Summer brings on many changes, the end of the school year, the heat, the time to relax, and most importantly, the change in fashion. A staple of summer fashion is footwear, more specifically, the sandal. In elementary school, kids preferred to rock the nike/adidas slides, or the $2 Target flip flops. However, in recent years, two other sandals have dominated the summer footwear scene. Both sandals are stylish and comfortable, but personal preference has created a great divide between the two options. Now, Optimist aims to tackle the age old question: Birks or Chacos?

Ever wondered where your sandals came from? Birks, or Birkenstock, is a German shoe company that specializes in the production of footwear with a cork and rubber sole. The implementation of the cork sole/footbed is used to help contour to the wearers feet over time, providing them with maximum comfort. The Chaco footwear company was founded in Colorado, and is now based out of Michigan. Chacos are well known for their complex foot strap design and tightening system that is in the shape of a “Z”.

Both sandals are constantly worn around South and Bloomington and are versatile. The two are frequently paired with shorts and a t-shirt, but the list of outfit possibilities with these shoes are endless.

Sandal Bias

Junior Alan Morris is a Chaco diehard. He believes that as far as comfort goes, chacos are the way to go. Morris says “I love chacos, they are the peak of human creation, and I find that when I wear them I get complimented quite a bit.” Morris enjoys hiking and exploring, and says that on a nice day a pair of chacos will do just fine as a hiking boot stand in. Morris believes that “Birks just aren’t practical enough for hiking.” On the other hand, junior Jackson Moore favors the support and stability provided by the birkenstock. Moore believes that “You can’t go wrong with the birks.”

Rockin’ the Socks

Sophomore Noah Jager likes birkenstocks because of the recent emergence of the “socks and sandals” trend. Jager is a big supporter of this style and can frequently be seen wearing socks with his birks. Although there is some opposition to this popular trend, Jager doesn’t seem to mind “It’s so much more comfortable than birks without socks.” Senior Alia rife agrees with Jager, saying “I wear socks and sandals all the time.”  Anthony Leal, sophomore, prefers the birkenstock. Leal adds “Birks are just much more casual”

A Foot in Both Camps

Junior Zoe Verteramo has purchased both sandals, and feels that stylistically Birks have the edge. “You can wear birks with anything, but chacos are more for lazy days.” Verteramo finds that the birkenstocks just go with everything, but that chacos are better suited for a day at the pond. Sophomore Kira Kunzman also has Chacos and Birks and commented that  “Chacos are more comfortable and are cuter. Birks are harder to walk in and I trip in them sometimes.” Sophomore Clara Vouskil added “ you don’t have to worry about getting them (chacos) wet like you do with birks”

Legacy Wearers

Robert Shannon Roberts, math teacher at South, states what he feels holds true after his many years of sandal wearing “Birkenstocks are way more comfortable, they have to be, comfort over trend in my opinion”

Verdict

While both shoes do seem to have their own advantages and disadvantages, it ultimately comes down to personal preference. Both sandals are considered great for many reasons, and have a similar price point.  However, if you’re in the market for a water resistant sandal that can be used for adventures through forest-like terrain and small creeks, you might lean towards the chaco. Likewise, if you want a casual lifestyle shoe that is perfect for weekends on the boat or walks down Kirkwood, you may prefer the Birk.