Birkenstock Arizona Essentials EVA Sandal Review

Bottom Line

The Birkenstock Arizona Essentials EVA (men’s / women’s) is comfortable and lightweight, making it a great crossover outdoor/everyday shoe. It’s sold in a range of bright, attractive colorways and looks the part both at camp and around town. As far as camp shoes go, it’s a really versatile yet affordable option.

In addition to being a great casual shoe, the Arizona Essentials has a good amount of backcountry appeal. Weighing in at just 8 ounces per pair, it’s impressively feathery and goes unnoticed in a pack. The open-toed design is easy to pair with socks on cooler mornings and evenings at camp.

The Arizona Essentials EVA is made from foam, which is very different from the traditional cork and suede we’ve come to expect from Birkenstock. This helps keep weight down without sacrificing support – we found the contoured footbed easy to sink into. It does, however, make the shoe more susceptible to damage. 

How We Tested

We wore the Arizona Essentials EVA sandals for a week’s worth of daily walks (averaging around 2 miles). We also took them on errands around town and brought them along on a car camping trip in California’s rugged Sierra Nevada mountains. 

Comfort

The Birkenstock Arizona Essentials EVA provides the type of comfort you don’t have to think much about. The fit is excellent (though it does require some fine-tuning of the straps), and there’s no break-in period needed. It’s the sort of easy-wearing experience we’ve come to expect from Birkenstock.

On walks, it felt like our foot was sliding around in the shoe a little. However, it was minimal enough to forget about after a bit. Overall, the Arizona Essentials’ comfort and ease has made them a go-to daily driver – great for everything from trips to the grocery store to setting up camp in the rugged Sierra Nevada mountains. 

Versatility

The Birkenstock Arizona Essentials EVA is highly versatile and a great value to boot. The shoes’ combination of support and style allows them to fit into daily life with ease. In fact, they perpetually sit by our front door to slip on whenever we leave the house. 

Though we like them for walks and errands, we would be hesitant to rely on the Arizona Essentials EVA sandals for long hikes. Some reviewers mention wearing them on backpacking trips, so it’s not out of the question if your hiking shoes fall apart mid-trek, but they are clearly best suited for casual use.

These shoes also would not be our first choice for water sports. Though the foam build is water-repellent and buoyant, the shoe has no real way of securing to your foot. They work fine for hiking along a shoreline or crossing a shallow creek, but you’ll want to be wary in any deep water.

Support

Even before putting the Arizona Essentials EVA sandals on, it was easy to spot Birkenstock’s signature support. The deep heel cup mimics that of a closed-toe shoe, and there’s a good amount of arch support in the middle of the footbed. Raised indentations at the top of the shoe keep the toes separated and in a natural position. Even the EVA foam itself helps with support by being highly shock-absorbent. 

Overall, our feet felt well supported throughout testing. They did slide around a bit when walking, mostly to the top of the shoe. The straps are adjustable, although they didn’t fully prevent the sliding. To be fair, our toes never exceeded the length of the shoe and still felt adequately protected.

We put the shoe through a series of bend, squeeze, and twist tests, expecting to confirm our impressions of support. The heel did collapse easily when squeezed between our fingers, but the rest of the shoe mostly maintained its shape when bent and twisted. Though pliable, the EVA foam build is quite strong and well structured.

Durability

There are some potential issues to be aware of with this shoe, including shrinkage and shape distortion. After a month of regular wear around town and at camp, we noticed some small nicks and wrinkles along the exterior. The straps also bent and puckered out of shape when we shoved our pair into a backpack for a hike. It took days for them to return to their original shape, leaving behind some creasing.

Finally, some reviews point out that the shoes may shrink when exposed to high heat and direct sunlight. We haven’t experienced this yet, but it’s not too difficult to imagine given how the shoes have fared thus far.

Should You Buy the Birkenstock Arizona Essentials EVA?

The Birkenstock Arizona Essentials EVA is an excellent all-around camp shoe. It’s light enough to appeal to backpackers looking for a reliable option to explore beyond camp. Off the trail, it’s comfortable and easy to wear whether you’re walking the dog or grabbing a bite to eat in town.

However, the Arizona Essentials EVA is underbuilt for more demanding outdoor adventures. The all-foam build is susceptible to damage from rough use, and the two horizontal straps don’t provide much in the way of security.

What Other Camp Shoes Should You Consider?

For more camp shoe recommendations, check out the three options below, or head to our best camp shoes gear guide for a full look at the market.

Chaco Z/Cloud Review: The Chaco Z/Cloud is far more capable than the Arizona Essentials but also much more expensive. If you plan to do a lot of hiking in your sandals, it’s probably worth spending up. Otherwise, the Birkenstock is much lighter and more everyday-friendly. 

HOKA Ora Recovery Slide 3 Review: Another camp shoe with great arch support is the Ora Recovery Slide 3. Built as a recovery shoe, the HOKA takes it a few steps farther to actively minimize joint stress – great for slipping your foot into after long efforts.

Crocs Classic Clog Review: Like the Arizona Essentials, the Classic Clog is affordable, easy to wear, and lightweight thanks to an all-foam build. It has a closed-toe design and deployable heel strap for added security – at a small weight penalty.