Your feet deserve a pair of Birkenstock Arizona sandals — here's why I love them, and what you should know before ordering a pair
- Birkenstock's two-strap Arizona sandals are the perfect sandal for anyone who takes comfort seriously.
- The contoured footbed is supportive for my normal-to-high arches, though it admittedly takes a few wears to break them in.
It's funny how the things we were once teased for back in the day often become "cool" again. I've been wearing Birkenstocks since middle school (circa 2003), when they were hardly considered fashionable by anyone but my summer-camp friends.
Thankfully, Birkenstocks have had quite the renaissance since then.
Nowadays it's hard to go a day without seeing someone in a pair of the brand's signature two-strap Arizona sandals out in the wild. This is the pair that hooked me on Birkenstocks so many years ago, and the same style I continue to wear today.
Now, let me clear one thing up: This Birkenstock Arizona review is specifically about the leather and Birko-Flor pairs, not the EVA foam pairs. I've also written about those, so you can read my review here. Suffice it to say that I truly love both pairs of Arizonas, but this review is dedicated to the more durable version of the sandals.
The molded footbed: how it feels and what it's like to break in
The classic Birkenstock Arizonas have a contoured cork-latex footbed topped with either a layer of suede or a faux-suede-like material called Birko-Flor. In my experience, both the leather/suede pairs and the Birko-Flor faux-leather pairs feel exactly the same on the foot since the base of the footbed is the same, but it's up to you to decide which material you prefer to wear.
The Soft Footbed pairs, which come in leather or suede or the Birko-Flor material, have the same footbed but with a thin layer of responsive foam between the cork-latex base and the suede or faux suede material on top.
Regardless of which material you choose, the footbed shapes to your feet over time, though not without a break-in period. To help the process, I usually wear a new pair of Birkenstocks around the house for a few days before I venture out in them. Living in the city, it's a no-no to go walking around for hours in a new pair of shoes anyway.
Most people who try Birkenstocks for the first time either love or hate the way the footbed is shaped. As someone with plantar fasciitis, which leads to uncomfortable pain and cramping in my arches, I happen to love it. However, it does take some getting used to. There's arch support, yes, but there's also more toe support than most people are used to from their sandals, which can cause discomfort on the bottom of the toes for the first few wears.
I find that it takes a couple weeks of consistent wear to fully break in the footbeds and the leather straps. But, once they've been worn for long enough to mold to your foot shape, they only get better with time.
The sizing
Birkenstock offers widths of "regular" and "narrow" to accommodate most people's feet. The "regular" width works well for wide feet as well thanks to the sandals' two adjustable straps.
The company uses European sizing, so a size 38 women's shoe is intended to fit American shoe sizes 7 to 7.5.
If you're a half size who often sizes up in brands that only carry whole sizes, I recommend opting for a size up in Birkenstocks. For example, I'm a 7.5, but I often wear a size 8 when brands only offer whole sizing. In Birkenstocks, I size up to a size 39, which fits sizes 8 to 8.5.
Style and color options
The Arizona sandals come in a ton of different styles and color options. While they all maintain the same general two-strap shape, variations include larger buckles, suede straps, leather straps, monochromatic color schemes, patent finishes, etc. There are limited-edition designer collaborations that cost $400, but most run in the $100-$135 range. 
As someone who's owned three or four pairs of different Arizonas over the years, I can pretty confidently say that the style you choose really has no bearing on its comfort. But it's worth noting that the color will determine a pair's longevity. My current pair is a white colored Birko-Flor style, but the scuffs show more clearly than they did on my last pair of tan suede sandals with a black sole.
Cons to consider
The cons here are going to depend on which material you choose. Cons of leather include the fact that it's generally not as sustainable a material, but it does often last longer than synthetics. The cons of synthetics, conversely, include the fact that they tend not to last as long, but they are much more sustainable.
The other thing to consider is that the footbed isn't for everyone, and that it can cause discomfort or blistering, particularly for people with flat feet. If you can handle a short break-in period, though, this con is far outweighed by the personalized comfort you'll experience over time.
The bottom line
Everything I love about Arizonas is also what makes me a fan of the brands' other styles, like the clogs and Gizeh sandals. They have superb arch support, are easy to slip on and off, and they last a long time. You can even get pairs resoled by local cobblers who are authorized by the company.
If you really just want them for the look, or you're interested in something waterproof for beach weekends, I highly recommend the EVA foam version of the Arizonas. You can read my full review of the foam pairs here.
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