UA x Speedland Infinite Mega Performance Review

The UA x Speedland Infinite Mega is a collaboration between Under Armour Running and up-and-coming trail running brand, Speedland (we reviewed the Speedland GS: PGH here). Speedland founders Dave Dombrow and Kevin Fallon both previously worked at UA and various other brands and bring a lot of their signature style to the table for this joint venture.

This wild shoe is meant to generate good press and vibes for Under Armour’s overlooked running shoe line. And we say overlooked because it largely flies under the radar versus other brands despite having some very good running talent wearing UA shoes.

But the UA x Speedland Infinite Mega (or Infinite Mega, for short) is for sale to the public; and knowing Speedland, it’s totally runnable. So when Under Armour offered to send a couple of pairs our way, we couldn’t resist testing it just like we would any running shoe. Now let’s find out how it performs.

What is the UA x Speedland Infinite Mega?

According to Under Armour, the Infinite Mega’s “double BOA® system gives you a custom, precise fit and the ultra-cushioned midsole gives you a bouncy, plush underfoot feel.

Though it goes generally in the right direction, that’s some standard marketing language that doesn’t really tell the whole story. But it’s a nice segue into Arune’s and my experiences with the UA Infinite Mega.

Cushion

Drew: The UA Infinite Mega features a carrier of HOVR+ foam with an internal footbed (removable midsole) of supercritical foam that together push the stack height to 43mm in the heel and 35mm in the forefoot. That’s THICK.

The result? The plushest Under Armour running shoe to date. Easily. It provides the squishy, soft, and bouncy feel that Under Armour’s running line has been lacking.

Is it perfect? No. My lateral heel landing zone could have used more support. I really squished down that area, and my foot struggled to pronate enough to get out of the trough. This was accentuated towards the end of longer, double-digit runs.

Luckily, speeding up minimized that feeling, because in those cases I become more midfoot and forefoot dominant. And the UA Infinite Mega’s bounce really helped throw some speed in when needed. Despite being a bulky, heavier shoe, it sped up nicely (though solid effort was still required).

The midsole is above all fun, and it’s the driving force behind making the Infinite Mega the most fun Under Armour running shoe to date.

Arune, did you have as much fun as I did with this midsole?

Arune: Yeah, this midsole is so unexpectedly bouncy – yet controlled – that you would be forgiven for thinking you’d stepped into a New Balance Fresh Foam X More V5 (which remains my gold standard of squish).

And there’s an actual joy with these shoes – partly because this feels like an early adopter shoe, as we’ll discuss – and partly because they’re meant to make you move. Now that isn’t always perfect, as I experienced some instability underfoot and needed to adjust to the level of squish compared to my current favorite trainers (the Nike ZoomFly 6 and Adidas EVO SL).

But like Drew said, pick up the speed, and you will have a blast – with a whole lotta smiles, I promise.

Joy isn’t something I associate with Under Armour shoes (even the ones I like), so this seems like a significant shift in how UA is approaching the running category.

Upper

Drew: A fun midsole is crowned by a fun upper. The upper has serious Speedland vibes but takes some liberties with the Speedland design language since the UA Infinite Mega doesn’t need to be trail-ready.

The double BOA Fit System and straps in place of laces are adjusted appropriately to really lock down the foot. The BOA dials are also two-way, meaning they can be tightened and loosened in tiny increments. I love this feature because it makes it so easy to tighten if the upper is feeling loose or to loosen if my feet expand or need more room. I like these BOA dials even better than traditional laces because of how responsive they are.

But the craziest part about the upper is how open it is at the lateral heel. I was skeptical of this design feature at first, but it didn’t really affect performance. What it did affect, however, is what socks I’d wear with the Infinite Mega…I found slightly thicker, taller socks were a necessity to avoid irritation. 

While I love no-show or tabbed running socks, they just didn’t protect me enough around the ankle. I didn’t get any blisters, but my heel was annoyed with the rough edges.

So, while you need to be careful with your choice of socks, if you nail that down, the lack of a lateral heel sidewall doesn’t end up being an issue.

As an added bonus, this is the part of the shoe that gets the most questions from other runners or gym-goers. It really challenges the conventions of what’s possible in running shoe uppers.

Arune: When I opened the box and looked at these shoes, I said out loud, “what the F*** is this shoe?” because it doesn’t look like it should work. It kinda looks like a grade school science experiment for a shoe of the future that we laugh at before it goes on to change the world.

Now I’m not saying this shoe is going to change the world, but I am saying that skeptics should hold off trying to dunk on these till they try them on because visually, this is the kind of shoe that – as Drew noted – gets people talking and gets them interested. There’s nothing else on the market that quite looks like the Infinite Mega.

As for fit, I tend to wear some socks from RNNR that go up to my calves, so I rarely have the ankle issues with shoes that Drew noted above. The BOA lacing system allowed even my Hobbit-esque feet to find their perfect fit, ensuring the shoe fit around my feet instead of hoping my feet fit in the shoe. It’s such an important fit distinction I wish could be integrated into more shoes – especially running shoes given the cost and narrow design of so many.

Support

Drew: The support in the UA Infinite Mega comes from the wide base, the BOA Fit System, and the foot sitting slightly inside the midsole at almost every point around the foot. There’s no heel counter at all.

I had no problem taking corners hard and never felt in danger of slipping off the footbed. The BOAs lock the heel into the back of the shoe and ratchet the top of the foot down into the footbed. 

Despite a very accommodating build, my foot didn’t move around inside the shoe. I attribute this to BOA placement and the mix of straps. Speedland really has a feel for how to minimally create top-tier lockdown.

How did your hobbit-esque feet do with this setup Arune?

Arune: As I noted above, these were sufficiently wide to fit my feet and probably even wider than I needed – which is why it’s so surprising that the shoe never felt too big.

As Drew noted, this might be the best lockdown of any running shoe in recent memory, and it’s because the shoe is built to fit YOU, not the other way around.

Now I did feel my foot slide around a BIT at first, but I adjusted my gait and found my footing – pun intended – after the first run.

Traction

Drew: When it comes to Under Armour Running, the outsoles are very good at wearing down quickly. That’s been the case for years. However, the UA Infinite Mega bucks that trend. I’ve got a very normal amount of fraying at my high-wear areas (lateral heel and lateral-to-middle forefoot). And with an extra amount of testing mileage due to ramping up for a marathon build, this is impressive. Hopefully Under Armour takes this same rubber over to its other models.

I also didn’t have any issues in dry or wet conditions.

Were you able to make more of a dent in the outsole than I was Arune?

Arune: Sounds like you got more experience than I did with a variety of surfaces, Drew. 

Here in LA, we went from constant threat of fires to some crazy downpour; so I put in a lot of indoor miles and only got outside once the environmental issues subsided.

But throughout that time: no issues detected.

Is the UA x Speedland Infinite Mega wide foot friendly?

Drew: Yes, the UA Infinite Mega is wide-foot friendly. The toe and midfoot are especially cavernous. It’s a testament to the well-constructed fit that my average-width foot didn’t feel like it was swimming inside the shoe. 

I expect almost all wide-footers will be comfortable with this accommodating build. But let’s check in with Arune first to double check my assessment.

Arune: What Drew said. This shoe will work for YOU, from narrow to wide-footers.

Is the UA x Speedland Infinite Mega worth $250?

Drew: Listen, the UA Infinite Mega is meant for non-price-sensitive shoe nerds and early adopters – basically, the Speedland customer. Most of them have likely been waiting for a road model, and the Infinite Mega should scratch that itch. [Editor’s Note: There is a Speedland road shoe coming in 2025, but it will be built to racing specifications versus this more daily trainer/super trainer hybrid build.] 

Arune: We are lucky to get shoes like this to test, which means we get to try things outside of an everyday runner’s budget.

This is definitely, as Drew said, meant for the running nerds who want to be the first to try anything and everything – along with folks who love a unique collab.

Is this something I’d spend $250 on? No, because I’m not in that category. But if you are, $250 is no more than the price of some Nike Jordan 1 retros these days, and this is a much more versatile performance shoe than many of the “hype” releases out there.

How to use the UA x Speedland Infinite Mega

The UA Infinite Mega is best used as a bouncy, fun daily trainer/super trainer that can soak up a ton of miles and occasionally pick up the pace. It’s also best for those that appreciate a lot of room for toes to splay and feet to expand as the miles increase.

UA x Speedland Infinite Mega Summary

Drew: The UA Infinite Mega is the most fun running shoe that Under Armour has ever made. It’s too expensive for most people, but shoe nerds and Speedland fans will enjoy taking these out on the roads. Just be prepared to chat with passersby as they’ll all double take when they see the unique upper construction.

Arune: FUN FUN FUN – that’s the UA Infinite Mega in three words. If budget isn’t a concern, you’re going to have a lot of enjoyable miles and probably make some new friends as they ask, “what are THOSE?”

How does the Author Run?

Drew Whitcomb (age 43, 6’6″ 200lbs): Runs daily with a once a week rest day. Runs a lot of miles due to testing needs and a growing affinity for long-distance races. Regularly competes in marathons, half-marathons, 10k, and 5k races.

Arune Singh (age 43, 5’11”, 210lbs): Trains daily with functional fitness programming from Deadboys Fitness, founded by Colby “Seth Rollins” Lopez and Josh Gallegos, along with logging 30-40 miles of running per week. He also has a medical history of Sleep Apnea and Myasthenia Gravis, meaning Arune’s focus is on lean muscle mass.

Disclosure

While Under Armour did provide a pair of the UA x Speedland Infinite Mega to facilitate this review, the company had no involvement in this review, didn’t receive an advance look at it, and has not attempted to influence it.