Under Armour Spine ClutchFit – Performance Review

Fit for a champion.

Traction: The traction on the UA Spine ClutchFit provides minimal protection – to the midsole – during your run. Under Armour’s Micro G is caged within the foam midsole carrier (the Spine) and the rubber doesn’t protect it from wear and tear as nicely as I’d like. Small areas of wear and tear were popping up during the first few runs and over time this may be a concern. On most surfaces, the traction worked well but wet conditions can be slippery, especially on wet grass/ or terrain other than paved/ manmade tracks. Overall, not bad but not great… decent protection of the midsole and could be better when moisture is present.

 

Cushion: The Spine Clutch features Under Armour’s popular Micro G foam as well as a 4D foam insole. This new 4D insole cushions and conforms to your foot for a more personalized fit. Micro G foam has been critically acclaimed for a while now and the Spine ClutchFit is no exception. UA’s Micro G foam found in the Spine Chassis provides a low profile, responsive feel while also offering a slight bounce for an overall tremendous feel. Overall, the 4D foam insole and Micro G foam encapsulated within the Spine Chassis system offers a great cushion setup that provides a low profile feel with a slight bounce for those who seek a low profile feel without sacrificing any cushion.

 

Transition: This is where the Spine Chassis technology comes into play. Under Armour introduced the Spine to provide users with support without giving up flexibility. They’ve modified the Spine since I last used it and the changes provide a much smoother transition. Changing from a blocky square design to a more rounded and angled design, the Spine Chassis allows your foot to flex comfortably as you run. The heel to toe drop is minimal, which is good news for mid-foot/ forefoot strikers. However, heel strikers will still find the Spine ClutchFit to be a comfortable ride.

 

Materials: Under Armour introduces their latest technology along the upper; ClutchFit. The material is advertised to “activate under pressure” & to perform like a second skin for superior fit and feel. The underlay of the ClutchFit features a breathable mesh while the overlay consist of a synthetic material that features a bowtie pattern that resemble auxetic materials.  Auxetic materials have a negative Poisson’s ratio, which means they become thicker perpendicular to applied force. In simpler terms, ClutchFit stretches when it needs to and conforms back for a supreme fit.  It’s a new technology that actually performs very well. It’s durable, breathable, and most importantly… comfortable.  I would have preferred the ClutchFit material to be featured on the tongue as the padded mesh material featured on the tongue felt claustrophobic at times bit that could be a personal issue. Overall, ClutchFit is very impressive and I am looking forward to the progression and improvements of this new technology as it’s applied to other sporting categories such as Basketball.

Fit: Under Armour’s point of focus with ClutchFit was fit and containment without restriction. The Spine ClutchFit excels in this aspect as the ClutchFit wraps around your foot perfectly without pinching or causing any discomfort. When you flex and move your foot, the ClutchFit allows you to do so without any resistance but at the same time staying perfectly wrapped around your foot. The fit in the tongue section (as mentioned in the materials section) feels a little cluttered and I would have preferred a more low profile tongue rather than a heavily padded mesh tongue. The sock liner also features 4D foam that conforms to your ankle and no heel slippage is present on the Spine ClutchFit. Overall, ClutchFit truly feels like a second skin and is the most comfortable synthetic material I have worn to date.

Ventilation: The Spine ClutchFit is ventilated anywhere you see the mesh underlay with the exception of the heel area. The heel area features padding on the inner lining for comfort that doesn’t allow heat to escape. Everywhere else heat can escape and the Spine ClutchFit offers ample airflow during use. Overall the Spine ClutchFit has good ventilation without sacrificing structural support.

 

 

Support: While ClutchFit and the Spine Chassis system are both separate technologies from Under Armour, they work so well together they feel like kindred spirits. The ClutchFit provides a fit that flexes and locks down when needed for a dynamic feel and comfort while the Spine Chassis allows flexibility during runs without sacrificing support. Together they provide a ride that allows the user to do what they want, when they want, while being comfortable.

 

 

Overall: UA’s Spine ClutchFit has a lot of tech that works well together seamlessly. The Spine chassis system provides flexibility and support while the ClutchFit upper guarantees a fit worthy of world-class athletes for an overall smooth ride that feels fairly natural. Their 4D foam featured in the sock liner and heel padding is the icing on the cake to make every pair of the UA Spine ClutchFit truly personal to the user for a customized fit for another level of comfort. While the traction leaves something to be desired, the outstanding performance in every other category overshadowed any flaws the traction had. Overall, the UA Spine ClutchFit provides a seamless fit and transition for athletes looking for a shoe that goes where they go without any interference.

The Under Armour Spine ClutchFit is exclusively available at Finish Line for $99.99.