Birkenstocks are superior to Chacos

Elizabeth Youssef, Editor-in-Chief

Birkenstocks. Light, simple and the most comfortable pair of shoes on earth. Birkenstocks have made a come back after their hype from the 1970s and the 1990s and gracefully outshine Chacos in most categories.

Birkenstocks are made from cork, allowing the shoe to be built for maximum comfort. They offer way more support and because of that, appeal to a much wider range of ages than Chacos do.

Since they offer more support, they are more comfortable than Chacos. This is because the more you wear them, the more comfortable they get as Birkenstocks make their shape around your foot.

The soles of the sandals become perfectly molded to your feet after the first few days, so wearing them is pure bliss because there’s no discomfort,” senior Ann Holzwarth said. “Birkenstocks can be worn out as casual wear which is so unlike Chacos because they are kind of ugly shoes.”

Not only are Birkenstocks more comfortable, but they are also more versatile. With Birkenstocks you can dress up or dress down any outfit. You can wear them with a t-shirt and athletic shorts but you can also wear them with a casual dress, whatever floats your boat. For Chacos, you can only really go for one vibe which is the hiking or outdoorsy vibe or possibly the “granola” vibe. Chacos only have the capacity to dress down outfits and they do not go with any outfits that are not casual.

There are also more styles of Birkenstocks than Chacos. For Chacos the options are limited to one strap or two straps and then with or without the toe strap. For Birkenstocks, where does the variety stop? They have every color imaginable, the original two belt style, the two belt style with a back strap, three belt straps with different designs, several designs with a toe strap, and many more.

As someone who owns and wears both Chacos and Birkenstocks consistently, I can say that Birkenstocks are a more practical buy than Chacos. Although I love my pair of Chacos, they do not really “go” with anything besides a shorts and a t-shirt which is totally fine if that is what you are going for, but that does limit them.

Chacos are practical if you live near mountains or are into hiking but that applies only to a more selective group of people as more serious hikers hike in closed toed shoes such as hiking boots.    Birkenstocks are also a great pair of shoes for people who have foot pains or problems and have to wear a more supportive shoe. For people with foot pain such as plantar fasciitis, it is nice for them to have a fashionable and supportive shoe. Unfortunately Chacos cannot achieve both supportive and fashionable. Since there is so much support in Birkenstocks it brings more stability in walking and keeps stress off other parts of your feet.

Ultimately, Birkenstocks are better than Chacos because they are more fashionable, supportive, and versatile.

Photo provided by Liam Sherman