birkenstock sandals are a German brand of quality footwear, which is best known for it's contoured footbed. When most people buy a new pair of shoes, they have a much a 'break-in' time. This usually lasts for a few days and, at that time, the shoe is pretty comfortable and broken set for everyday wear. The real difference with Birkenstocks is they approach the 'break-in' time much differently. Whenever a set of Birkenstocks are first purchased, they're more stiff than commercial brand news. After several weeks of wear, the birkenstock outlet literally molds to the wearer's foot. This creates an actual customized shoe that's designed around the wearer.