The 13 Best Birkenstock Clogs and Sandals to Wear Right Now
Olivia Cigliano
Commerce Writer & Producer at Footwear News and WWD
All products and services featured are independently chosen by editors. However, Footwear News may receive a commission on orders placed through its retail links, and the retailer may receive certain auditable data for accounting purposes.
It’s easy to ask around for recommendations on the best Birkenstock sandals and shoes because depending on who you talk to, everyone has their favorite style from the iconic brand. We’ve narrowed down the best Birkenstocks for men and women to fit your foot type and wardrobe for fall 2024, plus tips on how to break them in for a super soft stride.
Birkenstock is a cult-favorite shoe brand for its durable construction and timeless heritage designs. Since 1774, Birkenstock has been a leader in supportive footwear that looks great and feels even better, with long-time endorsements from foot health experts and podiatrists. The brand’s gold-standard comfortable sandals — renowned for their signature cork-latex contoured footbeds that cater to narrow and wide feet — have earned Birkenstock the Footwear News honor as Brand of the Year three times over in 2013, 2017, and 2020. The Boston Clog was spotlit as the “hottest shoe of the year” in Lyst’s 2022 Year in Fashion Report and continues to be seen on celebrities like Gigi Hadid and Sienna Miller.
Signature Birkenstock sandals for men and women like the Madrid, Arizona, and Gizeh are constantly reimagined for various needs and style preferences, from shiny gold “Big Buckle” iterations, to vegan, canvas, and EVA upper iterations, platform soles, and cozy-warm shearling lining. Although Birkenstock is most beloved for its premium leather summer sandals, its suede and shearling-lined clogs, slippers, and boots are widely embraced as cozy shoe staples for fall and winter. In fact, closed-toe Birkenstock sandal sales spiked during the winter months of 2024, along with the brand’s newer boot silhouettes that only launched in October 2023. Even so, dedicated fans of sandals like the Birkenstock Arizona or Milano will still wear them with socks in the chillier months to extend their mileage through the seasons. Birkenstock is a judgment-free socks-with-sandals zone.
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Birkenstock shoes have earned their place in the fashion industry as well. Although the shoes have been preferred by fashion designers since the ’80s, Marc Jacobs was the first to celebrate the Arizona sandal in his iconic 1993 Grunge collection for Perry Ellis. The brand enjoyed its first major collaboration with Rick Owens in his 2018 Burning Man-inspired presentation, with more sartorial team-ups following suit, including Valentino, Jil Sander, Proenza Schouler, Dior, Manolo Blahnik, and more. Most recently in 2024, Birkenstock released a bright and playful Los Angeles-inspired “Eternal Sunshine” summer collection, the second installment of Lingua Franca’s “Give a Damn” collaboration sandals, and even Nordstrom-exclusive styles — some of which debuted during the retailer’s Anniversary Sale for its “Make Room for Shoes” campaign.
Birkenstock is serving up a bounty of cozy slides, clogs, and fall-ready boots for the colder seasons ahead, so keep reading to discover the best Birkenstock shoes and sandals that are well worth the investment.
Birkenstock Boston shoes feature the brand’s signature cork footbed designed to support foot health; in this style, the footbed is made sustainably with renewable materials. Its suede lining and EVA foam padding add extra cushioning for that light-on-your-feet feel. Plus, the closed-toe silhouette is great for trapping heat during the colder months.
Editor testing and review notes: “My Birkenstock Boston clogs are, without a doubt, the shoes I wear the most in any given month. Because I have high arches and plantar fasciitis, walking barefoot around my apartment puts strain on my feet (and most slippers are too flimsy to provide the support I need). I wear my Bostons around my apartment, but they’re much more than house shoes — on weekends, I’ll wear them with wide-leg jeans, a suede shoulder bag, and a cardigan for a laid-back look. The deep heel cup helps to cushion my feet and they only get more comfortable with wear. With some suede spray, they’ve stayed in pristine condition for a full six months.” — Footwear News Senior Lifestyle Commerce Editor Claire Sullivan
Price upon publish date of this article: $159.99
Slip on these comfy sandals to walk the dog, go out to lunch, or trek a sunny hiking trail. Kaia Gerber often sports her Birkenstock Arizona sandals but never without a mid-calf black crew sock to match the black suede upper of her go-to colorway. Gigi Hadid has also embraced the socks-with-sandals pairing with her Arizonas, but instead opts for knee-high socks for a comfy-cozy airport vibe.
Editor testing and review notes: “My Arizona sandals have lasted me through three summers of near-daily wear, but you wouldn’t know looking at them: These sandals are incredibly durable. I have high arches and tend to supinate, which wreaks havoc on my ankles and often causes plantar fasciitis flare ups. Flimsy flip flops don’t cut it for long days on my feet — I need sandals that contour to my foot to get my gait in proper alignment. The Arizona sandals have a substantial amount of arch support and plenty of wiggle room for my toes, keeping me comfortable for long walks around the city. I also appreciate that these Birkenstocks keep me more lifted from the city streets than the aforementioned flip flops, from a hygiene perspective.” — Sullivan
Price upon publish date of this article: $130
What testers say: “I got my wife a pair of these for her birthday and she loves them. The are comfortable and warm, and she can wear them inside and outside due to the durable soles. She couldn’t be happier with them.”
Price upon publish date of this article: $99.95
What testers say: “These are a MUST for fall. So comfortable and goes with so many things!I just had to add them to my Birkenstock collection. LOVE!”
Price upon publish date of this article: $150
What testers say: “These are great. They’re very comfortable, true to size, and look good, too!”
Price upon publish date of this article: $160
What testers say: “I own these in both the taupe suede and anthracite suede and I love them. They were comfortable straight out of the box. My feet are wide and I like my Birkenstocks to fit loosely. I was pleasantly surprised that the 36N in the Fanny Buckle fit perfectly, adjusted to the second to the last hole on the strap. In bare feet, there’s some space at the heel, of course, because my true size is 35; however, with the 36N, I can comfortably wear these with my thick merino wool fun socks even with my wider feet. If you truly have a narrow foot, you can adjust the straps pretty tight, but the toe box is still going to be pretty roomy. Buy these!”
Price upon publish date of this article: $160
What testers say: “I ordered these because all I wear in the summer time are Birkenstocks and I have been looking for a winter version forever. I have no arches and a bad back so I need something I can wear comfortably and these are amazing! They are like a perfect combination of a fuzzy boot and Birkenstock. I highly recommend.”
Price upon publish date of this article: $195
What testers say: “This is a very cute and modern take on the classic Birkenstock. Kyoto is just comfortable as the original!”
Price upon publish date of this article: $150
Price upon publish date of this article: $160
A deep heel cup in the leather-lined footbed helps balance weight distribution and provides streamlined stability in your stride. Milano’s EVA midsole adds impressive cushioning to absorb shock on every surface and dual-layer jute material helps to wick away moisture to keep your feet cool.
What testers say: “The Milano is a great sandal for walking because the heel strap prevents the sandal from sliding off your foot when you are walking fast. The heel strap requires a more exact fit than open styles such as the Arizona.”
Price upon publish date of this article: $130
What testers say: “My feet are as wide as they come and flat too. These provide excellent support without sacrificing ease of wear.”
Price upon publish date of this article: $49.95
What testers say: “I have a narrow foot and these are the best, long-lasting shoes that also come in very cute colors. I live in the Southwest so I wear them most every day. They are well worth it! You should definitely buy a pair!”
Price upon publish date of this article: $63.13
What testers say: “Birkenstocks are really good shows for anyone at any age. I’ve been wearing them for almost 20 years. Your feet are worth it – they’re especially good for people with back problems and sciatic nerve issues. You can wear these shoes all day.”
Price upon publish date of this article: $89.99
How to Break in Birkenstock Shoes
Since Birkenstock shoes have uniquely contoured footbeds, it may take a few wears until their comfortable support kicks in. The cork and latex of the shoe will eventually mold to your foot shape but you’ll want to tread carefully on initial wear. Birkenstock recommends breaking in your new pair of shoes slowly by gradually increasing the amount of time you wear them by an hour or two.
If you’d like to break in Birkenstocks faster, a local Birkenstock tech rep offered a tip on TikTok. In the video, he recommends wearing your pair around the house with socks on in the mornings and evenings, “because, when you have socks on your feet, it creates more heat and more friction,” he says. This allows the midsole to form to the feet faster. He adds that after about a week, you’ll notice that your Birkenstock sandals or shoes will feel a lot more comfortable without socks.
The Best Birkenstocks for Different Foot Types
- Best Birkenstocks for wide feet: Those with wide feet should avoid heavy strapping that may rub and irritate the foot while walking. Birkenstock options that incorporate a wide toe box, flexible upper, and minimal strapping, like the Arizona and Gizeh Birkenstock shoes, are are optimal shoes for wide feet.
- Best Birkenstocks for narrow feet: When shopping for narrow foot shapes, look out for supportive Birkenstock styles that come in narrow sizing. The Madrid, Tokio, and Arizona styles each have adjustable straps to create a custom and secure fit to your foot.
- Best Birkenstocks for flat feet: Those searching for Birkenstock shoes for flat feet should consider styles in wide sizing with adjustable straps to accommodate a fuller sole. Try out Birkenstock’s wide-fitting Gizeh and Arizona sandals that have built-in arch support and a contoured footbed for a neutral stance.
- Best Birkenstocks for bunions: The best Birkenstock shoes for bunions will include minimal strapping, as not to irritate the aggravated zones of the foot. Birkenstock’s Kyoto and Gizeh sandals will relieve pain and grant long-lasting comfort on your feet.
How We Chose the Best Birkenstocks
For more than 75 years, Footwear News has been the shoe authority. Our coverage spans top industry news, retail trends, head-to-toe fashion, athletic and outdoor analysis and more. Footwear News’ global network of editors has carefully curated all product selections featured using our expansive brand knowledge and thorough research to find quality, long-lasting items.
To curate the Best Birkenstock shoes in this shopping guide, we conducted a second round of editor testing and comprehensive research on the iconic brand’s top-performing styles. We paid attention to shoe construction, diverse strapping, specialized fit, and support features unique to each style. To gain awareness of customer insight, we compared and analyzed Birkenstock customer reviews to select the most-loved shoes that cater to various foot types and conditions. We also employed research on TikTok to determine the most viral shoes of the moment and view authentic product reviews in action. Learn more about us here.
Meet The Author
Olivia Cigliano is a Commerce Writer & Producer at Footwear News and WWD where she writes shopping content on the best-rated footwear, TikTok style trends, and more. Olivia received her bachelor’s degree in journalism from Emerson College, and her byline can be found in publications including Elite Daily and CR Fashion Book. She updated this story in October 2024 with new Birkenstock shoe releases and additional editor testing reviews.
