Birkenstock Arizona vs Boston: Which One Should You Buy?

Often someone stands in our Collins Street shop with an Arizona in one hand and a Boston in the other. What they say is nearly always the same: "I'm looking for a Birkenstock, I'm just not sure between the sandal and the closed toe."

They're the two Birkenstocks people know by name. The Arizona is the two-strap sandal that's been around since 1973. The Boston is the closed clog, launched in 1976, so it turns 50 this year. Both sit on the same cork and latex footbed, which means underfoot they feel much the same. The difference is everything above it.

I own both and swap between them without thinking. Most mornings it's whichever pair my foot finds first. Both footbeds have moulded to my feet by now, so they feel equally comfortable. That's the part people don't expect: you're not really choosing comfort, you're choosing how much of your foot you want covered.

Here's how we help people choose.

The short answer

• Go Arizona if you want an open sandal you can wear barefoot in summer and with socks the rest of the year, and like being able to fine-tune the fit.
• Go Boston if you want more coverage and warmth, plan on thicker socks, or want your toes covered.
• Still torn? Try both on. The Boston is the better test of length, so some people need a size up in the clog (more on that below).

Side by side

Open or closed: the difference you'll feel first

The Arizona's two straps hold your foot from above, so your toes don't have to grip to keep the sandal on. It feels light and you can be out the door in a few seconds. On a cold Hobart morning you'll want socks with them, and an open toe rules it out of a lot of workplaces.

The Boston covers the top of your foot and leaves the heel free. With only one strap and no back, your foot does a little more work to keep it on, especially while the footbed is still new. There's plenty of room for your toes, and once the cork has moulded to your foot most people stop noticing. Our guide to breaking in Birkenstocks covers the first few weeks.

Which one suits a Tasmanian year?

Most comparisons are written for places with long, hot summers, and they file the Arizona as a summer sandal. Here the warm stretch is shorter, so the answer is different.

Tasmania runs cool, but that suits the socks-with-sandals look that's now part of the Birkenstock story. Thirty years ago socks in sandals was a no-go. Now it fits right in, so an Arizona with a pair of wool socks still works on a cold Hobart day.

The Boston simply gives you more shoe. Socks work in it too, as long as there's room for them, so if you plan on thick socks, try the Boston on with them before you choose a size. For the coldest months, the shearling-lined Boston takes the sock out of the equation.

So in Tasmania it isn't really a summer-versus-winter choice. Both work most of the year. The question is how much coverage you want on a cold, wet morning.

Do the Arizona and Boston fit the same?

Often, but not always. Both use European sizing and the same footbed shape, so it's a good place to start.

The catch is length. In an Arizona your toes can sit close to the front edge and it still feels fine, because there's nothing in front of them. In a Boston the toes meet the upper, so a size that's borderline in the Arizona can feel short in the clog. That's why we'd always size the Boston first if you're buying both.

What a good fit looks like in either:

• Your heel sits down in the heel cup, not on the rim
• There's a little space in front of your longest toe
• Your toes rest on the footbed, not over the raised toe bar
• If you'll wear Bostons with thick socks, try them on with those socks

We see this all the time. Most people start with an Arizona, then come in to add a Boston and tell us, "I'm a size 39 in Arizonas." We still measure their foot, then get them into the Boston itself. The footbed is the same, but the closed toe leaves less room, so it fits more like a shoe.

If their Arizona was close to their exact foot length, or a bit snug, they usually go up a size in the Boston. If their Arizona has a little room in it, the two can be the same size.

If you're buying online and aren't sure, give us a call on (03) 6224 7688 and tell us what you wear in another Birkenstock.

Regular or Narrow?

Both styles come in two widths. Birkenstock's Narrow is close to a standard women's width, and Regular is wider. That's why most women end up in Narrow and most men in Regular, but plenty of people are the exception.

Two simple checks. If the straps are done up to the last hole and your foot still slides around, try Narrow. If the sides of your foot sit over the edge of the footbed, go Regular. Every Arizona and Boston on our site has the width in its name.

We had a customer in recently who was well over six foot, with long, very slim feet, and he drove a small sports car. Shoes with extra room were a real problem for him: his accelerator foot kept catching the brake pedal. A Narrow Boston turned out to be the right shoe for him. It kept the length he needed without the extra width, and it cut down his pedal problem.

There's a handy side effect to having two widths. If you're in the middle of a size run, the other width can work almost like a half size. Regular gives you a bit more room; Narrow stops a shoe feeling sloppy.

Arizona vs Arizona BS: what the Soft Footbed changes

If you've seen "BS" or "SFB" on a listing, it means Soft Footbed. The shape is the same as the classic. The difference is an extra layer of foam between the cork and the suede lining, so it feels softer from the first wear. A lot of people find it an easier start than the firmer classic footbed.

The Boston comes in Soft Footbed too. Two we stock in both widths: the Arizona Soft Footbed in Faded Khaki oiled leather and the Boston Soft Footbed in Iron oiled leather.

Everyone who tries the two footbeds side by side feels the difference straight away. The question we get asked is whether it changes how long the shoe lasts, and how long the extra softness lasts.

The Soft Footbed won't make the shoe last longer or wear out faster. What it does is soften the breaking-in weeks. Every Birkenstock feels firm when you first put it on, but once the cork and latex footbed has shaped itself to your foot, that hardness goes and the shoe becomes incredibly comfortable. That's true of every style, soft or classic.

So the Soft Footbed is really for the uninitiated and for those first few weeks. The foam itself is robust, though, so the extra softness stays with you for a long time.

Wide feet, bunions and closed-toe workplaces

We often get asked which one is kinder to wide feet or bunions. We can't tell you what's right for your feet; that's a job for your podiatrist. What we can say is that the Arizona's straps leave the sides of the forefoot open, while the Boston's upper covers them. The Boston's leather and suede uppers are soft, but if the side of your foot is sensitive, try both before you choose.

The Boston covers your toes but not your heel, so check your workplace rules before relying on it as an enclosed shoe. For long shifts, the Boston Pro is part of Birkenstock's Professional range.

The Boston turns 50

Birkenstock released the Boston in 1976 as its first closed-toe shoe. It went by names like "soft clog" before settling on Boston in the 1980s. Fifty years on it comes in oiled leather, suede, shearling, the Big Buckle and the thicker-soled Chunky.

Bostons aren't just for the young. Plenty of our customers come in for their third, fourth, sixth, even tenth pair, having worn them for most of their lives. Alongside them are the first-timers, anyone from teenagers to people in their seventies, giving Birkenstock a go because they've heard these are shoes that work for your feet.

Looking after them

Both are built on cork, which we wrote about in The Cork Advantage. Oiled leather Arizonas and Bostons wear in well with a little care; our beeswax leather conditioner post covers how.

Still deciding?

The easiest way is to try both. We're at 117 Collins Street, Hobart, with both styles in Regular and Narrow. If you're further away, browse the Arizona and Boston ranges or the full Birkenstock collection.

Common questions

Do the Arizona and Boston come in the same size?

Often, but not always. If your Arizonas fit right at your foot length or feel snug, expect to go up a size in the Boston. If they have a little room, the same size usually works.

Is the Birkenstock Boston a closed-toe shoe?

It covers your toes but leaves your heel open. Some workplaces accept that and some don't.

What does BS mean on a Birkenstock Arizona?

Soft Footbed. Same shape, with an extra foam layer under the suede lining.

Does the Soft Footbed wear out faster?

No. It won't shorten or lengthen the life of the shoe. It mainly makes breaking in easier, and the foam layer keeps its softness for a long time.

Which is better for winter?

Either, with socks. The Boston covers more of your foot, and the shearling-lined version is the warmest option.

Can men wear Narrow fit?

Yes. Width depends on your foot, not on whether the shoe is listed as men's or women's.