Birkenstocks are a great option when it comes to footwear comfortability. These sandals come with adjustable straps and a contoured footbed to provide extra comfort to your feet.
This is specially made to distribute your body weight evenly throughout the entire sole of your foot rather than on specific pressure points such as your heels or ball of the foot.
If you have recently bought your first pair of Birkenstocks, you’re probably wondering why they feel uncomfortable. This is because Birkenstocks need breaking in for them to adjust and warm up to the shape of your feet. (Read Best Rain Pants)
Fortunately, there are a lot of methods on how to break in Birkenstocks with water.
Using the Water Method
One of the best and most effective ways of breaking in your pair is using water. This is the best method when you want to soften and increase the flexibility of the rigid straps. The water can also help soften the mold to take up the shape of your feet.
Here are the steps on how to break in Birkenstocks with water:
Step 1
Fill a bucket of water and soak your Birkenstocks sandals in it for about 30 minutes. Soaking your sandals in water will help soften the rubber material for easier and make it easier to follow the natural curve of the soles of your feet.
Step 2
Find a pair of thick socks and wear the socks with your soaked Birkenstocks the entire day until it eventually dries up. The soaked pair of socks will mold the wet rubber of your Birkenstocks to speed up the process of breaking in.
Step 3
Repeat the process for several days, and before you know it, your Birkenstocks are already super comfortable to wear without hurting your feet from their rigidness. Wearing a thick pair of socks will also lessen the ache you can get from your new pair of Birkenstocks for the first few days.
Don’t worry about getting your Birkenstocks wet and ruining them because they won’t. Remember not to let them dry in the harsh sun or blow dry them as these can cause more damage. Instead, let them dry naturally at room temperature, and they’ll be good as new.
Other Methods of Breaking-in
If you don’t like the idea of walking on wet Birkenstocks, you can always try other methods of breaking in your Birkenstocks. Let’s admit it, walking in soggy sandals is not going to work for everyone. (Read Best Compass for Hiking)
Luckily, if you want to explore other methods, you can also follow these steps below:
Use them every day
Perhaps this is the most prominent and most straightforward method out there. All you need to do is line up the arches of your feet into the contours of your Birkenstocks. Your heels and toes should fit snugly into the length of the footbed. Otherwise, you might need to up your size.
What better way to warm up your Birkis than using them every day to mold your feet shape into them? The only downside of this method is that it can hurt your feet. Since a new pair of Birkenstocks are very rigid, it can cause blisters in the first few days.
Adjust the straps
Since Birkenstocks come with sturdy and adjustable straps, you must pay attention to them as well.
It’s likely uncomfortable for you the first few uses because the straps are not fine-tuned to the size and bulk of your feet, so make sure you check these as well when trying to break them in.
Unbuckle the straps and adjust them to a certain point that your Birkenstocks are snug and comfortable enough for you.
Avoid setting the straps too tight as these can hurt your feet and will not mold perfectly. The general rule of thumb is that you should be able to slide one finger in between the straps and your feet.
Hammer them gently
Hammering the footbed gently is also one of the most common ways to break in a new pair of Birkenstocks.
Remember that gentleness is a virtue during this process, as you don’t want to cause damage to your sandals. All you need to do is hammer the areas that feel uncomfortable to soften them up.
Do this for a few more days until you achieve the perfect level of feet comfortability. Hammering the footbeds every day for a few minutes will give you a pair of Birkis that is suitable and just the right size that conforms to your feet’ shape.
Classic in and out bending
We’ve all seen this method being used on almost all pairs of new footwear. All you need to do is bend your sandals in and out in the opposite direction to lessen their stiffness.
Before doing this, make sure that the adjustable straps are unbuckled to allow more flexibility. Just by doing this, a few minutes every day can significantly benefit from breaking in a new pair of Birkenstocks.
Tips and Tricks
Learning to break in Birkenstocks with water can be time-consuming, so don’t be too afraid to try different methods that work best for your time. Over time, your sandals will be adjusting to the muscle movements of your feet.
In the meantime, here are a few tips and tricks to help with the aches and uncomfortableness:
- Use band-aids for spots that are prone to blisters and soreness
- Socks are your friends for the first few days to aid with hot spots
- Don’t be afraid to add a few extra holes to the straps if you still are not comfortable after adjusting them
- Sand down the uncomfortable parts of your straps, especially if its leather
A brand-new pair of Birkenstocks may seem like too much work the first few days, but it’s going to be worth it after breaking them in.
Optimum comfortability is guaranteed, and the best thing is that they are durable and can last for a long time. (Read Best Hiking Watch Under 100)
With proper care and cleaning, a pair of Birkenstocks can last you up to 20 years.
