Softstar Camino Sandal Review
Birkenstock Milanos move over. Now you can get Birkenstock's classic sandal style minus the rigid cork sole with the Softstar Shoes Camino barefoot sandal.
Imagine me, a freshman in high school. The year is 1995, and I'm still in my larval phase. I begin high school and a miracle happens. I grow several inches while losing weight, going from a "big-boned" five foot, six inches tall to fifteen pounds lighter and four inches taller.
Little else changes. My wardrobe is baggy jeans and flannel shirts, and despite the improvement in body composition and no longer being entirely invisible to girls, I'm still in no way, shape, or form ... cool. But I did have hair.
Like so many teens those days, I wore Birkenstocks, and in my case, the Milano — that's the Arizona with the back strap (for those who don't know). I'd finally convinced my parents to get me a pair having burned through the knock-offs they got me from Land's End. My Birkenstock Milanos were the real deal, and while no one really cared what I put on my feet, like the dumb teenager I was, I cared too much.
I loved those sandals until the grittier end — when the suede footbed became flimsy at the edges as countless bits of cork wore off the soles. Those Birks were my go-to shoe, carrying me through many a teenage adventure until they fell apart, and I started wearing Birkenstock Bostons, but that's another story.
Today, I’ve got a high schooler of my own these days, and she also loves her Birkenstocks — and while she gets the real ones, now her mom gets the knock-offs to save money. Birkenstocks are back in a big way, with the only difference being that nowadays, high school kids wear Birkenstocks with socks.
A barefoot sandal gets Birken-style
I saw the Softstar Camino Sandal launch summer of 2024 and was thrown back to my youth. A "barefoot sandal" take on the Birks? Sign me up. But at $140/pair, I couldn't bring myself to buy them, not until a couple months ago when I caved. I wanted to find out for myself if these could somehow combine the sandal of my past with a foot-friendly design in the present.
I bought my pair from the "Elves," and I’ve been testing them ever since, both with casual wear (their real purpose) and light activity in the form of regular 2–3 mile walks around my hilly neighborhood streets. "Hilly" here is 140–150 feet of elevation change with a few less extreme ups and downs in between, all over the course of a couple miles).
After 34+ recorded miles walking plus plenty of casual outings, I'm writing this review.
What is the Softstar Camino sandal?
As you see, the Softstar Shoes Camino Sandal is a minimalist or barefoot sandal. They are designed to be a barefoot-friendly alternative to the Birkenstock Milano.
Per Softstar Shoes (product page), the Camino features a 6mm Vibram midsole that "molds to your unique foot shape" paired with a 5mm Vibram "Lightning" outsole — a rubber type I can't seem to find anything about. The combination is topped with a suede leather footbed over Poron® foam for cushioned comfort. Though the thickness of the foam isn't mentioned, it has to be 5–6mm as my calipers pin the entire stack height at about 17mm. More on this later.
Here's a nice animation of the sandals from Softstar's website:
The zero-drop sole in total is flexible while having a good bit of structure to it. The Camino sandal isn't exactly a lightweight with my size 11 weighing a bit over 10oz for a single sandal. (Notably, Softstar released a "Camino Lite" version in 2025 that I have not yet tried.)
The design of the Camino gets out of the way of natural foot movement — offering a wide toe box that lets your toes splay freely. Adjustable leather straps with buckles and a heel strap ensure a secure fit if you security is something you want, while oil-tanned leather uppers add durability. Softstar emphasizes sustainability, noting the sandals are resoleable by a cobbler.
Priced at $140, the Camino sandals come in various colors (I chose "Terra" — i.e., "Brown"), and Softstar markets them for long hours of wear, from casual strolls to light outdoor adventures.
Them's the specs. So what's the story in real life?
How I used the Softstar Camino Sandal
I got my Caminos around two months ago. As mentioned earlier, I've documented some 34+ miles walked over hilly neighborhood streets while wearing them, pacing 15–18 minutes per mile. These walks, typically 2–3 miles long, involved 140–150 feet of elevation change on-street walks.
I also wore the Caminos casually for grocery runs, family strolls, an Easter egg hunt, and suburban adventures. My size 11s (I usually wear 10.5 or 11 US, 43 in Vibram FiveFingers) fit well for my average-width, average-volume feet. Worn casually in a set-it-and-forget-it kind of way — even on my hilly 'hood walks — gave the Caminos a relaxed ride that I prefer for this kind of sandal.
I avoided trails in my pair. These things are too nice for all that dirt. I'm sure for spontaneous light trail work the Caminos would do fine.
How do the straps work?
The straps took minor tweaking. I wore them as-is out of the box, but after 5–8 miles, I tightened the front strap slightly for more security, keeping the heel strap loose. Adjusting the buckles isn't easy on these kind of sandals. That's just how it is, something I know because I recently tried adjusting a pair of Birkenstock Lutrys and lord it was a pain to do.
In any event, once I set the straps, my feet had plenty enough play to feel free. That said, worn this way — a bit loose on the foot — the sandals tend to "hang" off your foot every time you lift your feet off the ground. This means they can move around a bit every step you take. This can also mean that they connect back with the ground well before your foot re-connects with the soles. I trust you understand what I mean. Some flopping is the result, especially going downhill.
But these aren't adventure sandals and shouldn't be evaluated as such.
The Caminos, fresh out of the box and unworn.
Camino design, style, and aesthetics
The Camino achieves the Birkenstock Arizona look at first glance — wide leather straps, suede footbed, buckle closures. My brown pair feels premium. The Camino is a high-quality sandal that pairs effortlessly with khaki shorts or jeans, fitting in at a Starbucks coffee shop or barbecue. I’m picky, and the Camino falls short of Birkenstock’s clean lines.
For example, the heel strap is stitched to the front two buckles of the sandal. This design choice results in some catching on my foot when I slip them on. The stitching breaks the one-piece look you get with Birkenstock Milanos. Softstar likely chose this to minimize leather waste — a sustainable move that saves money — and the result has two drawbacks. The first is that it makes the sandals looks less polished.
A vertical photo of how the heel strap buckles to the main part of the sandal. My foot wants to "catch" on downward left-facing leather when I slide the Caminos on.
This is unlike Birkenstocks, where leather wraps neatly around the cork. The Camino’s upper curves in and disappears above the sole, below the suede footbed. Stitching around the footbed’s perimeter doesn't do the sandals any aesthetic favors and also terminates the Poron foam. Add up all these design choices and the sandals look slightly less premium than their $140 price suggests (bear in mind that the Milanos MSRP for $135).
This is all okay. The Caminos are still handsome, even if they give off a slight dad-sandal aesthetic. Would the Caminos even be Softstar Shoes if they didn't look, well, a little different? (And if you're not familiar, Softstar's moccasins for adults are all-time favorites.)
Softstar Camino Sole
The Camino’s sole is a trade-off between durability and rigidity. The 6mm Vibram midsole and 5mm Vibram Lightning outsole (which looks an awful lot like Vibram Newflex) offers a robust structure. There are two things I wonder about.
First, I wonder how the Lightning will wear over time. Looking closely at the soles of my Caminos, I'm seeing wear at the heels (likely due to that hanging effect mentioned earlier) and the balls of my feet.
Time will tell how long these outsoles last.
Compared to my LUNA Mono huaraches, which use Vibram Morflex rubber, the Camino’s sole feels morem rigid. Softstar markets that the Caminos will mold to your foot over time. I've put them through 15+ hours of pavement abuse walking and however many hours of casual wear. The sandals don't seem to be molding or changing shape, but candidly, I don't know how long that process should take.
The Camino's sweet, suede footbed
I didn't expect this. The suede footbed, layered over that "Poron® foam," is the highlight of the Camino. That stitched edge of the footbed? It goes unnoticed by my feet.
The feel of stepping into the Caminos is just nice. This is especially noticed after wearing a more coarse-feeling pair of huaraches-style sandals — like the canvas on my current pair of Earth Runners, which I like, but is a lot more texture. The suede is buttery smooth on my feet.
Since I have been running in sandals of late, the Caminos almost feel like a recovery sandal, plush and comfortable. And with no ridges or arch support to speak of, my foot feels unbothered as it collapses that foam. And by collapses, I mean that the 17mm stack height I measured can be collapsed to 11mm by squeezing on my calipers.
Of course, the (stark) comparison worth mentioning is to Birkenstocks. Softstar Caminos are, as you'd expect, way, way softer than Birkenstock’s rigid, cork footbeds, replete with their arch support and structured insoles. It's funny because I swear Birkenstocks were comfortable 30 years ago, but what did I know?
Softstar Camino Ground Feel
The Camino will not be known for its barefoot feel though I don't think that's what they're going for. On the other hand, on surfaces like a stone sidewalk, the sole and foam footbed passes along a good bit of the variation felt underfoot. Tested against the Bedrock Mountain Clogs, the Softstar Camino offers a good bit more feel for the ground. This feel is different but more akin to the (yet to be reviewed) Lems Switchback.
(The Caminos, being totally flat through and through with that smooth, unopinionated suede footbed, leave the sensitive pads of your feet free to feel more of what's underneath.)
The Camino is an ultra-minimalist sandal by any stretch. Compared to the Xero Shoes HFS Original, a shoe that will remind you of every stone and pebble you step on, the Camino offers a gentle experience.
Conclusion
To recap, the Softstar Camino Sandal is a nod to Birkenstock fans who’ve gone minimalist and can't manage to put up with the rigidity of Birks any longer.
The Camino is a zero-drop sandal that looks more dressy than your typical strappy huarache or more adventure-prone barefoot sandal. If you head out for a stroll or attend a barbecue, you can expect to wear the Softstar Camino incognito — meaning people won't look twice at your sandals.
The Camino's suede footbed is my favorite part. And while I'm eagerly awaiting the soles to mold to my feet, as is with many miles on them, the Camino is a comfortable choice that should last a long time.
Yes, the Camino is similar to the Milano. It's mostly different. I'm happy with my purchase and I know I'll get lots of wear in these sandals over many summers to come.
I am eyeing the Camino Lite but not planning on forking over another chunk of change for them any time soon. If you're looking to pick up either, you'll find them at SoftstarShoes.com (You can support BirthdayShoes by using this affiliate link if you like. P.S. They're running their clearance sale as of today). And if you have a pair of your own, tell us all what you think.
Finally, if you enjoyed this review and aren't already a subscriber, the most appreciated thing you can do right now is subscribe, joining a few thousand of fellow minimalist and barefoot shoe enthusiasts.
