I tried Goral Shoes made-to-order premium handmade shoes and sneakers that are made proudly made in Sheffield, England. Goral has been on my radar for about a year but only recently I made effort to get a pair, after being inspired by Garmsville and his Deck Shoe collaboration he did with them. I ended up getting the Samara Hiking Sneaker as well as the afroementioned The Ultimate Deck Shoe.
As I've become more of an avid hiker, the Samara Hiking Sneaker appealed to me, in both style and function. I can wear these around town, and take them on hikes, or when the terrain gets a little more gravel-like. I plan on taking them with me on my up-and-coming trail run weekends as my shoes before and after the trail. They're exceptionally comfortable du to the leather lining and will mould nicely to my foot through more wear and tear. They're made using Charles F. Stead Waxy Commando Leather which adds an extra touch of practicality and refinement. The full-grain leather has a wax finish, giving the shoe a rich texture as well as giving it added waterproofing and durability for when tackling babbling brooks in the Lake District.
I visited the CF Stead tannery about 8 years ago, and since that impressionable experience, I've always had a soft spot for CF Stead suedes and leathers. Whenever I find some shoes made in with leathers from their tannery it adds extra touch of affinity. Knowing that Goral shoes are made-to-order also allows for knowledge that your pair of shoes have been carefully made for you. It's made with Blake stitch construction, and a leather heel counter as you'd find in luxury shoes, let alone hiking shoes. One of my favourite bits is the hand-stitch toe bumper – not only ensuring protection from rocks, but giving the shoe long-lasting durability.
I can only imagine that it will age really nicely. It did start out a little stiff when I started to wear them in, but fairly quickly the leather softened a touch and will only get more comfortable with wear and tear. The Samara Hiking Sneaker is also a stunning design which might make you refrain from wanting to take it out into the wild. However, with the Vibram Arctic Grip soles the shoe screams out to be taken to the trails. The Arctic Grip sole is specially designed for cold and icy conditions, so will be at home with any winter terrain you throw at them.
As with any premium footwear, you can extend its lifespan by replacing the Vibram sole when it gets worn out. Luckily for me the Vibram resoling shop is down the road, but if you find a reputible cobbler they should be able to do it for you.
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Samara Hiking Sneaker Stats
UPPER - Charles F Stead Waxy Commander 2.0-2.2mm
OUTSOLE - Vibram Artic GripI
NSOCK - EVA Foam with upper leather lining
LINING - Full Grain Veg Tan Calf Leather 1.2-1.4mmL
ACES - Premium waxed cottonLAST - G1
