The Birkenstock Boston clog is enjoying the type of narrative arc that makes A-listers jealous. Over the last few decades, the offbeat health-store adjacent shoe has evolved into a bona fide fashion phenomenon. It’s stocked by every cool boutique you care to name, its rolodex of high-fashion collaborators is deeper than the savviest PR maven’s, and its many fans frequently resort to getting their fix, sometimes for a staggering markup, on the secondary market.
And yet, on the eve of a reported multi-billion-dollar IPO—thanks, Barbie!—the brand shows no sign of taking its foot off the gas. After rolling out a waterproof version of its Arizona sandal close to a decade ago, Birkenstock has finally made good on a tantalizing promise Boston fiends dared not hope for: a new version of its flagship silhouette, done up in summer-ready EVA foam.
EVA (or ethylene-vinyl acetate) is a rubber-like material that’s lightweight, waterproof, and super comfortable—an ideal combo for any scenarios that involve the pool or the kitchen. For years, the EVA version of Birkenstock’s Arizona sandals were a favorite around these parts for exactly those properties, to say nothing of their extremely friendly price tag. Now the German brand has equipped its most iconic silhouette with the same upgrades, a boon for anyone worried about globs of guacamole escaping through the back of their tacos and onto their shoes. (It can’t just be us, right?)
The same logic holds true for beach-bound adventures: give your Bostons a quick rinse to slough off sand and seaweed, and you’ll be rewarded with a like-new shoe for your efforts. The Birkenstock Boston clog was always an ideal quick-errand, bodega-run option for when you feel lazy but don’t want to look like a slob; the EVA version retains its predecessor’s versatility, but offers you the chance to wear it to the beach, too. (Given all that, we wouldn’t be surprised if the silhouette converts a handful of die-hard garden clog devotees as well.) The original Boston was already pretty close to perfect—now it’s just that much closer.