UA SlipSpeed Training Shoes Review | Innovation Meets Function?

UA SlipSpeed Training Shoes Pros

The UA SlipSpeed Training Shoes is a unique take on modern-day training shoes. Below are a few pros that I’ve found with this model throughout my review process.

1. Good All-Arounder Trainer for Athletic-Style Training
2. Easy to Slip-On and Sizing of This Shoe Is Pretty Inclusive
3. BOA System Is Secure, FLOW Midsole Is Bouncy, and Easily Washable

The first thing to like about the UA SlipSpeed Training Shoes is they are pretty good for athletic-style training sessions. Honestly, going into this shoe, I was a little skeptical about how this shoe would perform for different workout modalities.

Overall, I’ve been pretty impressed with the UA SlipSpeed’s performance. This shoe is bouncy for plyometrics and I like how this shoe felt when doing things like box jumps, skater strides, broad jumps, and jump rope.

For lifting, this shoe also does a good job for power-focused movements and light to moderate strength work. With power cleans, I’ve worked up to 245 lbs in this shoe and they felt stable enough, and for lower body accessories, they also performed well.

Now, will this model be the best for heavy lifting? No, and I’ll discuss that further below, but for most lifters and athletes who are doing light to moderate strength work blended in with power-focused exercises, these shoes should work well.

The second thing to like about the UA SlipSpeed Training Shoes is that they work well as a slip-on shoe in addition to being a trainer. The BOA system locks them down pretty well and they don’t slide off the feet too easily, which is a nice perk.

I joke because I would have really benefitted from these shoes back when I was playing hockey, as I constantly ruined my shoes by wearing them as pseudo-slip-on shoes to dryland sessions. These shoes scratch my “lazy” athlete itch.

The sizing inclusivity of this model is also a nice subtle perk of these shoes. This model goes up to size 15 which is great for athletes with bigger feet and they can be a good option for those who can tie and use traditional lacing systems.

With the convertible heel and BOA lacing system, this model is fairly easy to get on and off for athletes and lifters from all walks of life with different footwear needs. I’ve always been a fan of companies that produce shoes that are more inclusive for everyone.

The final aspects to like about the UA SlipSpeed Training Shoes are their BOA lacing system, FLOW midsole, and machine washable capabilities. BOA lacing systems can be pretty polarizing in nature and athletes will typically love or hate them.

I personally like the BOA system on this model and I like that it added to the ease of use of this shoe. The BOA system is also easy to micro-adjust regarding how much tightness you want for training and casual wear. It’s a must-feature with the convertible heel, in my opinion.

The FLOW midsole is also a pro with this shoe and I enjoy this material when Under Armour uses it in their shoes. This material helps keep this shoe a little lighter and it gives it a nice responsiveness, much like the UA Flow Velociti Wind 2.

As a final subtle pro with this shoe, this model comes with a laundry bag and this shoe is purposely designed to be machine washable. If you want to clean these shoes, simply throw them in the bag and run your wash on delicates, then let them air dry. DO NOT put them in the drying machine.

UA SlipSpeed Training Shoes Cons

Despite liking the ingenuity of the UA SlipSpeed Training Shoes, I do think there are a few cons to note about this shoe before investing in them.

1. Performance and Durability Will Be Limited
2. Convertible Heel May Not Work for Everyone
3. The Toe Box Is a Little Snug

The first drawback that comes along with the UA SlipSpeed training shoes is that their performance will be a little limited in certain contexts. I like the SlipSpeed Training Shoes for versatile training and light strength work, but I’d pass on them as I get more niche.

For example, if I’m lifting heavy, this will not be the training shoe that I go with for two key reasons. First, the midsole compresses once you start to pass around 315 lbs. Second, the lack of rubber on the outsole could lead to slip issues for machines and free weights on certain surfaces — better safe than sorry here.

In addition, this would not be my first pick for a training shoe training outdoors on concrete. On tracks and grass, they’ll be fine, but with concrete, you’ll save the FLOW midsole and get more out of your investment if you limit their use in this training context.

On top of these areas, I don’t think the SlipSpeed Training Shoes will be the best model for the athlete and lifter that likes a “leaner” shoe. The sole in this model can feel a little chunky and platform-y at times, so if you like leaner training like the Nike Zoom Metcon Turbo 2 or APL TechLoom Tracer, you’ll want to consider this.

Another drawback that I could see others having with the UA SlipSpeed Training Shoes is their convertible heel. The heel of this model feels like it’s built out of neoprene and it does a decent job with security, but it doesn’t provide a ton of structure.

I think if you’re someone who likes training shoes with ankle support, you’ll probably want to steer from buying this model. I don’t think the heel will give you the structure and support that you like in training shoes.

On top of this, it did take some getting used to because it feels like your heel is moving in this shoe more than it is, and this is something I also noticed with the OluKai Mio Li’s Drop-In heel. It’s an odd sensation, even though I didn’t experience heel slip.

The final aspect about the SlipSpeed Training Shoes that I could see bothering others is their toe box width. While this model has a “regular” fit per Under Armour’s sizing specs, I found the toe box of this shoe to be a little tight.

I think the heavier upper construction on this shoe’s toe box contributes to this snugger feeling as well. If you have wide feet, then you’ll want to consider this fit aspect of this shoe because it may not align with your foot anatomy very well. I have neutral-width feet, by the way.

Granted, I do think this shoe needs to run a little snugger to help promote its overall security, but still, this model will likely not be the best wide-feet-friendly trainer on the market.

Performance

To break down the performance of the UA SlipSpeed Training Shoes, I’ll cover how these shoes perform in a wide range of contexts. Below, I’ll discuss how they perform for lifting, versatile training, short runs, and daily wear.

Since this shoe is fairly niche with its construction and pretty pricey, it’s a good idea to make sure you align with its performance before investing in them.

Testing the UA SlipSpeed Training Shoes for Lifting

When it comes to lifting, the UA SlipSpeed Training Shoes do an okay job, but they will have some limitations. For example, on my training days when I was working with light to moderate loads, the stability in these shoes worked fine.

More specifically, I think if strength work and lifting are only a small part or a small portion of your weekly training, then you should be fine with the SlipSpeed Training Shoes. For power cleans up to 245 lbs the stability in these was good enough.

In addition, with walking barbell lunges, I thought the stability was also fine up to about 185 lbs. If you’re routinely going heavier than these thresholds with exercises like these or want a shoe primarily for heavy barbell work, I’d pass on this model.

On top of this shoe’s limitations with heavy strength training, the full foam sole with no rubber outsole components can also be problematic when doing heavy machine work. The last thing you want to be thinking about when doing heavy leg presses and hack squats is your feet slipping.

Overall, I think if your main training focus isn’t on top-end strength work, then you should be fine with the SlipSpeed Training Shoes. It’s a model definitely built with the athlete in mind that is primarily doing light to moderate strength and power training, in my opinion. 

Testing the UA SlipSpeed Training Shoes for Versatile Training

For versatile training including HIIT, agility exercises, and athletic-style training sessions, I enjoyed the SlipSpeed Training Shoes’ performance for the most part. You can see Under Armour was thinking about athletes with this model, which I like.

When it comes to HIIT, conditioning, and athletic-style workouts, this shoe is bouncy enough to keep them comfortable for different types of multi-directional exercises and explosive movements, and they should work well for someone doing a lot of HIIT on a weekly basis.

The upper on this shoe in combination with the BOA system provides a nice level of security, but I do have two concerns here. First, you can feel the BOA system at times on the top of the foot. Not to a huge degree, however, I could see this bothering some athletes.

Second, the boot security I could see bothering some, especially for lateral exercises. If you like having more structure around your ankle, then I’m not convinced you’ll personally love the security that you get with this shoe for versatile workouts.

At the end of the day, I like this shoe for versatile training for the most part and I like that Under Armour is trying something new. I just think you’ll have to understand that this shoe will feel different ad it may have some limitations for this workout context. 

Testing the UA SlipSpeed Training Shoes for Short Runs and Daily Wear

For short runs, I found the performance of the UA SlipSpeed Training Shoes to be a little hit or miss. I think if you’re tackling short runs that range from 1 to 3 miles tops or using them for short interval runs, then they’ll be fine but they’re not my favorite for a couple of reasons.

First, while I like the FLOW midsole and its level of responsiveness, it felt a little clunky at times, especially for faster runs. Second, the heel construction is just “okay” and I would prefer more boot security when tackling runs.

Some may not be bothered by this, but even small movement around the boot is a turnoff for me with running. For long-distance runs, I’d suggest passing on this shoe and opting for a model that’s a little more specialized.

For daily wear, I enjoyed the performance of the UA SlipSpeed Training Shoes. I like how easy it is to rock these as slip-on shoes and how fast you can tighten them to get a secure fit for different daily wear contexts.

I also like how these shoes come with a washing machine-friendly bag and that they’re machine washable. This saves you time from having to spot-clean these shoes and it’s nice that you can beat these up and clean them fast.

UA SlipSpeed Training Shoes Sizing

For the UA SlipSpeed Training Shoes, most athletes and lifters should be safe going true to size in this shoe. They have a “regular” width and fit per Under Armour’s site and their length runs pretty true.

I went true to size in this model, and I do have a little room at the end of my toe box, but not enough to where I would warrant sizing down in this model. Plus, the toe box can feel a little snug, so I worry sizing down would make these feel too tight.

For notably narrow feet (not just a little narrow), you may want to size down a half size to ensure you get enough security in this model. With its lacking boot structure, I think nailing your length with these shoes will be incredibly important.

For wide feet, I hesitate when suggesting sizing up just to give a little more width in this shoe because with its convertible heel, I worry that you won’t have enough security if this model runs too long per your foot’s anatomy.

I think heel slip could be an issue in this shoe for some foot anatomies, and more specifically, if this model runs too long for you, then I could see this issue more prevalent.

• UA SlipSpeed Training Shoes Sizing Thoughts: True to size for most.

If you have additional sizing and fit questions about the UA SlipSpeed Training Shoes, drop a comment below and I can help you out accordingly.

Price Breakdown

For the UA SlipSpeed Training Shoes, you can expect to $150 USD. This is a fairly inline price point with premium Under Armour training shoes like the UA Project Rock 5 and UA HOVR Rise 4.

Honestly, the price of these shoes can be a little or miss. More specifically, I think if you want this shoe to add to your training shoe line-up, then the price can make more sense.

This model is definitely unique and it offers a nice range of versatility with its slip-on capabilities, so I do think the price could be justified for athletes wanting more variety in this training shoe context.

Conversely, if you have the means for one training shoe, then I’d suggest passing on this model. It’s a good shoe, but there are stronger performers for cross-training and lifting for slightly lower or similar price points.

Construction Details

There is a lot of unique and interesting construction detail to know about the UA SlipSpeed Training Shoes. Below are some of the important features to note about this model.

• Heel-to-Toe Drop: 2mm
• Weight: 
• Removable Insole: 
• FLOW Midsole Construction
• BOA Lacing System
• Convertible Heel
• Machine Washer-Friendly
• Iso-Chill Interior Padding
• Reinforced and Breathable Upper
• 3 BOA Eyelets

If you have additional construction-related questions about the Under Armour SlipSpeed Training Shoes, drop a comment below.

Takeaway Thoughts

The Under Armour SlipSpeed Training Shoes deliver an interesting performance and offer a unique construction. Will this model be the best shoe in class for any category? I don’t think so, but it is pretty well-rounded.

I think if you have an athletic-focused bias with your training and you like that you could also use these as slip-on shoes, then the SlipSpeed Training Shoes may be worth exploring.

To be honest, I feel like these are the perfect training shoes for the lazy athlete who typically breaks down their training shoe’s boot constructions due to slipping on shoes.

That being said, if you only have the means for one training shoe, I’d say opt for different models, as this shoe will have its limitations for lifting and cross-training.

If you have additional questions about the UA SlipSpeed Training Shoes, drop a comment below or contact me personally via Instagram (@jake_boly or @that_fit_friend).