I have 25 year old Birkenstock’s that looked fantastic for probably 18 years. Eventually the sole wore down as they do. I went to a reputable shoe store and they kept my leather upper and replaced the cork and sole for like $30 or something and they spruced up the leather. I couldn’t believe it. They’re absolutely like brand new again. A quality product that is repairable, what a concept.
I still have my first pair of Birkis that I bought in 1995! I still wear them, although the heel area is starting to wear out. Over the years I have purchased many pairs, and most of them look almost brand new.
i bought two pairs of Birkenstock Arizonas thinking i'll wear one and have one as a standby for next summer.... that was 4 years ago and i'm still on first one with the second one kept in the box in closet; durability: check.
I’m German and my mum used to work in the Birkenstock factory so I can judge not only from having experienced other made in Germany stuff but from having a family member who knows how the shoes are made. German quality is mostly top notch and super durable since most German factories have to use high quality products and the workers get paid more of course and are more skilled than maybe an underpaid worker in China. The shoes haven’t always been this expensive in fact I remember when Birkenstock’s used to be 40€ but since the hype the prices have increased a lot. Best tip i can give you is to buy a pair with soft foot bedding and a neutral colour so you can wear them longer and more often
I’ve learned that it’s not really saving $ if you’re having to replace the same thing over & over. Quality over quantity is worth having to wait & save up for. Thanks for a cool review. I love my Birks. :)
I bought a travel case for toiletries 30 years ago and the lady that was selling them told me to get the one with the highest price point. I complained that it was expensive and she said "It costs more money but that is not the same as being expensive" and she was right. 30 years later and I am still using it and it looks better than when it was new. It will probably live longer than me.
Also want to mention that when it comes to price, the location matters a lot. Germany's labor laws around living wage and time worked are drastically different than India or China - where fast fashion and sweatshops are prominent, and problematic, parts of the labor force that can't be ignored here. For the quality and fair wages, I don't think the real deal is overpriced
@bina nocht smaller companies that produce things like shoes in germany almost always get the parts from manufacturers in germany. It's the big companies that usually do labor in china because it's way cheaper. Most companies in germany though have the moral backbone to not exploit their workers and pride themselves on ethical and solid work. At least my uncle has his own business with building machines for clients and everything he get is from other german manufacturers, same with the company i interned at, same with the place I work at now. It's pretty common knowledge that if you want regular shipping that's of quality, you don't get it from china. China is where the mcdonalds toys come from but I don't trust china with good clothes that last for years.
Great video as always. One thing that will also add to the price of the Birkenstock's is that they are made in Germany and the company is paying a much better wage to their employees then they would if the shoes were manufactured in china or india. I think that's something a lot of people forget to consider when looking at the price of clothing and shoes.
The best part is they are made high quality, in a developed country which likely means more sustainable or higher wages. That's something I can get behind.
@@ronochow yeah. Cheap items look great, but really they are cheap because of slave labor and charging minimum or below minimum wage to the workers Edit: cheap items seem great like "wow that's cheap, nice!"
You’re correct. In my case always looking where shoes are made, if I. Do have choice I like made from Brazil, Spain,Italy, etc I tried to avoid made in China
Agreed! Even if the quality of the final product was the same (which it in some cases might be), that doesn’t mean the expensive product is not „worth the price“. Because there is value in fair wages
Agreed. I prefer to purchase products that European or fair trade at least then I know workers paid a sensible amount for their industry. If we all did that as much as possible then world might become a better place with great products that lasted and functioned well.
Even real birkenstocks make a fart noise when I walk, and its because I have a high arch so air gets trapped between my arch and the insole, hence fart.
I have low arches and my new Birkenstock’s make a farting noise as well... my old ones never did? Anyways, I hope that changes once they get broken into but for now, highly annoying.
I've had mine for 5 years and they're still going strong! They're been waterlogged and worn to death (I live in Sydney so it's pretty much always Birkenstock weather). 100% worth the price for the wear you'll get. I'm hoping to find a place to replace the suede footbed and sole because the leather is still like new. A++ shoe!
birkenstocks are great! resoled mine three times before the cork finally failed and i decided to give them a new life. the resoling cost about 40 usd. bought my bostons originally for about 100 usd and i got about 2 years of daily abuse per sole. i would regularly take them mountain biking, running, but they still looked good enough to also wear during work even before each resole. my uppers were just turned into 6 archery tabs for traditional archery. reduce reuse recycle....
I always die laughing at Amazon reviews. People are always shocked when their cheap knockoffs fall apart and aren’t as durable as original/designer items that cost 20x more and know for their high quality. They’ll be like I’m pissed this $5 pointe shoe only last 1 wear even though normal pointe shoes cost $90-$140
That’s not true! My $17 ones went for a walk yesterday! my step daughter and her kids came to visit yesterday one of them took my $17 shoes. Funny thing they left there stupid real ones behind and my ones are still in good nick. I biffed the real ones out in the wood pile. That’s the starting of my first New Years eve so happy new year people on this page, may this year bring prosperity for us hehehe looks like my has already started!
Because they aren't fake Birkenstocks. Birkenstock did not create this design of sandal, So it's not fake it's just different sandal using similar design that was being sold wayyy before Birkenstock started selling the design
I'm trying to be a conscious consumer. I'm in no way rich neither am I particularly affluent, but I am willing to invest a bit more money if it means that i'm getting a better quality product in terms of comfort and durability. These days however, in the flood of trends and fast fashion and increasing number of supposedly higher end brands who are now willing to sacrifice quality for bigger profit margins, it's sometimes really difficult to assess whether you're paying the high price for the brand tag or do you actually get better quality. I want to thank you because these kind of videos really help me make better consumer choices.
pretendingToBe I would definitely say Birkenstocks are the way to go. Fortunately, I was able to buy them without much thought but for those who have to save up to buy them, I would definitely recommend it because they last for so long. I saw this one RU-vidr and he's had them for 7 years and counting
I cringed when I paid 119.00$Cdn for my first pr of Birkies back in 2001. Still getting my money’s worth. Since that first pair, I wear Birkies as soon as my feet hit the floor in morning until I lift feet off the floor to go back to bed at night. Other than an amazing can opener my dad gifted me with in ‘77, these Birkies are the BEST investment.
Even if any of the knockoffs were comparable in quality I would buy the original Birks (even if I had to save up first), because whoever invented a product should be paid extra
I love Birkenstock. They have a high arch option which really helps. i still have a pair I've been wearing since 2005 - they stopped making that particular footbed (tatami) so i treat them well and have had them resoled once.
Thank you for this great review! The Birkenstocks are actually the least expensive of the three. My husband has worn Birks for 30 years, year round, in Michigan! And we're only on his 3rd pair.
I checked out your video and it's pretty cool. I just wanted to let you know that you may want to set the video to not for kids if you want the comments on.
Thanks for showing us just what the things we want to buy are made of. I've thought that Birkenstocks are overpriced, but seeing what goes into them makes me appreciate the labor that goes into them and their quality. Thanks!
It's funny how on trend birkenstocks have become. Those were literally the dorkiest thing one could wear and you'd be made fun of if you wore them to school when I was a kid. In Germany they used to be the typical houseshoes or shoes your dad might wear in summer. But they last so insanely long. My dad wore the same pair for at least seven years back in the 90s/ early 2000s
@@eiypo I don't know, he might have resoled them but I was very young then. Plus he only wore them around the house and in the garden so the use isn't as intense as what yours
My mom got hers in 1980 or something and wore them while painting houses bc I guess she didn't care about getting paint on them and they were her housework shoes. 🤣
I have a pair of Birks from 1994. I know that date because that's the year my daughter was born. I've had them resoled at least twice and use Cork Life on them each season. That same daughter wears them now.
Solution for any sandals that make farting suction noises: If you drill a few small holes into the insole (in a line down the centre) the noise completely disappears forever. I’ve done it all the way through with some sandals and only half way through with thicker soles, and it has worked with all.
You are right about the foot bed contour and your foot sticking and causing the farting noise. I have a pair of Birkenstocks that are all black with the black leather footbed (vs suede) that farted since new!! I could tell it was the space between my sole and the foot bed because you could feel it escape!
I was never really drawn to Birkenstocks until recently. I splurged and bought myself a pair. The same one's you had in the video. They were worth every dime I paid. They are the most comfortable shoes ive ever owned. This video just further proves how well they are made. Im not rich but im willing to pay more for a quality shoe then a cheap shoe that won't last. I even got my hubby wearing them
I did a project for a shoe local shoe repair. To produce the video I needed to learn the things about shoe repair. In the two months there. Every shoe brought in for repairs was made in China or India. The cowboy boots were made in Canada, and Mexico. Very used. Many years. The messed up ones, were not very old. Poorly made. Slapped together with glue. When it comes to feet. Take care of them. Happy sole. Happy life. When your feet are not happy. You are not happy.. When your feet get cold, you get cold. When your feet can't breathe, you can't breathe. The one important thing we over look. Our feet. (no pun intended)... Take care of them. NEVER wear someone elses shoes. No buy used or poorly made shoes. You are asking for trouble. Walk around in them for half an hour. Make certain you can move. Breathe. Buy them in the afternoon. After your feet have swelled half a size during the day. That will allow they to fit better. Wear this, and take care of them. Your feet are what get you around.. Happy soles... Happy life.
I remember I was on vacation in California. We were in Santa Barbara, and I stopped into a shop and tried on some Bierkenstocks on a whim. My feet had never been so comfortable! It was like they were made specifically for me! I bought them! And still have them today! 22 years later!
@@joanbelmont5450 There is a helpful right fit video out here by Birkenstock itself. Linking it here: ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-mGQ-iamE1pI.html
I had Achilles tendonitis and a planter faceitis on the other foot I tried everything, different types of braces, different shoes.,different insoles and the only thing that helped was Birkenstock sandals. I even bought their orthopaedic insoles for my other shoes. My feet are much better now. I am a nurse so it was a nightmare doing a 12 hr shift
I have had great results from plantar's facietis and back pain from kenkohs sandals, but I am looking to gets some birks for all day wear. Kenkohs' little nubbies can become cumbersome after too long.
Absolutely correct. Did you know there's no such thing as a vegan? Farming vegetables steals land from animals, kills pests like rats and insects, and exploits bees for pollination Vegans cannot exist unless they live in space off recycled oxygen and food made from space dust
Meme Machine is that a joke? It seems like it is, but some people genuinely believe this shit. Usually a vegan is defined as a person who eats a vegan diet. As in, they don’t eat meat or animal products. Some vegans also don’t use or try to avoid using products made from or containing animal products. Ie leather, or animal fats. Vegan doesn’t mean living on different land, breathing different air or consisting of different matter to animals. No vegan has ever claimed to live their whole life never adversely affecting animals. Some of this isn’t even adverse effects, “recycled oxygen” piss off mate. I’m not a vegan at all, but the kind of negative stereotypes that exist are at best tired and unfunny at this point.
@@ChaosBW A "perfect vegan" doesn't exist just like a "perfect human" doesn't exist. Veganism definition from "vegan society": Veganism is a way of living which SEEKS TO EXCLUDE, as far as is POSSIBLE and PRACTICABLE, all forms of exploitation of, and cruelty to, animals for food, clothing or any other purpose. I am a vegan because I do that ^. So yes, we exist. I don't eat meat, or animal bi-products. I try my best not to buy products that involve the exploitation of animals but at the end of the day I'm going to buy medications because those are necessary to preserve my health. I, personally, do not think we should judge people by their dietary choices. People like to reduce their harm in different ways (zero waste, fair trade, minimalist lifestyles) and I think we can learn a lot from these philosophies!
An year ago, I was wearing my father's almost 15 year old Birkenstock on the beach. It got wet, and the leather part fell off the bottom part. I got a new one for my birthday, and now I'm a proud Birkenstock owner!
Favorite story: on old game show, $10,000 pyramid, the clue was "really ugly shoes worn by lesbians"... Other contestant, Instantly: "Birkenstocks!" Ding!
Vegan leather that is plant based typically holds up pretty well, but the main issue I always find with PU fake leather (which can't be demonstrated by tearing or performing straightforward tests) is the way it flakes and deteriorates quickly with use due to its molecular fragility. Leather ages well, whereas plastic alternatives just degrade over time, all the while scattering small pieces of plastic about.
I moved with them 1984 from Berne, the capital of Switzerland, where they were hip at the time, to London to work as an Aupair. The english family thought I had descended direkt from the mountains 🤣
Polyurethane has a “life” of about 10 years from its production. After that it starts to literally disintegrate and there is nothing you can do about it, only change it completely. I’m a shoemaker and I do repairs and it kind of pisses me off because a lot of expensive brands are using injectable polyurethane for their soles and once they are through most of the time you can’t do anything about it because it’s embedded on the leather and there is no way to glue anything to it anymore. Like you buy a 250€ shoe and the uppers might look impeccable but they are done after a couple of years. And a lot of products spend years in a warehouse or a shop before you buy them so…
@bina nocht if they are polyurethane, the moment you least expect it they will start peeling off. They could also be just rubber, then they will last longer. “Vegan leather” usually just means any type of plastic.
Vegan leather is crap, i have bitten chunks out of the shit like its fruit leather to prove a point to an ex. Doesnt wear well when its not a fashion statement. Good thing nobody who works hard in boots or gloves puts any faith in that shit. Women will have some vegg leather half boots they wear to class once a week and talk about how durable it is lol. Great way to go to the hospital on a jobsite though!
It is very interesting to see how the materials really vary from the cheap shoes to the expensive shoes. Your channel has really helped me look at things that I shop for differently. Have a good holiday weekend!
@@acopperheart you say it has nothing to do with that but end it with idk? He said he didn't encounter the farting issue so there's a variable to the shoes farting
I think it's more when the foot bed and your foot "have differences" between bodyweight applied or not. So if the outline of your foot gets in touch with the corresponding part of the footbed before you put weight on the foot an airpocket can be "trapped" between the middle of your foot and the footbed. By putting the weight on it, the air escapes, and that can be via the (in most cases) softer and soemtimes "floppier" skin on the inner side of the middle of the foot.(english isn't my first language so i am missing the right vocabulary here). And this can make a farting noise. Won't happen if the arch of the foot is higher than the footbed, or the skin is very dry or you use socks...
Absolutely. The moisture creates a sucking effect on the arch, so when a feet moves, the compressed air moves out/in and makes a funny noise as the skin and air resonates. Same can be done, if someone compress air in his hands. The leather is porous, so it don't allows air to be compressed. An other common cause of this when something is not glued well in the shoe, and the layers are moving on each other. Making small holes on the lining with a nail possibly helps.
The thing about Birkenstocks is they are like, a third of the price in Germany. They’re not like typical American shoes where they’re comfy right away. But once they’re broken in, they’re heaven
Recently my mom bought some knock-offs at Famous Footwear. She tried the birks but she said they were too hard and hurt her feet. I think I know the reason now: the knock off were made from foam!
@@David-cy5zu depends on where you're looking. We had a Birkenstock outlet store near us when i used to live in Germany and we could find Arizonas there for €35 pretty regularly
if you want to test how easily the buckles (or any other aspect of a shoe) comes off, use a hanging-style luggage scale (I'm sure you can get one with a large weight range). That way you can see how much force is needed to pull something and make a more scientific comparison. Keep up the good work!
I have a pair or Birkenstock and I have ABUSED them... they are my holidays/walking/beach/everything sandal and they have not yet given up on me. I will absolutely always buy the real deal. These things last for years and years
I like that he smiles and almost giggles when he says "farting". But also, thank you for posting this, was planning on buying a pair of birks today after owning a few knock offs in college that didn't last.
Your videos are great! I can't tell you how many times I've wanted to disassemble something, but I was too cheap to actually do it. Thanks for fulfilling my fantasies!
Another benefit of Birkenstocks is that they can be resoled forever at a factory-certified dealer. You can keep your Birks for decades with an occasional repair/refurbishment, that costs a lot less than a new pair.
It kills me shopping on amazon and it seems like 90% of everything on there is the same exact shit probably all from the same factory just rebranded a million different times. All with the huge V in the review scores (tons of 5s and 1s but almost no 3s) that to me indicates the reviews have been padded.
I used to sell on Amazon, and it's incredibly common for Chinese sellers to do things like fake review farm, hijack ASINs, sell knockoffs, abuse product titles to keyword stuff, etc. My partner bought me a pair of what he thought were Brooks running shoes on Amazon. I knew right away they were counterfeits, but didn't want to hurt his feelings. Within 6 months the soles were cracking and separating from the shoe.
I am on my third pair of Birkenstocks. First pair lasted 6 years , second pair 7 years, I wear them everyday one way or another. They take a terrible beating, but you get what you pay for They are simply the best and most comfortable sandals I have ever worn
Love Birkenstocks. My feet love them even more. I wore the same pair of Arizonas I know for at least ten years. Then they got lost in a move. I really wish I could afford a new pair.
This really helps to understand why the price tag matters. One thing, though: cork isn’t exactly bark - its consistency is very different, and good quality cork feels similar to leather in a lot of respects. I’ve got a cork backpack and that thing is super solid, will last me years and years!
I’m 48 years old. I still wear my first pair of Arizona’s I bought when I was 17. At age 20-22, I wore my Birk London’s on a two year LDS service mission, and they still look absolutely AMAZING! Nothing compares to the original!
I’ve had a pair of White Mountains for the last few years and they are holding up well after very consistent use. They were way more comfortable than new Birks when I first got them.
@@StevieSkaggs would you recommend the white mountains? I’m interested in buying Birkenstock’s but I’m not sure if they’re something I’ll get much use out of, at the lower price I wouldn’t feel so bad if they just sat in my closet
Nice video ! Helpful to understand quality difference. Didn’t know there were voids in the shoes, that’s great to be aware of. But cork isn’t just saw dust, That’s a bit misleading especially for ppl who don’t know about it. Cork is the squishy airy flame resistant thick outer bark of the cork tree , it’s texture is very specific and if the other shoe IS actually saw dust mixed with rubber or glue or whatever then it’s a huuuge quality difference :)
I never thought that Birkenstocks were worth the money when it comes to quality. But now seiing how well they are made, it makes a little more sense. Especially when you think of where they are made. Germany has a high minimum wage, compared to other countries. So workers must get paid well.
Good sandals in general are both extremely durable and extremely comfortable. I've used my pair of sandals for everything from hiking hundreds of miles, crossing streams, to jogging and I've never got any blister and they are still going strong. For these reasons, I consider sandals to be the ultimate shoes.
The original Birkenstock’s are amazing. They become the most comfortable sandal you’ll ever wear. I have a newer pair that uses the soft pad over the cork. Don’t like it as well as the original. As I’ve grown old... I’ve stopped buying crap. I’ll pay a significant premium for quality. I do this for 2 reasons. 1) it’s really nice to wear or use quality made items. There is also joy in maintaining quality. 2). I want to support and encourage companies to build items that last, and don’t end up in landfills as often as cheap stuff.
LOL! I love the cat with attitude like: 'Okay, so you're doing some shoe video or whatever. Anyway, I need to sit right here, right now. You have a problem with this?'
My husband thinks I have a Burke stock addiction. I started wearing Burke stocks when I was in high school and I'm 62 now. I have 32 pair and they range in age from 1975 to last month I wear them every day and I love all the different styles and colors
I have been wearing broken stocks for 30 years I have put thousands miles on one pair. I still have my originals that I use for yard work If you get the hard cork and the hard rubber they will last you forever and they will mold exactly to your foot. Absolutely worth the price.
This is a really informative video. You should do more of these. It really helps shoppers out. It's important to know how much of the money we are paying big brand names go to marketing or product quality.
Even my genuine Birkenstocks fart when I walk. It's to do with how your foot fits in the foot bed, any voids between the foot and the shoe air gets forced out when you walk, making the farting sounds. It's not the shoe but the fit of the shoe and how it fits your foot shape. Unless you can can the shape of your foot, nothing can stop it.
Birkenstocks are the only sandal I can wear all day at Disneyland, and after over 12 hours of standing and walking, my back doesn't hurt.They are 100% absolutely worth the price for me.
I’ve seen 3 American podiatrists and each asked me the kind of shoes I wear. I have a closet full of Birkenstock’s. Their response: ok. Birks are expensive, but, if you average the price over the number of years they last, the Birks are much cheaper. Plus, Birks can be re-corked so your fave shoes last until you get tired of them.
My Birks outlasted me wearing them. I wore them for about 10 years until my personal fashion preferences changed. I had them rebuilt once with a sole replacement and some cork repair. It cost about 50 bucks but to have a rebuilt shoe that was already broken in to fit my feet perfectly was definitely worth every penny.
Loving these videos. Can't wait to see what else you can rip in half, would you consider doing the classic Louboutins and other women's shoes? It would be super interesting to hear your thoughts!
Man, for about the last five or ten years India has been consistently swooping in with middle of the road products. They've honestly kinda been impressing me.
Yeah, I won't comment on worker rights or enviromental stuff, etc (as I don't have enough knowledge on this stuff), but when I see "Made in India" I see it as a positive for the actual product. I have to wear dress shoes for work. The Allen Edmonds are the best, but the made in India ones have held up extremely well, are comfortable, have a goodyear welt, and cost way, way less. I'm sure not all made in India products are amazing, but I tend to believe that if a company was looking to save the most money, they'd go the made in China route.
@@DaveFromJapan sometimes I'll find a product that the workmanship is of low enough quality it's not good enough for it's intended purpose (some tools have this problem). But I've never started to use an Indian product to find that they just used an altogether garbage material and it failed in my hand. These shoes are a good example, nothing about the Chinese sandal was adequate; the Indian sandal didn't use the highest quality materials, but they picked adequate ones. I think that's the big difference, somewhere in building the manufacturing infrastructure for India they had a different idea about just how far you could cut a corner as compared to the same decisions in the Chinese market. It'd be really interesting to see where this came about in the process of developing their manufacturing base, especially if we could help apply it in nations that haven't already gone through the process.
I'm in India and Chinese stuffs are cheaper to buy than the Indian stuff...................but we too have some shitty companies robbing all over the country.......but there are many good stuff too.
@@xenonram in the case of the sandal specifically yes. I have had products from the area that would fail during first use, often times dangerously so. The price of something useless is irrelevant.
Hey all as a Birkenstock Employee over four years i want to explain some thing Let me explain what actually the layers of the foot bed and what they do, So Birkenstock foot bed made of actually five layers each layer have different benefit And those layers are 1: suede leather 2:the first layer of jute 3: The cork and latex foot bed 4: The second layer of Jute 5: The EVA SOLE So these are the five layers of the classic Birkenstock Each layer of these five layers have its own benefits let’s Break down those benefits 1: The sweat leather is the best material we can find as friendly for the skin and it’s really good moisture absorber 2:the first jute layer have smaller holes so it’s help the suede to absorb the moisture more 3:the Cork and latex Footbed is the soul of Birkenstock will long story short It takes the foot shape so it’s like you’re buying something customized for your feet 4: The second jute layer have wider to stabilize and hold the cork with the Eva layer 5:the Eva layer main benefit as shock absorber and slip resistance Ya so A little bit of the benefit of the layers of Birkenstock and of course there is much more behind that And regarding the fart noises it’s actually happened and Birkenstock too.. it happens on the air compress against the foot bed arch and the feet arch bow it’s actually because you have high arch not flat feet so in this case you go with the classic suede leather don’t buy the natural leather for bed If you need any questions feel free to ask Instagram @trap_owl
I have the White Mountains and I love them. I used to wear Birkenstocks in my twenties and they were great but the footbed causes me terrible foot pain now. I recommend the WM and price is good.
Interesting comparisons. I've got a pair of suede Arizona Birks that I've been wearing for over 25 years. The cork at the heels is just now starting to crumble, and there's some separation at the toe of footbed and suede. All said, I'd rather continue wearing the old ones to breaking in new ones. You can't go wrong with the real thing.
Wish I seen this two years ago. The knockoffs turned my feet black! It looked like I had dirty feet in a water park! Thank you for this video so others don’t have to deal with that. ❤️
I wish the comparison would've been made with real leather Birkenstocks too. Personally I'd never get the Birko-Flor version but the leather ones are my favorite sandals of all time.
My Birkenstocks last me between 5 and 8 years, and then I could take them to the Birkenstock store and have them made new for about 2/3 the price. I've never worn out a top, and if I took better care of the cork it would last even longer. I do wear out the outer sole, but that's the cheapest part to get fixed.
I got my Birkenstocks as a gift a few years ago, and I can attest that they hold up. They’re creased, and there’s marks in the shoe from sweat but that’s honestly normal and they show no sign of being worn down like some of my other shoes. I don’t think they’re the most comfortable thing ever, but I do think they’re made high quality at least.
I tried Birks and got major blisters ( yes, I know they have to be broken in) Then I tried a knock off pair and no blisters. Have had them for 2 years and they still look and feel good. Birks are just not for me. Awesome video though 👍🏻
I got my Birkenstoks 3 years ago and they are like new after wearing almost only them in the summer. I plan on buying some sandals and normal shoes from them. I‘d be interested on how Toms are in comparison to other similar shoes.
Birkenstock makes an “exquisite leather” pair that costs 200+, I held them in hand and they felt super cheap to me honestly. Would be cool to see your take on them if you ever go down that route
