Under Armour Infinite Elite Review: Better, But With Limits

What You Need To Know

Introduction to the Under Armour Infinite Elite

LINDSAY: The last time Under Armour hit the market with a notable new running shoe, it was the carbon-plated Flow Velociti Elite racing shoe. As you might recall, it was worn by the speedy Sharon Chesang Lokedi on her way to winning the 2022 NYC Marathon. She (and UA) had the tabloids absolutely buzzing, and for good reason. The Flow Velociti Elite was the most exciting thing to come out of Under Armour since the Curry Brand.

Now that they have our attention, Under Armour finally has a max cushioned daily trainer that’s hoping to keep our interest for the rest of our runs. If you dig far enough back into your running shoe archives, you might remember the UA Hovr Infinite — a shoe pitched as an option for running but actually landed better with those who wanted something comfortable to wear to work.

Now, Under Armour has taken that Hovr midsole formula and completely revamped it to be softer with higher energy return. Sadly, it no longer has the connectivity with MapMyRun like it did back in the day — wait do you guys remember that? Under Armour’s Hovr shoes used to track run data automatically, including your distance, pace, split cadence, stride length, and more, simply with the high-fidelity sensor embedded in the right foot. So cool. Bring that back, Under Armour! I’m getting off topic here, though, so without further ado, I introduce to you Hovr+ foam.

This is an endurance shoe, no question. With a plush knit upper and plenty of cushion underfoot, the Under Armour Infinite Elite absorbs the road miles and keeps the legs feeling fresh during and after. I can feel the skepticism oozing from your eyeballs, though, so stick with me here, and let’s get into the good and the bad.

What we like about the Under Armour Infinite Elite

LINDSAY: Before even putting this shoe on, you can tell it’s different from its predecessors. The midsole is chunky and wide and it’s certainly got the look and feel of an endurance shoe. The initial step-in feeling had me doing a double take — a nice and easy slip into a plush and comfortable fit. This is a max cushion shoe, without a doubt.

The knit upper provides a good lockdown over the pillow that is the tongue. I really love the varying types of knit weave, depending on which part of the foot it wraps around while leaving the toe box perforated so you still get some breathability. There’s also an internal connection between the tongue and the base of the shoe, giving the arch a nice little hug while leaving plenty of room for your toes.

The midsole is a giant slab of the new Hovr+ foam, which absorbed every bit of road I threw at it. There’s a good balance of firmness and cushion that allows for some really productive and painless foot strikes. I say painless because lately, I’ve found myself judging shoes by how my shins feel after, and this one passes the test. Like I said earlier, the midsole is also a bit wider, so there’s a lot of stability for a neutral shoe.

Also, the outsole is very grippy. I did a couple of runs in the rain and post-rain mud around Central Park in New York, and I had zero traction issues. It’s just a nice, smooth ride while dodging pedestrians, bikes, and other runners alike. If you know, you know.

One final compliment goes out to the shoe designers who pumped out the colorways: you’re the real MVPs. We love all-white shoes (the other colorways are nice, too, but the all-white just looks so, so fresh).

What we don’t like about the Under Armour Infinite Elite

LINDSAY: It’s no secret that Under Armour’s reputation for running shoes is subpar, and while the Flow Velociti Elite and now the Infinite Elite both break that stigma, there’s still some room for improvement.

I find that I’m only grabbing this one for runs that I know are going to be easy. They served me well on easy long runs and even held their own for some pickups, but they wouldn’t be my go-to if I knew I had a full tempo planned, and there are two reasons why I say that.

First, the Infinite Elite is definitely on the firmer side. I’ve got about 60 miles in it, and while I did notice some softening up during the first few runs, it’s no Hoka and doesn’t have much spring.

Second, it isn’t the lightest daily trainer. With a heel stack of 40 mm and an offset of 8 mm to the toe, it’s no surprise it comes in at a whopping 9 oz. — that’s a thick boi.

Final Thoughts on the Under Armour Infinite Elite

LINDSAY: Overall, I think Under Armour is taking a step in the right direction with the Infinite Elite. It’s an excellent neutral daily trainer for those looking for a balance of energy return and cushioning. I will note that personally, I have to size down in all Under Armour shoes. I normally wear a US W7 but fit better in a W6.5 in both this and the Flow Velociti Elite. That’s not a unanimous opinion, though — I know people who had to size up in this shoe. It’ll require some willingness to find the right fit, but it’s worth it, trust me.

Under Armour also released the Infinite Pro, which I haven’t tried but definitely would like to. With a little digging, I was able to figure out the differences. It mostly looks like a different design, primarily in the upper (IntelliKnit with more comfort features on the Elite vs engineered warp-knit on the Pro), a lower stack on the Pro (just eyeballing that one), and a different price point (the Pro comes in at $30 cheaper). Neither is carbon-plated (as the name sort of implies being elite).

If you’ve made it this far, you’ve read three or four names of Under Armour shoes that sound very similar and are a bit confusing. I was certainly confused when I first started learning about them, but let me try to break it down. The newest set of Under Armour releases is starting to look a lot like my favorite trio, the Saucony Endorphin Line, so stay with me here.

This is what I’m thinking: Saucony Endorphin Shift is kind of like the Infinite Elite, the Saucony Endorphin Speed is the Infinite Pro, and the Saucony Endorphin Pro is probably closest to the Flow Velociti Elite 2 (but that review is still forthcoming, hold your horses). Will it match up? That remains to be seen. Regardless, the shoe names are becoming infinitely confusing. We can forgive Under Armour, though, because at this price point, the Infinite Elite is certainly an affordable daily trainer option to add to the rotation.

You can pick up the Under Armour Infinite Elite for $159 at Running Warehouse (featuring free 2-day shipping and 90-day returns) using the buttons below.