Shoe of the Week: Under Armour Flow Velociti Wind

Under Armour Flow Velociti Wind Review

Weight: M8.5oz, W8.02oz

Offset: 8mm (26mm heel / 18mm forefoot)

Price: $160

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Top Line

For unflappable training at any pace, these lightweight, flexible, form-fitting fliers are all about zip.

What’s New

Totally new to Under Armour’s lineup, the Flow Velociti Wind is a light yet supportive, neutral trainer that innovates through simplicity: it removed the outsole. UA changes the game by stripping off what is not only the heaviest part of most shoes but also the element with the most swing weight — making the resulting perceived weight even lighter.

This Is the Shoe for You If …

You want an efficient, firm yet flexible shoe for a range of workouts, from long runs to uptempo efforts. The Flow Velociti Wind is light and fluid enough that once on foot, it won’t be on mind, which is perfect for runners who want to push their pace without any complications. These shoes work through simplicity and have only what you need and little else.

First Runs

With no outsole, one would imagine the Flow Velociti Wind to work in a muted manner, allowing you to run quickly with the only sound being that of your breathing. Not so (if you run near other people, that is). Although the soft, rounded sole touches down smoothly and quietly, the Velociti Wind is so eye-catching that it provokes continual comments and admiration; shoe-directed cat calls, if you will. These shoes are things of beauty.

Light, firm, and responsive, the Flow Velocity Wind has a barefoot naturalness to them, seeming to keep ground contact time minimal. The ride feels low profile but with enough heel drop and underfoot protection that they don’t qualify as minimalist. Speaking of ground contact time, because the Velociti Wind connects with MapMyRun for real-time, personalized coaching, you can tap into feedback on form and access tips to help you get faster.

The Flow midsole was developed through a partnership with Dow Chemical and involved Under Armour’s Innovation, Product Design, Biomechanics, Athlete and Consumer Insights groups to zero in on the ideal level of firmness. One tester observed that while the shoe was firm, it was not too firm: “It was an amazing feeling. At times I felt like I was wearing a running Dansko, as the structure and security of the shoe was spot on but the responsiveness was like the best I’ve felt in this shoe genre.” None of the testers reported noticeable wear on the outsole-less bottom after running in them for several weeks, but we’ve yet to run sufficient miles in them to truly assess durability.

Testers did reported that it was hard not to go fast in these — not only because the shoes are so light and speedy but also because they didn’t ride quite as smoothly at a slower pace, encouraging a quicker stride to get the full effect. “In every run I’ve done in them my pace has been faster than planned and I inevitably incorporated some pickups,” he said.

The engineered mesh, moccasin-like upper provides a locked-in foot hold with supportive tapes placed strategically to move with the foot and eliminate pressure points — all as one might expect from what began as an apparel company. One tester called the upper, “A wonderful composition of horizontal and vertical patterns along with an interesting depth of colors, textures and opacities. The fit was incredible on the upper and at times I was amazed, as if I was wearing a jacket or fitted layer on my feet.”

The upper’s snug fit, the close-to-the-ground feel, and the versatility of the midsole make the Flow Velociti Wind a fine cross trainer, especially because they handle lateral motion with grace, possibly because the rubberless midsole technology came by way of basketball category learnings from Under Armour’s Curry Flow 8.

Similar Shoes:

Altra Rivera, Asics Gel-Nimbus Lite 2, Brooks Hyperion Tempo, Hoka Mach 4, Skechers GOrun Razor + Hyper, Saucony Endorphin Speed, Topo Cyclone