Birkenstock knows how to make footwear. Plain and simple. I own a few pairs of the Birks and this is my most recent pair. Also it is my first pair to have the leather upper separated into two parts. At first this was a little weird. It took awhile to get used to the way the top strap pulled the shoe up, and the resulting *light* pressure on my ankle (no more than any other shoe. The weirdness came from the location of the pressure). The best thing about the Birks is that they are adjustable, and that surely came in handy here. I played with the straps until they could easily be kicked off without sacrificing comfort or mobility. Now that they fit right, they are a permanent member of my foot team.