Shamma Sandals - Warrior Review

Well, this review is really long overdue.  Strap in, internet!  The ride won't be bumpy, but safety first and all...

A nice gentleman from Shamma contacted me back in August of last year and asked if I would like a trial pair of sandals for review.  (That's a disclaimer, folks.  The footwear was free.)  Of course I said yes.  My experience with huraches is limited, consisting of a pair of Invisible Shoes (before they were Xero Shoes), a pair of sandals crafted with a friend from a motorcycle tire (a blog post I started, but never finished), and a pair of ill conceived sandals from another company (out of respect I won't name them here) that were sent for review and literally could not be attached to feet because of the lacing system they used.  I hacked those up and crafted traditional lacing for them and still wear them from time to time, including running. The sole material on those is 10mm Vibram newflex, so I was jazzed up to get a much thinner sole from Shamma.

I'm kind of a jerk for taking so long to review them, but I got them at the end of my running season and was only able to put a few miles on them before short daylight hours and icy cold hit Minnesota.  I know that some of you reading this might be tough and run in the snow barefoot or with sandals.  More power to you, but forget that noise.  I also don't run much in the dark around our place after a close encounter with a skunk, and because I'm a grown-up and I do what I want!  The nice thing is that I have nearly a year of wear on them so I feel like that is a good review.



This review is limited to the Warrior model from Shamma.  From Shamma's website:  The Warriors are a minimalist’s runners dream. The Warriors are our thinnest sandals. They are light and flexible with an aggressive tread that keeps you agile and surefooted. These sandals are ideal for technical trail running and uneven terrain, where ground-feel is key.

The Specs:
The soles are 5mm Vibram Newflex.  They have a glued on goat-leather footbed that is super soft.  (Love that new glue smell when you open the package!)  The lacing system starts with a plug at the toe so there isn't a knot at the bottom of the sandal.  The majority of the lacing system is 11/16" wide tubular nylon webbing with hook and loop closure.  The heel strap has a suede material wrap to prevent rubbing.  I find that it is a little grippy too, helping the strap to stay put.  There is also a plastic buckle to help you position the strap where you want it at the top of your foot. 

When they contacted me for a review, I had still been running, but hadn't done any races in a long time.  (I'm still not fast, if you were wondering.)  However, I was planning on doing a local 5K in September and I got the sandals the week of the race.  I figured that a minimalist sandal should be the kind of footwear that you can strap on and start running without having to worry about how the footwear will affect you.  In that spirit, I only put the sandals on once before the race to get the straps set.  I did not run in them at all before the race.

The First Run:
The local run is the Stagecoach 5K.  It runs through town (population ~1,200) and includes an out/back on a gravel road.  There is a lot of hills.  Surfaces were new smooth asphalt, old and beat up asphalt, gravel, and dirt (part of the course went through some road construction).  The varied surfaces were nice so I could test them all in the first (sandals right out of the package) run.

The run starts on an immediate sharp downhill, then makes a 90 degree turn to the right to head back uphill.  My feet did not slip at all on the shiny new leather, and I was able to make the turn at full speed with no problem.  I say full speed, but that is full speed for me (~6 min mile).  The next uphill section is slightly worn asphalt, and that surface continues until about 1.25 miles, where the course turns to gravel for an out/back section.  The gravel road includes one moderate hill, and then a long gradual uphill to the turn around.  The road was hard packed with loose gravel here and there along the tread lines, but was thicker loose gravel toward the edge.

I started out on the hard packed areas, but the random loose stones were difficult when I couldn't avoid them.  By about 3/4 of the way out on the gravel, I moved to the edge of the road where there was all gravel and no hard-pack.  That was a great improvement.  I would love to try these out on a trail run with big rocks instead of gravel, but I haven't had the chance yet.

As I got to the turn around at the top of the hill, I had to stop and tighten the straps on the sandals.  The heel strap was sliding down as they broke in a little.  If there is one thing I have found with securing these sandals, it is to tighten them to the point they feel almost uncomfortable when you are standing, and they will be perfect as you run.  I'll chalk this problem up to me not getting used to them at all before the race and not understanding how tight they needed to be.  As I was tightening the straps I think I counted off 30 seconds or so in my head.

Poetry in Motion.  A glorious sight to behold.

The rest of the race is flat or downhill.  Awesome way to finish a race in my opinion!  It was in this last portion that we hit the road construction areas.  That included stepping down from cut off streets into the work areas and back up out of the work area to asphalt.  A nice test because one of the issues I've had running in sandals is catching the front edge when stepping up and ending up gracefully slamming to the ground.  Not a problem with these sandals.  Even though the sole is supremely flexible, it is not floppy and comes up nicely with your toes.

I finished the race at 25 minutes flat.  My fastest 5K time ever!  In this picture you can see how I beat the gentleman behind me by apparently elbowing him and laughing my way to the finish.  Thanks to all my sponsors:  Shamma Sandals, bananas, and water.

 

 

 

 

A dramatic fight for 12th place.

So, what do I think about these sandals?  I love them.  I've worn them all over the place.  Walked in them on trails and around the yard.  I've run a lot of miles in them with no issues.  They are wearing very little, even though most of my running has been asphalt trails.  I've worked in the garden with them on and had them so caked with mud I had to spray them off with the hose.  I dried them in the sun and the leather and strapping didn't harden up.  The leather footbed has taken on the shape of my foot and they fit even better because of it.

If you are looking for a pair of sandals to run in, the Shamma Warriors are a great choice. (Click the link.  Their pictures are better than mine.)

Road ID Review and Giveaway!

Road ID is a company that began after a near miss and a good idea.  Edward, one of the owners, was nearly hit by a truck while out running.  His father had been bugging him to carry ID, but Edward didn't think he was in any danger while out running.  After the near miss, Road ID was born.

The concept is pretty simple.  You need ID, but you don't want to carry stuff while running.  Wear the ID.  Problem solved.  The other issue is that sure you can carry stuff around, but what if that stuff gets lost in the shuffle and you are unconscious?  A friend of mine who is a rescue diver for the county told me once (paraphrasing) that the only thing an EMS crew is sure to take with them when they pick you up is your body.  That's why it's a good idea to make sure that ID is coming with you.  It may just save your life.

I was firmly in the camp of not wanting to carry stuff around, including my driver's license.  I was more worried about losing my license than I was about getting hurt and needing ID.  However, my wife likes me and wants me around.  In fact, she prefers it that way.  I thought a Road ID would be a good way for us both to get what we wanted.

Like a lot of people, I was first exposed to the company at a race.  They sponsor races by providing number bibs and they sponsored the 5K I did last June.  I'm also proud to have them as a sponsor of the Turkey Trot we just hosted on November 19th!

"I need a Road ID.  This giant tag makes me look silly."

They offer 8 different styles of ID.  Three that are worn on the wrist, two that attach to your shoes, a chain/dogtag combo, an ankle ID, and one for your furry four-legged friend (or hairless cat).  Being a barefoot runner, I chose the ankle ID because it doubles as a holder for your timing chip during a race, solving a problem of the shoeless runner.  Double duty!  That's smart.

Besides their ID products, they also offer some night-time safety/visibility items, extra bands if you like to color coordinate your fancy purple shorts one day, and your fashionable yellow bike jersey the next day.  They have some apparel too, all at wicked low prices.  Buy some shirts and tell people you are a sponsored athlete.  They won't know that your main competitive sport is beer pong.

Here's a couple shots of my Road ID.  The band is neoprene and has a Velcro closure.  There is space to print six lines of text on the ID tag, and tags are interchangeable between different ID products.  There is a reflective strip that runs the length of the band to help with night-time visiblity.  The ID's are fresh and saltwater safe.  The neoprene band is very comfortable and the the thing is so light you don't even notice that it is on.  It fits above the laces when I wear it with Invisible Shoes.  There are lots of different color choices depending on the style of ID you choose, and some of the styles work great for kids.

I promised a give-away so here it comes.  I have three $15 gift certificates to the Road ID store!  One of them could be yours, and here's how you make that happen.  To enter, do one or more of the following things:

1. Share this blog post on Facebook, Twitter, or Google +.
2. "Like" Road ID and Barefoot Chiropractor on Facebook.
3. Follow Road ID and Barefoot Chiropractor on Twitter.
4. Follow this blog in the sidebar to the right and get all the knowledge you could want in a timely manner.

Leave a separate comment below for each thing you do.  I'll count them all up and pick three winners using random.org.  The more you do, the more chances you have to win!  The contest will be open until midnight December 2nd.  I'll pick three winners and let you know who won!  Check back to see if you are a big winner!  Have I used too many exclamation points!?!

Invisible Shoes - 4mm Connect Huarache Review

Ever since first hearing about huaraches I have wanted to try a pair.  What the heck are huaraches you say?  According to the Beach Boys, they are the footwear of choice for surfers.

Basically, a huarache (pronounced in my Spanglish as "whar AH gee") is a thin soled sandal that you tie on your feet to protect them from rough terrain.  Huarache translates directly to English as sandal, so there you go.  A quick Google search reveals all different types and styles of huarache sandals so I guess some further definition is in order.  To a runner, a huarache is a very thin, flat, flexible sole that is is lashed to the foot.  Historically they are leather, but now you see rubber as the more common soling material.  Laces are typically made out of leather or nylon.

Interestingly, there is a traditional Japanese sandal called a waraji that is constructed out of rope and lashed to the foot.  Waraji.  Huarache.  I don't speak Japanese, but it sure looks like the Japanese "waraji" is pronounced a lot like the Spanish "huarache".  I consider this definitive proof that aliens initially populated our planet allowing each specific culture to progress independently but maintaining a common language throughout the ancient peoples.  I eagerly await the return of our alien overlords through the Stargate.  Somebody better call Kurt Russell.  Whoa!  Went off on a tangent there!  Anyhow...

We're looking for James Spader.  Have you guys seen him?
(Note the sandals on the aliens!  Huaraches! Or, Waraji!)

Stephen Sashen from Invisible Shoes contacted me in a blog post and asked if I would like to try out a pair of his huaraches.  I never look a gift-Steven in the mouth so I jumped on the opportunity.  He gave me the option of a custom built pair or a do-it-yourself kit.  I chose the 4mm Connect sole made from Invisible Shoes' Feel True rubber, and of course I picked a DIY kit!

Invisible Shoes has been in business since November 2009 and up until very recently were using a 4 mm soling material from Vibram called Vibram Cherry.  They now offer their very own Feel True rubber in either 4 mm or 6 mm.  The DIY kits with Vibram Cherry soles come with a square sheet of soling material and laces, requiring you you cut out the soles and punch all the holes.  The Feel True kits are a little easier to make, since they come pre-cut in standard sizes.  All you have to do is measure your foot, send them the measurement, and they get you the correct sole along with your choice of lace color.  There is a video on the Invisible Shoes website that shows you how to measure your foot correctly.

I should also mention that there is a TON of other videos on the site that show you how to cut, punch, lace, and tie your Invisible Shoes.  Customer service is second to none with these folks. The Feel True soles have both ankle holes pre-punched and the ankle area is reinforced to prevent tearing.  You will need to punch the toe hole.

I resisted the urge to take a picture of the floor and try to convince you that the shoes were really invisible, so here they are from the top.  Yes, they really are that flat and thin!

Here is a picture of the tread pattern on the bottom.  The new Feel True soles were created along with two designers that were formerly with Nike and Reebok.  The tread pattern will help prevent slipping in less than perfect conditions.

Here are the laces that came with my kit.  I chose a stately and classy lime green.  If you are going to have crazy sandals to run in, you may as well have crazy colored laces to go with them.  You can also just barely see one of the legs of the bobby pin they include in the kits to help you lace them.  The pin makes them very easy to lace since the holes are just a bit smaller than the laces to help keep them in place.  You just stick the end of the cord in the pin, stick the pin in the lace hole, and pull through with a pliers.  Easy-peasy.

These babies are flexible!  I made a Shoe Roll-up to prove it.  I could have rolled it up tighter, but you get the idea.

Bottom of the sandals after lacing.

Close up shot of the figure-8 knot that anchors the lace.  It looks like it would constantly push on your foot but because of the position, it lies between your toes and you don't really feel it.

The basic lacing pattern.  From the toe hole, down through the outside ankle hole, back up and around to anchor the lace and create the heel strap, down through the inside ankle hole and back up inside the heel strap.

First attempt at tying.  Kind of messy, but I've refined it to be easier and distribute the extra lace more evenly.
Here's a post on my tying style.

I got them in the mail on a Thursday, laced them on Friday and played around with them a bit running a couple hundred yards outside my office, causing my new assistant to question her career choices.  I then wore them around most of the day on Saturday.

The first time tying them took about 10 minutes each.  Second time about three minutes each.  After just a few tries I can have them both on in under two minutes, just as fast as I can put on my Trail Gloves.  That is tying them toga style, not just slipping on.  From what I hear there is a "correct" way that huarache purists tie them on, but it pretty much just comes down to lashing them onto your feet snugly but not so tight that they irritate your skin.  End of story.

On my first run I did 1.8 miles at a 9:55 pace.  I really expected to get some hot spots between my toes, but no problems at all!  There wasn't even a line of redness between my toes.  I hope that says something about my form.  I did almost trip once stepping up onto a curb when the outside edge of my left huarache caught the concrete.

Running Overview
These are really nice to run in and I've put a lot of miles on them so far.  Since it is getting dark so early now and I don't really like going barefoot in the dark yet, all of my weekday runs have been using the sandals.  My Trail Gloves are getting lonely.  I like running in the Invisible Shoes way more than just wearing them around.  When I'm just walking around in them, the laces tend to be uncomfortable between my toes.  I think it's because I have the laces primed for running form, so when I start walking and landing on my heels, the laces pull funny between my toes.  They aren't showing any major signs of wear yet even though the rubber seems so soft.

I am definitely not silent in my Invisible Shoes, but when shortening my stride the noise diminished. The "sandal slap" isn't too bothersome though.  I'm left wondering if it is a problem with my form, a problem with the way I'm tying them, or if some amount of noise is inevitable.

Groundfeel
While running on asphalt trails and sidewalks I went out of my way to step on some things and the groundfeel of the shoes is awesome!  They certainly diminish the intensity, but you can readily feel even small objects.  More on off-road groundfeel below.

Trail Running

I'm not yet an avid trail runner but to do a full review I felt the need to do some off-roading in these bad boys.  I went out to a park that is built on the site of an old limestone quarry, strangely enough called Quarry Hill Nature Center.  I've done some hiking here (pre-barefoot days, so wearing boots) and I knew the trails would be a good test for the Invisible Shoes.  Like I said above, groundfeel is superb with the thin soles.  Here's what I was running on:

This is the first hill off of the asphalt path, up to the quarry trail.  It looks like a nice dirt path covered in leaves.

It actually consists of large pointy rocks, covered in leaves!

These trails were a whole new experience as far as my running goes.  The little bit of gravel I encountered during the Warrior Dash doesn't compare.  These were big rocks and they were everywhere.  This was an awesome test for the Invisible Shoes, and they passed with flying colors.  Their job is to protect my feet and that is what they did.  I'm not going to tell you that they made this path comfortable because they didn't, and that isn't really the point.  They allowed me to run over the rocks and uneven ground without an undue amount of pain.  I couldn't attack these trails with abandon, but I could go at them with gusto and not worry quite as much.  I did hit a couple of pointy hidden stones that made me yelp with pain but no cuts or bruises.

This is the path at the top of the hill.  The bigger stones are about fist-sized, but are a little flatter in this area compared with the uphill trail.  You can see that there is no avoiding the rocks though!

The path eventually leads to this wall.  No trouble scaling it in my sandals!  The trails continue at the top.

I headed out of the quarry into the wooded trails for a while too.  The dirt/rock trail runs right up the middle of this photo along the creek bed, then off to the right.  The leaf covered trails were sometimes tricky but the outstanding groundfeel kept me stable and upright.  I also found that wearing the sandals made me concentrate a little more on where I was putting my feet and the flexibility made it easy to find a good grip on logs and rocks.

Final Thoughts
Since this is my first pair of huraches, I don't have a rating system or anything to compare them to.  I will say that I like them a lot.  They are super thin and are as close to barefoot as you can get without just taking them off.  Groundfeel is superb (better than my trail gloves), and you can pick laces in 10 different colors.  They will protect your feet under extreme conditions, including the cold day runs.  They are a conversation starter too!  People give you a confused and interested look as you run by!

They are quick to get on and off.  The Feel True DIY kits are easy to finish up and require little in the way of tools.  Don't be afraid to trail run in them either.  They will take the punishment and shouldn't let you down.  There was a couple hidden rocks that I expected did some physical damage to the soles, but they were just fine.  I did get some gravel bits between my feet and the sandal on the downhills, but nothing huge will get in there because the sole stays well in contact with your foot.

In the "cons" category, I've spent a bunch of time trying to get the laces to the right tension.  Too tight and they will rub, too loose and I've had the heel strap literally come off while running.  I've got them set now, so just take a little time to fiddle with them before you start running and don't expect to get it right the first time.  One other con is that just like any other foot covering, they do decrease some feedback and can cover up issues with form until it is too late.  I developed blood blisters at the ball of my foot on both sides when I went out for a run in a worn out state and my form was suffering.

There are any number of ways to tie huaraches.  In regards to tying my Invisible Shoes, I think I'm going to stick with the "Toga style" for now.  I just figure that you are already running in something that is going to blow most people's minds, why not use a bunch of lime green cord too? Anything that makes you feel like Maximus stepping into the Colosseum has to be a good thing, right?

"Why won't anyone give me a hug?"

Run on, Runners!

Gymboss Interval Timer - Gear Review

Isn't it about time you heard some more about what I think?  I thought so too.

I bought the Gymboss in April.  I was embarking on my latest running career (the one that ended up leading to running barefoot) and I was following Jeff Galloway's 5K training program.  His programs focus on run/walk intervals and I was actually using a kitchen timer to do my intervals.  It was kind of cumbersome and I was spending too much time fiddling with the timer when I was trying to run.

I decided that I would invent a timer that I could set to two different intervals.  I would also make it repeat the intervals over and over until I stopped it.  Genius!  However, my electronic design skills are limited, and I don't have a soldering iron.

I have found in life that whenever I run into a problem like this someone else usually has too and they have already done something about it. That is why I love doing home improvement projects.  I usually get to go but some new tool that I didn't have before.  (I'll have you soon, compound miter saw...)  There really is nothing new under the sun, as the saying goes.  A quick Google for "interval timer" introduced me to the Gymboss.

Front View

This is a handy little gadget.  It is really simple to operate and never failed me during use.  Here's a quick rundown of features:

1. Able to set one or two intervals.
2. Able to repeat your intervals automatically until you stop it, or you can set a specific number of intervals you want to do.
3. Three alarm settings: beep high, beep low, or vibrate.  You can also set it to vibrate along with either beep setting.
4. Three alarm durations, one beep, five seconds, or 10 seconds.
5. Strong spring clip to hold onto clothes easily.
6. Very light weight.  I even clipped it to the neck of my t-shirt once and it didn't pull at all.

Back view/clip.  Includes a quick refresher if you forget how to operate it.

Top view.  Next and change buttons.  Start button is on the right edge (not visible).

Next to my phone for size comparison.  No, I don't have an iPhone but I am still cool.

 I really like the Gymboss.  It is exactly what I was looking for.  I don't really use it to run much right now since I'm not doing intervals, but I do use it for the half-hearted Tabata training I do in my basement.  My only complaint is that it doesn't have a stopwatch on it.  If it had that, I would use it for running more.  I went to the Gymboss website to make this suggestion and found out that they actually do have a newer model now, with a stopwatch.  I don't want to spend the money to upgrade though, so I will sit in the corner and feel sorry for myself instead.  Ok, I'm over it.

This is a great little tool.  If you get one, make sure it is the new model with the stopwatch.  I hope the next model screams motivational phrases at you if you slow down.  That would be sweet!  I might even upgrade for that.  Check them out at gymboss.com.

*Edit:
I sent the folks at Gymboss an email letting them know I did this review.  Just a few hours later I had a response thanking me and letting me know that my model did have a stopwatch.  All I have to do is press and hold the change button for three seconds and booyah!  Stopwatch.  Add great customer service to the list of things you get with your Gymboss timer.  I should also add that reading the directions you get with gear is a good idea!