Birkenstock Dos and Don'ts

Dos

Find a style that suits your feet best, don’t just go with what’s the most popular Birkenstock style. Make sure it feels comfortable and suits your feet as not all styles are suited to everyones foot shape, width and walking pattern.

Give your Birkenstocks time to break in. Being patient and allowing them time to mould to your feet will pay off. They will not be extremely comfortable when you first wear them as they have not moulded to your feet and adapted to your walking pattern. Wearing them in slowly will allow them to become more comfortable, flexible and will give your feet time to get used to the contoured footbed/arch support.

If you are unsure of sizing or having any questions regarding the care or general wear of your Birkenstocks then seek help and ask questions. You can find information on our other blog post or can email us any enquires. We are always open to answering whatever questions you may have.

Birkenstocks should always have roughly 5mm of space at the front and back. Overtime your Birkenstocks will curl up and mould to your feet, resulting in a slight loss of room. This is why the 5mm of space is important. It is also important that your feet are not end to end in the sandals/shoes. Having some space at the front and back will not only prolong the life of your Birkenstocks but it will also feel more comfortable without your toes or heels hitting the front/back.

If you have not worn Birkenstocks before, we recommended always checking that you have ordered the right size before wearing them. Trying them on inside for a short period of time is required. We cannot sell shoes that have any signs of wear therefore if you are unsure if the size is correct, we ask that customers do not go out for the day or outside in them when trying them on.

You can always choose to get your Birkenstocks repaired. Purchasing a new pair is not the only option if your old favourites are wearing out. Getting your Birkenstocks repaired is a great choice for those who have only worn out a certain area whether this be the cork, sole or heel section. Price varies depending on what you are repairing however, many customers choose to have this done. You can bring your shoes in store for an assessment, send us an email with images or give us a call to discuss your options.

If you have not worn Birkenstocks before and are therefore unsure of what size to get, we recommend going and getting fitted in a Birkenstock store. If you cannot access a store then we suggest reading our “How to fit your Birkenstocks” blog post. Getting the correct size is very important for not only your feet but also for the general wear of your shoes. If you purchase the incorrect size you may end up compressing the cork, cracking it and pushing the ends outwards.

Birkenstocks are not designed to get wet or be left laying in direct sunlight. Avoid extreme heat and ensure you do not dry them near a direct heat source is very important. You can wear your Birkenstocks to the beach, but a common mistake made by customers is leaving them to bake on the hot sand or putting wet feet directly back into them. As Birkenstocks are made from natural materials such as cork and suede, they do not do well with water and over heating. If you want to prolong the life of your Birks, we suggest not getting them too wet or leaving them near or in a direct heat source.

We highly recommend not wearing your new Birkenstocks all day, everyday to begin with, especially if you have not worn Birkenstock’s before. Birkenstock’s take time to break in and mould into ones foot. When you first purchase them, they will feel stiff and inflexible. Once they start to mould into your feet and adapt to your walking pattern, they will become more comfortable and flexible. We suggest wearing them for a few hours a day for the first week, to give your feet time to slowly get used to the prominent arch support and to allow them to slowly mould to your foot.

Do not wear your Birkenstock soles all the way to the cork. A comparative view is looking at it like they are car tires. Once you see that the tread is showing too much wear, then it's time to get a resole and you want to do this at the right time. The cost of a sole replacement is currently $55 and we send all our repairs to the Birkenstock workshop located in Melbourne. Many customers opt to get this done as the footbed and upper are still wearing okay.

We recommend that you do not wear your straps too tight. Birkenstock's recommendation is to be able to fit a fingers width underneath the strap. If the straps are worn too tight, this will restrict your foots natural walking pattern and keep you from moving more freely. Additionally, different uppers whether it be a suede leather, oiled leather or birko-flor will need to be fitted differently. Some materials can be more loose and some can be more tight.

Lastly, if you have a puppy or dog that loves to chew things, then keep your Birkenstocks away from them. We very regularly see brand new or old favourites chewed and ruined due to mischievous dogs finding them and tearing the upper or chewing the footbed. Something about the Birkenstock is very appealing and tempting!