TrailStar Alpha

Over-the-Foot Lacing System

$ 124

$ 124 ~~$ 124~~

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Free U.S. shipping

30-day returns & exchanges

Best for

Everyday

Hiking

Water

TrailStar Alpha are adventure sandals that are perfect for anyone who wants all the benefits of a zero-drop barefoot sandal, but isn’t sure about being on the ground with no protection for their feet. With a more protective and thicker sole, the TrailStar Alpha give you the confidence you need to start your minimalist journey. With a firm stable platform, your feet will be free to relax so you can focus on the adventure!

TrailStar Lacing System

Increased security from over-the-foot style lacing is the hallmark of TrailStars. The TrailStar Lacing system features a specially made forefoot strap made from Toray® Ultrasuede and a nylon mesh. The result is an extremely comfortable material with the strength properties of webbing. The forefoot strap is completely adjustable and anchored through the bottom of the sole. Final adjustments are made through a tension lock on the outer heel post. All forefoot straps are cut-to-fit after adjustment. The heel section of the lacing system employs two heel posts covered in Ultrasuede for comfort. Heel strap adjustments are locked into place using Velcro®. The result is an extremely comfortable and secure lacing system that is ready for adventure!

Recraftable

Just because you wore a hole in your sandals, it doesn’t mean you have to throw them away! Our modular approach to sandal-making means that worn out parts can be replaced with a pair of pliers at home. Why throw away what you can repair? Visit our Parts Page to learn more!

Made in the USA!

Proud to be made in the USA and we wouldn’t have it any other way! All of our sandals are made right here in Santa Cruz, CA by our small team, using primarily US sourced materials along with high quality components from Italy, Germany, and other international partners. Follow us on Instagram and YouTube to get a glimpse of how we do it on a regular basis.

Ground feel: Cushioned. Noticeable cushioning designed to reduce impact and support extended standing or walking.

Maximus 9mm

Alpha 12mm

Ibex 13mm

Footbed material: UltraGrip

Sizing

Between sizes? Size up. Shammas tend to run small.

Foot length

US Men's	US Women's	EU	Length
4	5	36	8.88"
5	6	38	9.25"
5.5	6.5	38.5	9.44"
6	7	39.5	9.63"
6.5	7.5	40	9.88"
7	8	40.5	10.0"
7.5	8.5	41	10.13"
8	9	41.5	10.31"
8.5	9.5	42	10.5"
9	10	42.5	10.63"
9.5	10.5	43	10.81"
10	11	44	10.94"
10.5	11.5	44.5	11.13"
11	12	45	11.31"
11.5	12.5	45.5	11.5"
12	13	46	11.63"
12.5	—	47	11.77"
13	—	48	11.94"
14	—	49	12.25"

Want absolute confidence? Download your size's template, print it at 100% scale, and step inside the outline to verify your fit.

Product variants

Shamma Production Period: 5 business days

Proudly made in the USA with high quality domestic and imported materials

Step-by-Step Instructions:

Center Your Foot: Place your foot on the sandal with equal space in front of your toes and behind your heel.
Adjust Forefoot Tension: The TrailStar uses a continuous strap system. Feed the slack from the toe area through the sole anchors under the sole, all the way to the ankle.
The Tension Lock: Pull the excess webbing through the tension-lock buckle on the outer heel post. This tightens the "harness" over your midfoot.
Secure the Heel: Once the forefoot is secure, pull the Velcro heel strap snug and fasten it.
Check the Fit: The intersection of the straps should sit comfortably on the top of your foot, not cutting into your ankle.

FAQ

How do I choose between a leather or ultragrip footbed?

Leather gets slippery when it is wet, so if you plan to adventure frequently in wet conditions, go with the ultragrip. If you are looking for soft, dry comfort, go with the leather. Leather absorbs sweat, so don't worry about that too much!

Which sole should I pick?

Opt for the Alpha if you are transitioning to barefoot footwear slowly or want some extra protection on the trail. Pick the Maximus if you'd like a moderate, flexible, barefoot feeling. And go for the Ibex if you need a flexible sole with enhanced, protective grip.

Can I resole my Trailstar sandals?

Yes! All of our Trailstar sandals can be resoled at home! And you can mix and match soles from our Parts page if you'd like to experiment with a new stack height.

Can I return these if they don't work for me?

Yes! We have a 30-Day trial period so that you can test out your sandals inside or outside and still return them in new or gently worn condition. As our sandals break-in, they soften up and begin to hug your feet for a custom fit, so feel free to take your time and ask us any questions along the way.

What is your warranty policy?

We will always repair or replace any sandal that is broken or defective due to a manufacturing defect. For normal wear and tear, you can purchase replacement parts on our Shamma Recrafted page so that the adventure never ends.

Can you tell me about your manufacturing process?

We are proud to be manufacturing each of our sandals in the USA, here at our workshop in Santa Cruz, California! We source our soling material from the United States and Italy, our leather from the USA and Germany, and our ultrasuede from Japan. We are constantly looking for opportunities to bring manufacturing closer to home and work with partners we trust.

Fit Guide and FAQ

Step-by-Step Instructions:

Center Your Foot: Place your foot on the sandal with equal space in front of your toes and behind your heel.
Adjust Forefoot Tension: The TrailStar uses a continuous strap system. Feed the slack from the toe area through the sole anchors under the sole, all the way to the ankle.
The Tension Lock: Pull the excess webbing through the tension-lock buckle on the outer heel post. This tightens the "harness" over your midfoot.
Secure the Heel: Once the forefoot is secure, pull the Velcro heel strap snug and fasten it.
Check the Fit: The intersection of the straps should sit comfortably on the top of your foot, not cutting into your ankle.

FAQ

How do I choose between a leather or ultragrip footbed?

Which sole should I pick?

Can I resole my Trailstar sandals?

Yes! All of our Trailstar sandals can be resoled at home! And you can mix and match soles from our Parts page if you'd like to experiment with a new stack height.

Can I return these if they don't work for me?

What is your warranty policy?

Can you tell me about your manufacturing process?

Pairs well with

Shop accessories

Wish I could give more.

They are comfortable, aside from the rear strap rides awful low on my heel, not sure how well they would do running.
The longevity is my main concern... All I have done is go on evening walks with the dog for about 3 weeks, and the strap adjust/holders are coming off. It's only a matter of time until the strap wears through.
WAY too expensive for this kind of quality and strange heel fitment.

Great

Really great shoes. I took them as my only pair of shoes around Europe for 5 weeks, consisting of large amounts of walking and hiking. These were comfortable and protective the whole way. One thing I’ll say, the bottom pad starts to meld off slowly onto your foot after about 4 weeks of continuous use, so I think for most people, these are totally fine. I would recommend still, and if I were to lose these I’d probably purchase them again.

10.5 / Maximus / UltraGrip

Close. But not quite.

I had high hopes. People said great things. And when the sandals finally arrived in my size, I thought they were pretty good at first. Unfortunately, I don't think so anymore. The ultrasuede stretches. Becomes very thin and narrow as you wear them. Any sweat on the sole makes it very slippery, which would normally be okay, but this sandal has hard plastic pieces to hold the suede up and give it shape. But now my heels are shifting and sliding to the sides, and the hard plastic y anchor frames are digging into my skin in a very uncomfortable way. And these plastic reinforced y anchors are too close together, like the sandal is too narrow back at the heel where anchors are.

I wanted to love them so much. They do feel very nice when you first put them on but I don't think the ultrasuede is the right material for a sandal like this. It is soft, yes, but I think it's problems stem from the fact that it's too soft. It's also just too stretchy of a material to use for a sandal that's supposed to be all about having a secure fit.

The return/exchange process is also a big pain. Very slow shipping. Maybe other shamma sandals are better,

8 / Alpha / Tobacco Brown Leather

Sizing way off

I have tried both the women 9 and women 9.5 and they are either too small or too big. The half sizing seems to be incorrect. I reached out for a return weeks ago and still haven't heard back. Poor customer service!

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TrailStar Lacing System

Recraftable

Made in the USA!

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