Shearling Lined Birkenstocks: Part 2

In 2016, I wrote a blog on shearling lined Birkenstocks.  Back then, shearling lined Birkenstocks was a new phenomenon and there were two major issues that I discovered with the shearling lining:

1. Exposed glue on the inseams
2. Slippery lining when wearing socks

At the time, I also could not put my head around a shearling lined Birkenstock sandal.  I felt that either you are hot (and need sandals) or cold (and need shearling).  A shearling lined Boston made perfect sense.  But, a shearling lined Arizona, not so much.

I am happy to report, three years later, that I now truly comprehend the pure luxury of a shearling lined Arizona.   Maybe it took the right color shearling lined Arizona to pique my interest and see the light.   In my opinion, a shearling lined Arizona gives one just the right amount of warmth and comfort on the foot, but allows breathing room for your tootsies.  And, you can wear them with socks, for extra warmth!

I should mention that I did order a pair of burgundy shearling lined Bostons, in the fall of 2016, after I posted my initial blog on Birkenstock shearling lined shoes. That one pair of shearling lined Bostons has gotten some heavy wear over the last three years.  While I did find the shearling slippery right out of the box, they become less slippery as they broke in. ​

Burgundy shearling lined Bostons

I am a sucker for shearling.  I love the coziness of my UGGs, but hate their lack of support.  After a few hours in UGGs, my feet hurt.  Unfortunately, Birkenstock insoles do not work in my UGGs.  Believe me, I have tried.  So, I usually only wear my UGGs when I am sitting on the couch.  Whereas I always wear my Birkenstock Bostons doing chores, walking the kids to school, or running errands.

I recently noticed that my Burgundy Bostons seemed a bit worn out.  The shearling mattes down over time and leaves grooves of exposed cork footbed where your toes and heels rub most in the shoe.  It is not a big deal if you are wearing socks.  But, it is extremely noticeable if you slip your foot into the shoe barefoot.

When it came time for a new pair of shearling lined Birkenstocks, I purchased the Navy Arizonas and immediately fell in love with the shearling.   So much so, that I frequented the Birkenstock webpage, waiting for Birkenstock to release the green shearling lined Boston in my size.  Thanks to the back in stock notifications, I snagged a pair the moment they were available.

Navy Shearling Lined Arizonas with Socks!!

With my new shearling lined Birkenstocks, I did not have any issues with exposed glue seams. The shearling also seems more plush than previous releases.  Even with the extra plushness of the shearling, I still found the shearling slippery the first few wears, but that issue tends to resolve itself quickly.  It is such a pleasure not to have to deal with any quality control issues regarding the shearling or exposed glue.  

Green shearling lined Bostons

While the quality of shearling lined Birkenstocks has been upgraded, there is one small problem that I think Birkenstock needs to take into consideration…..regular width options.  When you take a narrow width Birkenstock and line it with shearling, you take away a lot of valuable real estate on that footbed!

I fell in love with the dove gray color this season, but it was only released in narrow width in the US.  Why?  It is SO LAME that Birkenstock does this.   I don’t need to go into detail about my feelings on narrow width Birkenstocks.  If you have been reading my blog, you already know my stance on that matter.  If you are a new reader, you can learn more by reading this blog.  

When I ordered the dove gray Bostons, I could not even fit my foot into the narrow width shoe.  It felt two sizes too small!!  Be sure to get properly fitted before buying shearling lined Birkenstocks.  Some people who wear narrow width sandals, may need a regular width, if the Birk is lined with shearling, and some people may need to size up.  I personally take my normal size and now I know that I cannot wear a narrow Birk with shearling...unless I call Michelangelo at Custom Made Birkenstocks, and have him stretch out a pair for me!  You can call him too and ask him to stretch out your Birkenstocks!  It works.

Dove Gray Shearling Lined Bostons (narrows stretched to regular by Custom Made Birkenstocks)

I realize that shearling lined Birkenstocks are outrageously expensive.   This is part of the reason that I have decided to write an updated blog on the subject.  I want everyone to know that shearling lined Birkenstocks are high-quality, well worth the money, and last for a long time.  Custom Made Birkenstocks now has shearling lined footbeds and can recraft an older pair of Birks with a fresh, new shearling lined footbed!  Imagine taking an older pair of your favorite Birks and recrafting them with a shearling liner!!  The possibilities are endless.

Even though the price of the shearling lined Birkenstocks might seem astronomical, if you are like me, they may be the one pair of Birks that you wear the most!  During the spring and summer, I rarely wear the same Birkenstocks twice.   But come fall and winter, I pretty much wear my shearling lined Bostons every single day!  When it is hella cold outside, my burgundy Bostons are on my feet from the moment I wake up, to the moment I go to bed.  I have certainly gotten my bang for the buck with this one pair!

Would I recommend you give shearling lined Birkenstocks a try? Absolutely!  If you like UGGs and love Birkenstocks, then shearling lined Birks are the perfect shoe for you.  It’s a win win.

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Read my original blog on shearling lined Birkenstocks here.