Under Armour Velociti 3 Introduction

The history with Under Armour’s Velociti line is a bit confusing. After a few Google searches, I was able to find the original Speedform Velociti. Next there was the HOVR Velociti 2 and Flow Velociti Wind 2. UA made a wise decision to simplify and consolidate things for 2023 into the Velociti 3.

This is a neutral, medium cushioned shoe meant to be a daily trainer. There is a noticeable price change from last year’s module to this year with the previous version coming in at $160 and the latest at $130. Based on how the shoe performed, I think this price is reasonable and I couldn’t validate paying much more than that.

The other change is that UA moved away from the WARP upper to a flexible knit upper. I don’t have experience with the WARP design but will speak more about the knit, later.

If you’re not sold on the design and features in the Velociti 3, there is an obvious step up to the Flow Velociti Elite. This super shoe is priced at $250, offers a carbon plate and weighs 1.5 oz less than the Velociti 3.

Outside of UA, Asics Noosa Tri 15 is a natural alternative. Both are at the same price point, light and built for faster paced workouts and runs.

Under Armour Velociti 3 First Impressions

Sleek and eye-catching, the Velociti 3 is a great looking shoe with several attractive color combinations. Whether you like loud colors or conservative ones, there’s an option for you.

My first run in the Velociti 3 was a 5k. Right off the bat, I noticed that the FLOW midsole was quite lively. It had just finished raining so I was interested to see how the rubberless outsole would perform. To my surprise, they were grippy and I didn’t experience any slipping. The knit upper was cozy and supportive.

The Velociti 3 has an 8mm heel-toe drop with a height of 30mm in the heel and 22mm in the toe and weighs in at 8.8 oz.

Under Armour Velociti 3 Upper

Speaking first about the fit of the upper, I felt that it was on the narrow side, even for runners that don’t have wide feet. This should be a consideration when evaluating the Velociti 3. Because of the narrow design the shoe also felt small in regards to length. Bumping up a half size might have added more comfort but the size I tested was by no means restricting my feet.

The tongue and lacing system worked really well to lock my foot down. These shoes are easy to lace and I liked the fact that I could tie them and get the same feel every time. Padding on the tongue helped with the comfort on the top of my foot as well. I noticed that the tongue is wider than on most shoes and covers more of your foot. This was neither good nor bad but I had no issues with tongue sliding down or from side to side.

A single piece, flexible knit material is used in the latest version as UA decided to move away from the WARP technology. WARP was a thinner, nylon material with “tape’ overlays across the shoe that was designed to secure your foot and prevent unwanted movement. I didn’t have any issues with movement in the knit material and really liked the black and gray speckled design.

I have two small complaints about the knit upper that should be considered.

UA touts this as breathable material which I disagree with. I’d compare the upper to wearing a sweater. In cool or cold conditions you won’t have an issue but in hotter weather, they might cause your feet to sweat.

Also, as you might expect, they hold a ton of water when they get wet.

Under Armour Velociti 3 Sole Unit

Under Armour uses FLOW midsole technology in the Velociti 3s. FLOW is a single piece foam that provides responsive and long-lasting cushioning. They are soft feeling initially, and on shorter runs but the farther you run the more out of place this shoe becomes.

I felt that the cushioning is adequate for runs up to the one hour mark. They shine for 5k and 5 mile runs at quicker paces. For these distances, the benefits are the weight and nimble ride.

For longer runs, the midsole felt less supportive than other daily trainers. I don’t think this is a criticism of the shoe, just an observation to consider for anyone looking for a higher mileage shoe.

For those faster paced runs, the FLOW technology provided responsive feedback that gave the shoes an effortless feel. I really enjoyed the rubberless outsole. Something about not hearing your footsteps felt like it added an extra gear during interval workouts. Only time will tell how long the outsole will last but thus far, I’ve been impressed with its durability.

On a similar note, I was surprised by the traction of the outsole. They handled really well on sidewalk and blacktop surfaces. Even in wet conditions, I felt like the FLOW technology gripped these surfaces.

Under Armour Velociti 3 Conclusions

So did this shoe hold up to what Under Armour designed it for? Lightweight, rubberless and durable.

A training shoe built for speed? My opinion is that it does!

I really enjoyed the change of pace and variety that they brought to my workouts.

The Velociti 3 by Under Armour is a solid shoe for anyone new to running or runners looking for a shoe specifically for track, speed workouts or training/racing shorter distances.

Stick to those environments and you’ll love them.