Only people with sweaty feet would understand the difficulties (and insecurities) related to this condition. Medically, it’s called hyperhidrosis (or excessive sweating), and having it means two things – you’re more prone to athlete’s foot, and your feet get dirty easily when wearing open footwear.
Enter those beautiful Birkenstock sandals…
It used to be that the company produces only cork footbeds, but recently, they’ve introduced lighter, EVA-based versions. If you have sweaty feet and have been wanting a pair of these German footwear, the EVA sandals seem to be heaven-sent.
But are they? In this Birkenstock Arizona EVA vs original footbed comparison, we give you an answer and our recommendation.
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Key Differences
Let’s make a clear distinction. From hereon, “Original” means the cork-based Arizona sandals and “EVA” refers to the rubber version. Next, let’s also mention that both models are equipped with features related to arch, heel, and toe support.
Now, here are their main differences.
Weight
It seems that the company hasn’t released an official weight measurement for their Arizona line, but even though this is the case, expect that the EVA is much much lighter than the Original.
Waterproof
With the exception of the metal buckles, all parts of the Arizona EVA are made of ethylene vinyl acetate, a lightweight and elastic material with good cushioning.
Compared with the Original sandals whose footbed is made of cork, the EVA is waterproof. That said, between the two, the EVA is an all-weather footwear.
Appearance
As you can tell, these Arizona sandals look different because they’re made of different materials. One of the disadvantages of the EVA is that it can look cheap as there are imitations with a similar appearance. The Original, on the other hand, is classy. There are imitations and look-alikes, but you can easily tell that they’re not a Birkenstock.
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Birkenstock Arizona EVA vs Original Footbed: Consumer Feedback
This section of our Birkenstock Arizona EVA vs Original Footbed comparison includes feedback given by consumers.
- When you begin to sweat, or when your feet are already wet with perspiration, there’s a “squeak” sound as you walk with the EVA. This isn’t an issue to many, but it can be to you. The Original doesn’t seem to have this problem.
- It’s not advisable to walk long hours or long miles with either Arizona varieties. When your feet are covered in a lot of sweat because of a long walk, here’s what will happen.
- With the EVA, you’ll eventually notice a white, gooey build-up around the straps and between your toes. With the Original, the sweat will be absorbed by the cork footbed, and when it’s past its capacity, it feels squishy. Let’s not forget the dirt that your feet can accumulate.
- Due to the nature of its material, the EVA will stink easily, but because it’s waterproof, it’s easy to wash it up without fear of damaging it.
- Fortunately, the Original retains the smell of cork especially if you don’t use it everyday. But if you do use it on a daily basis, the cork smell wears off and you’ll have to clean it up eventually.
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Birkenstock Arizona EVA vs Original Footbed: Final Word
Based on what was said in the previous sections, here’s our recommendation:
The Arizona EVA is low-cost and low-maintenance, which makes it an ideal daily footwear that can be used anywhere. Just don’t use it when you’d be walking for hours. But note that even this can be fixed with a quick trip to a washroom.
