Birkenstock's Boston EVA Clog Skips the Break-in Period
I love Birkenstock. How can you not? Even in the face of overwhelming demand, the German footwear company sticks to its guns and quietly continues going its own way. That doesn't mean that Birkenstock isn't user-friendly, though — quite the contrary!
Meet the Birkenstock Boston EVA, evidence of Birkenstock's consumer acuity: Birkenstock knows that everyone loves the Boston clog so it devised a new foam version that's extra-affordable and immediately comfortable right out of the box.
Notably, the Boston EVA is Birkenstock's first new EVA foam rubber sandal in years and it's the footwear company's first EVA clog ever.
Birkenstock's Boston EVA rolled out with a staggered international release, first releasing exclusively in Birkenstock's native Germany in four colorways for €65 per clog before arriving at Birkenstock's international web store in five colors for $60.
Compare that to the typical $160-ish price point for Birkenstock's conventional Boston and you get the EVA's appeal.
Well, half of it, at least. The rest of what makes the Birkenstock Boston EVA so covetable is its EVA rubber design.
Whereas Birkenstock's conventional Boston mules comprise leather and cork atop a rubber outsole, the Boston EVA clog is made of soft, pliable EVA rubber foam, which both cradles the foot and cushions against impact.
There are plusses and minuses here: on the good side, the Boston EVA is immediately comfortable right out of the box. The trade-off is that the Boston EVA won't age as nicely as its cousin.
One of the things I love most about Birkenstock's sandals is their innate personality. Like 'em or not, Birkenstock's shoes all have rugged character not found in most other footwear brands and they only get better with age.
Of course, oftentimes the hardest part of getting new Birkenstocks is simply breaking them in, scraping your foot up against the suede, internal hardware, or straps all the while. It can be daunting and, if that's enough of a deterrent, Birkenstock's EVA sandals solve that issue.
2022 was objectively the year of the Birkenstock Boston, the singular moment in time that Birkenstock's signature clog went from niche fascination to cultural touchstone. Though typically trend-averse Birkenstock was more bemused by the hype than keen to cash in on it, it's clearly interested in keeping the Boston front of mind.
Though 2023 is an anniversary year for most of Birkenstock's classic models, it may as well be the second (or third or fourth...) coming of the Boston.
Luxury brands issued their own imitations (often quintuple the price) while Birkenstock kept iterating on its signature clog even issuing a premium iteration of the strappy Boston's cousin, the Tokio, as part of the seasonal 1774 collection.
The Boston doesn't have much more mass appeal than it does in EVA form so you could reasonably argue that this is peak Boston. And, yet, I feel like Birkenstock has much more Boston excellence in store.
