Birkenstock Unisex-Adult Thong Gizeh Gold Bf R

Extremely cheap material.If these are in fact real Birkenstocks then I am disappointed with how crappy Birk has let their products get. I am returning

I absolutely love this style. The cozy / soft underside of the strap has prevented blisters or rubbing when the sandals are new. My feet tend to blister really easily too, esp. in hot weather.The style is a narrower cut, even in the non-narrow option, so for those of us women with long narrow feet they are a great style, because the narrower foot bed and also the long narrow strap up the center, really shows off a long lean foot and may even inspire a little pedicure treat!I have been wearing this exact style and colour of Birkenstock sandal for nearly a decade. This pair is my third pair, which speaks to how long they last! In fact, you can see in one of my photos my five-year-old pair. Other than adding cork sealant (see MAINTENANCE below) I have not had any updates to soles or cork. They are still holding together beautifully and super comfy, but a are being relegated to garden and chicken-yard use now. :)I tend to wear a US size 12 and the 43 is perfect, remembering they do compress with wear, so your feet with "snuggle" down into the foot bed with time. That said, you do NOT want your toes to press out over the front ridge, or your heel the back as this will wear on the structure of the sandal.As far as Birkenstocks as a brand, I find they've maintained their quality over the years--hooray! And the price on this product was wonderful.MAINTENANCE:The one item you might want to have on hand is cork sealer to repaint on the sides of the cork footbed a time or two every season, this keeps the cork sealed and moist so it doesn't split and dry out. I have always used Kelly's Cork Renew and it's worked great, though there are lots of options out there. Just follow the instructions on the bottle, and be sure that that includes really letting the seal dry before taking them out for a walk, I'd recommend overnight (10-12 hours).

Great sandals