To me, the most shocking part of the Boston Marathon had nothing to do with unicorns, three-striped jackets, or Sisay Lemma’s commanding victory in the men’s race. My pinch-me moment came when staring at the women’s podium.
The gold, silver and bronze medalists wore On, Under Armour, and Puma, respectively; shoe brands better known to outfit hockey players and world-beating Jamaican sprinters than long distance runners. Sharon Lokedi, the Boston Marathon silver medalist, donned the Under Armour Velociti Elite 2: low-drop supershoes with a see-through, Spiderman-themed upper.
I had rarely seen Under Armour sneakers on the feet of runners in general, let alone Boston Marathon medalists – so I had to test them out for myself.
The Velociti Elite 2 are Under Armour’s second attempt at becoming a true player in the world of supershoes; the original Velociti Elites, released last year, lacked the bounce to put the brand on par with big players like Adidas or Nike, and even more nascent competitors like Puma and Hoka.
But after seeing Lokedi blaze down Boylston in the Velociti Elite 2s and complete the race in 2:22:45 on a hot day; I became eager to test them for myself and see if Under Armour is on to something.
The TL;DR – What You Need To Know:
7.9
MH RATING
I don’t expect the Velociti Elite 2s to take over the running world, but if you’re a fan of low-drop, these could be the shoes for you.
- The Under Armour Velociti Elite 2 is a comfortable race shoe and a major step up from its predecessor.
- Low-drop super shoes of this quality are rare, and these are worth your money if that is what you like.
- It lacks muscle, as it’s more of a ‘minimalist’ shoe, but I’d also expect it to be lighter.
- All of our shoe testers are died-in-the-wool, experienced runners with a broad experience of the sport. They’re typically running 30+ miles per week.
- We put each pair of shoes through a battery of tests: a typical review will involve several test runs on a variety of distances and terrains, designed to identify any snags or issues.
- We talk to experts in the shoe industry and gather advice and insights from other runners, to best understand the shoe and how it suits the end user: you, the runner.
The Deets: Tech Specs For The Velociti Elite 2
- MSRP: $250
- Release date: April 25
- Stack height: 39.5mm
- Weight: 8.2 oz (unisex size 9)
- Heel-to-toe drop: 2mm
The Pros:
Comfortable: Leave it to the perennial cross-training shoe brand to make snug, comfy shoes; which is still somewhat rare in the super-shoe world.
Encourages forefoot striking, but also encourages midfoot running: The Velociti Elite 2s have a tiny heel-to-toe drop and the tallest forefoot I’ve ever seen (37.5mm), which naturally springs you onto your toes.
Toe freedom: They also have a wide toe box that allows the toes to splay naturally when striding. No crunching, no blisters.
The Cons:
Tight heel and midfoot: I have quite narrow feet, and the heel fits snugly. Steer clear if your feet are wide.
Not a full PEBAX sole, still lacks muscle: The Velociti Elite 2 is faster than the original version, but doesn’t quite propel you forward like an Adios Pro 3 or an AlphaFly 3. The Flow EVA foam at its base is built to provide comfort over speed.
Could be lighter: In super-shoe terms, this is a minimalist shoe (more on that later); and supershoes this size tend to be lighter (see: the ASICS Metaspeed Sky Paris, weighing in at 6.5 oz).
Under Armour Velociti Elite 2: First Impressions
I had low expectations for this shoe, just because it usually takes shoe brands a few tries before releasing a true world beater into the world. Even Sharon Lokedi’s silver medal performance in Boston did not make me a completely believer in Under Armour; because she had also managed to win the 2022 New York City Marathon in a pair of Velociti Elite 1s, and the consensus around them was that felt more like a training shoe than a racing one. I thought: maybe Lokedi is just that good.
But I couldn’t deny that the 2s had a more auspicious facts sheet than its predecessor.
For one, they have 30 per cent more super-responsive PEBAX foam, wrapped around a pared-down, rubberless outsole meant to cut weight. Plus, this version has a tiny, two-millimeter heel to toe drop: one quarter that of most other super-shoes. The shoe’s near-zero drop, no-rubber outsole, and thick foam base make it feel like a hybrid between a minimalist and maximalist shoe.
Credit to Under Armour for going their own way It reminded me of nothing I had ever tried, not even the Velociti Elite 1. I was curious to take it through a workout.
Here are the Velociti Elite 2’s key specs:
Full-length carbon fiber plate: Provides rigidity and bounce.
No-rubber outsole: That cuts a bit of weight without sacrificing grip and traction.
Hybrid midsole: Made of both PEBAX and EVA foam.
Warp 2.0 upper: Made of lightweight and breathable mesh.
TPE (thermoplastic elastomer) sock liner: With flexibility and bounce.
Reflective upper: Comes in handy during night runs.
Fit: True to length, narrow on the heel and wide in the toe box.
Comparison with Under Armour Velociti Elite 1: The reduced heel-to-toe drop makes the Velociti Elite 2 feel entirely different from the previous version. It’s also more aggressive and comfortable, due to the larger chunk of PEBAX foam and wider-feeling toe box.
Road Testing The Under Armour Velociti Elite 2
I’ll start by warning you that if you are not a fan of low-drop shoes (like the Saucony Kinvara or anything by Altra), these are not for you. I tend to like low-drop shoes, but only for workouts, because they encourage me to run on my toes, which feels unnatural when running easily. I’ve also never taken low-drop shoes through anything more than a half-marathon, and I do not know how my calves would respond in a longer race.
I first tested the Velociti Elite 2s on a tempo run. The first kilometer felt stiff – like I was running on lightweight bricks – but after that, I broke in the EVA foam, and the ride began to feel smoother, even quite comfortable. It was a lovely shoe for a tempo run: it had the right balance of bounce and support, all while pleasantly hugging my foot.
But then I remembered that these were supposed to be racing shoes. They have all the right parts: a super-light upper, Pebax foam, and a carbon plate, all wrapped into a smaller package than some of its chunky competitors like the AlphaFly 3 or the New Balance Supercomp Elite V4. So, I wondered, why are the Velociti Elites heavier than those shoes?
The answer: the shoe also stands on a considerable slab of EVA foam, a material mostly used in training shoes, that is built more for comfort than speed.
Combining EVA and Pebax, instead of going full Pebax, creates what still feels like a cross between a training and racing shoe. It’s like Under Armour had a plan to go full Superman mode and make something incredibly light and fast, then pulled back at the last minute and tacked on some civilian foam. If anything, that foam is what stands between the brand and more podiums (Lokedi notwithstanding, I suppose).
Under Armour Velociti Elite 2 Review Takeaways
I think Under Armour did a lot of things right with these shoes: for one, I like that they made them more slender than most other racers. I have a hunch that the supershoes of 2025 and beyond will be smaller and lighter than the huge vessels we lug around today.
In that regard, the Velociti Elite 2s are halfway there. I also think the shoe is a big win for Under Armour, because it’s undeniably faster and bouncier than the previous model. I hope the next version is even more aggressive and light: then, who knows how quickly Lokedi (and the rest of us) will run while wearing them.
I don’t expect the Velociti Elite 2s to take over the running world, but low-drop super shoes of this quality are rare, and these are worth your money if that is what you like.
