Haus
<Silver Donator>
I used to only know them as "hippy sandals" or "Catholic lesbian sandals". Then I knew someone who gave me a pair. And I swear they are the most comfortable things I've ever worn to walk around in. And if you can keep your dog from chewing one up (looking at a certain dog of mine....) a pair can last you a solid 8-10+ years. In the case of the ones I had a dog got to, they were around 6 years old, this was around 6 years ago. I just stitched up the leather and they're still going and my daily wear sandals.Other than recognizing it by name as hippy footwear, I don't know what birkenstocks are.
This is the exact model I wear. One note is to watch where you buy them. They do make a "lesser tier" that they sell in some places where the upper isn't real leather. But that's the one thing to watch out for. The cork and uppers last so long that some shoe shops will even re-sole them if you wear out the soles.