Under Armour has brought back MicroG, in tandem with its Charged Foam cushioning, and improved the ClutchFit technology on the entire upper with the new Clutchfit Drive 3. Is this enough to bring the ClutchFit line back to one of the top on-court performers of the year? Find out with the WearTesters Under Armour ClutchFit Drive 3 performance review:
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Traction
Totally surprising. Yes, the ClutchFit Drive 3 uses a full-length herringbone pattern that isn’t particularly shallow but the flatness of the traction pattern lead me to believe that it would be serviceable in pristine court conditions and totally fall apart at even the sight of dust, but we were wrong. The rubber compound Under Armour used is extremely sticky and the black diamond blade pattern at the forefoot provided an excellent traction experience that is not only a winner indoors, but thanks to the relatively durable rubber compound, great for outdoors as well. As we mentioned, the rubber compound is very adhesive/sticky and it will attract dust, but it won’t matter — the ClutchFit Drive 3’s traction is up to the task.
Cushion
Cushion: If you’re one of those people who keeps wondering why Under Armour has been neglecting MicroG on the hardwood you’ll be pleased to know that the ClutchFit Drive 3 uses a full-length layer of MicroG. It provides a dynamic experience that works just as hard as you do; if you’re just standing around the cushion setup is going to feel extremely plush but the more pressure you apply the more responsive it gets. It truly feels like your hard landings are being turned into explosive takeoffs and the thick OrthoLite insole is just an added bonus that provides an extra layer of comfort.
The heel trades the MicroG for Charged foam which provides a much more firm setup when compared to the plushness of MicroG. It ends up feeling like the heel lacks cushion, similar to how the Air Jordan XXX9 (which had no heel cushion at all) felt in the heel. Forefoot-heavy players won’t notice this as much as those who land and strike with their heel.
Materials
ClucthFit is back on the ClutchFit and yes, it’s a synthetic fuse, but it’s a damn good one. Under Armour perfectly fuses mesh and plastic to provide a soft but durable experience that moves with your foot as opposed to your foot moving the materials. You’ll never feel that the ClutchFit upper is in your way and you actually won’t really feel the ClutchFit at all. That’s a good thing which allows you to focus on your game rather then what’s on your foot. The forefoot area is fully covered by a synthetic plastic which adds durability but still maintains the soft feel that is found in the midfoot and heel.
One area where the materials seemed to be lacking was the tongue. Under Armour usually has fantastic fitting tongues that wrap around the front of your ankle like a glove. However, the tongue on the ClutchFit Drive 3 is made of your standard mesh material that doesn’t really provide a great one-to-one fit like UA tongues are known for.
Fit
Under Armour really prides itself on giving its athletes products that fit them perfectly, allowing them to train without any distractions. The ClutchFit Drive 3 almost succeeds in that regard. The ClutchFit upper wraps around the foot nicely and will conform to any foot shape or size. The length is true to size with very little dead space between your toes and the front of the shoe.
There are four eyelets that are attached to the tongue and they apply pressure from the top down as opposed to pressure from the side-walls. Under Armour is calling this its bear-trap lacing system and it provides a fit that is noticeable. It’s not uncomfortable or anything like that but usually UA models have a seamless fit that feels like nothing is there. While, that is the case for the rest of the fit in the ClutchFit Drive 3, the tongue does apply more pressure than normal on the top of your foot. Heel slippage was present, but in the slightest manner, and if you lace them up tight enough at the top eyelet your heel and ankle will be locked in well enough for you to focus on your game.
Support
There are few support features in the ClutchFit Drive 3 but what is there works well enough to provide the necessary support you need on the hardwood. An external heel cup keeps your heel from shifting side to side which makes sure you get the most out of the MicroG cushion setup. The bear-trap lacing system keep your foot locked in from the top down to prevent slippage during hard stops, and the TPU shank provides torsional support.
What the ClutchFit Drive 3 lacks is lateral support. There isn’t a large lateral outrigger or any lateral support on the upper, so the wide base in the forefoot and excellent traction are the only things that keep you from rolling your ankle. The high version of the CFD 3 won’t be any better as the ankle and collar area is still made out of the extremely soft ClutchFit material. So, if you were looking for ample ankle support I would recommend getting an ankle brace or looking somewhere else completely.
Under Armour ClutchFit Drive 3 Low Overall
The ClutchFit line from Under Armour should be suitable for players positions 1-5. The brand’s star athlete is a guard and his signature models definitely cater to his play style so bigger players are left with little to no options from UA. This year’s ClutchFit model comes close to being a versatile on-court performer that any player at any position can be happy with. The cushion setup up is truly dynamic and will provide plush bounciness when you need it and firm responsiveness when you want it, and the traction setup never misses a beat no matter what conditions you come across. While the materials are soft, comfortable, and durable, the CFD3 may lack the necessary amount of support for bigger and more explosive players who exert tons of force.
As it sits right now, the ClutchFit Drive 3 is a great model at a wallet-friendly price for players positions 1-3 who are looking for an on-court model that provides a comfortable but durable experience.
Indoor outdoor traction nice. Cushioning I guess is good with Micro G in the heel. And clutchfit for the fit. All this the 110. UA is really bring the heat. Good performance review by Jarron.
I meant without Micro G In the heel.
Y’all need to change the formatting of the review. it looks cool and all but isn’t serviceable when actually trying to read the article.
It works for my 75-year old grandmother who I tested it with. But if its too difficult for you to read you can go to page two with a plain text layout.
ight i didnt see page 2 thanks bro
i don’t really get it though, the CFD1 was a perfectly serviceable shoe (in fact one of my favorite models to play in over the last few years), the 2 was a step down, and this seems an improvement over the 2, though it probably isn’t as good as the original…kinda hard to figure out what the point of this line is
money
new to the bay. where u hoopin at in the vid
This would also be great for crossfit
Great and very informative review once again!
Have you tried the kobe mentality 2s, if so, which would you prefer of the 2?
I had high hopes for these, but when I played on an extremely dusty court these were the same as playing with skates. I went back to my old “worn out” Kobe 9. I’ll give them another go at a cleaner court and hope for the best.