Under Armour Men's 3023017-004 Trainers

Product Information

On the bottom, the segmented rubber outsole keeps the shoe flexible—no clunky strides here—and carbon rubber placements under the heel add durability. Compared to the rest of the UA lineup, the Mega 3 dials up the cushioning, and it’ll treat your feet to a plush ride on your next training run. HOVR Foam: It is not a hugely soft ride. The Pegasus 37 and Clifton 7; they are both way softer. But you can definitely feel the softness of the HOVR Foam, especially if you are a heel striker. It is an incredibly responsive shoe, fine for long runs or shorter tempo efforts.

The UA HOVR Phantom 2 is a high mileage everyday training shoe. Think Pegasus, Nimbus, Clifton, Triumph etc. This shoe feels good, looks good, and rivals all of those. Midsole: UA call it ‘HOVR cushioning’. According to the company it involves ‘a full-length, soft HOVR surrounded by a mesh ‘Energy Web ‘ that creates a zero-gravity feel and energy return.’ Wow – zero-gravity feel!!! Derived from olefin wax, Hovr creates a firm feeling at toe-off, which helps you push hard and maintain fast paces. Under Armour uses Hovr in its training shoes, giving models like the Infinite 5 and Machina Clone 3 a firm, but smooth feel underfoot. In terms of durability, it's hard for me to take an adequate guess. Just for the fact that the outsole has a lot of coverage and it seems like the rubber material would actually have a lot of durabilities, but I just have little experience with Under Armor's HOVR midsole and I'm not sure how long it would last. That being said, to just play it safe I would put the shoe in about the 300-mile range which is pretty standard across the board for shoes. Finally, the outsole is made from a combination of lightweight blown rubber and tough carbon rubber. The blown rubber reduces weight, while the carbon rubber, placed under the heel, adds durability where you need it most. Both materials are scored with grooves, boosting the shoe’s flexibility.

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Under Armour earned a bad rep among runners early on and hasn’t been able to shake it. Today, the most popular complaint with Under Armour’s current shoes is that they’re too firm. I happen to agree with the sentiment, based on the UA shoes I’ve tried over the past year or so, including the Machina 3 Clone and the Flow Velociti Elite. Narrow in the Forefoot: It is a tight fit and my feet are far from fat. If you have big toes or a broader forefoot, they will not be good. The Hovr Phantom used to be Under Armour’s max-cushion shoe, but the Mega 3 has eclipsed it. This plush trainer features even more midsole foam than the Phantom, along with a new Clone upper. If you want all the padding, the Mega 3 Clone has it.

The Under Armour HOVR Phantom 2 is a good running shoe option for casual runners who are running under 6 miles. Who should NOT buy it And, as always, you can count on Under Armour’s signature durability. I’ve had mine for months, and the outsole rubber shows only minimal wear. While it’s not a supremely bouncy trainer, it has plenty of cushioning and staying power for daily training runs. Along with companies like Hoka and On, Under Armour is part of a “new” wave of running shoe brands that launched in the past few decades. Founded by University of Maryland football player Kevin Plank in 1996, Under Armour’s technical base layers rapidly gained popularity among athletes, leading to broader appeal for shorts, sweats, and other athletic apparel. The Velociti Wind 2 won praise from RW testers for its surprising durability and grip, and this new, updated design retains those attributes. The shoe still has a full-length layer of Flow cushioning, but it’s tweaked to be even softer and lighter, according to Under Armour. The breathability of the shoe was pretty good. The knit material provides good breathability and lets airflow through the shoe at a pretty standard rate.

And just like Under Armour’s other running shoes, the Elite’s Flow midsole is designed to be durable, so there’s no need for a separate rubber outsole. Cutting the rubber out of the design makes the shoe substantially lighter, giving it an edge over racers from other brands (including the Endorphin Elite and the Vaporfly). The ultralight upper on top provides a close wrap around the foot and maximum breathability, so your feet stay cool even when you’re really cranking.

Under Armour released its first running shoes in 2009. After a tough start, it gained traction in the running market in the last 10 years with its SpeedForm running line. Lately, new models like the Flow Velociti Elite prove that the best Under Armour running shoes can keep pace with the big players in running. Best Under Armour Running Shoes The underside of the Flow layer has an undulating pattern of grooves that reliably grip the road. And, in standard Under Armour fashion, it’s durable enough to withstand repeated impacts, so the shoe won’t wear down after a few miles, unlike most shoes with exposed midsoles. That means there’s no need for a separate, heavy outsole, which shaves off considerable weight.The Expert: I have tested running and outdoor gear for years, both as an editor at Runner’s World and as a freelance reviewer for InsideHook, Men’s Journal, and other outlets. I’ve written more about running shoes than any other category, and I have firsthand experience running in models from a range of brands, including Under Armour. I first wrote this guide in 2018, and I’ve updated it regularly as Under Armour releases new shoes and running shoe tech. What to Consider When Shopping for Under Armour Running Shoes