Under Armour Velociti Elite 2 review

Under Armour continues to enhance its shoe-game with a new carbon shoe that encourages forefoot running and speed. Enter the Flow Velociti Elite 2.

I was a big fan of the previous unisex Flow Velociti Elites from Under Armour, praising their comfort, up-tempo appeal and nimbleness on the triathlon race course.

I did label them ‘Carbon Lite’, however, due to the more moderate, in the 2020s anyway, 36mm stack height, 8mm drop and less aggressive carbon sole.

Under Armour has sought to rectify this with the sequel, which sees the stack height increased from 36mm in the heel to 39.5mm (heel to toe drop is now an aggressive 2mm, even if UA still list it as 8mm on their website), more PEBAX foam in the midsole and a new full-length, scooped carbon plate located in the midsole.

The results have already witnessed Sharon Lokedi finishing second at the 2024 Boston Marathon in April wearing the Flow Velociti Elite 2.

First impressions

Out of the box and the first thing you may well notice is the lack of an outsole (see also the original Flow Velociti Elite), with the grip built into the bottom of the midsole’s cushioning. That grip wasn’t an issue on midsummer UK roads.

I did have questions over the long-term durability of this approach, but the sole is yet to show any damage from running and my long-term originals are still going strong.

The aim no doubt is to lower the Flow Velociti Elite 2’s overall weight, but these still tip the scales at 260g (UK8), which is heavier than much of the maximal shoe competition in 2024. See our list of the best carbon plate running shoes for more.

Upper and fit

On the foot and the Elite 2’s Warp 2.0 upper was breathable enough on UK summer runs, but its scratchy and coarse nature means this shoe isn’t an ideal pick for sockless wear on triathlon race days, especially if you’ve been slack at cutting your toenails.

The tongue stays neatly in place, though.

The wide toe box is worth noting for thinner-footed triathletes, who could well experience some folding of the upper over the top of the foot.

Performance

UA bills these for long and middle-distance races and, with that low heel-to-toe drop, they do encourage a forefoot strike and forward propulsion.

The 260g weight (40g more than the original Elites) is noticeable, however, and there is a feeling of bottom heaviness here due to the lightweight upper combined with the weightier midsole.

Conclusion

I can see why UA had to dispense with the outsole. Combined with the moderate amount of spring in the midsole, probably due to the lack of full PEBAX and presence of UA’s heavier Flow foam, and the Elite 2s feel like a work in progress for Under Armour.

The price is also high, but the alternative, and I would say preferable colour schemes of black/astro pink and white/downpour grey, can be found with heavy half-price discounts of UA’s UK website.

Alternatively, see our list of the best cushioned run shoes for more options.

Under Armour Velociti Elite 2 specs