Birkenstock Arizona Sandals

Awesome Sandals... of course! Sizing seems to be confusing for folks and all over the place so I hope my details on that here helps! . . . I take a 9 or 9.5 in women's (my foot is 10 inches or 25.5 cm. long). MOST of my shoes and sandals are one or the other, with the exception of KEEN H2's, which I need a women's size 10 in and in Chaco Z-series Sandals, I definitely need a ***wide width*** in those (size 9). My foot is about a C, bordering on D, in width... wider than MOST women's "regular" or "medium" widths in just about all brands (or at least, in the several that I have tried over the decades). This Birkenstock Arizona Sandal fits me perfectly in a 39 medium/regular. I tried the size 40 medium/regular and was too long (fit good width-wise) , both in feel and appearance. UPDATE: After researching how Birkenstocks are supposed to fit, I learned that they do not, in fact, " run big ". As for HOW Birkenstocks are supposed to fit, they run true to size. I realized that, since there should be anywhere from 1/8 - 1/4 th of an inch of extra space in front of your toes and behind your heel, my size is actually 40 (some styles 41). The reason for this is to allow for the natural movement of your feet as you go through the walking motion. I have since found that the size 40 Regular/Medium (and even 41 in some styles/situations; such as the "covered-toe" styles like the Boston and any of the sandals that are only available in a Narrow width) fits my size 9.5 D-width feet best. Your toes and heels are not supposed to touch the outer rim of the sandal, there should be a little bit of space there (as I mentioned, the amount of space, above). Hope this information helps those of you out there trying to gauge your size in this brand.

I am writing this review because I know how difficult it is to order birkenstocks on line, especially if it is your first pair. The size conversion, footbed, medium or narrow- there's too many options and how are you supposed to know any of it if you have never owned a pair?!?! Since these are my first pair, I'm glad they arrived perfect and perfect fit. :) To begin with- I ordered a pair that were sold by amazon.com to be sure that they were real. It was more worth it for me, and the size conversion would be easier knowing it was a real pair of birkenstocks. I was really confused as to ordering a size, but I am a perfect 8 usually, and AFTER DOING SOME RESEARCH (reading reviews, calling some local birkenstock retailers... Etc) I decided to order a 38 instead of a 39 because everywhere said they ran big, I even called a BEN LOVELL shoe store and the associate said she is an 8 but wears a 38 in birks. So I decided I would chance it and order the 38. Next, I had to decide between narrow and medium width. Wth? I just thought I had "normal" width. But after deciding I never had any problems with my feet being even slightly wide, I chose narrow. I would suggest narrow if you don't at all wear wide shoes. I don't know a lot of people that do, so I would say narrow is a more average fit. I got the mocha suede color, and I also read a lot of reviews about how you have to pull up the suede with your hands while putting them on... I knew this wouldn't be a problem for me, since you have to use your hands while putting on sneakers.... I haven't had to do it yet, I can slip them right on, but maybe as the suede gets softer I can see this happening. So, safe to say, my birkenstocks arrived and they FIT LIKE A GLOVE!! I was so happy because online returns are my least favorite thing. So I'm glad I took the chance ordering a 38 instead of a 39, and ordering the narrow as well! Comfy right out of the box also!!! So if you are a true size 8, definitely size down!!!! I would say these would fit an 8 1/2 most likely as well. I hope my review helped you make the right choice on what birkenstocks to order!!!

These are not the real thing! I have worn Birkenstock sandals and this exact style for over 20 years. This is NOT the real thing. Name looks good and all the same imprints and such, but just slightly different. I was very unhappy and returned them.

I have severe flat feet which normally prevents me from wearing molded insoles like those on these Birkies. Even with most athletic shoes I have to pull out the insole liners from them to be more comfortable. So it was with some reservation that I ordered the soft footbed Birkies - my previous experience with the regular footbed was a painful one. Well, the soft footbed is not as soft as I would have liked - I do definitely feel the pressure on my foot arches - but are adequately confortable. So far so good. I hope the comfort lasts. On sizing, took other reviewers' advice and ordered one size small. I normally wear 42s but in this case 41 regular fit well. I have wide feet, too, and these indeed are plenty wide. Those with regular width feet should definitely go narrow and carefully consider your actual footsize against Birkenstock's sizing chart. A little care here goes a long way.

I have a ton of Birks in different styles, but these are absolutely the best! I was a little dubious about the soft footbed before I ordered the first one, but I was quickly in love with it and ordered two more pairs to replace two that were about worn out. I wear these every day from May through October, and my older Birks still look good after years of wear, although on one of them I've worn them so much that the sole is literally smooth and worn to the cork in places. I keep intending to send them in for resoling, but at this point they've become my house shoes and I don't want to part with them that long. This is my favorite of all the Birk styles I own - you can tighten the straps to make them fit perfectly. The only thing about sizing is what everyone else says - I wear a 7.5-8 in American shoes, and I consistently order a 36 in Birks, which is a lot smaller than the charts recommend. I actually ordered according to the chart this spring, and I could have gone swimming in the ones I received, but the super Amazon service had a new pair to me in a matter of days with no shipping charge for the return or the new shipment. I know that Birks are a little unusual to wear when you first get them, but once you get used to your first pair, you will want more all the time and won't want to go back to any other kind of sandals. My only problem these days is controlling my impulse to order yet another color. :)

Unfortunately, the wrong sandals were shipped, so I returned them. No offer was made to ship the correct pair, just the credit is to be given to my account and the reinstatement of my gift card to its full value. Three weeks after placing the order, I still don't have the sandals, and I'm waiting for the credit. Disappointed because I own another pair of Birks and love them. On a positive note, the return was pretty painless.

My mom bought me my first pair of Arizona's about 6 years ago. In the beginning I was skeptical. I was use to those "gel" sandals and the break in period was uncomfortable. But after about a month I started noticing less and less discomfort and eventually they fit me like a glove! In all these years of ownership they have been with me through many of lifes ups and down. From ex girlfriends, to financial disasters as well as weight gain. But where there is darkness there is the light. There can not be sweet without bitter. There is still sand from Belize embedded in the foot beds from my cruise to the Caribbeans. The worn soles have many miles on them, on the roads of Shanghai, Taipei, and Beijing to my local HEB. The way the shoes have aged considerably tells many tales and I cant bring myself to throw them away. I still wear my old Birk's every once in a while, usually to the gym now. But these sandals are an excellent investment, and a quality product. And I cant wait to add many new miles and hopefully go on many more adventures with my new Black ones. Thanks for reading! I bought a size 43. And I am a size 10.5 Wide.

I bought a new pair of the same color and a smaller size as the ones I already had. the first thing you notice, the when you get the correct exact size and width is the fact that you get the maximum arch support. but what struck me the most was the durability of these sandals. I had my old pair for a little over 6 years, and I never noticed how much ware and tear they went through, until I saw what the new ones look like. before I saw the new ones I kept thinking to my self they are still in great condition as they never felt old, the only reason I got he new ones was the fact that I needed a smaller size as I lost a lot of weight. Granted i' was a heavy guy, but the materials took the brunt of my weight and still felt great. I always opted to take the open sandals as they keep my feet cool and air circulated easily, the closed version kept making my feet sweat. the high prices is warranted as they really do make you feel the arch in your foot. highly suggest the lighter colors though for the summer, as they match better with the brighter colored clothes.