A shoe that is making waves across specific industries is the Birki. They are deemed as clogs that provide ample support for people at work. The Super Birki and Profi Birki shoes are the offerings from Birkenstock under this category.
Birkenstock is a well-known global footwear company that originated in Germany in 1774. It is renowned for producing comfortable footwear such as Birkis, thanks to its array of footbeds and usage of quality materials. The company claims to be the “inventor” of the now ubiquitous footbed for shoes.
In this case, the brand created the said variations of Birkis to become amicable work footwear for certain professions. The Super Birki and Profi Birki shoes are crafted to help provide comfort even when used for long hours.
The shoes are made of polyurethane. Such material is why they are resistant and repellent to dirt, water, oil, and even grease. Hence, most medical, hospitality, and restaurant workers prefer them.
However, this doesn’t mean that the two Birkis can’t be worn for casual use. In fact, both have distinct features which make them versatile. When choosing between the two, one must ponder which of the birkis best fits your lifestyle or work nature. You can discern this as we dive deeper into the specifics of Super-Birki and Profi Birki-shoes.
Super-Birki Shoes
Among the qualities of this footwear, its shaped “cork-latex footbed” that comes with a ‘moisture-wicking fabric” is remarkable. It provides traction and arch support while acclimatizing the foot when used on hot or cold days.
The shoes’ support features provide innate comfort amid continuous exertion of pressure by helping the wearer avoid harsh impact while being used. As to this, the shoes render room for stability as you walk.
Birkenstock’s cork-latex footbed is the brand’s signature feature. It comprises two layers of jute that sandwich the footbed with a pad on it, providing comfort to the feet. Its lining absorbs moisture.
The cork and latex used for the shoes are sustainable. Such materials are harvested from trees and don’t leave any damage. After a long while, another set of the materials grows again in the source trees, making the materials infinite across generations.
Apart from being natural, the extracted materials have high elasticity and good cushioning. Cork also has heat and sound insulation.
Super-Birkis also has a lot of breathing space which gives the impression of it being slightly loose even when the foot fits well. This is normal though, since the footwear was made to steer clear of blisters and foot cramps.
In terms of visual aesthetics, the shoes have a minimalist style and usually comes in a handful of plain one-tone color variants. The shoes have little to almost no heel, but the sole underneath provides a bit of elevation. Its form is similar to mules that cover the front but doesn’t have much coverage on the back part of the foot.
This slip-on footwear is designed to be unisex, which means that it could be worn by anyone regardless of gender. For sizing, it is best to refer to Birkenstock’s guide for men or women. The sizes of Super-Birkis are often larger than other shoe brands in the market. Thus, it is highly recommended to try them on when wanting to purchase a pair.
Meanwhile, the shoes’ maintenance can be tricky since certain temperatures should be noted if it’s subjected to washing. The Super-Birki’s removable footbed should only undergo 30°C when being washed. While the rest of the shoes should be in no more than 80°C setting.
Don’t fret though, since you can always opt for the easy way. Cloth and disinfectant also do wonders in cleaning Super-Birkis. Such is another reason why they are patronized, especially by people who have little time to spare due to their knitty-gritty undertakings at work. You can buy Super-Birki shoes for $79.95 while the replacement for the shoes footbed is $30.
Pros
- Unisex
- Slip-on
- Waterproof
- Ample foot space
- Traction and arch support
- Cork and latex footbed is sustainable
- Provides stabilization during walks
- Comfortable even when used for a long time
- Can be used for professional or casual style
- Repellent of dirt, oil, and grease
- Has many color variations
- Can be cleaned with less effort
Cons
- Big sizing
- Slightly loose despite being fit to the foot
- Temperature specific whenever being washed
- Can appear too plain due to the minimalist style
Profi-Birki Shoes
Often dubbed as almost similar but not quite like Super-Birkis shoes, the Profi Birkis has been rendered as comfort shoes that can also used as part of a workwear ensemble. Due to the non-abrasive nature of this footwear’s main material, polyurethane, it doesn’t absorb liquid. The Profi-Birki shoes is mostly made of it, including its footbed, which makes it highly resistant to oil and grease.
Like the Super-Birki shoes, it can be wiped with ease but subjecting it to cleaning by washing requires a temperature setting of 80° Celsius. Its footbed should be at 60° Celsius. If, by chance, the footbed becomes damaged, it should be replaced with another footbed that is available for purchase from Birkenstock and costs $40.
The shoes have a heel that is half its height. Unlike other shoes where heels are limited at the back bottom part, this footwear’s heels extend wholly beneath the shoes.
Since the heel is elevated, the foot has added protection against external elements. Another advantage of the heel’s style is that it ensures seamless usage atop smooth surfaces.
Despite having such type of heel, the shoes is lightweight. A downside of the heel though is that it might cause noise when the shoes is used abruptly. Such a scenario can be prevented if the wearer subtly renders steps.
As a slip-on, the Profi-Birki shoes can be easily worn with ease. It grips firmly, so even though it doesn’t have laces, the shoes remain intact without the tendency to be separated from the foot when used.
Profi-Birki shoes is styled to cover the feet fully. It has a textured appearance in two plain colors such, as Black and Blue. A Profi-Birki pair of shoes costs $89.95.
Pros
- Unisex
- Slip-on
- Elevated
- Waterproof
- Repels grease and oil
- Walks seamlessly on flat surfaces
- Made mostly of polyurethane
- Can be wiped cleaned using a cloth and disinfectant
Cons
- Has limited color variation
- Temperature specific whenever being washed
- Can appear too plain due to minimalist style
Comparison
Though the Super-Birki and the Profi-Birki shoes have polyurethane component, they differ in the amount of the said material used on each.
There is a lot of polyurethane in the Profi-Birki shoes, including its footbed. The Super-Birki shoes use the material externally, its footbed is cork-latex and has moisture-wicking fabric.
Both footbeds provide maximum comfort to their wearers, but the polyurethane footbed is much easier to maintain due to its resistant and repellent features. Therefore, the Profi-Birki shoes is much suitable for people in need of footwear that can withstand harsher daily grind.
On the side, there is a need to consider a wearer’s sensitivity to the said materials. Since polyurethane, cork, and latex may cause an unwanted effect on people who have allergies to any of the three.
One way to be sure if your birki is authentic is by looking at the footbed. Commonly, the footbed has the brand name, made in Germany caption, sizes in the US as well as EU, and product numbers or codes.
Visually, the two birkis are both plain-looking and textured. They have the term “Birkies” in long-hand font style, which is engraved at the upper corner of each footwear.
Noticeably, the Super-Birki has a much lower back coverage than the Profi-Birki that covers the feet, similar to low-cut sneakers. The Super-Birki shoes have a higher chance of being loosened to foot when used than the Profi-Birki shoes that intactly grips into the foot.
Both of the birkis are deeemed as “Certified Occupational Footwear” under the Health and Safety Law of the United Kingdom. The said classification renders that the two passed the required “basic and additional requirement” when it comes to footwear for protection and general usage.
Amid such certification, the footwear cannot be used for occupations with mechanical risk. A few examples are firefighting, electrical-related, and forestry-related works. Both can be worn though by occupations that only demands a non-extensive work footwear.
Super-Birki shoes is perfect for nurses, doctors, and anyone working in the medical field because of its support features. The shoes is meant to help mitigate possible undesired state of feet at the helm of a long period of usage at work.
On the other hand, the Profi-Birki shoes is best for chefs, waiters, or anyone from the hospitality and food industry. Because the footwear is highly resistant to liquids, especially to oil and grease, it’s compatible with the said professions.
For casual use, both are unisex and have very straightforward looks, making them good for pairing with laid-back styles. However, the Super-Birki has a lot more color variations as compared to the Profi-Birki shoes, that only have two.
The eye-catching colored variations like orange and yellow of Super-Birki shoes can be used as fashion statements. Because the shoes have a one-tone color for each variation, they can also complete a color-matching fashion style ensemble.
Due to the roomy space for the toe, the front of the birkis may appear bulky. Though not appealing, it adds to the sense of comfort that the shoes provide to their wearer.
The Super-Birki shoes, which is $79.95, is cheaper than the Profi-Birki shoes. The latter costs $89.95. Their replacement footbeds also has a discrepancy of $10, with the Profi-Birki’s footbed at $40, while the Super-Birki’s footbed is $30.
Conclusion
In this head-to-head review of the two birkis from Birkenstock’s shoe collection, the Super Birki shoes had edged out the Profi Birki shoes in some aspects. It is much less expensive and has more color variations. This would work for people who like to buy Birki not just for professional but also for casual use.
On the other hand, the Profi Birki shoes is more resistant and repellent to external elements. The footwear is elevated and covers more of the foot which provides more protection. Therefore this is a suitable choice for people who want shoes that can easily be cleaned when spilled on with liquids.
Both birkis have footbeds that are meant to be replaced when worn out. They also have polyurethane in their overall outer built, which made an almost similar visual aesthetic. The two are so identical looking that only the back area can distinguish one from the other at a glance.
Expect that the birkis are plain-looking and may appear bulky, as depicted by the curvature of the front of the shoes. This made them versatile and reliable foot protection as you go along your way.
The footwears are not that affordable. However, considering that you get either sustainable or repellent material, it is reasonable. If you want to buy a pair, it is best to acquire them through the website of Birkenstock. An in-person visit to the brand’s physical store is also a good means since there are people there who can assist you as needed.
When choosing birkis, it will still be dependent on where the shoes are going to use. If you want comfort, birkis are good choices. Whether you opt for Super Birkis or the Profi Birkis variants, your preference according to purpose will surely pave you towards a definite decision.
One thing is for sure though, birkis are a must sought after if comfortable shoes is what you are looking for. They can be used as your go-to footwear regardless if you are at work or just lounging at home.