Are you still trying to figure out what width you need in a Birkenstocks shoe? Did you buy a pair only to find they don't feel quite right, even though you've got the right size? Maybe this will help: In Birkenstock-ese "Regular" means wide, and "Narrow" means regular!
A shoe that's too narrow is always a bad thing, but with most brands if it's a little too wide it's usually still okay. That's not true with Birkenstocks. If your Birkenstock's are a little too wide, your feet will be tired, sore, and 'barkin' like big dogs' at the end of the day! Birkenstocks are supposed to make your feet feel better, not worse. If you get your Birkenstocks in the right width your feet will feel better, and so will the rest of you!
And now you're probably asking, "But Allie, how can I tell what the width is? I'm looking at the shoe but I don't see the words "Regular" or Narrow" printed anywhere on these darn things." That's right...It's not on the shoes! You'll find it on the box, if you have the box, or can get the seller to send you a picture of it, but it may be written in German.
Thankfully, on the inside footbed of every Birkenstock's (Birki, Tatami, Alpro, etc.) there's a cute little picture of a footprint sandwiched between the size info and the brand logo. If the footprint is filled in (or "closed", as they say in the biz') then it's a "Narrow" (regular) shoe. If the footprint is only outlined (also called "open") then it's a "Regular" (wide) shoe.
It's worth mentioning that I don't sell Birkenstocks. I'm an RN. I work on my feet for 12+ hours a day. I used to spend a small fortune on expensive, big name, so-called "walking" shoes that had to be replaced every six months, or sooner, because the footbed broke down, robbing me of the support I need, which in turn made my legs swell and caused pain in my hips, back and neck that was making my life miserable.
Now that I've got my Birkenstocks in the right width, I've been wearing the same pair for over a year with no sign of footbed breakdown...and I feel better than I ever did when I was wearing "walking" shoes! By the way, I bought my Birkenstocks brand new, and a second pair to use at home, for less than half retail price on eBay! I hope you've found this little snippet of information useful. Happy eBaying!!
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