Shamma Charger Sandals
The finest barefoot walking/running sandal yet made.
We’ve all been there with sandals. You want something that will let your feet breathe, that won’t get destroyed on the beach, and doesn’t look hideous. For men, the challenge to find something attractive, durable and comfortable seems to be a magnitude more difficult. There are the typical options—flip flops, athletic slides, leather grecian style strapped, and of course Birkenstocks. All of these have their fans, but in my experience each style has at least one critical failing point. You can’t run or jump in flip flops, athletic slides look like you live in a dorm, leather grecian sandals look out of place anywhere outside of the Mediterranean and ironically don’t mix with water, and Birkenstocks— well, are you your dad yet?
Enter the Shamma Chargers, a sandal that aims to fix each failing of the other styles.
DESIGN
The Chargers feature a 7mm Vibram sole with a toe strap, mid strap and heel strap. The straps are made of nylon webbing and there are velcro adjusters on the mid and heel straps. The straps are threaded through the bottom of the sole and there are cutouts for the plastic plugs to sit flush so that you have a completely flat surface to walk on.
The nylon webbing has a soft and smooth finish for easy mobility and there are no hot spots from the attachments or webbing joints. A flat piece of additional webbing keeps adjustable strap ends from wandering or getting caught anywhere and another webbing cover mid-toe keeps the toe strap flat against the top of your foot for the broadest surface area and least irritation. Only the toe strap curls into a circular shape as it plunges between your big and first toe through the sandal’s base. When new, or if too tightly adjusted, the toe strap can feel a little “tight”, but it is easily rectified with a looser heel and/or mid strap. Over time the nylon conforms to your foot and walking patterns well.
The minimal strap area and cross-points mean that your feet are almost completely free and exposed. Great if you want that feeling, but certainly without any protection. The fit however is surprising secure and there is absolutely no problem running, jumping, or changing direction suddenly. These sandals are not going to fall off and can be as maneuverable as any shoe. As well, the thin pliable Vibram sole contours to your foot perfectly and allows it to flex and bend according to the terrain. There is no scary feeling of them sliding off suddenly as with a flip flop for instance.
At 7mm, the sole is the perfect mid-point between protective and adaptive. It provides very little cushion or sponge, while still giving some ground feel. This is a sole and sandal system that forces you to rely entirely on the mechanics of your own feet and legs. For proponents of barefoot shoes or certainly sandals, this will come as a very good thing.
For those used to heavily cushioned shoes, this will be a huge adjustment in the way you walk. The verdict comes down mostly on what you believe— should a shoe be there to cushion and isolate you as much as possible so that you can exert the lowest energy moving; or should it be there to interfere as little as possible with your natural process of movement and encourage the building of strength and flexibility in your body…?
Having bought literally hundreds of different types of shoes, starting in the 80s with Nike Air Pegasus which felt like running on balloons, to modern barefoot shoes from Vivobarefoot, I’ve come to the conclusion that as with most things, the harder method usually provides the best long term benefits. While a sponge-master shoe or sandal feels good in some circumstances or for some duration, it encourages the decay of many important muscles and seems to over favour others. When things suddenly go wrong - like in a slip and fall, heavily padded or high-soled shoes predictably have terrible risks. Barefoot or minimalist shoes tend to result in less catastrophic injuries because they have been training all your muscles as you go to be prepared for anything.
Of course, this doesn’t mean that minimalist sandals like the Shammas are going to turn you into a Kenyan runner over night. It takes quite a while to re-train your body to walk normally and to use all the muscles you were given. Given my general practice with barefoot shoes, I had no problem walking 10km on the first day of wearing the Chargers. It was delightful and invigorating to have such air flow and freedom compared even to my sporty Vivobarefoot Primus Lite III. On a subsequent 20km walk I did develop a mild blister on the ball of my left foot and some achilles tendon irritation which I think is from having the straps a little too tight. Walking 20km on pavement with any shoe is a trying test.
Compared to my Shamma Warriors, the Chargers “flap” less on the pavement which is nice in the city and the thicker soles will last a lot longer on pavement, however the more flexible Warriors with their work-tread bottoms will be my tropical vacation sandal of choice. I think they’ll go a little better on wet hikes or in ocean wear and the slightly lighter weight will be nicer for my minimalist carry-on bag. However if you don't want to buy both, get the Chargers.
CONCLUSION
The Shamma Chargers are affordable, very comfortable and highly durable. They let your feet move naturally and don’t chaff or bind over long distances or rugged terrain. In the range of sandals on the market their minimalist looks go a long way to being unnoticeable and if you have that urban warrior vibe already, they’ll match the all black tech wear perfectly. Are there better looking sandals out there? Probably for some people and some styles, but I don’t think there are many more suitable to a wider range of styles or people. Save yourself a lot of time and money and buy a sandal that is on par with any good shoe. The Shamma Chargers are all you need for summer wear. Strongly recommended.
PRICE
$79.95 USD
AVAILABILITY
THE RATING
9/10 Absolute
10/10 Relative
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