Under Armour Velociti Elite 2 — tried, tested and reviewed
Weight: 232g (UK size 7)
Stack height: 39.5mm (heel), 37.5mm (forefoot)
Heel-to-toe drop: 2mm
Who it’s for: Runners looking for a bouncy super shoe with more supportive cushioning
Preceded by: Flow Velociti Elite
For runners who like: Asics Metaspeed Sky Paris, Brooks Hyperion Elite 4
Midsole foam: BioPebax (made from castor beans)
Key tech: No outsole, Warp 2.0 knit upper, scooped thermoset carbon-fibre plate
The shoe
Under Armour knew its athletes weren’t as well equipped as their competitors on race day— and that needed to change quickly. So UA fast-tracked the Flow Velociti Elite, developing its first super shoe within a year, and starting work on an improved second version.
Before the first Velociti Elite was even available to the masses, a v2 prototype had already appeared on Sharon Lokedi at the 2022 New York City Marathon. She won her marathon debut with an impressive time of 2:23:23 and proved her sponsor makes a worthy racing shoe. Still, when I tell runners that one of my favourite super shoes comes from Under Armour, I’m usually met with skepticism.
'When I first saw I was testing Under Armour, I cringed,” said Heather Mayer Irvine, who previously tested the Puma Deviate Nitro Elite 2. 'I haven’t worn a UA shoe in years because I was never impressed. But I was impressed when I slipped this shoe on. It was firm and light; had a bit of a rocker profile, but not too much; and had a nice, spacious toe box.'
Higher stack height
The original Velociti Elite had the nostalgic feel of a racing flat from back when super shoes weren’t skyscraper-high. With the second iteration, UA bumped up the stack height from 36mm in the heel to 39.5mm, and closed the gap on the offset from 8mm to 2mm. More height in the heel and forefoot means a more cushioned ride, but the resulting 2mm drop drifts near zero-drop territory. I found it still feels similar to the Velociti Elite v1, but the transitions are more propulsive.
The secret is inside the midsole. The full-length carbon-fibre plate is updated with a scooped shape to encourage faster turnover.
'The soft, comfortable feel of this shoe was apparent from the moment I put it on,” said tester Ken Burkholder, who trains at 7:15 pace. 'But it was the snappy feel that helped propel me at a fast clip I really loved.”
5K testing
Last November, I experienced the explosive power of the Velociti Elite 2 firsthand at the Indie 5K in Austin, Texas. I crossed the starting line last due to a very long portaloo queue. The jog to the start felt like a mile, but it was like the shoes knew I had to catch up. Despite my lack of sleep and the tedium of the race’s looped course, I finished seventh woman, running 6:19 pace.
While the Velociti Elite 2 helped me fight for a top ten spot, it has a less aggressive feel compared to super shoes like the Nike Alphafly 3 and the Puma Fast-R Nitro Elite 2.
What's the UA Velociti Elite 2 like to run in?
Tester Alex Price, who runs 6:30 pace during training and averages 75 miles per week, felt the Velociti Elite 2 ranked up there in its category — but on the low end of the spectrum.
'I found this shoe to be a nice improvement from the Flow Velociti Elite, which I had tested in the past,' he said. 'It felt like Under Armour took feedback and tried to improve upon it, which is nice to see. With that being said, I feel that this shoe is still in the middle to back of the pack when it comes to the super shoe market.
'I have now tested, run, and raced in super shoes from Nike, Saucony, Adidas, Asics, Puma, New Balance, and Under Armour. For me, it is ahead of the New Balance FuelCell SuperComp Pacer and close to — if not right in line with — the Puma Fast-R Nitro Elite v1. Like I said, there are certainly improvements from the previous iteration, but the shoe still felt a little heavy underfoot, not quite as responsive, and kinda clunky.'
Indeed, the Velociti Elite 2 is on the heavier side compared to shoes like Asics’s Metaspeed Sky Paris and Edge Paris (men’s 7: 187g) and Saucony’s Endorphin Elite (men’s 9: 206g).
Mayer Irvine had similar notes to Price when she compared Under Armour’s super shoe to others she’s previously tested.
'I took the Velociti Elite 2 out on a few easy runs, a couple long runs, and some tempo-paced track work,' she said. 'The super shoe benefit, of course, came during races and my faster speedwork — not slow jogs. I felt this was a solid carbon-fibre shoe, although it’s not one I’d immediately choose over my others: Puma Deviate Nitro Elite 2, Saucony Endorphin Pro+, New Balance FuelCell SuperComp Trainer v2.”
Sharon Lokedi wore the Velociti Elite 2 once again when she raced the Boston Marathon on April 15, 2024. She finished second, just eight seconds behind winner Hellen Obiri.
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