Ladies, what are your thoughts on men wearing Birkenstock sandals? (guys, product)
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Birks are ugly. But they are supportive and comfortable. And they last forever. Flip flops are not good for daily wear. As long as your feet are well groomed, wear what you want!
I have a pair of bright yellow "Birkies" (they call them "vegan" because they can charge more than if they describe them as plastic ) and I get a lot of compliments on them. I also have 2 pair of the leather ones. They're made in Germany where labor laws are pretty strict so they have to have been made under better working conditions than the sweatshops in Asia and I'm willing to pay for that. They also last me for years and the wood/leather ones are bio-degradable. There's so much more to me than what I wear on my feet. If people think they're ugly, too bad.
I'm female, BTW. No problem with men wearing them. Heck, men's feet aren't all that sexy, anyway!
If you don't like them, don't get them. But I would suggest Keen sandals as a popular alternative - much better shoe than flip-flops.
I am a proud wearer of Keens. These are good, solid shoes with moderate support. DH likes the open sandals very well. The sandal covers the toes, but allows the foot to be cool.
The OP needs to try shoes on and see what works for him. And he should not be afraid to pay for comfort, IMO.
But apparently he is worries about what women will think of him in sandals.
A female friend suggested that I buy some. She said they look better than leather flip flops. I'm not so sure I'm sold on them though. They are pretty expensive.
And what type of socks does your "friend" (heh, heh) suggest you wear with them?
There are lots of other shoe brands for outdoor activities that IMO aren’t quite as ugly as Birkenstocks - Keen, Teva, Nike, even L.L. Bean - also make all-weather, comfortable, supportive sandals...
A female friend suggested that I buy some. She said they look better than leather flip flops. I'm not so sure I'm sold on them though. They are pretty expensive.
It depends on your style and what people you associate with value or appreciate. If you're a down-home kinda guy who likes to grill burgers with a friend while wearing your old jeans and t-shirt, and none of your friends or you ever looks at what brand of clothing to buy, and/or you buy "whatever" if it doesn't cost much...then Birkenstocks would be a waste of money for you.
Birkenstocks aren't regular sandals. The reason they're pricey is because they have a pricey special design (the heel inset dips in, so your heel sits lower than the ball of your foot,and has memory foam). They are for city slickers to wear with shorts, but not for the beach and such. I bought them because I had a foot problem for a while; Birkenstocks are supposedly good for feet and for the problem I had at the time. But they did not help the problem I had and were awkward to walk in, altho the foam is comfy. I wouldn't buy them again. If you like the way they look, you can buy other sandals that look like Birkenstocks but cost less. I don't like that the heel sits lower than the ball of the foot.
The most comfortable sandals I have are cheapos I bought at Walgreen's for $5. They have thick memory foam soles. But I wouldn't wear those around people I wanted to impress.
I think most people don't look good in sandals, anyway. Feet are not very attractive. They are strictly for the beach or around the house, IMO.
What I've seen men wear, when they are wearing shorts, is pair of plain tennis shoes (or something like that), w/o socks. Casual tennies, not ones with thick soles like running shoes. But brown or tan sandals would be fine, too.
Open toed footware is just scary for me, as I have tender toes, and want them protected! I'd rather wear moccasins.
I like my Redwing shoes and a pair of Dickies. Both are leather and lace up, and protect my toes.
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) and I get a lot of compliments on them. I also have 2 pair of the leather ones. They're made in Germany where labor laws are pretty strict so they have to have been made under better working conditions than the sweatshops in Asia and I'm willing to pay for that. They also last me for years and the wood/leather ones are bio-degradable. There's so much more to me than what I wear on my feet. If people think they're ugly, too bad.
