Ensuring that your Birkenstocks are a perfect fit, means you can enjoy ultimate comfort and have healthy, happy feet! Wearing the wrong footwear can be damaging to our feet in the long-term. Finding the correct sizing and width with your new pair of Birkenstocks is easy with our step by step guide below.
STEP 1: Measuring your feet
Place both feet on a firm/flat surface, bearing your full weight onto your feet. Stand up straight onto a measuring tape and measure the distance from the back of your heel to the tip of your longest toe. You should always fit to your larger foot so take note if you have one slightly larger or smaller foot. Secondly, whilst still standing, measure and observe the width of your feet from the inside edge to the outside edge.
STEP 2: Regular or Narrow fit?
Birkenstock offers both a regular and narrow fitting footbed. The regular fit is perfect for those with normal to wider width feet and can be identified by the empty foot symbol located on the footbed. The narrow fit is suitable for those with slim/narrow width feet. This can be identified by the coloured in foot symbol on the footbed. As you want your Birkenstocks to fit as comfortably as possible, it is important you choose the right width that is suitable to both your feet. Choosing the right fit will keep your feet in the right places and prevent pressure points, aching feet, rubbing and misalignments.
For example, size 38 (size 7 AUS/US) regular fit measures 245mm in length and 95mm in width. A 38 narrow fit measures 245mm in length and 91mm in width. You can find the size guide here.
STEP 3: Checking the fit
Take your new Birkenstocks out of the box and open all the straps. Place your feet in the footbed with the straps undone. Stand up tall, bearing all of your weight onto the sandals and if they are the correct size, you should have some room at both the front and back of the sandals. You should not see your toes touching the front. If your toes are hitting the ends or you are resting back onto the heel cup, they are too small and you may end up compressing the cork, making them deteriorate quicker. Your feet should be comfortably embedded in the shape of the footbed and not resting on any edges.
Step 4: Straps
Now buckle up all of the straps. They should be comfortable and not too tight as this can leave pressure marks and restrict the foot from naturally rolling forward when walking. Ideally, you should be able to fit about a fingers width underneath the strap.
Step 5: Testing your Birkenstocks
Test the fit and strap adjustments of your new sandals by walking a few steps. If the straps are too loose or tight, readjust them. Watch when you are walking, that your toes are not hitting the front edge of the sandals. They will feel VERY stiff at this point, as they have not yet moulded to your feet and adapted to your walking pattern. Depending on how much you wear them, this may take up to 2-4 weeks.
Step 6: Final Step
New Birkenstocks will need to be broken into. We highly recommend that you do not wear them for long periods of time (more than 2/3 hours a day to begin with) as your feet will need to get used to the footbed. After a period of time, you can increase wear as they become more comfortable. You will slowly start to see dark footprints on the footbed and they will start to become more and more flexible. Birkenstocks mould into your feet by absorbing the natural oils and moisture, making the footbed darken. Do not be alarmed when this happens as this means they are becoming more comfy and fully moulding to the shape of your feet.
All Birkenstocks begin to crack at the flex points as they adapt to your walking pattern. If these cracks become large, you can choose to have a cork repair done where they inject cork into the exposed areas. We send all of our repairs to the Birkenstock workshop in Melbourne (contact for price details).
Lastly, enjoy wearing your new Birkenstocks and keep in mind that they become better with age and end up becoming addictive to wear!
TOP TIPS:
- Do not immerse your Birkenstocks in water.
- Do not dry them near a heat source.
- Do not leave them in the sun.
- If the straps are Birko-Flor, wipe with a damp cloth to clean. If they straps are leather, use a leather nourisher and allow to soak in.
- Do not wear them for long periods of time when first breaking them in.
- Consider a Birkenstock repair however, do not allow them to be so worn that this cannot be done. Contact for any enquiries and questions!
