Under Armour Velociti Elite 3 Review: A Precision Weapon for Race Day
- SportPlus Review
- 14 hours ago
- 5 min read
By reintroducing a rubber outsole and aggressively revising the shoe’s geometry, Under Armour is prioritising traction, stability, and forefoot propulsion over ultra-soft compliance
Singapore Release: January 2026
Price: SGD $299
Category: Carbon-plated race day “super shoe” (Designed for Marathon / Half-Marathon)
SportPlus Media’s Sole Mates Series returns for a brand-new season with a fresh format and a sharper point of view.
This year, the series now features five runners of different backgrounds and fitness levels, each bringing their own training styles, body types, and performance goals to the table. The aim is simple: to deliver more relevant, real-world feedback so readers can better relate to the shoes we test.
As part of our commitment to improving content for our community, we believe having a team of shoe reviewers across demographics—gender, age, and fitness levels— is far more effective. It helps readers find “their” reviewer—someone with a similar foot size, body type, or pace—making our reviews more practical, personal, and useful.
In episode 2 of season 4, John and Aldrich debate Under Armour's latest race day shoe - the UA Velociti Elite 3.
In today’s elite running shoe market, performance is no longer defined by cushioning alone. It is defined by physics, biomechanics, and how efficiently a shoe can convert force into forward motion.
Since the launch of the first carbon-plated racers nearly a decade ago, the sport has entered a full-blown “super shoe arms race.” Stack heights have increased, foams have softened, and plates have become more aggressive. But in that rush toward maximalism, stability and ground control have often been sacrificed.
With the Under Armour Velociti Elite 3, Under Armour signals a strategic shift. This is not a shoe built to feel soft, bouncy, or forgiving. Instead, it is a deliberate move toward a low-drop, firm, stable, and aggressive racing platform — one that prioritises control, traction, and forefoot efficiency.
This is a race shoe built for execution, not pure comfort.
Key Updates at a Glance
The Velociti Elite 3 represents a major evolution from its predecessors:
New Geometry:
A radical shift to a 2mm drop (37.5mm heel / 35.5mm forefoot), promoting a more aggressive, forefoot-focused ride.
New Outsole:
The exposed Flow foam is gone. In its place is a dedicated rubber outsole for improved traction and durability.
New Midsole Platform:
Dual-layer HOVR+ (PEBA-based) foam paired with a full-length carbon fibre plate. These changes reflect a philosophical pivot: away from experimental minimalism and toward a purpose-built racing chassis.
Engineering Evolution: A Strategic Pivot for Under Armour
Under Armour’s running shoe journey has never followed the traditional path.
While legacy brands refined EVA foams for decades, UA focused early on digital integration, embedding sensors into footwear to track cadence, stride, and ground contact time. While innovative, this delayed their full entry into the mechanical efficiency race dominated by carbon plates and PEBA foams.
Then came UA Flow — a rubberless compound designed to reduce weight by combining cushioning and traction into a single layer. While Flow delivered weight savings, it came with compromises in grip and snap, especially on wet or technical surfaces.
The Velociti Elite 3 represents a clear course correction.
By reintroducing a rubber outsole and aggressively revising the shoe’s geometry, Under Armour is prioritising traction, stability, and forefoot propulsion over ultra-soft compliance. In the physics of racing, grip and control are non-negotiable — and UA is finally treating them as such.
Structural Breakdown: Built for Direct Power Transfer
Midsole: Dual-Layer HOVR+ Foam
At the core of the Velociti Elite 3 is a dual-density HOVR+ midsole, created using a supercritical foaming process. The result is a PEBA-based foam with a firmer overall ride character compared to many competitors.
Rather than deep compression, the Velociti Elite 3 delivers immediate ground feedback, faster rebound, and less lateral deformation.
A softer top layer improves step-in comfort, while a firmer carrier layer stabilises the carbon plate. This ensures that energy is directed forward, not wasted through excessive foam compression.
In simple terms: this shoe is built to feel fast, not soft. The Carbon Plate: A Lever, Not a Trampoline
The full-length carbon fibre plate functions less like a spring and more like a rigid lever system.
By limiting toe joint flexion, it creates a “teeter-totter” effect that enhances forward roll and toe-off efficiency. In combination with the firmer foam, the plate delivers a snappy, race-focused ride.
At easy paces, it may feel rigid. At race pace, it comes alive.
The 2mm Drop: A Bold Biomechanical Statement
The most polarising feature of the Velociti Elite 3 is its 2mm heel-to-toe drop.
Most super shoes use an 8–10mm offset to reduce calf loading. Under Armour has gone in the opposite direction. This low-drop geometry:
Encourages a forefoot or midfoot strike
Increases load on the Achilles and calves
Promotes a faster forward roll
For efficient forefoot or midfoot strikers, this can feel incredibly natural and powerful. For heel strikers or runners with limited ankle mobility, it will require adaptation — and may not be ideal for everyone.
This is a shoe that assumes you already have strong lower-leg mechanics.
Outsole: The Return of Real Traction
One of the most meaningful upgrades is the return of a dedicated rubber outsole.
This improves wet-weather grip, cornering confidence and overall durability.
While the added rubber has added some weight to the shoe, it remains relatively light at approximately 221g, thanks to the removal of Flow foam from the bottom layer.
This is a critical change for runners racing on Singapore’s often slick pavements and humid conditions. Performance on the Road: Speed, Stability, and Trade-Offs
Speed vs Cushioning
The Velociti Elite 3 is unquestionably fast.
Its low weight and rigid platform support rapid cadence and short ground contact times — making it particularly effective for 5Ks, 10Ks, and Half Marathons.
However, it does not offer the same muscle-sparing softness as ultra-compliant competitors. Impact forces are returned more directly, which can accumulate over marathon distance.
This shoe asks the runner to bring their own suspension system.
Stability as a Performance Advantage
Where the Velociti Elite 3 truly shines is lateral stability.
The wider base and firmer foam create a planted, confident ride — especially on tight turns, uneven roads, track intervals and perhaps even more technical race courses.
In these conditions, the ability to hold speed through corners can translate into real time gains.
The Operator Profile: Who Is This Shoe For?
The Velociti Elite 3 rewards strong, efficient runners.
It is not designed to mask poor mechanics or compensate for undertraining. Instead, it amplifies what you already bring to the table.
As demonstrated by Sharon Lokedi’s success at the Boston and New York City Marathons, this platform is fully capable of elite-level performance — provided the runner is conditioned to handle its aggressive geometry.
Final Verdict
The Under Armour Velociti Elite 3 is one of the most distinctive race shoes on the market in 2026.
It is not trying to win on softness. It is trying to win on mechanical efficiency, traction, and stability.
For runners who value precision over plushness — and who have the strength and technique to exploit a low-drop, forefoot-driven platform — this could be one of the most effective race day tools available.
It won’t fake fitness. But if you have it, the Velociti Elite 3 will help you deploy it. #UnderArmourSG #UAVelocitiElite3