These Birkis are a bit sturdier and heavier than my others. The leather is denser as well. and it takes a while longer to break them in, but once I did they were every bit as comfortable as my other Birkis. I love the look of them; this is a nice rich tan color that goes with everything, and as my nephew tells me, they look like Jesus sandals.

My feet are wide with short toes and no other shoe but Birki/Birkenstock fits so well. The toe area is wide and teh heel cup is deep, keeping my foot firmly secured even without a backstrap. The soft footbed is like walking on pillows and is a genius invention! My spine feels more aligned, thus my posture is much improved, and because I walk a lot this is very important to me. I normally wear a size 6 but ordered down to a 5 (36 European) and it's just the right fit.

I was watching "The Name of the Rose" one night and could swear I saw a pair of these on Christian Slater's feet - probably Birkenstocks since the Birkis are relatively new and this film was made in the 1980's - during a scene where he used his foot to keep a door from closing!

An excellent pair of shoes at a steal of price and I highly recommend them especially if you have feet like mine.