This is a brand that all though it is not new, has been gaining more traction as of lately and already has a cult following. I found out about this brand because earlier this year I was looking for a good pair of running shoes since I was starting to run more often and the shoes I had where almost dead. I kept seeing about them on my instagram ad and then somehow I then ended up becoming an employee for this company… I was a part time employee and it was ok… I guess… I definitely have had worse jobs, so I really can’t complain.

However, product wise; putting the work aside, I did actually like the stuff they had. In this post I will go over a brief overview on the pro’s and con’s I believe the shoes have overall and my experience with them. As well as product reviews on the tree flyers, tree runners, tree loungers, wool runner up mizzles and their slides.

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PRO’S

Sustainability

This is one of the main two reasons Allbirds is popular. The company is very aware of how shoe nd clothes making can be very harmful and impactful to the world. So thy try to solve this by using alternative materials to make the shoe, which reduce he carbon fottprint. Furthermore they are very transparent on how much emissions each of their product makes, which they display on the product so the customer knows. I think this is good for customers. With all the drastic climate events going on consumers are starting to be more conscious on how they shop and where they buy things. People are more willing to spend a little more as long as they know that it is helping the environment. .

Comfort

This is one comfortable shoe. Like I honestly thought my coworkers where lying when they told me that they’re a super comfortable shoe. I have had a co-worker who lied to me when I worked at coach and they said that the shoes they sold are comfortable… THEY WERE NOT COMFORTABLE AT ALL (They just wanted a sale… and it was part of the uniform as well…) My feet hurt so bad, the insoles we’re so uncomfy… (I would recommend getting a pair of allbird insoles and putting them in other shoes lol.) It also depends the shoe that you get and for what purpose or how long you will use them.

For instance, DO NOT wear a tree lounger for an eight hour shift.. Since the shoe is just a flat slip on shoe, it had no type of support and by the end of the day, my feet hurt because I had no arch support, just vibes. But a tree runner or any other shoe with arch support feels so much better. Like omg I learned my lesson that day and only wore the loungers when I had short shifts…

Upkeep

It is so easy to keep these shoes clean. You just throw them in the washer and dryer! Just recommended to put them in a delicates bag, so they are not just flying around and hitting your machines. Also recommended to take out the insoles and shoe laces, and to air dry. I have also been told that for nay rougher marks on the sole of the shoe that a magic eraser can be used to help hat out. I personally haven’t tried cleaning any of my shoes because I just like not cleaning my shoes. I feel like it gives the shoes a personality. They have untold story’s of places they’ve been only you know of; and the scuffs and dirt are a sign of another day of life.

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Cons

Style

They definitely built this shoe with comfort rather than style. While it is hard, to find a comfy stylish shoe, IT IS NOT IMPOSSIBLE. The shoes are very sporty looking, while I personally am ok and like this; this is not everybody’s cup of tea and a lot of people think of these as sports shoes rather than a lifestyle shoe. Furthermore, the shoes can be bulky and look really big. I did not say heavy, I said bulky. All the shoes for the most part are pretty light weight and not heavy. However, some of the shoes just seem very bulky and big. While this may be a trend, they are not doing it in a trendy way; if that makes sense. Like it looks like the woven piper and the new pacers look like loafs of bread on your feet lmao. Kinda cartoony shoes like Mickey Mouse.

Not all the bulky looking shoes are weird looking. For example I like the big bulky sole of the tree flyer because of the geometric angles it has and I think that I can be styled with various clothing pieces and look very cool. I like to wear my black tree flyer especially with my pleated Issey Miyake pants. I just think that the pleats from the pants and then the sharp angles from the shoe that give it a little height really make you stand out and look good together. This is also a personal thing as well, some people don’t like the shape of the sole because of all the sharp angles, and like… “its fashion babes.” Like idk how else to put it.

Not saying all their shoes are ugly of course they have classic silhouettes and styles just with Allbirds material. However, some of their color way choices are… CHOICES.

Sizing

The shoe sizing here is weird! I normally wear a size 11 in every shoe brand (Nike, Adidas, Steve Madden, Doc Marten, etc) but these shoes tend o run small so they suggest to size up a whole size, because most of their shoes do not come in half sizes. What I mean by this, is that all the performance shoes and ballet flats come in half sizes, while all the other shoes are in full sizes only. While some of the shoes, a full size you can get away with; some other you can’t.

For example, like I previously stated I ended up being a size 12 in AllBirds tree runners, so when I was trying out the pair of tree loungers in a 12 and saw that the fit was weird I was confused. Even more so, as I tried on an 11; too tight and just in case a 13; way too big. But the 12 felt weird, like tight on the sides, except if I wore them without socks were they a good fit, which ??? (Mind you I bought these in July so no socks in summer is ok, but it is getting chillier and I live in Chicago and you can feel the wind through the mesh. They don’t call it the Windy City for no reason lol). Moreover, they also recently released the new colors for their wool runner up mizzle. I was excited for this shoe because I heard of the water repellent and the extra warmth and the cool new colors. However, when I tried out the 12 the shoe was big and I was even more confused when I tried the 11 and the shoe still had extra rooms around the sides of your feet, but the 10 was tight.. Fuuny enough they still had last years wool runner ups in stock and those fit like the regular sizing so I fit perfectly in the older shoes size 12. Something about the newer shoe was different in sizing as all my other coworkers had the same problem with shoes.

Tip on sizing, if you are looking for a half size in shoes that do none offer half sizes; men, look up the equivalent of woman’s size and size one up. As woman shoe sizes are usually 1.5 smaller than mens. And for woman, look up the mens equivalent and go one size down. That sometimes helps people, and I know one of my coworkers would buy in woman’s sizing because he was a true half size and they would fit perfectly lol.

Sizing is so weird here…

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Price Point

This can be a very debatable one suubject. I think the price is not that bad considering how the shoe is made and all the other stuff that is taken into consideration. However, some people might not agree that $100+ for mesh or wool shoes are no worth it. I definelty think it is worth it, if you are buying an upgraded version of the shoe. For example, buying the dasher 2 or the runner mizzles. Those are defiantly worth the extra price because of the extra added things that the originals shoes don’t have that are great for everyday use.

However, you can definitely still try out their shoes for lower costs. They do tend to have some sale shoes at times that are older, out of season colors. And more recently they have partrrned with stres like TJ Maxx on selling their older versions of shoes that are discontinued at a lower price. I think this is great because no only are you getting a deal, you are also getting a pair of brand new shoes. I know there are Allbirds reselling websites, which sell peoples old shoes they do not want for a lower price if they are in acceptable conditions. This may be a route people take if they are die hard Allbirds; as they come out with limited edition colors and sometimes run out quick if they are very popular. However, for a first time purchaser I’d definitely suggest going to a TJ Maxx or an actual Allbirds location to buy your first pair to really get the feel of a brand new pair and see why people like them. While they may not be the best colors as they might be spring colors in the fall time or something like that, it is still a great opportunity to buy a pair to test them out and see if you’d actually want to spend the little extra for a brand new pair from the actual store.

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Product Review

Tree Flyers

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Tree Loungers

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Tree Runner

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Wool Runner-Up Mizzle

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Sugar Sliders

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Overall, I would recommend this shoe if you want a really comfy everyday shoe for an ok price. However, if you can find them on sale or at TJ Maxx for a discount I say take them and try them out as that will probably This shoe is not for everyone, especially with things like color ways and sizing. Still give it a go. Have you worn AllBirds shoes? If not, are you planning to?