Shamma Warriors LE

I bought my Shamma Warrior LE from one of their Yard Sales. They were 50% off because they are the 4th generation. They now offer a different lacing system, the 5th generation, called Elite Sandals.

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Company

Shamma Sandals is a small, family-operated business from Santa Cruz, CA, USA. Every sandal is hand-made and hand-sewn in their workshop, making them an ethically produced sandal.

I was not able to find information about the materials they use or their providers, therefore, I cannot write about their sustainability or if they are environmentally friendly. I reached out to Shamma and I’ll add these details as soon as I receive them.

They started in 2013 with the goal of creating a minimalist sandal for running. They know it has to perform well with speed, agility, and coordination.

Design

The Warriors are the thinnest model Shamma offers.

This model, the Warriors LE, has a 1mm footbed made of goatskin on top of a 5 mm Vibram sole, which makes them a total of 6 mm thick.

The Vibram sole offers great traction for hiking in any terrain.

They are:

• zero-drop
• super flexible
• wide in the toe box
• 6 mm stack
• Great traction

Because of the goatskin footbed, they are not recommended for water sports or wet situations. – You could opt for the Warrior model without the leather footbed instead. –

Comfort

The material they use for their laces is very soft but resistant. They are designed for high performance activities but they do not require a brake-in period as other brands do. I never experienced any discomfort between my toes or any chaffing of any kind.

Flexibility

The Warrior models are super flexible! I was actually kind of nervous when I first received them because they seem kind of flimsy, maybe too bendy, and I was pretty new to minimalist sandals.

They have become my favorite athletic sandal as they provide good grip, protection, with an amazing ground feel.

I did have to start wearing them in short periods of time as I had to build up my foot and ankle strength. These sandals allow your feet to move and receive feedback from any terrain.

Lacing System

Sizing

Shamma offers a detailed Sizing Chart on their website.

You can also print their template to check each size.

For me, after printing several sizes, I chose size 7 (they use men’s sizing, which means I bought women’s size 8.5). My foot is 9.76″ in length and size 7 is 10″ long.

This size feels right. At the beginning, I thought they were a little too short because I was not counting on them moulding around my foot (they are so flexible!). I contacted Shamma and they reminded me that sandals should have a close fit. If your sandal is too long, you will be tripping when you walk.

These are the most comfortable athletic sandal I own!

Style

These sandals have become my favorite sandals.

I wear them everywhere!

I love the versatility of them. I could go from a hike to work, and they are acceptable in both places.

They have also become my daughter’s favorite, as they are really easy to slip on!

The black laces and the leather footbed makes them acceptable for casual outfits, but you know they are built for hardcore hiking!

Final Thoughts

I love my Shamma LE.

They are the perfect sandal for hiking. They were comfortable from day 1 and really easy to adjust.

I love how thin they are but still offer great grip.

I wish I would know if the goatskin used in this model is Chromium VI free, but I’ll update this detail as soon as I get it.

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