Customer Reviews Birkenstock Islay

I love Birkenstock sandals but wanted a closed-toe shoe for longer walking and cooler weather. This shoes features the comfort and support I like in a Birkenstock, and allows me to walk for hours without pain, despite having achilles tendonosis and plantar fasciitis. Best shoe ever! It even looks great with pants, definitely classier than an athletic shoe. I usually wear a size 40 sandal but ordered a 41 in this shoe and it fits great with socks.

Love the fit thanks to the incredible Birkenstock insole with excellent arch support, BUT I was disappointed that these are not all leather lined, but rather have a synthetic toe.

These Birks are cute and comfortable right out of the box! I bought these in white about a year ago and was glad to find them in black. These shoes have the original Birks footbed that I've loved over the years. They are substantial but not heavy and I can wear them year-round when I need a closed-in shoe. If you choose to wear them with a medium-weight sock, I recommend going up 1/2 size.

Hard to express how much I love these shoes. I have worn them through all kinds of insanity, and they always polish up beautifully. I must have walked thousands of kilometers in them, and they show very little wear. Note that I replaced the laces with stretchy silicone ones from Amazon, which makes them into a slip-on (though I still have to arrange the tongue comfortably, so cannot put them on without bending over). They still look super cute, and people always ask me about them. Best shoes I've ever bought.

I bought these for the Midwest winters as I stand at work all day and wear Birkenstock sandals whenever I can. Obviously snow and sandals do not mix so these were the perfect choice. These seem to be more narrow than the regular sandals but these still fit me well (I can wear both regular and narrow sandals). I did size up from my sandal size though. I typically wear a 8-9 in other brands of shoes, a 38 in sandals and a 39 in these. The arch support is not as aggressive as the sandals but much better than most shoes. These are expensive but so worth it!

I wear a 37 Regular in the sandals. I ordered these in 37 Regular and they were too small. I would order 1-2 sizes up.

Despite the label, these are not specifically women's shoes; they are very nice, understated shoes that work nicely for either gender. They are closer to sneakers in shape, but have a refined subtlety and European style to them that makes them suitable in situations where non-sneaker shoes would be called for. I'm a man who normally wears American size 7.5 shoes and European size 39 in Birkenstock Boston clogs; the size 40 in these Islays fits me perfectly. The toe box is wide but short in height, so I can stretch my toes a little sideways but not upwards.

These shoes have the look of a classic European leather shoe and were comfortable right out of the box. I am returning them, however, because they have very little to no cushion and as I would have used them for a substantial amount of walking, I was worried that they would not provide enough cushion for long-term comfort. They have the classic Birkenstock cork footbed and while that has the reputation of being quite comfortable, it does't seem to compare to an athletic or hiking shoe. These seem like something that would be a great choice if you need to walk a mile to the subway for an office job, then back at the end of the day--in other words, something that combines "business casual" with comfort. They just don't seem to be enough of a walking shoe for me.

Nice shoes. But - typical Birkie foot bed. So you have to like that.

a truly disappointing Birkenstock. the insert feels like nothing. Looks good but almost no support or cork cushion.

I waited for this shoe to come back in stock and it did not disappoint. All day comfort and support out of the box.

I bought the Islay in black leather and the Arran in grey canvas. Both offer great arch support and long lasting comfort; BUT, the Islay are just a little bit better for overall feel. Birkenstocks are the ONLY shoes my feet are happy with after dealing with plantar fasciitis for the past two months. Love love love these shoes.

High quality shoe as you’d expect from Birkenstock. The arch support was good but not as robust as the sandals, they were also more flexible.

I was excited to find a closed shoe that I could wear for winter. With several foot problems That bother one another Burkenstock is all I have been able to wear. Sadly I had to return this shoe. Taking only a step or two I knew this shoe would not work for me. I 'm not sure what the problem was but With the bone spurs on my great toes I knew I couldn't wear this shoe. I am trying another shoe from Burkenstock. Hoping it will be what I need.

I thought these shoes were beautiful. Sad to say my old arthritic feet could not wear them with comfort.I had to return them.

Good looking and comfortable.

These are just so comfortable!! They felt wonderful straight out of the box. My normal Birkenstock size for perfectly. Love!

This is a simply wonderful shoe. I think it is my third pair. I wear a 42 N which is a size larger than what I have worn in the same Islay style. I add Spenco innersoles for additional cushion and arch support. I love the style and thank Zappos for carrying narrow widths!

Love these !!!

Just got this pair yesterday and they are fabulous. In years past, I loved the old Footprints shoes made by a subgroup of Birkenstock, but with their reorganization they stopped making those great shoes. I'm delighted to see these great shoes returning and hope to see more styles, and colors, in the near future. The fit is perfect for my narrow foot that also requires arch support.

Great shoe, but didn't work for me. My feet are slightly different in size from one another, and these are not forgiving enough to accommodate.

Having just had my second knee replacement I really was looking for shoes with great arch support and these shoes fit the bill. I am wearing them almost daily. I have found Birkenstocks have the arch support that I have been searching for. I really appreciate Zappos and their easy return policy I had tried on many different brands before settling on these.

I love these shoes. I have a lot of Birkenstocks but I wanted something that covered my whole foot especially for winter. These look great with my jeans and casual pants and is so comfortable. The fit is perfect.

These are well-made, substantial shoes. For my 11N foot and weird toes, the severe toe box angle didn't accommodate my toe shape. I also have thick ankles, and the shoe tongue is very long and stiff and didn't feel comfortable. Zappos is great to deal with, though, so back they'll go, and my search will continue. :)

Alas, I'll have to stick with narrow Arizona, Boston, Milano and Tokyo. The Islays are not for skinny ankles. I hoped I could add these nice-looking lace-up shoes to my wardrobe. They looked great and fit my feet with lightweight socks, but the tongues cut into my ankles. I tried heavier socks which helped at the ankles but made the toeboxes uncomfortably snug.