Birkenstock Boston Suede Clogs

I sold Birkenstocks in Seattle's U-district for seven years; the Birkenstock company still makes the same superlative footwear. Oftentimes eschewed by fashion-conscious hipsters, allow me to answer a few questions:"Ew[...] They're so wiiiiide!"(Not really a question, but a frequent comment) Yes, they are wide. Birkenstocks passively support the architecture of your feet from underneath, just as your bare foot would be supported walking on a complient surface like earth or sand. Conventional shoes support your foot by binding them, rendering them less mobile. Your foot is a dynamic structure that NEEDS to move, in order to function correctly."How come they fit so loooong?"Birkenstocks are sized to fit the three arches of your feet: The medial arch (the largest arch typically referred to in the phrase "good arch support"), the metatarsal arch (the pocket between the ball of your foot and your pinkie toe), and the lateral arch ( a lesser known structure on the outside of your foot, in front of your heel). Because the Birkenstock flexes, at the cost of room at the ends of the footbed, a properly sized fit includes some extra room in front of the toes and behind the heel (in a normally-proportioned foot). This maintains correct support under your arches, providing a dynamic balance while you walk."They're so haaaaard!"Yes, Birkenstocks are firm under the sole of your foot. The footbed molds to the individual shape of YOUR feet over time, providing an even support across the entirety of your foot. Conventional shoes accomodate the hard points on the soles of your feet with padding that squshes under pressure, but doesn't actually support the structures of your feet. Birkenstocks are WALKING shoes, and after a normal breaking-in period, you should be expect to comfortably walk MILES in them."They're so floppy!"Birkenstocks exercise your feet, encouraging you to grip with your toes as you walk. At first, this may feel alien, but it provides circulatory benefits, when your calf muscles contract and assist in blood return from your lower extremities."They're really stiff!"Yes, they are. Birkenstocks are made from thick suedes and full-grain hides (and synthetics for the animal lovers). Expect a break-in period during which socks may be required for comfort."So expensive!"Birkenstocks are very durable and 100% repairable. With care, your Birkenstocks will last you for years.Even though I bought these from Amazon.com (and I've worn DOZENS of pairs -all the same size), you really should avail yourself of the expertise of local shoe retailer to ensure a proper fit to YOUR feet. Once you know your size, internet / mail orders become a viable option.Love your feet!

I have several pairs of Birkenstocks. They are great for walking and supportive of my high arches. The toe box is wide enough and high enough. If you buy this shoe, also buy cork sealer, and your shoes will last longer. I prefer the little bottles that have a brush inside to apply the sealer.

These are the best, so comfortable from day one. Never want to wear real shoes again.

Great everyday shoe. The black looks a little closer to a dark navy in person. I wear a 10 in Nike, cowboy boots and most shoes; I got the 42 and they fit perfectly.

I have a superhigh arch, so high that I often can't get my foot into a lot of different types of shoes, and when I can, the arch support is usually lacking. I scoured the net for a pair that would be comfortable and easy to wear for the house, errand running and general casual usage. These Birk's popped up time and time again... so, I went for them after reading all the great reviews. I'm sorry I threw my money away on these... Inside the bed of the shoe, there is a variety of different bumps, ridges and such that, I suppose, are meant to conform to the shape of your foot. When you put the shoe on and stand still it is fine, and actually feels ok, but then you take a few steps and your foot slides around a little (because it is a clog!) and those ridges and bumps wind up in the wrong places and feel uncomfortable and hurty! I thought, "maybe I just need to get used to them, Ill wear them around for a while and see". Not so much. No getting used to these. It's like wearing a shoe with a pencil, and a wadded up napkin inside. So, I wore them outside like a dummy (for desperate hopes that they would grow on me), and now I cant return them. So so so sad. Granted, I bought them online, maybe I should have known better and tried on multiple sizes and consulted a shoe-person in a store; but heck, I've been buying shoes on-line for a while and generally have good luck... Not this time. So, either go try them on in a store and talk to a shoe-expert-person, or just don't buy them unless you like having lumps under your feet all day... :(

I love Birkenstocks and have had a pair on my feet and two pairs in the closet since I was a teen. Like all my Birkenstocks, the Boston clogs fit well and are very comfortable. However, I'm giving the clogs a 4 star because the ones I received do not have a soft footbed. It doesn't really matter to me because I've worn the original and the soft footbed and can't tell the difference, but I feel, if the description says "SFB" then I expect them to be SFB when they're delivered.

I ordered a narrow as I have a rather narrow foot; however, while the length of the shoe is perfect, the width is too wide. If I tighten the strap across my instep to the tightest hole, it's too tight against my instep. However, I have a little higher instep than normal. The footbed comfort is awesome. My feet never get tired in these shoes. I'm planning to try either the felt or a suede in the same style in the hopes that the material/leather will be soft enough to allow for my higher instep so that I can have the buckle on the tightest hole. The only reason I gave these shoes 4 stars rather than 5 was the width issue. If you have a medium width foot, I would think the narrow would fit fine. I need to update my review since I've now worn these clogs for a week or two. The leather which originally was quite stiff, is now more broken in. So I can now tighten the buckle to the tightest hole and these shoes now fit well and I'm not walking out of them. Yay! If my feet are tired from wearing other shoes, I find instant foot relief when I slip into my Birks. I thought my Crocs were comfortable, but these Birks far surpass the Crocs in comfort and provide much more support for my feet and arches. I love them and have already ordered another pair in gray wool felt.