Under Armour Spring / Summer 2016 – Footwear

Under Armour has updated many of their running models and dropped a new gem for Spring / Summer 2016. First off, the UA Speedform Slingshot. It’s a co-gender shoe with a one-piece knit upper dropping on March 1, 2016 at UA.com and a full retail debut by 4/1. Priced at $140, there is some awesome tech in this new model.

This knit upper is unique in that one part of it is the same yarn used in the Under Armour Tech Tees. The other part is a NASA born fabric used in a lot of maritime applications for its water resistance, tenacity, and strength. The upper has three zones of compression; max compression on the lateral side, full compression on the medial side, and partial compression at the heel. There is additional fabric before your toes, allowing stretch for toe-off while running, but less at the toes for ventilation. The burrito tongue aids in great fit and if one unlaces the shoe, it truly is all one single piece.

Do you spot that piece between the layers of dual-density Charged cushioning (top layer Charged, bottom layer Micro G)? That is a Pebax plate in a wishbone shape that runs almost the full length of the shoe. It provides real springback when the shoe curls, propelling the wearer into their next stride. In hand, it was actually quite amazing. If you let the shoe go when curled, it whips back into place real fast.

The person I spoke to would not confirm or deny whether knit was headed into the basketball line but he did say it would become more present in the running line well into 2016. The first drop of the Speedform Slingshot will feature four colorways (red, pink, black, and grey — the last two are co-gender). Two months later there will be a neon pack. Afterwards, color refreshes will come in 30 day periods throughout the season.

The Speedform Apollo 2 is drastically different than the 1. A noticeable difference is the abrasion rubber on the outsole that is anatomically placed, although not with the exact same flex groove placement as the Gemini. The first Apollo was more of a racing flat that weighed only 5.7 ounces. The Apollo 2 weighs 8 ounces with an 8mm offset. However, it is still part of the Under Armour Run Fast category. It was updated because at $100 it features the Charged cushioning system, Speedform tech, and a mesh upper–a great entrance into a UA runner. Ship date is February 2 of 2016 and the Speedform Apollo will be available for men, women, and youth. The youth version will not feature Charged cushioning, just plain EVA, but will feature reflective uppers and bolder colorways.

The Speedform Gemini 2 was also revealed today. The TPU heel counter has been updated; it wraps the heel more for additional support. The runner’s eyelet has also been added, a feature many wanted in the next Gemini iteration. The cushioning in the Speedform Gemini is a bit denser and meant for training runs. It is part of the Run Long category and weighs 10 ounces with an 8mm offset.

UA says that globally this will be the most relevant shoe to runners of all kinds, whether they be heavily performance oriented or more casual. UA is starting 2016 with the Gemini 2; it drops January 1 for $130. There are more exciting updates to the shoe coming later in 2016.

Additionally, UA said that there are updates coming to the Under Armour Fat Tire. There will be new colorways and materials on the shoe in both its iterations (boot and low).

The Under Armour Spring / Summer 2016 lookbook also featured some new Under Armour Curry 2 colorways we hadn’t seen yet!

Another dope thing I spotted while at UA’s event was the Under Armour Speedfit Hike outdoor boot. Dressed in an all white non-retail colorway on the feet of a UA footwear expert, this boot will be coming dressed in all leather uppers to UA Brand Houses soon.

For the full Spring / Summer 2016 lookbook, click here. Thoughts on UA’s latest footwear? Sound off in the comments below.