Two of the best shoes ever made. Although, they both have their similarities, they also both have differences which are worth commenting on.

First, Birkenstocks.

A classic. These have been around forever. Like older than America old. Like 1774 old. This is cool. This also means they have to be legit, right? Birkenstocks are incredibly versatile and come in many different styles and colors.

Advantages: Cute, popular neutral colors makes it easy to match with outfits, can be dressed up or down, relatively comfortable. On a whole, better to wear to wear with cute outfits than Chaco’s.

Disadvantages: Most definitely not intended for rain or severe weather. Not intended for long walks, even though they are marketed as comfortable. Compared to your average flip flop, they are like clouds, but for a 5 mile round trip walk around campus, even as a tried and true Birkenstock wearer, I still get blisters sometimes.

Overall Score: B

Next, Chaco’s.

Let me just start by saying that you should not judge a shoe by its appearance (or what you think its appearance is). I admit, Chaco’s may not be as stylish as Birks, but they are still cute, have many different style and color options also. Despite this, they are still the BEST SHOE EVER. Seriously.

Advantages: Literally the most comfortable sandal you can own. After a bit of an initial strap adjustment period (1-3 days of wear), once you get the straps how you like them, you will never want to remove them. They are versatile. Like incredibly. You can go hiking in them. Walk miles. Walk through creeks, puddles whatever. They are waterproof and awesome.

Disadvantages:

You can most definitely get a Chaco tan, which is … interesting. You can also get blisters if your straps are too tight, but that’s fixable. They do not dress up as nicely as Birks. People may mock you for owning them, until they try on a pair…

Overall Score: A