Birkenstock Sizes Changed?

[Whatsgoinon?]

Sent my suggestion through to the buyers a while ago about the new style Birkenstocks and was really pleased to see some wedges and heels appear, although they had probably been planned for ages...alas my size had sold out before I knew it, typical!

Anyway ordered a pair of Caterinas, with elastic uppers and heel strap, in black/silver and now wish I hadn't bothered :mysmilie_51:

The left top strap comes up higher and cuts into you ankle where it bends, not at all comfortable and then there's the right shoe which is bigger and the heel strap just doesn't grip your heel. To top it all, when walking they make the most ghastly sound, which I don't need to expand on.

It seems that a lot of the Birkenstocks are now being made in Spain and when 37 used to be a size 4, it is now 4.5 and the foot bed is much longer and feels totally different.

I have quite a few pairs of Birkenstocks, they have always been reliable for me size wise, but now is this my last pair, if sizing cannot be trusted :mysmilie_1:

 

[donna255]

I know with Euro sizes 36 which they always call in the UK a size 3 is really a 3 1/2. In fact 35.5 is really a 3.

 

[Whatsgoinon?]

It's very strange though, all my original Birkenstocks that are made in Germany have size 37 being a 4

 

[candycane]

All mine are 39, UK size 6 and they are a teeny bit long in the footbed but as I have such a wide foot it more than compensates. I've had the narrower style and couldn't get them on my feet so I need the two or three strap style. Haven't bought any for a while though as Cotton Traders do a very good copy for £20 and I've bought some of those.

CC

 

[maymorganlondon]

I read that the brands like Papillio, Birki, Betula etc are manufactured under licence from Birkenstock. I can't seem to get any deeper in that to see if any of the "diffusion lines" are also manufactured in Germany at the Birkenstock factory, in Germany but not at a Birkenstock factory, or in other countries. The one where I've seen a definite reference to manufacture in another country (Spain) is Papillio.

If the ones you've bought in the past are simply branded Birkenstock, then if you stick with that, they should be consistent.

I have had Birkis and Papillio as well as Birkenstock. They have generally been very consistent, but I would say that the quality in the Birkenstocks is better than in the other brands - just my experience and opinion.

 

[donna255]

Here is another interesting fact about shoes and depending where in the world they are made.

China are always slightly smaller and narrower.

US are always wider and larger

EU well we just go by the 36/37 etc now and are used to it.

I was told this long ago in a shoe store when buying a branded pair, some brands have theirs made in different countries though still the same style and size on the shoe. But they can vary a lot depending where made.

 

[Vianne]

Fitflops also changed their base to be more accommodating to the Japanese/Chinese marketplace where feet are slimmer than in the west. More ££ there, so designs altered.

 

[iloveshopping]

Just like condoms then, they vary in size from continent to continent and possibly country

 

[maymorganlondon]

Just like condoms then, they vary in size from continent to continent and possibly country

Ah, do the sizes change or the descriptions of the sizes?:mysmilie_62:

 

[Turandot]

I read that the brands like Papillio, Birki, Betula etc are manufactured under licence from Birkenstock. I can't seem to get any deeper in that to see if any of the "diffusion lines" are also manufactured in Germany at the Birkenstock factory, in Germany but not at a Birkenstock factory, or in other countries. The one where I've seen a definite reference to manufacture in another country (Spain) is Papillio.

If the ones you've bought in the past are simply branded Birkenstock, then if you stick with that, they should be consistent.

I have had Birkis and Papillio as well as Birkenstock. They have generally been very consistent, but I would say that the quality in the Birkenstocks is better than in the other brands - just my experience and opinion.

Yes they are not all Birkenstocks, Nicki always refers to them as from the " Birkenstock family ".Last year I got two pairs of the Betula flip flops at the same time and one pair is slightly smaller than the other.

 

[shopperholic]

Just like condoms then, they vary in size from continent to continent and possibly country

Yes apparently the sizes have now changed to small, medium and liar.

 

[boffy]

i have just ordered the platform arizona from amzon. they are £20 cheaper than qvc and the shops. they are comming all the way from germany. i always go down a size in birkenstock. being a good 8 usually uk size can wear a 7 in birkis

 

[Whatsgoinon?]

Yes they are not all Birkenstocks, Nicki always refers to them as from the " Birkenstock family ".Last year I got two pairs of the Betula flip flops at the same time and one pair is slightly smaller than the other.

Out of interest I got both my Betula flip flops out, one pair I bought last year, 37 and 4.5 made in China and the second pair recently same size but made in Spain and 1 cm longer!

 

[Whatsgoinon?]

i have just ordered the platform arizona from amzon. they are £20 cheaper than qvc and the shops. they are comming all the way from germany. i always go down a size in birkenstock. being a good 8 usually uk size can wear a 7 in birkis

I've bought Skechers from Amazon before now and they always come from Germany.

 

[maymorganlondon]

i have just ordered the platform arizona from amzon. they are £20 cheaper than qvc and the shops. they are comming all the way from germany. i always go down a size in birkenstock. being a good 8 usually uk size can wear a 7 in birkis

I can go down a 1/2 size, between the regular fit and the wide fit in Birkenstocks (and Clarks too). In Birkenstocks, you can tell which fit you are getting on most ranges (Birkenstock, Birki, Papillio and cork-solde Betula) by looking at the little foot that's printed on the insole. Regular fit is a solid foot, and the wide fit is a foot outline.