Birkenstocks are famous for their comfort, flexibility, and durability. But, you will only get such great features when the shoe breaks in after using it for a few days. In fact, breaking in Birkenstocks is one of the difficult tasks that the wearers will ever find.
Unfortunately, a new pair of Birkenstocks sandals can cause intense pain and blisters unless it breaks in properly. Thus, many people ask, “How to break in Birkenstocks faster without inflicting pains?”
Well, you can start walking with the sandals on to help it break in quickly. But this will surely cause burns and blisters on your feet. So, you can also choose to hammer the uncomfortable and harder parts of the sandal, fine-tune the sandal straps, and use Moleskin pads to break in the sandals for a comfy feel.
But how to make Birkenstocks more comfortable to wear daily, Right? Weel, keep reading to learn the easiest method to Birkenstocks faster for a comfortable fit.
What's Inside:
What Is Birkenstocks?
Birkenstocks are a German sandals brand having a thick suede or genuine leather upper with a contoured fit. The sandals originated in 1774 in the small city of Germany named Neustadt (Wied). Thus, it is considered one of the oldest shoe companies.
By the early 1900s, they were popular all over Europe, and after World War II, they also cemented their market in America. The sandals brand is famous for their excellent comfort, cushioning, and durable performance.
The main feature of the Birkenstocks is its contoured footbed. It is made of latex and cork. When you wear the sandals regularly, the footbed will slowly match the shape of your feet. So, you will enjoy better and improved comfort and safety.
Tips on How to Break In Birkenstocks Faster: 6 Top Methods Discussed
Wearing Birkenstocks during the first few days can be highly painful due to their hardness. It will cause blisters, burns, and even foot aches. Thus, it would be best to find a way to break in the sandals as soon as possible to avoid such inconveniences.
Luckily, there’re multiple ways to break in Birkenstocks faster without pain. The most common ways are listed below:
Method 1: Wear and walk with Birkenstocks
Likewise, for every new shoe and sandal, the best way of breaking Birkenstocks is to wear and walk with the sandals on your feet. The rule of thumb is to wear the shoe daily for a few minutes to hours to soften up soon.
You can wear shoes-
- While walking inside your home
- When you work in your garden or lawn
- While jogging or exercising in the lawn and parks
- During family or friends time at home or outside
When you walk with the sandals regularly, your feet will exert pressure on the footbed. So, it will stretch and match the natural foot movement. Thus, you will find it softening up and break in quickly so that you can find the perfect comfort.
Also, the contour feature of the footbed will match your feet’ shape, movement, and ups and downs, so you can find it ideal for daily use. But it will need time and initially may cause pain. So, you may find other ways of breaking in the sandals better without exerting pain on your feet.
Method 2: Hammer the footbed
If you aren’t ready to wait for the sandals to break in gradually, you can use the hammer to soften its footbed relatively quickly. First, get a small hammer. A larger hammer maybe not be useful to work with the shoe.
Next, find the spots on the footbed that causes discomfort to your feet. Then, slowly hammer these spots until they soften up properly. Once you have hammered the entire footbed, wear it to find its softness. If the sandals still feel uncomfortable, repeat the hammering process.
To find your perfect comfort zone, you may need to repeat the hammering and soften the footbed for several days. So, be ready to have patience and work attentively. Also, take care of the soles not to hammer them overly and damage them.
Method 3: Use padded cushioning
This method of breaking in the Birkenstocks shoes is for those who want their sandals to break in almost immediately without any delay. The padding is designed to sit between your feet and shoe sole, adding an extra layer of protection.
The padding is available in almost all sandals and shoe stores. You may choose the Moleskin Padding for its enhanced comfort and durability. As the pad adds cushioning to feet, it lessens friction while walking with the shoes on your feet. So, your feet are less likely to face any blisters and burns.
On top of it, the reduced friction and pressure on the actual sole of the sandals mean it will have a prolonged lifespan. So, the padding also boosts the durability of the shoe. Plus, with enough cushioning, your feet will remain safe from any additional pain while walking, even after hours.
Method 4: Tune-up the straps
One of the main benefits of using Birkenstock sandals is their adjustable strap. It allows you to get a customized fit for your feet so that you can enjoy better comfort and confidence while walking. However, the buckles of the sandals may cause blisters and pain on the upper side of your feet when they are new and haven’t broken in properly.
Thus, experts suggest Birkenstock wearers unbuckle the shoe strap for the time being so that you can get a contour fit without any pain. When you strap the shoes tightly, it will exert extreme pressure on your feet and create discomfort. And you won’t want it as a supplementary to the existing blisters.
So, allow the sandals to match the shape and contour of your feet and then, buckle the straps for a secure fit.
Method 5: Soak the sandals in water
Although this method may seem bizarre to many people, it is a great way of breaking in Birkenstocks at ease. Since these sandals are premium leather, soaking them in normal water helps the leather soften up quickly.
- Fill a medium bucket with water.
- Soak the shoes for 30 minutes to 1 hour, at least.
- Please keep them in a cool place until dry. Some even suggest wearing the shoes until they are dry to help to soften up the leather material quicker.
You must repeat the soaking process several times until the leather softens up and gives you a relaxing feel while walking.
Don’t worry.
The leather of the sandal won’t get damaged at all. In fact, it will really give a softer feel without any burns and blisters on your feet.
Method 6: Wear thicker socks and walk daily
When you wear thicker socks and walk on with Birkenstocks daily, the thicker socks help to break in the shoe quite easily. Also, walking with thicker socks helps to prevent blisters and pain initially. So, you will enjoy improved comfort.
Nonetheless, avoid wearing thicker socks if your feet sweat too much and during summertime. Or, you may get a heat stroke.
Read Also: Are Birkenstocks good for sweaty feet?
How Long Will It Take To Break In Birkenstocks?
Honestly speaking, breaking in Birks can be time-consuming. Most wearers opine that breaking in the sandals will need around 3 to 5 days at least. Also, you have to repeat the breaking in methods such as socking or hammering the shoes.
So, you should be ready to invest a few days to soften up the leather and get a contour shape for the sandals. But it is worth the time spent and investment since properly broken in Birkenstocks will ensure incredible comfort to your feet for the longest possible period.
What Happens While Breaking In Birkenstocks?
Since breaking in the sandals is a time-consuming practice, it may cause some inconveniences. When you wear and walk with Birkenstocks on your feet, you may feel the following issues-
- Achy feet
- Blisters
- Sore legs
- Additional pains
Unfortunately, most Birkenstocks wearers experience one or more problems mentioned above during the breaking-in period of the shoe. So, you have to take precautionary measures to get rid of these issues and lead your daily life while the shoes break in appropriately.
Prevention Measures While Breaking In Birkenstocks
It is not a wise idea to continue breaking in or wearing Birkenstocks when you experience achy feet, leg sores, or pain. When you have blisters or tender areas on your feet, you may find walking uncomfortable, and it will hurt your daily life.
So, you have to follow some preventive measures to avoid such inconveniences:
- Whenever you feel pain or itchiness while walking with Birkenstocks at the beginning, take them off immediately. You should allow your feet to reduce the pain before wearing the sandals aging to soften them.
- You may wear thicker socks initially to avoid any blister and pain. It is a quick-relief for sores and aches.
- Wear the shoes for shorter periods instead of long periods. It will help eliminate any itchiness and aches faster and better.
- Occasionally, you can add holes in the strap for a better fit. It will help you get a tailored fit for your feet.
- If you face any blisters, you may apply a band-aid on the spot to avoid further pain. This will protect your feet better.
Final Words
This is our complete guideline on how to break in Birkenstocks faster for comfy and safe walking. We have discussed the top six ways to break in Birkenstocks for your comfort. On top of it, we have also included different ways to prevent blisters, burns, and aches while breaking in the premium sandals for your daily use.
We hope you find these breaking-in methods for Birkenstocks helpful for a comfortable and safe shoe-wearing experience.
Hello, I’m Kristin, the founder and main author of footwearsfact.com. I’ve been working as a footwear designer and have built a keen interest in different footwear problems, suggestions, and designing. I hope I’ll be able to serve your needs with my skillful team member.