I tried these shoes on in a store, then decided to order them online.  When I received them, I realized they weren't as comfortable as the ones I had tried on.  I found out that they make a soft soled version of the shoe.  I exchanged them (which was a quick and painless process) and am extremely happy that I did.  Birk makes a great shoe and they go well with everything.  However, if you are looking for comfort, definitely go with the soft soled version.