Saturday, August 31, 2019

Shamma Sandals Charger and Mountain Goat 2019 Review and Giveaway!






Hey everyone!

I hope you all are having a great summer... hard to believe it's gone by so fast.

Before summer is over, I really wanted to share with you the latest iteration of sandals from Shamma Sandals!  I was very fortunate to spend the summer running and relaxing in the all-new Chargers and Mountain Goats, and I wanted to take a few minutes to share my impressions of them. And, if you can survive all my rambling to the end, enter to win a pair!

Shamma 2015 Review
Before I dive into my review, I had to go back and take a look at my very first review of Shamma Sandals.  I had to go all the way back to February 2015!  For that review, click HERE.   I can't believe that is been almost 5 years since I started working with Josh at Shamma.. and a lot has changed!

Latest Shamma Charger left, older version right

If you are familiar with Shamma, I'll point out some of the changes/updates in these latest models.  If you are new to Shamma, these new features are all the reason you need to give them a try!

The biggest updates are the new Elite Lacing System and reshaped footbed.  In the pic above, I have the new Chargers left, next to my older pair on the right.  As you can see, the footbed has been reshaped, adding a little more width for the toes, and I absolutely love it.  I have the tendency to slide around a little sometimes and run close to the edge of the sandal.  This new shape address that, providing a solid footing, and space for my little toe drift without sliding off the edge, and a little extra room for my big toe to shift forward as well.  Perfect!


In addition to the new shape, the big change is moving the side straps away from the common "wrap around" method of the side strapping, to a post method shown on the right above.  The posts move the strap away from the sides and bottom of the sandal, and help prevent wear, and also eliminates the bump of the straps going underneath.  These posts are smooth, flat, and are solidly attached..  great upgrade.



Finally, the new strapping system offers 4 different adjustment zones, which allows for a super custom fit, that stays once you set them.  As you may know, dialing in the fit for huaraches, especially for running is an art and science for sure.  Shamma has provided the ultimate in the simple system to dial in a customer and comfortable fit with all of the adjustment points.

Also, there are some small things Shamma provides, that just add to the experience.  I love the small tabs of material on the end of the heel strap to help you feed it through the buckle as needed, and the super-soft material on the insides of the strap/buckles, and the portion between the toes.  Small things, but wow, they make all the difference.




For both the Chargers and Mountain Goats, I have the optional power straps as well.  These connect across the front of the ankle, helping to secure the heel strap and provide a little more stability.  I find them really comfortable, and they really help while running on the trail.  Keeps things snug and tidy.




So, I basically spent my summer in Shamma... primarily the Chargers, because I love the minimal sole and the overall comfort.  I also logged several miles in the Mountain Goats.. grabbing them for more technical and rocky trail runs and hikes. 

Shamma Chargers
The Chargers have a 6-7mm flexible sole, smooth tread, and the Elite Lacing System.  What I love about these is that it only takes a few miles of wearing them for them to begin to mold to your feet.  And the weigh-in at just over 3 ounces each... super light!


The Mountain Goats are exactly that!  They feature an 11-12mm sole and a more aggressive tread.  Even with the beefier sole, they still come in at just over 5 ounces each. 

I highly recommend the UltraGrip footbed (shown above).  The footbed is tacky for better control, and they remain tacky even when wet.   And they drain and dry quickly... I never had an issue with sliding around in the sandal, even in fully submerged conditions. 

Anyway, those are my thoughts on the latest from Shamma.  I've really enjoyed working with Josh at Shamma over the years, and I love seeing the process of continuous improvement in action.  The latest models from Shamma are the evolution of the pursuit for excellence, and absolutely worth checking out. 

I know I've rambled a lot, but if you want an outstanding overview of the sandals directly from Josh himself, check out the video below.... AND take advantage of the current Labor Day sale for 15% off with code LABORDAY15 at https://shammasandals.com/ ! 





AND..since Josh and the crew at Shamma are so awesome, I have two pairs to give away to two lucky winners!  To earn entries, use the Rafflecopter doo-hickey below... Contest ends at 10 PM MST on Sunday, September 8th and is open to the US and Canada... good luck!

a Rafflecopter giveaway