Under Armour Flow Velocity Elite Review: Under Armour's First Carbon Plated Race Shoe

Introduction

The Under Armour Flow Velocity Elite is Under Armour’s first carbon plated running shoe, built as a marathon race shoe designed for chasing personal bests over the full 26.2 mile distance. After well over 100 miles of testing, including a full marathon test mixed between easy and marathon pace, plus tempo 10Ks, 10 mile efforts, and all-out 5K runs, this review covers how it performs and where it fits against the competition.

The short version: this is a capable, stable, and more subtle super shoe that is genuinely enjoyable on faster runs, but it does not deliver the punchiest propulsive ride in the marathon racing category.

Key Specifications and Design

The Flow Velocity Elite has a stack height of 39mm in the heel and 31mm in the forefoot, for a drop of eight millimeters. It weighs 238 grams (8.4 ounces) in a UK men’s size 8.5, and it costs $250 in the US or £220 in the UK.

Visually, it has a more streamlined, traditional silhouette than some of the louder super shoes on the market. Under the foot, the familiar carbon shoe formula applies: a full length carbon plate is sandwiched between two midsole foams, with a cushioned, springy PB (backs) foam layer close to the foot and a wedge of Under Armour’s new, softer and lighter Flow (supercritical) foam underneath. A thin TP sock liner adds a little extra cushioning and spring inside the shoe.

The outsole is one of the most interesting design choices. Like the Under Armour Flow Velociti Wind 2, the supercritical Flow foam is strong and durable enough, per Under Armour, that it does not need a rubber outsole layer. The foam is cut instead, saving weight by making the midsole and outsole a single unit.

Fit and Upper

The Velocity Elite features a very light and minimal warp mesh upper with a slight almost plastic feel rather than a fabric feel. Horizontally placed tapes provide structure and support. The tongue is lightly padded where the laces land to help prevent lace pinch, and it wraps the foot in a thinner, more foot-wrapping style rather than a thick padded one. The heel collar has a balanced, traditional run of padding all the way around, and a heel counter rises up the back for extra support and hold.

For fit, going true to size is the recommendation. It was easy to get a comfortable fit with reliable lace lockdown and good heel hold. The shoe has a racy feel, but it does not hug as tight across the top of the foot as many carbon race shoes such as the Nike Alphafly. It is roomier and more breathable, with a decent amount of toe box wiggle room, which is welcome over marathon distances where avoiding black toenails matters.

Ride and Performance

Out of the box, the shoe is noticeably firmer and less lively than most carbon super shoes. The ride is more subtle and much more direct than something like the Alphafly, giving more ground feel. If you prefer ground feel in your race shoes, that is a good thing; if you want the really lively ping of the top Nike and Adidas racers, this does not quite get there.

The Flow Velocity Elite moves best at faster paces over shorter distances with a locked-in form. The slight firmness encourages faster foot turnover, and transitions are snappy. It has an agility and nimble feel that even worked well on the track for shorter, faster interval sessions, opening it up to 800 meter reps as well as tempo and progression runs.

Over the marathon, however, the firmness told. Beyond the 20 mile mark in the 3.5 hour marathon test, the shoe did not deliver that extra bit of energy return and pop when it was most needed. Impact from the road felt more pronounced as form got ragged, and the cushioning protection falls short of shoes like the Saucony Endorphin Pro 3 or even the Alphafly. It is closer in directness to something like the Nike Vaporfly Next% 2.

The flip side is stability. This is a really stable, consistent, reliable platform, and that comes into its own when form gets ragged late in a run. It is best suited to tempo 10Ks, fast 5Ks, and faster training days, and it can plausibly serve as one versatile shoe for a wide range of paces, though it is not recommended for runs over two hours.

Compared to its rivals, it feels like a firmer version of the Saucony Endorphin Pro, and sits alongside the New Balance SuperComp Elite v3, which is poppier but hugs the foot more tightly. It is not up there with the punch of the Alphafly for marathon racing, despite being pegged as a marathon race shoe.

Durability After 100 Miles

The main durability question is that missing outsole rubber. After more than 100 miles, the majority of the shoe shows no signs of wear at all. There is some light scuffing in an impact zone on the outside of the heel and a little creasing in the bottom section of the supercritical foam, but the main front impact zones look strong and solid.

Given how well the Flow Velociti Wind 2 held up over many miles, this shoe should offer similar durability, and among super shoes it should be one of the more durable options.

Verdict

There is a lot to like about the Under Armour Flow Velocity Elite: a good, comfortable upper with a disappearing fit, great stability, low weight, and agile handling. But it is not the punchiest marathon racer out there. The firmer Flow foam lacks the propulsive ride expected from other carbon plate marathon racers, and that firmness will not suit everyone, particularly at mile 22 of a marathon.

It is much better suited to shorter, faster runs, or for runners who want a more direct, stable, and subtle super shoe. It is a strong step forward for Under Armour, arguably its best running shoe to date, and a genuinely versatile option. If it drops in price later, it could be a great addition to a rotation as a fast training shoe for tempo days, progression runs, and racing up to a half marathon, though marathon racers may still prefer other options.

Conclusion

The Under Armour Flow Velocity Elite is a good rather than great marathon race shoe: stable, nimble, comfortable, and durable, but lacking the propulsive punch of the leading carbon racers. For runners after a versatile, direct, fast-training super shoe that can handle everything from short intervals to a progression half marathon, it has real credentials. For pure marathon PB chasing, there are stronger choices.