Customer Reviews Birkenstock Gizeh - Birko-Flor™ & Birkibuc™

I just bought the Gizeh in the antique lace color. It's absolutely the cutest shoe but the most uncomfortable shoe my foot has EVER stepped into. I'm counting on what everyone says, that it will soften and mold to my foot. To describe the level of discomfort is not something I can find words for. It is as stiff as a board, and the arch is not quite place at my arches (which are quite high so I was sure the birks would be awesome for me). The arch in these birkenstocks is somewhere further up heading towards the ball of my foot and slightly centered, rather than where my natural high arch is. If I had to wear these for more than 5 minutes I would be in a lot of discomfort. I truly hope that these soften as promised, or I will have a bone to pick with Zappos. The only way I can find out if they soften and mold to my foot is to wear them a lot, but by wearing them I cannot return them. So Zappos, if you're reading this, please consider that I would like to return these if they do not soften and mold to my foot after considerable wear. I would've gotten them at Nordstrom, where they would accept a used return under those circumstances, but Nordstrom did not have this color available, hence...I bought them from Zappos. They're too expensive to be this uncomfortable. As far as sizing goes, I wear a size 6.5 to 7, so I got the European size 36, which is the correct fit for me.

I really wanted to like these because they are cute and the color is really nice. However, the toe piece was painful and I had to return them. I ordered the Mayari and they are much more comfortable!

I was so disappointed to get these home and realize quickly that they run small and didn't fit. I'm a women's size 11 and the 42 was too small for me. The toe box isn't as square as the other Birks and seems to cut too quickly in a slanted fashion from big to baby toe, making the shoe too short for my other toes. I'm so sad to be totally out of luck in this style since the 42 is the largest size available.

If I didn't read several reviews, I would have returned these immediately. First of all, I ordered these in narrow, because they do run very wide. Secondly, I wore these for an hour the first day, 2 hours the second day & so on. These require a lot of break-in time. I have had these for a few weeks and find that I still have to get used to them each time I put them on. The piece that goes between the toes is very hard & also takes some getting used to. I like them, but am still breaking them in at this point. Bottom line: don't get these unless you are willing to give them time to mold to your foot. Definitely not comfy right out of the box. I am only giving 3 stars for comfort; hoping to change that to 4 or 5 as more time passes.

Really liked the color of the blue, but I could not get past the hard plastic between my toes. I know this model works for many, but uncomfortable for me. Similar style and more comfortable in the toes: Mephisto Helen.

These are so cute, and I wanted to love them, but the plastic thong piece really was bothersome. I wanted them to walk around Boston. Sadly, they had to be returned.

I bought these in the black patent about three years ago or so and wrote a decent review about them. To summarize the review, I said that the plastic thong piece took some getting used to and even hurt in the beginning, but after wearing them for the better part of a summer, they felt better. However, to update my opinion, I probably should have returned them and gotten, say, the Arizona style instead. I rarely wear the pair of Gizehs and am planning to order a pair of Arizonas soon. I'm keeping the Gizehs, but only to wear around my apartment as houseshoes. Last time I wore them outside (after quite some time without wearing them) I walked a few blocks up the street from home and back, and the webbing in between my toes where the thong piece hits was rubbed raw. So I decided I wouldn't wear them anywhere aside from within my apartment, where obviously the amount of walking is limited. But I'd like to stress that it's simply the thong piece that I don't like. Birkenstocks are wonderful and very comfortable otherwise. The only reason I have a pair of cheap foam flip flops is for when I go camping and wear them in the campground showers! The footbeds in Birkenstocks are amazing, and even if you think you don't have foot problems or posture problems, you'd probably find you're wrong after trying them. Though if you don't like thong sandals, I'd suggest a different style.

My feelings are mixed. These sandals are adorable, obviously. The plastic piece between the toes doesn't bother me at all. I wouldn't have noticed it was plastic, but I read some reviews. But I also wear flip-flops regularly, so I'm used to plastic between my toes. What I'm not used to, however, is the ridge under the toes. It doesn't look like much, and I thought I'd get used to it, but it still bugs me sometimes after about a month. Also, sometimes my toes hit the edge, which is uncomfortable. They're good standing shoes, if you have to stand for long periods. They're not good walking shoes. Sometimes they just fly off my feet. I've made the strap tighter, but it doesn't help. Then it's too tight to even fit my foot in. I feel like I have to lift my toes all the time to keep them on. Since I mostly want them for standing, and they're so cute, I'm keeping them. I hope I get used to the ridge, and that walking somehow improves.

I'm so bummed about these. The sole had so much arch support and cradled my foot. But what is with the giant plastic thong? It was so uncomfortable. It is too bad because the sole was terrific and the style was attractive.

I recently purchased my very first pair(s) of Birkenstocks! (One Gizeh and one soft footbed Arizona.) And may I just say— they're definitely all they're cracked up to be. The Gizeh is obviously more stylish than the others, but I found myself really unhappy with the hard plastic part between the toes, as others have mentioned. As I walked, it became pretty painful. It seems that if it were suede or leather like the sandal, it would be so much more comfortable. The footbed itself is supportive, comfortable, and well-made. However, I just couldn't get over how annoying that plastic part was and eventually opted out. They definitely run a bit large: I am a size 7, and ordered the 38. They were just a tiny bit big, so when I reorder, I will size down and get a 37. I also thought that it was worth it to note how hard the footbed was. People who aren't used to Birkenstocks, clogs, or shoes with less forgiving footbeds might want to at least try the soft footbed style- it feels amazing and still has the great support of the regular shoe.

I was so sad to have to return these. They had the comfort that I was looking for from a Birkenstock shoe but the part that attaches the thong strap from the footbed to the top of the leather strap is very uncomfortably done. The hard plastic actually really hurts the top of my foot, almost pressing down on it.

I normally wear a size 6US and I got the 37 based on the size chart - there is a full inch of space at the back of the heel. I'm returning and will try the 36.

I bought my first pare of Birkenstocks based on the great reviews and they looked cute and comfortable. However, I am having hard time breaking them in. They are uncomfortable, feel stiff and hurts my feet. I am hoping they will eventually adapt to my feet so I can enjoy them.

I love the look of these and purchased them to replace a pair over twenty years old. I do find the piece between the toe very uncomfortable and I am someone who does wear flip flops with this piece often. They're great looking, but I wish I'd stayed with the more traditional, less attractive pair!

These guys are far too expensive for what they are. The footbed is rigid, the "regular" is narrow and they poke into my instep oddly. Plus the borders of the footbed are raised, so if the shoe shifts on your foot mid-stride, you end up stepping onto the ridge.

Love these shoes! I have two pairs and the only complaint that I have is, the footbed looks nasty pretty quickly and I can't find anything to fix/replace them so I can get my money's worth from these shoes. I can't wear normal flip flops because I walk a little goofy and I walk out of them, and I hate that slapping sound they make when people walk.

I am not really a Birkenstock type of girl but these caught my eye. I have seen cute, young moms wearing them and I like the way they look. I bought these as a more stylish and more durable replacement for my fit flops. I ordered a 38 because I am a 7 normally. They are way too big. Going to send them back and try a smaller size.

Hard plastic thong between the toes make this shoe very uncomfortable. And they take forever to break-in. Buy Mephistos instead.

I was really really disappointed to find that the regular width is actually not wide at all. I have always heard that Birkenstocks are wide and that the narrow is generally for normal width feet, but my wide feet were just too wide for these sandals. I also found the rubber to be really uncomfortable and painful. I absolutely loved these sandals, but was disappointed to find that they were too narrow and not very comfortable

Found the plastic thong piece uncomfortable although foot bed was great. Have to try another style.

Nice shoe, but I ordered the Naot and the Memphisto at the same time for comparison. The Memphisto and the Naot won highhandedly, but they are much more expensive as well. I sent the Birks back, but for those of you who don't have foot issues like I do, the Birks are great and come in so many beautiful colors.

I really like the shoe, except the rubber bit between the toes is really uncomfortable. I thought I would get used to it, as I wear flip-flops all the time, and my other Birkenstocks of a between-toe style don't hurt at all - but these do, even after weeks of wear. I had to buy soft rubber spacers to wrap around it to stop the pain. I'm also a size 7, and always wear a size 36 in Birkenstock. Not sure why a 36 a labeled US size 5-5.5.

The Thong thing. The plastic "post" that comprises the thong in this sandal is brutally hard and sharp. Could not take one step without excruciating pain. I must say, however, that I went to a local store to try the same shoe on, and found that I took a size smaller, a 38 instead of a 39. The thong is less painfully placed. Ended up buying another thong from Birkenstock, the Mayari, that has a leather strap that forms the thong, and much softer, also in size 38, one size smaller that what I ordered online from you. It was more expensive, but the price differential was worth it to know how it felt before buying it. The customer support person could have been more helpful if she had suggested this possibility to me. Still love your online store!

I don't understand how these sandals can be comfortable. I have friends that rave about them. I could not walk comfortably in them. The sole is stiff and painful to my feet. The strap rubbed my instep. In all fairness, the size (40) was larger for me than usual. They're cuter than I thought, but they're going back today.

Nice creamy color. Ordered one size down and fit outline of my foot perfectly, but the space between the top of the toe strap button and the footbed was too narrow -- caused pain in my walk. These will have to go back.