Crocs and Birkenstocks hold a very special place in the fashion industry.
On one hand, they are unsightly and unfashionable.
On the other hand, they are extremely comfortable to wear and maintain.
However, these two types of shoes have a number of differences and target audiences, so a new buyer might ask themselves: which shoes should I buy?
Well, go no further! We will show you the details of each product and tell you under which circumstances would it be better to buy them in our Crocs vs Birkenstocks article!
Crocs vs Birkenstocks: What are Birkenstocks?
When choosing casual shoes, as a rule, they pay attention to their beauty and convenience. Not every model is able to provide comfort and be practical. It is thanks to these properties that Birkenstock shoes have gained popularity – these are sandals with a prophylactic insole, on belts.
They are ideal for walking, relaxing on the sea, and traveling. In these shoes, leg fatigue is not felt, there is a feeling of muscle relaxation when walking. Early Birkenstocks assume this as their key difference among other footwear brands.
Nordstrom started selling Birkenstocks sandals for the treatment and prevention of foot deformities, later their convenience was appreciated by many fashionistas.
To date, there are wide varieties of Birkenstock shoes. The appearance of one model is significantly different from the other. The only thing that remains unchanged is the shoe and insole, with the soles shaped to meet all the requirements of orthopedics. They are built into absolutely any kind of product.
Crocs vs Birkenstocks: What are Crocs?
Crocs is the company that makes perhaps the most unusual yet incredibly comfortable clog shoe made from the patented Croslite polymer material. The company is still quite young, starting its history in 2002, but has already managed to gain worldwide popularity.
Despite the fact that the founders, as they say, did not bother with the design at one time, it was loved by many travel lovers, children, and just those who love everything unusual.
After making their debut sale at the Fort Lauderdale Boat Show in 2001, Crocs has generally had great success. The founders put all their efforts into searching for a soft and light material, which they found in Canada from Créations Foam, which they later bought in 2004.
Croslite is a natural material made from special closed cell resin, making it an animal-friendly shoe company. It is lighter and stronger than rubber, and, most importantly, under the influence of temperature, it takes the form of a foot, which eliminates the possibility of rubbing a callus and allows you to wear Crocs on a bare leg.
Croslite also has antibacterial properties that prevent unpleasant odors from appearing. Ventilation holes on them also greatly help with that.
Thanks to orthopedic properties, wearing Crocs is recommended for those who spend the whole day on their feet, as well as those suffering from joint diseases. In some clinics in the US and Canada, these shoes are even included in the uniform of doctors.
What’s so great about Birkenstocks?
Birkenstock has a number of orthopedic properties and advantages:
- Birkenstock sandals improve the nutrition of joints and muscles. Creating comfort for the foot, Birkenstock provides health to the whole body;
- Birkenstock normalizes blood circulation. In the vessels located on the sole of the foot, congestion that interferes with blood circulation is removed;
- They have a positive effect on the heart and stomach. This is due to the presence on the foot of areas that affect these organs;
- For those who struggle with physiological fatigue, Birkenstock shoes relax contracted muscles;
- These sandals strengthen the protective properties of the body.
- Birkenstock has a distinct design and a wide variety of models, with all the kawaii charms that you might want. Wearing jibbitz decorative charms or other shiny objects and weird-fitting clothes will let you stand out and impress your friends.
What’s so great about Crocs?
Aside from being comfortable, Crocs have some features that make them especially good for your feet.
- These shoes have been designed with built-in arch support, granulated padding to activate circulation, and an orthopedic heel cup to support and protect the heel.
- Additionally, ventilation holes found in these shoes are great for cooling and filtering purposes. Their soles are also non-slip and do not leave marks, making them great for dirty jobs.
However, with the rising popularity of Crocs today, a lot of counterfeit crocs (also known as croc offs) began appearing on the market, so a potential buyer needs to be wary of them.
Crocs vs Birkenstocks: Similarities
Birkenstock and Crocs share a number of similarities with each other despite their different designs.
Similarity #1
First of all, both manufacturers have comfort as a top priority. Instead of going for a good design, both Birkenstock and Crocs put essence in front of aesthetics.
Similarity #2
They are easy to put on and off, which increases convenience.
Similarity #3
The inner soles of both shoes gradually take the shape of the wearer’s foot, only increasing the comfort of wearing them over time.
Similarity #4
Both shoes are frequently advised by physicians for patients who are recovering from surgeries and foot injuries, as they don’t put a lot of pressure on the wearer’s feet.
Similarity #5
They are advised for people with more permanent illnesses, such as plantar fasciitis.
Similarity #6
While they give unparalleled comfort, these beautiful shoes have a habit of soaking up bad smells from the wearer’s feet if they wear the same pair for too long. However, the materials that both flip flops are made of are extremely easy to clean, so that won’t be a problem.
Crocs vs Birkenstocks: Differences
However, despite their glaring similarities, Crocs and Birkenstocks have some differences as well.
- Crocs and Birkenstock sandals are composed of two different materials. While it is unknown what materials are these boating shoes made of, as it is a carefully protected corporate secret of the manufacturer, Birkenstock shoes are made of cork, natural leather, and jute.
- Secondly, while most commonly spotted Birkenstocks models are leather sandals that allow a lot of ventilation, crocs have numerous breathing holes in them. However, there are some models that do not have holes in case a buyer doesn’t want to collect water from puddles with their feet.
- Additionally, the cork footbeds of Birks allow for better arch support, giving you more comfort while wearing these cork sandals.
Crocs vs Birkenstocks: Advantages of Birkenstocks over Crocs
- Birkenstocks have a variety of different designs. They literally have models of all colors under the sun and are customizable, making jibbitz decorative charms and kawaii charms look very organic on them.
- Another notable advantage of wearing Birks over Crocs is their unbeatable arch support and special support elements, which allow them to be worn universally among both the youth and the elderly. They are especially advised for people with plantar fasciitis so that they won’t feel much pain from their maladies if they wear Birkenstocks.
- Furthermore, Birkenstocks, unlike Crocs, have their own molded footbed made of elastic material, which makes wearing birks extremely comfortable. The material itself varies among models. Leather shoes have a more natural cork footbed and the more water-friendly sandals are made of Ethylene Vinyl Acetate and have slip-resistant clogs, so will be able to find fitting birkenstock shoes that are perfect for you.
Crocs vs Birkenstocks: Advantages of Crocs over Birkenstocks
- First of all, Crocs have a distinct and creative design. They will make you look different, as probably no other manufacturer creates anything that looks close to them.
- Secondly, Crocs are extremely easy to clean and maintain (if they are not counterfeit crocs). These water friendly sandals just take a few minutes of cleaning and they are just as new. This is attributed to Crocs good quality material. You can literary just use some baking soda while washing them and they are as good as new!
- Moreover, their ventilation holes give them an advantage over flip flops in that they will keep your feet clean, making them perfect for dirty jobs.
- Also, it is important to note that Birks have a break-in time while their insoles adapt to your feet. These shoes have none of that, instead being at their maximum comfortability from the start.
Crocs vs Birkenstocks: Which sandals should I choose?
So, which shoes will fit you best, Crocs or Birkenstocks?
Crocs
Crocs are a great choice if you are looking for youth shoe models for your kids. With the comfortability, ease of maintenance, and clean up of these foam clogs, they will become a favorite in no time.
Additionally, ventilation holes found on these chunky boots will decrease the odors that your feet will accumulate. So, if you have problems with that, Crocs might be just what you need.
Moreover, if you find yourself on your feet for the majority of the day, then these shoes might be a great option. They have already found large success among doctors and other medical workers due to their comfort due to the comfortable Crocs instep.
It also is worth of note that most Crocs are generally cheap, so you won’t have to worry about saving up money to get them.
Lastly, if you simply do not care what others think about you and don’t care about the world of fashion overall, then Crocs might be your best choice. When you don’t care about aesthetics, comfort is king.
Birkenstocks
Just like we have said before, Birks are extremely comfortable (especially their closed-toe models) and help you get rid of the results of feet injuries in record time. If you are struggling with foot pain, then Birks are your ideal choice.
Secondly, the manufacturers of Birks have created foam clogs that are resistant to slipping. So if your job requires a lot of walking on slippery surfaces, then Birks may be a great option (even the Birkenstock slip-on models).
Lastly, Birks will help you if you need to improve your posture without medical help. Their design is more flat, so they are more advisable than any other shoes.
FAQs: Crocs vs Birkenstocks
Are Birkenstocks good for feet?
The essential piece of all Birkenstock models is the original inner base, which reproduces the natural footprint of a foot in the sand.
This helps the feet to endure many hours without loads. They incorporate a deep heel cup to provide support to the tissues of the foot and maintain stability.
So yes, Birkenstock sandals are good for your feet!
What sandals are better than Crocs?
It all depends on what you are looking for!
If you need more orthopedic inspired sandals, then Birkenstocks are your choice, for the reasons that we have listed above.
Other excellent footwear companies include OOFOS and Hoka.
Are Crocs the most comfortable shoes?
For some people, yes! They have excellent breathability and exceptional comfort, with a lot of room for your feet and toes. Moreover, their special closed cell resin gives them surprisingly good traction and makes Crocs almost impossible to slip in. Overall, a great choice if you choose comfort over looks.
Read also: How to tell if Birkenstocks are real? 17 things you must check
Wrap-Up: Crocs vs Birkenstocks
Nowadays, a lot of people forgo looks in favor of comfort. We can see this fashion renaissance happening around the globe, with slip ons becoming more and more popular in the fashion world.
Crocs vs Birkenstocks probably personify this change the most. While being mostly unsightly and unfashionable, they offer a lot to a person that is struggling with foot injuries. Moreover, for the people that just don’t care about how they look, they can give a lot of comfort.
But, as we have discussed previously, they do have some differences in terms of their target demographics. Will you choose Crocs, which were created so that sailors don’t slip off ships? Or will you choose Birkestocks to improve your posture? Or you will buy both with the same foot size?
We hope that we have given you enough info so that you can make a good choice and wear shoes that are right for you!
Thank you for reading this article, and make sure to share this article with your friends if they are struggling with choosing the right footwear!
Read also: When was Birkenstock founded? The true history of an iconic brand
Author
Paula Maureen has collaborated with famous shoe brands and designed popular women’s sandals. As a proofreader, she contributes to foot wisdom.
