As a big fan of Allbirds’ tree loungers, reviewed here, I was excited to hear they had launched their own version of flats – the Tree Breezers. Knowing that by default they’d be extremely comfortable, I decided to a side by side test with Rothy’s, my other go-to washable flat.
Comfort
No-brainer – these are super comfortable like their other styles. Their flats also come with a washable, removable wool insole that has a good amount of cushion. The forgiving material also makes it a great flat if you have bunions.
Fit
This is the first Allbirds style to come in half sizes, which is great news for a solid size 7.5 shoe wearer like me. Because of that, the fit is great – no length issues, and the soft stretchy material fits a range of feed widths. However, I did find that the flex in the material and the softness of the sole makes it tricky to walk sometimes – it’s easy to “twist” over the side edge of the flat, if that makes sense.
I will point out a major difference between the heel of the Allbirds flat compared to Rothys – the heel cup ends higher. I personally have had issues with shoes cut higher in the past, so that could be a concern if you are the same.
Style
I’m going to be brutally honest here – I don’t think these are winning many style points, as they almost look sock-ish. And dare I say – a shoe that my mom would wear from Naturalizer. Unfortunately, the lighter colors show more of the “band” around the edge of the shoe, which contributes to the Naturalizer-esque factor. If they come out with darker shades in the future, this may not be as noticeable.
Overall, the Tree Breezers are a super comfortable shoe – but unfortunately for me, it’s a pass. They’re a little too casual looking for work, but also not sturdy enough for travel – which are my two main use cases for flats. Would love to hear your thoughts if you’ve tried them!
Interested in trying out a pair of Rothy’s? Head on over to the Rothy’s coupons post to grab a referral code from a friendly commenter.
