made from high quality leather, and other materials. But when I get it out of the box, first I was disappointed because despite the good materials it was not well made. The shop exchanged in warranty but the second pair was barely acceptable. Both pairs has similar problem. Meanwhile the left boot was almost perfect, the right boot looked, yarned, patented messy. I used only once for going into the forest (where its Intented to be used and the brand claims its "powered by function" but despite I spent time indoor to brake in for a certain level, it was really uncomfortable. So the brand is German just as Birkenstock, but according to the label which was on the boot inside the box, it was designed in Italy (probably by Grisport) and it was probably made in Romania. To get back to Portugal, I wanted to reason why as a Portuguese you should not feel shame. Maybe these Birkenstock boots are overpriced garbage, but despite the materials, it was perfectly made. The sole is perfectly glued, the stitches are perfectly lined, just as the lacing hook patended perfectly spaced and aligned. So the Portuguese person or people who were involved in the make of these boots, did their job very well and to be proud of
@@realdanielhorvath I just said to the Mr that’s from Portugal that he shouldn’t believe in persons who doesn’t have a clue of what they’re saying.. I can also do random videos and give my opinion without understanding bullocks about it and make money like that.. the boots weren’t disappointing but the minutes of my life I waisted seeing this video was..
@@Legionnaire7777 I own a pair of Lowa renegade hiking boots. They are very good imo. Held up very well, and I'm not a featherweight doing light terrain only. Would definitely buy Lowa's again for hiking boots.
Thanks for the shout out Weston. Always great to feature on your channel. Can’t believe it’s been a full year since the Razorback hit the USA and your video on it. All the best
Solid roast man, keep up the good work! It's great to finally have no nonsense reviews on such important products. I'm a firm believer that if you spend more than a quarter of your day on your feet, quality footwear is a must. You've managed to prove what I'm sure many where already thinking. Not all footwear companies can be trusted to work in accordance with ethical business practices. A trusted name, doesn't always mean a good product. Nor does a big price tag. Can't wait to see more man. Great video!
Jim Greens are one of my favorite boots. Only issue I have had is I had to add a heel pad to keep blisters from forming on my heel and I also noticed an outward curve that causes minor discomfort on the ball of my foot. My other favorite are red wings, carolina, Patron, rock rooster ( which used to be a disliked brand until Rose Anvil). :)
Jim Green is the goat. The Vellies are so insanely awesome for the price-point. People still buying Clark's and the like are dummies for sleeping on Jim Green.
I still think you should do a video on women’s boots. I feel like a lot of women’s boots are not made as well as men’s boots because they think we care more about how they look rather than how well they’re made or function. As if we don’t work too 🤷♀️
Speaking of Jim green I bought a pair because of your video and used them landscaping throughout the summer and I Absolutly love them. They are fully broken in and they feel like slippers. Fantastic product!
I also bought a pair of Jim Green's after watching that video but every time I put them on it feels like I'm wearing wooden clogs. I wonder how long it takes to break them in.
I have a pair as well took awhile to break them in but now they feel great. The break-in period is longer than on most boots standard boots but probably on par with a good pair of boots.
I am from Germany and have the birkenstock sandals and I am pretty much happy. Those boots are bad for that price and Rose you bust all the companies which is great, because we can see now who make really good boots like nicks. Companies like nicks, Jim Green etc. Deserve it. Greetings from Germany 🍻😉
I never knew Birkenstock sold boots. Dosn't look like I missed anything though :) They must be made by an OEM in Portugal, the only thing made by Birkenstock are probably the insoles. They should find a better OEM if they are asking these prices. They do look rather comfortable though.
@@AlexanderMason1 Not every manufacturer is capable of every manufacturing technique. And it's utterly uncertain how far Birkenstock was involved in the process of engineering these boots. But you could be right, maybe their contract manufacturer could do better if Birkenstock was willing to spend a little more. My limited experience is in the electronics industry. And there the finished product often depends more on the OEM than the reseller who, in many cases, has almost no involvement in the process apart from marketing.
These are fashion boots and, insole and ergonomic toebox aside, are very different from the great traditional birkenstock sandals and house shoes. If it looks like a hiking or work boot that's good enough because it is nothing but an ergonomic fashion boot.
I love your videos! Cutting boots in half is the best way to find out the quality of a boot, for sure. Boot companies have no where to hide… they certainly can’t hide behind their name. Great video. 😁👍
After seeing this video, I made two more purchases of Jim Greens! I will say if you go for the pull-ons get your regular size, if you go for the lace ups go .5 up if you have wide feet.
-Hey boss, I have made this cool insole made out of cork! -Ok but we don't sell boot, what are we gonna do with it? -Make a 100$ boot that is decently comfortable because of it, then sell it to people that don't know anything about boot for more than twice the price -You deserve a raise
$100 boot plus $80 insole is $180. So they didn't double anything. Not that Birkenstock is cheap anyway. I would like to see a cork insole comparison from someone. If anyone is making a better cork insole, for less money, I want to know reeeally bad.
@@jeffmitchell72 They might sell it for 80$, but they probably make them for less than 10$. Cork isn't super expensive, they are probably just trying to get as much money from their hardcore fan as they can.
@@cedricboivin9422 that isn't staying consistent. If we are talking cost you could say the same thing about just about every maker, of any product, ever. I would like to find a cork insole at least that good for less though. So lemme know if you know of any.
Do you think you could do a review of boots issued for police and military? Bates is probably the most used brand and can be bought by civilians. That or Corcoran.
I'll review bate's, straight garbage. The soles melt undwr any hear and get really bad hydrolysis in the outsoles. I ended up wesring nonreg red wings that looked just similar en9ugh t9 not ar9use suspicion.
2 things, i immediately thought of the jim green boots as well, but its a shame to see they didnt live up to that level of quality secondly, i think youre getting soft with your cut-centered score. the old rose anvil would have given that a 4 at MOST
Thank Gawd you saved me from buying Birkie Jackson boots! Had my eye on them and was thrilled to see you posted a review. Got wide feet and am a huge fan of wide, anatomically-correct shoe lasts. (Bought two pair Jim Green's based on your review of them, BTW.)
I have been wearing these for a month and absolutely love them, no these are not heavy duty workboots but they are great for casual wear if you have wide feet. No break-in time because of the soft leather. Here in Europe they are a bit cheaper, something like 150$ wich is reasonable.
WTF is with the shank? You CAN'T make a shank out of mild steel, and expect it to not be malleable. Ridiculous! So... if I step on a shovel aggressively... I can expect to have an even bigger arch support. LOL.... Nice job (NOT) Birkenstock. Rose Anvil... it's people like you that are going to keep these companies in line. Keep up the great work!
wooooow. that cut in half video was so on time. i was considering buying birkenstock stalon - which seem to be the same sole but as a chelsea. i will have to reconsider. however i have another birkenstock boots that i like and bought for the toe freedom. i would like to find nice pair of regular boots that are a bit broader in the toebox area
The Jim Green boots he recommended have a wide toe box and they cost like $100 less than these. You could probably get the birkenstock insoles and a pair of Jim Greens for less money than the birkenstock boots.
I bought the Stalons. Granted I haven't worn them much because of Covid. I'm real happy with them and despite this video and totally happy about my purchase. This boot is only a bad decision if you forget about that big thick cork insert being part of it. PS the wide foot area was a big part of my decision to buy. I like plenty of room for my feets
@@dillonberch243 I was thinking this myself. It would be a best of both worlds scenario. Bonus points if someone can find a cork bed that is as good or better for less money.
Ya I got a pair of birkenstock Bryson boots and they're great. They appear to have a stitch down construction (thread visibly goes through upper) but I bought them fir the foot shape. Normal boots are very pinched in the toe box and that causes terrible foot issues long term. Now I've worked construction jobs for years when I was younger and I bought boots that were tougher for that application but again they cause foot issues over time. These days I want comfort and fashion and let's be honest, birkenstock is a fashion boot. It needs to feel kinda like a sneaker and look like a boot and not mess up your feet. In that regard thet do great. I love rose anvil videos because it shows what your getting but also remember application as a buyer, if you're not using boots to work in a trade you don't need hard-core boots you need more of a lightweight fashion boot afor that a lightweight boot design that's anatomically correct is a good bye. Albeit they are overpriced lol but then no one else is a tally making normal looking foot shaped boots soo, you gotta pay for exclusivity
Weston Kay is absolutely correct that the Jackson boot’s decorative stitching and cork are decorative stitching and cork, but I hope that people looking for a comfortable pair of hiking boots with a large toebox won’t be confused by his review. These are the most comfortable sturdy boots my 58-year-old very busy feet have ever met. After several months of wear I see no signs of weakness or structural distress anywhere in these boots, and I rough them up and hose them off almost daily (still waterproof). I agree with Weston that the relative springiness of the outsole makes it wear slightly faster than on other boots I’ve owned but it’s not a big deal for me. I’m not a structural engineer, but I feel fairly certain that it’s impossible to deform a metal shank the way Weston does in his takedown if the shoe hasn’t been sawn in half first. After noticing that Weston’s review seems to have single-handedly caused Birkenstock to dump this boot at almost half price, I bought two more pairs yesterday - so thanks! unrelated feedback for Weston: You might want to consider dropping the Cometeer Coffee sponsorship. As someone who has never seen you before, watching you proclaim the scientific achievements of overpriced coffee and then obviously not enjoy tasting it makes me think that you possibly aren’t always truthful and that you clearly don’t know how to make a decent cup of coffee for yourself. unrelated feedback for Cometeer Coffee: Listening to Weston Kay try to sell me on your coffee honestly left me thinking I should avoid it.
As a Birkenstock QS700 wearer this is awful news!! Hahaha because until someone els makes another foot shaped wide toebox Steel Toe safety boot I have to make sure my QS700s stay wearable. Great video man
I'd love to see you take apart a pair of American Duchess boots! they're meant to be historical reproductions and I'd love to see what you think of the materials and construction methods
Second this. A collab with Nicole Rudolph (previously of American Duchess) would also be cool. She hand-crafts historical shoes. You’re explanation of tumbling leather had me thinking back to her comments on the leather being used historically being softer than the leather in modern shoes. It had me wondering if leather couldn’t be put in a tumble dryer on the air setting to achieve that.
I saw that you posted a link to buy these shoe model on Amazon. I watched a news video of the Birkenstock CEO cracking down on fakes and he stated that they stopped selling their shoes on Amazon. So, if you bought them at Amazon, you must have gotten a fake.
That's it. They aim for trendy names they know people pay insane prices for. Then they kill the product and the name itself becomes the product. I am so glad i know my stuff and am immune to hype. instead of going for names i hunt flea markets. I found a pair of jumpers for 7€.... military issue, imagine how happy i was.
They've been doing pretty badly financially for a long time before their majority shares were sold to that french billionaire who owns Louis Vuitton. It's more complicated than that. I personally would advise to stay away from anything but their traditional sandals and house shoes.
You should try some William Lennon boots from the UK. They don’t have a welt, but aren’t bonded either. They’re stitched together with copper wire. The hob nailed version would probably destroy your saw though!🤣
I’d love to see a pair of TOMS brand boots cut up and examined. Seems like another (once) popular brand that might be stamping their name on a lesser product for premium prices.
I was very interested in buying these boots and disappointed that Birkenstock didn’t provide more construction info on the website. I wanted to know if that the sole was stitched and if that cork strip was solid. You’ve give me all the info I need to save $220 plus tax. Thank you!
I have a pair of Columbia boots that I bought 3 years ago for $60 at Bass Pro that look very similar. I have hundreds of miles of winter hiking on them. They are extremely lightweight, waterproof, and comfortable. They have very little wear and polish up to look new.
i'm just going to act like i didn't just buy a pair of Birkenstock boots yesterday...I had a pair that lasted 4 years of almost every day wear and basically no care for the leather or the shoes (i was young), walking through and standing in puddles like it was nothing and they held up pretty well. So i thought i'd invest in another pair but now seeing this video, idk what to think.
Oh Yes go with Jim Green even though prices went up $20 +/_ for each boots. Still cost less for better👍. I own 3 pairs of Jim Green & 7 pairs of Red Wings heritage boots not including my 20+ pairs of cowboy boots. Those Jim Green are worth the money but some QC problems recent but it's acceptable 👌
Speaking of Birkenstock insoles, I love mine in both my Red Wing moc toes (the half length "sport" variant for heel + arch) & Jim Green barefoot rangers (both the half length and traditional full length variants, depending how I'm feeling). They're legendary and Birkenstock's original claim to fame, wish more people talked about them.
Very fortuitous. I have been pondering purchasing these boots for several weeks; so thankful I came across this review. Saved me wasting £185 (UK price).
Actually have a pair... got from a local store that gets like over runs and stuff. Bought them before I knew anything about boots at all cause they looked good, felt perfect on my feet, and were only $45 brand new. About 2 years later and the soles are very worn. I only rarely wore them but they still wore out fast. Usually the way I walk wears the heels faster than soles but the rubber is so soft on these they wore thin and split open. The welt has separated from the sole in several places. Uppers are still looking good and they're still comfortable to walk in but not even water resistant anymore. It's a shame I can't resole these... if they had vibram soles they would be much better. I know a lot more about boots now and have a pair of thorogoods that I love and these birks hardly get worn. Been eyeballing some Thursdays lately. I honestly dont know what to do with these. I dont think they can be resoled and even if possible would it be worth it? Doubt it. Maybe I'll grab some jim greens and pop the cork insoles in them. They just fit so good. Not much squish and can be a bit jarring walking all day in them but they're form fitted so well now it would be a shame to toss them. Anyways that's my mini real world review. I'd never pay even $150 for them knowing what I know but for the price I paid I'm fairly happy with them. If anyone has any questions leave a comment and I'll answer to the best of my ability.
I think you are right. I have a pair of Chelseas, for 180€ and I had difficulties to find someone to resole the heel. These are not shoes comparable to the classic Birkenstock sandals which I wear and love.
Yeah I had reservations about buying these shoes because of this video. Bought a cheap used pair for 110 to see if they were comfortable. They were… so I bought another pair… I forget I’m wearing shoes while wearing them. If you are going to cut your shoe in half, this shoe is not for you. It you just want them to wear, maybe do some light trails on it, these shows are great.
I imagine the bigger the company name, the bigger the demand, the smaller time window they have to make the largest possible profit before someone finds out they’re cutting costs in the product. Support small businesses guys.
I'm shopping for a good, reasonably-priced pair of hiking boots that I can break in over the winter. Not that Birkenstock would have ever been on my radar but now they're firmly placed in the penalty box. The insoles sound good but not at $80.
I would love to se a series of hunting winter boots or extreme cold weather boots if you haven’t already done that already, would like to see what materials are better for keeping feet warm during the cold or if there are brands that we should avoid
Thank you so much for this review! This is the kind of review we need. I was eye balling the bend lows but this makes me hesitant to check out anything else they sell. All the best!
Can you take the shank out of the other boot whole and then try to bend it, may be stronger than just half of it. Most times things as a whole are stronger than the pieces.
I have these boots and these are absolutely awesome boots. Mine are quite well constructed. They support my foot and have been great while hiking, keeping my feet dry. The only problem I have, is that they run a bit short. Just looking at these in the videos, they don’t resemble the quality of the boot I have, even in their stance. Mine are much stiffer and sturdier.
Really wish I saw some content on women's boots! A lot of these brands hard target women, so having some feedback from a Collab or something would be great!
If they did their homework they would see that Jim Greens makes a boot of this style and would have known that they shouldn't even try, I don't think anyone could compete in this style of boot.
But have in mind, these ain't work boots, these are orthopedic shoes for the winter. I think Brikenstock's goals was comfort and good fit but not intense durability
I bought a pair of Skechers boots and really just for yard work. Uppers are just glued to soles, so they are separating now. Uppers in okay condition, soles close to new, but the construction makes them garbage.
It is crappy boots like these that make you realize the value proposition Thursday offers in their line up. For $30 less you can grab a pair of Captains that are much better than this.
Every single company pulls a bait and switch. Dazzle with an initial quality offering, then rack in the profits by switching to the cheapest possible product but keeping the brand name and price.
Just finished breaking in my Jim Greens, even for the $20 more they are charging now for a pair of razorbacks they are still better than so many other options in similar style and function, including these and outsourced Danner's.
Great video! What a scam. Guess you can add Birkenstock to the growing list of once great companies/products going down the drain. Chasing profit to the bottom of the barrel. Love the two pair of Jim Greens I own! At least JG makes a legit pair of foot wear. I'd love to see a pair Razorbacks in black.
They still make great sandles, and that's really what they need to stick to. Making boots isn't really their thing and the fact they had to contract it out instead of doing it in-house should be a warning sign.
This is so freaky... I literally just got a pair of the Stalon model (their chelsea boots) a couple days ago!! I'm honestly not very phased by this review. While it does disappoint me that the boots aren't as well constructed as other boots in the same price range (I got my pair for $190), I don't really do a lot of intensive labor, so I'm not worried about these boots breaking down within a year, and I'll be real with you, I have yet to find a shoe or a shoe brand that is as comfortable as Burkenstock, which is why I chose to gamble on their new line of boots. The only complaint I personally have with these boots is that my pair are ever so slightly warped. In other words, the outsole does not lay flat, which isn't noticeable when you're wearing them out, but still, wtf Burk?
thursday is a really good value for its price. that being said, id still test the market, look at as many companies as you can. boots tend to scale really well with price though, and id say only really start to fall off in value around the $400 mark. if thats out of your budget, redwings are a good buy as well, and there's plenty of used ones on the market
I think this is worse than the UGGs, does anybody buy UGGs thinking that they hiking boots? As an owner of a pair of UGGS,they're high top house shoes that because they're Australian people convince themselves that they can be worn out on the town. But these Birkenstock at first glance look like your buying real boots. Kay, what I love about your channel is you've shown that there are companies which will sell you inexpensive boots which reasonable trade off to meet that price point have been made and then there is over priced junk. Thanks for showing people the difference.
Meanwhile in the Philippines you can buy quality boots for under a 100 dollars! I just bought mine that's made in Marikina for around 20 dollars during the 11.11 online sale! I can immediately tell it's quality because it's handstitched. It may not be as good a goodyear welt but it's way better compared to a cemented construction. I wonder if Rose Anvil is interested in getting a pair of Marikina made boots?
I have similar Birkenstock Chelsea boots that I love to wear when I am doing a day of city walking. They are very comfortable but seem on the cheaper side because they are so light weight. Luckily I only paid $80 for them on sale. The cork foot bed is everything, but just as expensive on their own.
I’d like to see you cutup some Duckfeet boots. I have a pair of the previous version of these Birkenstock boots from around 3 years back. The only thing I can see different is mine doesn’t have the decorative cork. They are definitely not for anything other than getting the look of a pair of hikers. The only closed toe and closed back shoes built on the actual sandal footbed now are the London and the Montana models.
@@martin8313 they made a handful of casual shoes that are the exact same as the sandals but use (usually) suede uppers that are stretched over the cork footbed. They look somewhat like clown shoes but have all the comfort of the sandals. I think the London and Montana are only models of that type still in production. The Dundee ankle boots are great for office settings where you might have to go out onto a production floor, etc.
