At Sanuk, we’ve always been inspired by people that march to the beat of their own drum. Folks that lay down their footprints in style to pass on smile. Since 1997, we’ve made it our mission to house an eclectic assembly of ambassadors who embody that very way of life. These humble humans spend their lives pushing the limits of not only in their respective professions, but also helping to shape and share the cultures that surround them.

Each from different parts of the world. Sanuk ambassadors are devoted to different disciplines and niches. They’re travelers, but also homebodies. Yes, you can be both. Many of them are activists as well, devout protectors of happy places. All kinds of happy places.

While we may come from different walks, we’ve all got more in common than meets the eye. To celebrate this neighborly notion, we cozy up to two Sanuk ambassadors in particular, PAIGE ALMS and RAMON NAVARRO.

Paige calls Maui home. She’s a two-time WSL Big Wave World Champion, a wave-lover, a garden geek, loving dog mom and total goofball. Ramon lives in Chile. He’s also a renowned big-wave charger, a father, enviro-steward and hometown hero. Despite thousands of map miles separating these two, they are united by their passion to go hard on the journey and easy on the planet.

How did Paige and Ramon get to where they are now? Great question. While their personal stories of coming-up are long and legendary, today, we take that question a bit more literally… How do they get where they are… like, physically! What gear helps them get where they need to be— and ultimately, who they need to be? Like so many surfers these days, Paige and Ramon chase perfect waves, but they still love that familiar stroll to their local watering hole. Their worlds are ever-bending between near and far. In the front yard but also way out yonder. Thinking about this raised some questions…

What do we make here at Sanuk that sort of nomadic lifestyle easier? More specifically, is there anything in our array of funkified footcovers that could crush it for both ambling about as well as amped-up adventure? Both being the key word here.

We pondered it quite a bit. And honestly, we drew a bit of a blank. We’ve got some grippy stuff, but lately, we’ve been dead-set on CHILLIN’ HARD. So, the spirit of spicing things up, we picked the brains of some of our best and brightest. Some we met with in person, others we observed without telling them. Whatver, we stalked them. But these are our people! Anyways, after months of R&D meetings, FaceTimes across continents, office hangs and endless coffee pots, we got somewhere groovy.

Enter THE CHIBA JOURNEY LX. a.k.a. “The Journey Boot” — an all-new all-weather, eco-friendly boot built with Yulex Pure (more on that below) and designed to suit all sorts of situations. Rugged enough to protect your feet from punctures or pokes and cleverly contoured to keep you grippin’— to and from rippin’. It’s designed to tackle everything from classic, crappy weather (We see you, Winter) to strenuous secret spots strikes. Will it solve all your problems? Probably not. But it will solve a few more than whatever you wore yesterday— or what you might’ve worn tomorrow. Progress, baby!

Materials wise, this is the most sustainable, environmentally friendly product Sanuk has made to date. Bold claim, right? Dig it. It’s almost entirely made from Yulex Pure, a plant-based rubber that serves as a carbon neutral substitute for traditional rubber or neoprene. The material itself comes from the GUAYULE PLANT, a mighty shrub that loves arid climates and comes with a myriad of wondrous uses. Simply put: Yulex rules. Even the shell upper on this boot is made from this stuff. The neoprene-like collar and tread too.

So, thanks to the amount of ambassador input and time spent tinkering by our product and development teams, we bring this to you with a grin on our chins. It’s definitely a bit different, but different is good. After all, if you’re going to take a step in the right direction, make it a comfy one––  a Sanuk one.

To get your pair, CLICK HERE!