Customer Reviews Birkenstock Arizona Soft Footbed - Suede (Unisex)

I love the Arizona Soft Footbed sandals and have a few pair, but I wanted a suede upper since my feet are getting more sensitive as I get older. I was looking for a light colored, neutral sandal and I ordered 3 different Arizona Soft Footbed sandals in 39N - the unisex Taupe, the women's Stone Coin and women's Faded Khaki. In case others are trying to decide on the right color, I have included a photo of the 3 side by side (from left to right in the pic they are Faded Khaki, Stone Coin and Taupe). Here is what I learned: * The unisex sandal was wider than the women's sandal in the same size. The suede had a more pronounced nap to it. *The Stone Coin has a gray undertone *The Faded Khaki has a green undertone. The women's fit me better than the unisex and ultimately I decided against a light color (I think it will be too hard to =keep clean) and went for the navy blue.

Great! No Other Shoe Like It - I originally bought these shoes as indoor shoes for the winter (I had been wearing running shoes, but in the winter in New England you don't want to wear your outdoor shoes around the house), but they feel so good, I am ordering another pair to wear outside (well, probably the Boston since it is a closed-toe shoe). I have significant nerve pain in the soles of my feet (similar to Plantar Fasciitis but in the ball and toes rather than the heel) and these are the only shoes that have made it better. I've tried three different kinds of prescription orthotics, but none of them worked half as well as the Birkenstocks. I had read online that they had helped many people with foot pain, but I never imagined they could work this well. If only they made a dress shoe with the same footbed...

Zappos is my shoe source for life! After reading info. on Bikenstock's website relative to sizing I ordered 43's to replace my old 42's as my regular shoe size has increased since I bought my old Birks years ago. After wearing the new Birks for about a month I realized they were too big. I felt a bit silly asking Zappos if I could exchange the, now used, 43's. The rep. said they didn't normally accept used shoes for return but understood my mistake. They sent out a replacement pair of 42's that day with a prepaid return label for the 43's! Now that's customer service. This company rocks and should be a lesson for all retailers. Happy in my correct size Birks. Eric

These are incredibly comfortable, but unfortunately, I’ve had to return two pairs so far. The first pair had stains on the suede when they arrived. The second pair, which I tried in a narrow because regular was out of stock, arrived in a completely different color of suede. Birkenstock prides itself on consistent quality...I can’t imagine they’d be pleased with the inconsistency of Zappos I’ve experienced.

Most comfortable sandals ever! I got the suede and they are the softest of the styles. I have a pair of the other kind and they are nowhere near as comfortable. The regular width size is way to wide for me. I have the buckle on the last hole tightened all the way and they are still too wide. so unless you have really fat feet...get the narrow size.

I ordered the size 38 bc it was equivalent to a size 7-7.5. My better judgment told me to order 37 which is what I own in the Gizeh model. The 38 was too large so I returned and purchased the 37. I love these and for those wondering, I am a true size 7-7.5 and the 37 fits as it should.

I didn't even know that the soft bed shoes existed, and bought them quite by accident. I love the way they feel, just like slippers. I will never go back to the hard soles. I am sold on these.

These were my 7th pair of Birk’s and the comfort level is exceptional. These were the first pair with suede straps. I dislike having to always lift straps before putting on feet. I will stick with the stiffer leather straps which keep form allowing to easily slide foot into sandal.

Love these sandals! I'm usually a size 7, and am glad that I ordered the size 37, my foot fits perfectly. No breaking in period at all for me and has better arch support than the rubber flip flops I've been wearing. Got the narrow width as well, I think my foot width is pretty normal though, not necessarily narrow.

I have been wearing a size 38N for years but now at age 60 my feet have spread in length and width so the sizing was a project. I ordered the gray velvet suede—a nice charcoal-like shade--that will work in all seasons and go with everything. I have never owned suede before but seems to allow instant break-in. I did notice right away however that the area on top of both my big toes were irritated from the sharp edge of the leather (this while still walking on carpet right out of the box). I solved this by finally sanding and rounding the edge with an emory board. I also added a rectangle of Dr Scholl's moleskin padding by placing it on the bottom side of the strap from the footbed to the first hole (see photo) and setting it back from the edge so it does not show. This also helped the sandal to fit a little better and had the added bonus of holding the strap up so I can just slip in now without lifting the strap. The moleskin formed a tight bond—I foresee no problem with it detaching. It probably would be enough to just sand the edge, but I wanted the added assurance. I am between a narrow and regular and between a 38 and 39 now, but decided to go up in size to 39R—right now with thick socks the fit is perfect. I read that the adult foot grows 1/2 size in length every ten years after age forty, and Birkenstocks last a long time—so sizing up seemed wise. I did try on a 38R and a 39N before ruling them out. The regular is a smidgen longer than the narrow. On my feet, the 39N was the perfect length for me—the 39R is a teensy bit long and the 38R is a teensy bit short. But the narrow was just too narrow—I am a C width now. Since aging feet spread and flatten out without growing in volume, the straps were too long on my 39R. I punched two extra holes in both straps using a small drill bit. Then I used a scissors to cut the suede to shorten the straps which were now so long they were almost touching the floor. I was surprised that a regular sewing scissors cut the leather with no problem—I thought I would need a craft knife. It took much more effort to drill the extra hole—so the suede is substantial enough. I did mark the place with a pastel pencil and scored it with an exacto knife first before trimming the strap length. If I had not previously owned Birkenstock sandals, I would not have gone to all this trouble (or been brave enough to modify them!!), but I know they will be fine now. I never had issues with a sharp edge before—always ordered the old version of the nubuck. Like other reviewers I feel bad about returning so many shoes in my struggles to find the right size, but I live in the rural heartland—would need to drive quite a distance to try these in a store. Thank you Zappos!

The taupe color is a little darker/grayer than it appears in the stock photos but I really like them. They are breaking in more quickly than I expected.

I’ve been wanted these Birks for YEARS and I finally took the plunge. These are my go-to sandals for everything and a fashion staple, too! The soft bed really does conform to your foot’s natural stride and they are so cute with skinny jeans, tights, shorts, and even casual summer dresses. If you’ve been on the fence about getting these, wait no more. You will not be disappointed. I used the size conversion and ordered the recommended size 37 for a 6.5 foot and they fit like a charm. Thank you Zappos for making purchases so quick and seem less!

If foot comfort is what you want and look no more. Since it's uni-sex sizing,after two returns, I went down a size and despite wide feet, ordered a narrow width. They fit perfectly.

I love these shoes! They are so worth the money. Beware though! They run big. I usually wear an 8.5 in women's and they were so big I had to send them back and get a 7 (they use European numbering though). The 7's fit perfectly. These are so comfy I can (and do) wear them all day and my feet feel great, which is not normal for me.

These are classic greats. I'm a size 5 1/2 - 6 and size 35 fits. The brown looks better than the beige in this small size. My plantar fascia loves the arch and heel cup support.

I normally wear a ladies 8-8.5, so I ordered a size 39. They were a size big, so I ordered a 38 and they fit perfect. I had my mom try on the 39 and they fit her perfect (she’s normally a size 9). Hope this helps! Happy shopping.

I’m usually a size 38 in birkenstock’s, but I’m always pushing the perfect fit. I don’t want my toes to be touching the edge and I want my heel securely in the heel cup. A size 39 leaves a bit of room both in the front and the back, so I decided to order 38 in this soft footbed. Turns out I should’ve sized up as the cushioning does change the sizing a little. My heel was comfortably in the heel cup but my toes were sort of touching the edges when I walked. The color looks so different in person vs online. I imagined the Taupe Suede to be like a light brown/tan color, but it’s more of a grey color. Kind of annoying how inconsistent Birkenstock is with their suede upper. Some suedes are tougher looking than others. Anyways, I’m sticking to the larger pair (39) even though I’m usually a 38.

Love the style, black suede material and the fit. I’ve been wearing them with and without socks. I’m between 8.5 to 9. My foot isn’t narrow but the the narrow width is fine. I keep the buckles on the tightest hole.

It took me more than 30 years to quit laughing at Birkenstock-and-sock-wearing-wannabe-hippies, and now I'm eating my humble pie in the most comfiest shoes ever! I got a flashy white snakeskin style last year for my trip to Vegas, but too flashy for around-town wear IMO. So I just got some basic black ones, and I'm hooked. <3

I love my new Birkenstocks. This is my first pair and they have exceeded my expectations. I suffer from Plantar Fasciitis and these have helped tremendously. Zappos service was outstanding!

I wear my Birkenstocks all day long when I work and the soft footbed really makes a difference. I love these shoes. I am on my second pair, the first ones lasted me about six years of daily use and they hold up very well. I am a size 8½ and I wear the Birkenstocks in a size 38 and they fit me perfectly. Zappos is awesome, I got my shoes much sooner than I expected, and I live in Hawaii. Zappos provides great costumer service.

I have always loved Birkenstock shoes. This particular style is great because you can wear them with or without socks. That makes them ideal for more than just one season! They are comfortable and stylish, too. Also, I love Zappos!

I tried the narrow and they fit great except I felt I may feel a pinch on the middle sides so I decided to go for the regular size. My feet are kinda wide and I’m working on spreading my toes more For various reasons, so I opted for the regular fit. I did have to make a few more holes since the suede stretched but now they are so comfy and they stay on my feet perfectly. If you’re a woman and you don’t have wide feet I’d for sure try the narrow as these run pretty wide IMO. I wear them around the house and I never had to break them in.

These shoes are built for comfort. They are worth every dollar I spent. Birkenstocks never go out of style. I can wear them all day and my feet do not hurt.

My daughter loves these shoes! She has foot issues and these have helped a lot. She wears a 9.5 US and 40 was perfect for her in the narrow width. She was glad the taupe leaned more toward gray versus tan. The suede and footbed are soft yet supportive especially for her high arches. The shipping was fast and makes it so convenient instead of trying to hunt them down around town. We ordered the Gizeh first and she preferred the Arizona and felt they were more comfortable. Love Zappos!