Good Deal Alert on Birkenstocks

[shanleysmama]

At Payless Shoes, they are having a sale on all shoes, buy 1 get 1 at 1/2 off. They also have Birkenstocks in stock. We didn't see any for men at two stores, so I got DH a women's 12, LOL. They have women's and kids. The kids are on sale for $15 and the adults are $20, so you can get two pair for adults for $30. Our stores only had a few styles, and all are narrow width, but they fit us anyway.

[mamamillie]

Wait a minute....Birkenstocks? For $20? At Payless?
Real Birkenstocks?
Or just Birkenstock style?

[famousmockngbrd]

Real Birkenstocks? For $20?

[shanleysmama]

Yep, real ones. The one Payless we went to had a little display of them in the front of the store. They don't have a lot of styles, mainly the "Tula" one - beige with two straps across the top, or one small strap in blue or black. For kids there are blue ones with velcro and ones with thin straps that cross over the big toe. They are all narrow though, and no men's at either store we visited.

This is one of the styles they had for kids (no, not my auction, LOL):http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll...sPageName=WDVW

[famousmockngbrd]

Wow! Thanks for the tip -

[atomicmama]

that's awesome!! dd wants a pair, and typical retail is far too expensive for kid's shoes.

[scrapadoozer]

Really? Wow, thanks for posting this. I am heading over there today!

[root*children]

I don't get it! Could it really be Birk's?? I thought kids ones where called Birki's, not birkenstocks. And I thought all the sizing was European, not US. And I thought all Birkenstocks had the Birkenstock name etched into the inner side of the shoe (so you can see it from the outside - which you can't in that auction). Is it a cheaper brand they made just to market to discount stores or something??

[Simply Nurtured]

Hi Dready Mama,

They really are a Birkenstock brand, called Tula. I know, hard to believe.

http://www.payless.com/Catalog/Produ...Popularity=100

http://www.payless.com/Catalog/Produ...&Popularity=74

http://www.payless.com/Catalog/Produ...&Popularity=74

Not a lot of variety, but a good price. I wish they had boys sandals.

I like to go to the Birkenstock Outlet in Orlando, near the east end of International Drive, you never know what you will find. I have found some great deals there. I got my jerry garcia birks there a couple years ago for $30.

[root*children]

hmm... A brand called Tula which is liscensed by Birkenstock. I wonder what that means? But a neat find whatever the case!
If only that were around back in high school when Birk's were all the rage and I spent (gasp!) $80 on a pair! ugh.

[shanleysmama]

The blue sandals in the eBay auction are the ones I got my DS, but they are too narrow for him. For my DD I got ones called "Toe Loop Thong", they are available in brown.

[Simply Nurtured]

You are right, they do have those, listed in girls. :LOL

http://www.payless.com/Catalog/Produ...ty=6&VTLC=Sale

I was looking in bigger sizes, which they don't have.

I need at least a 13 or a 1 youth for him.

[CallieA]

I wonder what the quality is like on these? I'm a big fan of Birkenstocks and goodness knows I LOVE a good deal, but I'm just curious about these.

[Marlaina]

Thanks for the tip! I am just hoping that they will be wide enough for my DS (keeping my fingers crossed!).

[benharperfan]

Originally Posted by dready*mama

Could it really be Birk's?? I thought kids ones where called Birki's, not birkenstocks.

there are kids' ones called Birkis , but they are not just for kids. I just bought my dh a pair of birkis, which retail for about $80. they say birkies on the inside and on the leather on the outside, but the buckle says birkenstock. he actually found them more comfortable than traditional birkenstocks, as the ridge on the inside is a little more subtle.

don't know much about the Tula, although i did notice them the other day at payless and i have also seen them on the home shopping channel in random passing! there is nothing about the Tula brand on the Birkenstock website.

[Simply Nurtured]

http://www.birkenstock.co.uk/index.php?m=us&a=history

On this page it mentions the Betula line.
"1994
Christian Birkenstock founds Betula® a new brand of affordable, alternative sandals and footbed shapes."

And on the payless site, it says that Tula is a registered trademark of Betula.


I think that probably there are differences in the Betula line, maybe some different materials and shortcuts used, in order to make them so inexpensive. I don't think I would necessarily want them for myself, because my shoe size is not changing, kwim, and really I have birkenstocks that are 3 years old and look new still, I will wear mine forever. But for growing kids, or even pregnant mommies with swollen feet, I think the Tulas make sense.



HTH

[Ruthla]

One of the things I love about my Birkenstocks is that they fit me really well- unlike most American shoes. The Tulas appear to be made with typical American sizing (so they'd be too narrow for me.)

Another thing I love about Birkenstocks is the quality- I beleive it's much more frugal, in the long run, to buy quality shoes that last rather than buying cheap ones every year.

I think I'll stick to traditional Birkenstocks.

[shanleysmama]

I got a pair for myself and DH and they fit fine, and we don't have narrow feet. My mom had just bought the toe loop ones for herself and paid almost $100, so she was kicking herself for that, even though they didn't have the toe loop in the adult size. I have regular narrow Birk Betulas (picked up at a thrift for $3 and they were in excellent condition) and the footbed and sole are the same as the Tulas, except the Tula footbed is lighter color. The narrow Tula is just a wee bit narrower than the narrow Betula.

[jlazx2]

Originally Posted by Ruthla

One of the things I love about my Birkenstocks is that they fit me really well- unlike most American shoes. The Tulas appear to be made with typical American sizing (so they'd be too narrow for me.)

Another thing I love about Birkenstocks is the quality- I beleive it's much more frugal, in the long run, to buy quality shoes that last rather than buying cheap ones every year.

I think I'll stick to traditional Birkenstocks.

I am as frugal as they come, but I do spend $ on shoes (my feet hurt alot plus you are right long run they last longer & are cheaper). I have not tried Berks yet, but saw the Payless ones yesterday & I felt like they were stiff for childrens's shoes.

That being said I wont tell you how much I just paid for a new pair of work\church shoes.

[famousmockngbrd]

I am the same way about shoes, I buy expensive ones and wear them for 5 -6 years. I just got a new pair of Birkenstocks last summer (paid $80) so I should be good for a while. Although - I also have a pair of cheapo flip flops I got 3 years ago for $6 and believe it or not they are still going strong. Amazing.

OT, but on the subject of good deals - I just got a pair of Doc Martens from the Sierra Trading Post a few weeks ago for $40. Also, my mom got DS some sandals from LL Bean for $20, which IMO is kind of a lot for kids' sandals but these are nice.

L.L. Bean sandals