Rated 1 out of 5
Very Expensive Mistake
Bought to work in Hospitality/food service after seeing them so highly recommended by so many cooks, and they’ve turned out to be the most uncomfortable shoes I can wear to work. After trying on the equivalent of a size 9-9.5, which felt fine but Quite Snug, I decided to size up to a 10-10.5 equiv. As Instructed By Birkenstock In This Scenario, which turned out to be a mistake, as my shoes are now presumably too large (Maybe? As the width feels perfectly fine and they seem to fit Good, albeit on the tightest belt adjustments), making for a fit that constantly irritates the heel of my foot, giving me Plantar Fasciitis symptoms after an 8 hr shift (starting maybe 2 hours into the shift, progressing the whole time). The shoes seem to fail to support my very high arches, and force all the pressure directly into my heel, which, of course, is an issue I only noticed After having worn the shoes for Too Long to be able to return them, as the known phenomenon of Birkenstocks breaking-in made me believe that I simply hadn’t worn them in Enough (I have owned them for a year, and have put dozens upon dozens of hours into them), I can only assume that the breaking-in narrative is, if not intentionally spread to dissuade customers from returning ill-fitting shoes, then is at least considered a happy accident when someone decides to stick with a shoe under the guise that is may not have broken in yet. The shoes are miserable, though the materials are nice, the leather is thick and tough, hiding scratches, cuts, and gashes Well Enough (aided by some black polish), while providing good coverage and protection from GENTLE drops (these are not safety toes, and though they may protect you from a dull knife, portafilter, or baking sheet pan, they WILL NOT protect your feet from a Full Stock Pot, for example), though the cut-outs on the front do also make me worry about the potential danger from spilling large volumes of hot liquids and syrups on your feet, as they could easily soak into your socks on the top of your foot. Overall, I Literally Do Not Know whether they’re the wrong size or not, and I Do Not Know if they’d have been more comfortable where I to size Down from what I Ordered, but I do know that they’re the most uncomfortable, and MOST EXPENSIVE work shoes I’ve ever bought, which can only be worn out for short errand runs, or where I’m sitting for most of the time. If you genuinely want to try birkenstocks, maybe consider buying a cheaper pair and deciding on the fit of Those before wasting $160. What A Joke
By Evie