When you’re a chef, your shoes matter. A lot. We take a look at the Birkenstock Tokyo Super Grip shoes to see if they live up to the hype.
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Being in the kitchen all day isn’t easy. It’s demanding. The fast-paced environment, long hours, and dangerous surroundings take a toll on your body, especially your feet. Spending so many hours on your feet without the proper footwear can start to cause all kinds of problems, both physically and mentally.
For this reason, having the right shoe is essential. You need a shoe that will prevent slip and fall injuries, protect your feet in a hazardous kitchen environment, and keep your feet comfortable all at the same time. Choosing the right shoe that fits your kitchen’s specific requirements can be a difficult task. We featured the Birkenstock Tokyo Super Grip in our complete guide to the best chef shoes as one of our top picks.
Fast Facts about the Birkenstock Tokyo Super Grip Chef Shoes
Precisely for its ability to meet these requirements, the Birkenstock Tokyo Super Grip is one of the best shoes you can find on the market today.
- A leather shoe with a comfortable cork insole.
- Synthetic sole.
- Imported from Germany.
- Certified slip resistant.
- Genuine untreated leather.
- Two adjustable buckles.
- Comes in black, blue, or white.
- The heel measure approximately 0.75 inches.
- Finally, the platform measures about 0.5 inches.
Performance and Use
Birkenstock designed the Tokyo Super Grip as a clog that can hold up to the stamina of a busy chef, no matter what kind of kitchen you work in. Birkenstock optimized the unique rubber Super Grip tread to result in an ideal rolling motion when you walk. This ensures that no slips occur from wet, oily, or greasy surfaces. Also, Birkenstock tests for slip resistance following European EN ISO 20347:2012 standards and the Tokyo Super Grip rates in the top category (that’s the SRC Category). This results in sure-footedness that you can feel.
The leather of these shoes is thick enough so that you won’t have to worry too much about spilling hot water or oil on your feet. The high-quality leather also makes cleanup a breeze. A simple wipe-off is usually enough to clean these shoes at the end of the night.
Cushioning and Comfort
Because this shoe is mostly composed of leather and cork, which are natural materials, there is a short period of breaking it in. This is usually true for most Birkenstock brand shoes. Once you’ve worn them around the kitchen for a few days, though, they’ll begin to mold to the shape of your foot. After that, be careful, they just might become one of the most comfortable pairs of shoes you’ve ever owned.
As you walk, the weight of your body presses down on the cork insole which naturally molds to your foot over time. The EVA midsole also cushions your every step. The footbed design follows the same model as every Birkenstock shoe since 1774. It allows your body weight split evenly over the whole foot. This provides optimal support and reduces wear and tear on your feet.
Further, the Tokyo Super Grip has two adjustable buckles that add to the comfort of these shoes, allowing you to achieve a more personalized fit.
Value and Cost
Chefs everywhere trust the Birkenstock brand when it comes to making quality shoes. As a result, they’re a little pricier than some other brands. Sure, there are similar shoes out there for a lower price tag, but they generally don’t offer the same quality that you get with the Birkenstock name. Often, lower-quality shoes manufacturers use plastic materials. On the other hand, the Birkenstock makes the Tokyo Super Grips from high-quality leather. This allows them to hold up to long hours in the kitchen.
Birkenstock Tokyo Super Grip Chef Shoes: The Pros
- The Birkenstock footbed. The Original Birkenstock footbed has special contours for maximum support. The deep heel cup cradles your heel and allows your foot’s natural cushioning under the heel bone to do its thing. Longitudinal arch support lines the side of the footbed to provide stability, while transverse arch support runs along the middle to ensure proper stance. The raised toe bar encourages the natural gripping motion of your toes. There’s even a little extra toe room for supreme comfort.
- Made from the high-quality materials. These guys are built with the first-rate materials and superior craftsmanship that’s made Birkenstock one of the most trusted name in shoes for 200 years. The leather is natural and untreated, retaining its surface grains. The insole is lined with suede, which nestles up softly against your foot. It’s open-pored and very breathable, keeping your feet comfortable even through long nights in the kitchen. The footbed is made from sustainable cork bark.
- Stylish! Not your average working shoe. From the front, the Tokyo Super Grips give the initial appearance of a standard working clog. However, the buckles and showy cork insole make the Tokyo Super Grip not just a kitchen shoe. They’re a great way to make a fashion statement in the kitchen. And those workplace uniform changes aren’t a problem with the multiple color options available.
- Extremely Comfortable. The natural cork footbed is the star of the show here. It gradually molds to the shape your foot. It’s also lined with breathable suede for extra softness and an airy foot climate. Many reviewers have stated that the Birkenstock Tokyo Super Grips are one of the most comfortable pairs of shoes they’ve ever owned.
Birkenstock Tokyo Super Grip Chef Shoes: The Cons
- A little pricey. Yeah, the Tokyo Super Grips are a tad bit on the expensive side compared to other, similarly-styled shoes. Even the Birkenstock brand offers other excellent shoes in a lower price range. Again, however, Birkenstock is widely known for its superior quality products, and these shoes are some of the best that they offer. High-quality kitchen shoes don’t come cheap. These are worth every penny.
- The Break-In. Birkenstock is known for the break-in period of their shoes. It takes a bit of time, usually a few days of work, before the shoes start to mold themselves to your feet. This can be an uncomfortable period of transition if you’re switching from an old comfortable shoe to your new Tokyo Super Grips. Hang in there, though. After you persist through this short transition period, this will likely be one of the most comfortable pairs of shoes you’ll ever own, in the kitchen or anywhere else.
Conclusion and Final Thoughts
A good pair of chef shoes must be practical and functional. A great pair of chef shoes must be efficient, technical, and comfortable. Birkenstock’s Tokyo Super Grip leather shoe is one of the top picks for chefs who spend a lot of long, stressful days in the kitchen.
A chef’s shoe matter and these clogs from the time-tested brand can keep up with the demanding, fast-paced environment of a kitchen and the long hours that a good cook spends on his or her feet. With the Original Birkenstock footbed, it’s high-quality natural materials like leather and cork, and its stylish look, the Tokyo Super Grip leather shoe from Birkenstock is undoubtedly one of the top picks among chefs around the world.
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