I ran 35 miles in the Under Armour Velociti Elite 2 — here’s my verdict on this carbon racer

The Under Armour Flow Velociti Elite 2 is an improvement on the original Velociti Elite, but still falls short of the standards of the best carbon plate running shoes. It’s undoubtedly a speedy shoe, but heavier and less propulsive than the likes of the Asics Metaspeed Sky Paris and Nike Alphafly 3.

Some will like the firmer feel of Under Armour’s foam, and I did find it an enjoyable shoe for interval sessions, but in a market saturated with incredible racing shoes the Velociti Elite 2 doesn’t stand out as a top option.

Under Armour Velociti Elite 2 review: price and availability

The Under Armour Velociti Elite 2 launched in early 2024 and costs $250 in the US and £225 in the UK at the Under Armour store, which is about par for a carbon plate running shoe. Compared to other carbon racers it does appear in sales more frequently and it has dropped below $200 in the past.

Under Armour Velociti Elite 2 review: design and fit

The Under Armour Velociti Elite 2 is available in men’s and women’s shoes in five colors at the moment. It is one of the heavier carbon plate running shoes, tipping the scales at 9.1oz in the US size 10 I tested — that’s significantly heavier than my current top carbon shoe, the Asics Metaspeed Sky Paris, which is 6.6oz in the same size.

Under Armour lists the drop of the shoe as 8mm on the website, but I’ve also seen it listed at just 2mm, with a stack height of 39.5mm at the heel and 37.5mm at the forefoot. After running in the shoe the 2mm drop feels more accurate to me, and if so it’s one of the lowest-drop carbon shoes I’ve tested.

I found that the shoe fit me well in my normal running shoe size, with enough room around the toes and no rubbing or slipping at the heel.

Upper

The Warp 2.0 upper is one of the best features of the Velociti Elite 2. Not only does it look great, it also holds the foot comfortably and securely when running fast, and it’s highly breathable. It’s a minimal upper, which you expect on a racing shoe, but one that doesn’t sacrifice comfort for long-distance races and training runs.

Midsole

The Velociti Elite 2 uses a dual-density midsole setup, with the top layer being a bouncy PEBAX foam and the bottom being the brand’s Flow material, which is a firmer EVA foam. There is more of the PEBAX foam in the Elite 2 compared with the original, which creates a bouncier ride, but it’s still a firmer shoe than most carbon racers. 

A full-length carbon plate runs through the midsole, which stabilizes the foams and adds propulsion to the ride. Like most modern racers, the Velociti Elite 2 is a stiff shoe because of the carbon plate.

Outsole

There is no rubber on the outsole of the Velociti Elite 2, with the Flow foam used for the bottom of the midsole being exposed. This helps to reduce the weight of the shoe, and I’ve had no problems with grip or unexpected wear with the shoe, with the foam on the bottom of the shoe being textured to create traction.

Under Armour Velociti Elite 2 review: running performance

I’ve tested almost many of the top carbon plate running shoes available and the Under Armour Velociti Elite 2 feels quite different to the rest. There are some positives to this that will appeal to some runners — it has a firmer, more direct feel than shoes with very soft foams, and is more stable than most super-shoes. 

The low drop will also work well for forefoot strikers, though as a heel striker myself I found it made the ride feel a bit awkward at slower speeds, and put some extra strain through my calf muscles when using the shoe for interval sessions.

I did enjoy it as an interval shoe, however. I ran two workouts doing short reps of 400m and 60 seconds, and it does feel explosive and fast. However, when pushing the pace for longer spells I found the shoe started to feel heavy and less propulsive than other racers.

I did a 3km rep in just under 10 minutes in the shoe, along with a 5K parkrun, and didn’t really feel the efficiency benefits you get from the best super-shoes.

The foam is certainly firmer than other racing shoes and less bouncy. The layer of Flow foam in the midsole makes the shoe feel bottom-heavy and mutes the spring you get from the PEBAX top layer.

As Under Armour continues to develop the shoe in the future I expect the Flow foam will eventually be dropped entirely. Most carbon racers just use PEBAX or similarly springy foams, and the use of the Flow foam on the Velociti Elite makes it feel more like a fast training shoe than a racer.

It will be more durable than most super-shoes because of the firmer foams used and if you like the low drop and direct ride feel, the Velociti Elite 2 is a fun shoe to use for interval sessions. It’s a fast shoe for races too and a step in the right direction for Under Armour, but it’s outgunned by the best available from other brands.

Should you buy the Under Armour Velociti Elite 2?

The Under Armour Velociti Elite 2 is a good shoe in a market full of great shoes, and it’s hard to recommend unless its unique characteristics — the firm ride and low drop — appeal to you enough to overcome the extra weight and lack of spring it has compared to other super-shoes.

My top racers right now are the Asics Metaspeed Sky Paris and Nike Alphafly 3, which are lighter, springier, more comfortable and faster. The Hoka Cielo X1 is another great option, as is the Nike Vaporfly 3, and the Metaspeed Sky Paris and Vaporfly 3 are around the same price as the Velociti Elite 2.

At full price, the Velociti Elite 2 doesn’t justify the cost. But it is a shoe that does regularly drop significantly in price, and if you like the sound of it as a fast training option then it could be worth considering if it falls to around the $150 mark.