I normally try to put a model in the title, but when you’ve tried 3 different footbeds, and 3 different lacing systems, what do you pick?
Models included in this review:
Shamma Mountain Goats
Shamma Super Browns
Shamma Mountain Goat LE with All-Black Leather Laces (custom request)
The Mountain Goats were a good-deal private sale buy that were brand new. They are one of Shammas more rugged and thick models.
Technical specs for the Mountain Goats:
- 11-12mm stack height
- Velcro Elite lacing system with Toray Ultrasuede (leather substitute)
- Textured rubber footbed
- All black design
First impressions:
- Thick!
- Not enough strap length!
- Wide!
They are thick by design. This model is not intended to be as minimalist, but rather give stability and give you good use out of the thick, grippy tread. They were too thick for me, but there is definitely a market for this style, whether it’s heavy-duty hiking or as a transitional sandal.
There was no way to adjust the straps to have enough volume for my feet. I was never going to be able to wear them. Just a fact. The lacing system is velcro and either you have enough room, or you don’t.
I was really impressed by the width immediately. It was the first time I’d come across a shoe that had more width than I need. This is not an easy feat with the size of my feet. I knew that even though the straps were too short for my volume, I wanted to try Shammas again in the future.
Technical Specs for the Super Browns:
- 7 mm stack height
- Velcro 4th generation lacing system made with deer-tanned cowhide leather
- Leather footbed
- All brown design
I tried this model as a Yard Sale find and it was 1/2 a size bigger than the Mountain Goats at a 10 men’s. The Yard Sales happen periodically and are a good deal, but sizing is limited and I took a shot in hopes of the bigger size having enough strap length.
I wore these shoes for a few weeks and really gave them a good go.
First, the thin, flexible footbed is pretty dreamy. They felt like walking in slippers. High ground feel, molds to your foot, and you just glide along. This model does have a very shallow depth of tread. I never slipped, but I always had this mental image of it, though, after wearing multiple sandals models with much deeper tread. Great casual sandal but I’d tread lightly in the rain.
The bigger sizing definitely became a problem. In closed-toed shoes research has shown that 12 mm of extra space is ideal, but in sandals you really need the least amount of extra space, with just enough extra to keep your toes on the footbed. These started to trend trippy. Not Shamma’s fault at all, just a good reminder to chose your size wisely.
And, unfortunately, the extra sizing did not help my strap length problems. I had enough to wear the shoes around, but it was painfully obvious I had about 3 inches more foot volume than the design accounted for.
But I really loved so much about these shoes!
So, I reached out to Shamma, considering going with the All-Browns or All-Blacks models, but wanting to ask about strap length and going down a size.
Turns out… Shamma does custom.
Now, we’re not talking full-on here with custom footbeds, but if you want longer straps, you got it. Want a different lacing system matched with your ideal footbed? You got it. They were extremely helpful and nice and we got me locked in on the leather laces I wanted (I chose black), but this time I chose a Warrior LE footbed for some extra grip.
Turns out, I got the Mountain Goat LE instead. But more on that story later.
Technical Specs for the Custom Shammas I’ve been testing in full, the Mountain Goat LE:
- 11-12 mm stack height
- All leather lacing system with the exception of the attachment between the toes
- Leather footbed
- Brown and black design
One thing I wanted to change from the Super Browns was getting a deeper tread. Maybe I’m just paranoid, but I like a bit of grip and with kids you never know when you’ll have to take off, or what might have been dropped on the floor (there was an incident with applesauce once that makes me sore just thinking about!).
I also really love the black and brown look, so felt the combination of the two would be a great look (and, it is!).
Thickness:
Just like my first Shamma pair, these are thick sandals. They have broken in well and have flexibility, but are low on ground feel. The leather footbed adds a softer touch that makes them feel less stiff overall, as well.
Tread:
The tread depth is about 2 mm, which is a good mid-range level. It feels perfectly grippy, even on wet grass going down hill.
Footbed:
The footbed is leather and, over time, molds to your feet. It’s comfortable and attractive, and doesn’t feel sticky. But it does get slippery when wet. This is not the footbed for a downhill, rainy mudfest. I’ve worn them in my yard in damp and it doesn’t take much to get them slippery. I wouldn’t be surprised, though, if this problem lessens with your shoes molding to your feet.
Toe post:
Some people get a little squirrely about this being a plastic toe post. I’d love for it to be metal and the shoes to go grounding, but I see no issues with this design. It’s nice and flush and the thinner lacing between the toes is good for your comfort level.
Sizing:
Shamma has templates on their website and I found them to be accurate and true to size. Each sandal company offers you a different shape, unless they are custom, and Shamma’s shape is full at the front (the fullest) and distinctly more narrow at the back. The leather straps are very generous in length and the extra lacing I requested turned out to be unnecessary.
How do the shoes feel?
Pretty divine! I do want more ground feel and have already worked out with Shamma to get the Warrior LE I was meant to have with my custom request. (Which means another Shamma review, yay! But probably next year, seasons considered.) I’ve been hankering for a soft leather footbed, and this delivers. I also enjoy that I can do the laces up as I like, which I’ve done and will do with my new pair. I’ll cover that fully in that future review.
Care:
Care depends on the model you choose. The models with the non-leather footbed could easily be sprayed/scrubbed off. But you’ll want to take more care with leather.
Pricing, Shipping, and Returns:
The base price for the well-tested Mountain Goat LE is $109.95. The extra strapping I requested was an extra $10 and shipping is free in the US. Super-fast DHL Express is their international shipping method and there is a charge.
Their return policy is a generous 30 days, no questions asked. They also offer exchanges for unworn shoes. With either method, you are covering return shipping.
Company Information:
Shamma Sandals were born for running and with the power strap you will definitely have the security you need. Check out their story here.
Final Thoughts:
I love how many options they have and how wide they are. For obvious reasons, I favor the leather laces. I do think the buckle could be nicer for this and have found it sliding fairly easily. I look forward to getting my Warrior LEs and putting another great Shamma sandal through it’s paces in the future.
If you’d like to get your own pair of Shamma sandals, this referral link will get you 10% off your first pair.
Want more reviews?
Check out All the Barefoot Shoe Reviews for more in-depth looks.