Help me find awesome men's or unisex leather sandals!

June 16, 2013 12:37 PM

My husband's dual-strap Birkenstocks have finally stepped on a rainbow and gone to Jesus. We're going on a trip mid-July and I'd like to find him a suitable replacement by then.

I'm looking for something around $100 with superior comfort and sturdy craftsmanship. Buckles/straps are preferable.

Does anyone have any good finds/recommendations? (If it matters, he's a fairly standard size -- 11.5.)

posted by nohaybanda to Clothing, Beauty, & Fashion (9 answers total)

Best answer: Børn are great; comfortable, sturdy, will last for years. I'm a female, but have a brother who has worn Born sandals for years and says the same thing. They look great, smooth leather surfaces are easily wiped clean, sturdy soles have excellent grip, and I will never go back to Birkenstocks! Even after being worn every day of warm weather for six years, mine still look new-ish; the leather doesn't get a grimy/greasy look to it.

The leather is really stiff when you first buy them, so if you choose a style with more straps (i.e. Sheldon, Woodward, Cabot), make sure you break them in before your trip!
posted by variella at 12:57 PM on June 16, 2013

Why not more Birkenstocks?
posted by martinX's bellbottoms at 12:57 PM on June 16, 2013 [3 favorites]

Birkenstocks can be found on eBay, if it's the price that's keeping you from getting another pair.

If you specifically do not want another pair of birks, can you tell us what he liked about them and what was suboptimal?

(without knowing that, chacco's are very popular among my outdoorsy/sailor/coconut tree climbing friends)
posted by bilabial at 1:24 PM on June 16, 2013

Oh man, look up 'biblical sandals' on Amazon. You'll find a ton, leather, very strappy, and all under your budget.
posted by Marinara at 1:41 PM on June 16, 2013 [1 favorite]

These Clarks Merrimack are $110 and well reviewed. These Merrell World Midways are $100 and have good reviews too.
posted by barnone at 2:36 PM on June 16, 2013

Response by poster: More Birkenstocks would be fine. They seem to range $75-$150 on a lot of sites I've browsed. I'm looking for something in the vicinity of $100, so a bit over is okay.

The main reason I am asking for potential alternatives is he said he might like a slightly different look (but still wants leather and strappiness).

Thanks for the suggestions so far. I'm doing the search for "biblical sandals" right now.
posted by nohaybanda at 3:49 PM on June 16, 2013

Some of the biblical-style sandals have a super flat footbed. They're not always the most comfortable for walking all day unless you're used to not having support. Make sure they're easily returnable in case they're not comfortable.
posted by barnone at 4:22 PM on June 16, 2013

Best answer: If the leather part of his Birks are still good, a Birk repair shop can replace the whole footbed. I've used these guys before.
posted by fussbudget at 5:05 PM on June 16, 2013 [1 favorite]

Best answer: I bought a pair of handmade leather sandals from this seller on Etsy last summer - the sandals are incredibly comfortable once broken in (and the break-in period wasn't that bad at all). Highly recommended.
posted by SpecialSpaghettiBowl at 8:20 PM on June 16, 2013 [1 favorite]