I always appreciated the orthopaedic factor of Birkenstock. Now, surprised & disappointed.
Unfortunately the quality is lacking quite a bit in material, width, durability, longevity, & also Depth of footbed as well as depth of sole (& thus lacking support, relief, & comfort, too) Which is the whole point of buying shoes like this-for orthopaedic support. Especially those of us with anatomical differences. The price is ridiculous for what it's become. Very disappointing.
I called Birkenstock directly to ask if the model has changed in the EVA -Arizona sandal- or if it was because maybe it was pre owned, or was it quality control... They admittingly had no idea-or where to begin. I was read random description off internet.
Remember when you could call anywhere on the phone, talk to shop owners/workers, & they actually cared & were knowledgeable or atleast determined, about their product/work/item/company/customer/person?
The first pair i got last time, instantly eased my pain in feet, ankles, shins, knees & hips, & felt supportive, & marshmallowy--similar to the anti-fatigue floor mats at a worksite--Though they wore out quickly, condensed, worn down, ripped & had me tripping only 5/6mos later---
This new 2024 pair-tried on--No marshmallow comfort upon arrival-& No soothing support-the pain not eased at all.
They definitely aren't the same... less material? less quality control? The backs had sections where material was not filled in on the machine-mold. Maybe the material should still have an attached rubber sole-SEWN on. --If that's possible.
I cannot wear regular Birks because of Latex allergy... interestingly most whom have Latex-allergy are also sensitive to things like Vinyl, Nylon, & their combinations, etc. EVA is related to vinyl. So still react. But there seems to be not many options at all for a quality shoe made for longevity, that's actually sewn in-not glued, or not just a molded piece of plastic or foam, that is (actually) safer for those with allergies & sensitivities, as well as kinder to the environment. Exchanging for... Not sure as i'm tired of soles almost melting-falling off shoes, or grating away.
Good shoes last. What happened Birkenstock?

At first I ordered fondant pink with pink all over, even on the foot board. I’ve ordered at the store curb side pick up in Aventura Nordstrom in S. Florida. What a disaster and never again. They never fulfilled it as promised date or day. This is so common there and not sure why I tried it again. Finally, two days later I got the sandals for a pickup and as soon as I opened the box right there, it was a wrong color. Box shows soft pink and they gave me a wrong color. Not even fondant pink but black. After driving almost one hour, they messed up the order. I tried even the black one they provided, even though looks appealing, middle arch area seems smooth to touch but it caused immediate pain in my arch foot area. Those were returned on the spot. I don’t recommend those with color all over. I have Gizeh Birko 3 pairs and I wanted something without any material between toes and big buckle looks beautiful. On the end I’ve settled for big buckle slide sandal in soft pink, as separate purchase. I’m glad I did as leather is way softer and soft pink is absolutely beautiful, soft and goes with everything. Nordstrom need QA check for every order to check if matches order placed. They could end up mixing shoes and boxes as they did. Giving four stars only because of soft pink sandals.

I own these shoes from other sellers, and I love the look, quality, and comfort of them. I have ordered probably 6 pair from Dick's Sporting Goods in the eggshell color over the last few weeks, and they are absolutely terrible quality. They have shown up with no tags, chunks missing out of the shoes, little pieces of the material hanging off the edges everywhere, or completely unfinished edges. I purchased them at a great price with rewards and a price match, so I'd really like to get a decent pair of them I can actually wear. Maybe it is the end of the season for Birkenstock sandals, as my size and color are nowhere to be found other than Dick's. Otherwise I would purchase them elsewhere. I believe they really should have a department at their warehouse for quality control. I will say, their customer service has been very nice each time I have called to get help with receiving so many bad shoes. Unfortunately, no one has solved my issue yet or sent a quality pair of shoes. I'm very disappointed with my purchase.

While these can be quite comfy for SHORT walks, they quickly become uncomfortable, and even unbearable, after 15+ minutes of consistent walking because the insole has a weird hump in the sandal mold that likes to rub between the ball of the foot and arch of my feet. That area of my feet can quickly become tender and blister if the rubbing continues for lots of walking. Why is this hump part of the insole?! It serves no purpose but to cause discomfort. The plastic material is also not breathable, so your feet starts to sweat. Perhaps that's why the bottom of my feet start to get tender and blistery from the sweat and rubbing against the unbreathable plastic.

Birkenstock, please reconsider how you mold the insoles for these slides because they are not in the correct places for your customers. I think having a flat insole like other slides in the market is most comfortable and the best choice you can make.

I would not recommend these slides to anyone.