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The Under Armour Charged Commit 3 is designed to be a budget-friendly training shoe for a little bit of everything. I was super interested in this shoe because of its price point and construction.
As a fan of Under Armour training shoes like the TriBase Reign 5, I was excited to put the UA Charged Commit 3 to the test. This shoe has been pretty surprising regarding its performance, but there are a couple of cons that I’ll discuss below.
In my UA Charged Commit 3, I’ll discuss the pros, cons, and sizing, and share my experiences with this shoe in the gym.
Quick Take: The Under Armour Charged Commit 3 is a training shoe that I’d call very beginner-friendly. This model has a lot of the core features that you want in a workout shoe for casual lifting and cross-training.
UA Charged Commit 3
Best For
- Recreational Lifting
- Cross-Training
- Gym Beginners
- Neutral to Wider Feet
Falls Short
- For Maximal Lifting
- For CrossFit
Who Should Buy the UA Charged Commit 3?
Throughout my testing and review process with the UA Charged Commit 3, I’ve found a few contexts where I think this shoe makes a lot of sense.
1. You Need a Well-Rounded Shoe for a Good Price
If you’re a gym newbie or intermediate lifter and want a shoe for a little bit of everything, then I think the UA Charged Commit 3 will deliver a strong performance for your needs.
This shoe is stable enough to support things like 405 lb deadlifts and its Charged midsole is responsive for box jumps and jump rope. In the context of being a strong budget-friendly training shoe, this shoe did a surprisingly good job.
This shoe is also comfortable enough for walking and shorter runs (<2 miles) so if you want a model for warm-up or cooldown runs and for daily wear this shoe should also deliver.
I also like that this shoe has a full rubber outsole and with its lower price point, I think it can be a good shoe to serve as a daily driver that you can beat up without feeling guilty.
Nothing is worse than investing in a really nice pair of cross-training shoes and then feeling guilty if they break down quickly when using them for things like daily wear and commuting.
2. You Want a Shoe With a Wide Construction
It’s no secret that it can be a struggle to find training shoes for wide feet. The UA Charged Commit 3 delivers a fairly wide construction, to begin with, but this model also offers a “wide” option.
I bought both and train more routinely in the “wide” option which is featured in this review and it’s surprisingly wider than I thought it would be when initially buying them.
To date, the UA Charged Commit 3 is one the widest training shoes I’ve ever worn and I almost felt like it was too wide and spacious for my needs at times. For wide and high-volume feet, I think you’ll enjoy the Charged Commit 3.
Who Shouldn’t Buy the UA Charged Commit 3?
Despite liking the UA Charged Commit 3 for what they are, there are a couple of contexts where I think this shoe will fall short.
1. You Want a Leaner Shoe That Feels Athletic
The UA Charged Commit 3 works fine for cross-training and HIIT, but it’s not my favorite model on the market for this style of activity. At times, this shoe can feel a little heavy and clunky which gives them a boat-like feel when training.
If you prefer shoes that feel a little more “athletic” on the feet and want something for HIIT, then you may want to explore options like the Nike Free Metcon 5.
In my opinion, it would be awesome if Under Armour would offer a budget-friendly training shoe that had a leaner feel. For example, UA models like the Apex 3 and HOVR Rise 4 also have chunkier feels to them.
2. You Need a Shoe for CrossFit and Heavy Lifting
If you’re in the market for a strong training shoe for CrossFit and heavy lifting, then you’ll want to pass on the UA Charged Commit 3, in my opinion.
Can these work for beginners in these contexts? Yes, but they’ll still fall short compared to dedicated training shoes built specifically for CrossFit. This model’s upper won’t be the best for the demands of CrossFit and durability could be an issue.
For heavy lifting, the Charged midsole will work for loads up to 455 lbs, but past that, I think you’ll start to notice compression. Plus, this shoe has a fair amount of toe spring and heel bevelling which can impact stability for things like squats.
UA Charged Commit 3 Pros and Cons
Report Card: Get the Quick FactsUA Charged Commit 3
Pros
- For beginners needing a shoe for a little bit of everything the UA Charged Commit 3 delivers a pretty well-rounded performance.
- This shoe also has a budget-friendly price point so it can be a great option for anyone wanting to spend less than $100 USD.
- If you have wider feet, then this model can be a great pick to look into and I’d suggest exploring the 4E option.
Cons
- If you’re serious about your barbell training or CrossFit, then you may want to explore training shoes that are more specific for these asks.
- This shoe can feel a little heavy and clunky at times so if you like “minimalist” feeling shoes you may want to pass on them.
- Long-term durability can be an issue in this shoe for serious training sessions which is why I suggest opting for a higher-quality model if you’re going hard in the gym.
Performance Assessment
To break down the performance of the UA Charged Commit 3, I’ll cover how this shoe performs for lifting, cross-training and versatile training, short runs, and daily wear.
Since this shoe is designed for a little bit of everything, I wanted to explore its performance across multiple verticals.
Testing the UA Charged Commit 3 for Lifting
The UA Charged Commit 3 does pretty well for their price and what they are. This shoe will work fine for recreational strength training and it should be stable enough for beginners and intermediates in the gym.
Again, I’ve worked up to 405 lbs in this shoe, and the midsole performed fine regarding stability, but I think if you push past this threshold that’s when you’ll start to notice more compression of the Charged foam.
I also like the full rubber outsole because it gives this shoe a nice level of grip on surfaces like rubber gym floors, wooden platforms, and machines. You shouldn’t experience slip issues in this model when strength training.
Another aspect to like about this shoe regarding its lifting performance is the width of the forefoot and its upper volume. If you want more room for toe splay and space for your toes when lifting, the Charged Commit 3 should fit your asks well.
My only knocks against this model for lifting are that you will have some limitations regarding heavy strength work, especially with barbell exercises, and they can feel a little chunky and lack articulation for things like lunges and split squats.
Testing the UA Charged Commit 3 for Cross-Training
For cross-training, HIIT, and more versatile workouts, the UA Charged Commit 3 has done a good job for the most part. If you plan to blend some lifting with some cross-training on a weekly basis, then this shoe should be plenty fine for your needs.
When doing jump rope and low-threshold plyometrics like pogos and box jumps, the Charged midsole gives you a nice level of pop. The foam in this shoe’s midsole walks a good line between being plush yet stable for cross-training.
I also like the upper construction and how its layered materials give you a little extra support when doing multi-directional exercises and exercises where you’ll be putting stress into the toe box.
Granted, I think low-volume feet may not feel this way due to the high volume of this shoe’s upper, but for thicker and high-volume feet, I think you’ll like the upper security that you get from this shoe.
My one complaint with this shoe for serious cross-training sessions is how clunky this model can feel at times. I like shoes that feel more sock-like when doing athletic workouts and this shoe is not that.
Testing the UA Charged Commit 3 for Short Runs and Daily Wear
For short runs, the UA Charged Commit 3 should work fine for quick warm-up and cooldown runs following workouts. If you’re wanting these for 1-2 miles for example, then you should be okay with them.
Granted, these are not my favorite training shoes for running, but they can get the job done. If you want a model for longer runs, you’ll want to explore shoes that are more specific with their construction.
For daily wear, these shoes also do an okay job. The full rubber outsole helps give this shoe a little more durability and the Charged midsole is pretty comfortable for longer walks.
I also like the price of these shoes for daily wear use because if you beat them up or want them as a daily driver then you don’t have to feel guilty about your investment. These cost $80 USD and are often on sale which makes them great daily driver contenders.
My Experience In the UA Charged Commit 3 SummaryUA Charged Commit 3 Sizing
For the UA Charged Commit 3, I think most athletes and lifters should be safe going true to size in this model. The length fits true in this shoe and they have a good amount of width to them.
I also like that the UA Charged Commit 3 come with two different sizing options “regular” and “wide”. To be honest, I wish more companies would do this for their training shoes, but I’ll save that rant for a different date.
The “wide” UA Charged Commit 3 is definitely wide and it should be fine for anyone with E-width feet or wider. Plus, you get a nice level of upper volume in this shoe so it should be a good pick for custom orthotic usage if you remove its insole.
For narrow and low-volume feet, you may want to tread lightly when investing in this shoe and you’ll most definitely want to go with the normal model and skip the “wide” option.
- UA Charged Commit 3 Sizing Thoughts: True to size for most.
If you have additional sizing and fit questions about the UA Charged Commit 3, drop a comment below and I can help you out based on your needs.
Price Breakdown
The UA Charged Commit 3 has a price point that sits around $80 USD. Compared to other training shoes that regularly cost $120-140, this is definitely a more budget-friendly option.
Personally, I don’t think this shoe necessarily feels like an $80 USD option and that was one of the subtle surprises that I had with this shoe when breaking them in and fire training in them.
On that note, this shoe is starting to make its way to my best budget training shoes round-up due to its width and fairly well-rounded performance in the gym.
That said, if you’re wanting a shoe that is a higher performer in the gym with more premium materials, I do think this shoe will fall short of your asks.
UA Charged Commit 3
Best For
- Recreational Lifting
- Cross-Training
- Gym Beginners
- Neutral to Wider Feet
Falls Short
- For Maximal Lifting
- For CrossFit
Construction Details
Below are the core construction details to note about this shoe that can influence its performance and durability.
- Heel-to-Toe Drop: 8mm
- Weight: 11.54 oz (for my size 10 model)
- Removable Insole: No (but only held in with a light adhesive)
- Charged Foam Midsole
- Full Rubber Outsole
- TPU Heel Clips
- Mesh Upper With Synthetic Overlays
- Leather Midfoot Saddle
- Beveled Heel
- 6 Core Eyelets
If you have additional questions about the construction of the UA Charged Commit 3, drop a comment below.
UA Charged Commit 3 FAQTakeaway Thoughts
The UA Charged Commit 3 has been a nice and subtle surprise. Going into this shoe I didn’t have the highest hopes because, with its low price point, I assumed this shoe’s performance would be sub-par.
Overall, though, I’ve been impressed with this shoe and if you can find them on sale, then that’s an even bigger win for what these shoes are.
Will these be the best shoes for serious HIIT, lifting, and CrossFit? Not necessarily, so I’d definitely make sure you understand what you’re getting regarding expectations before investing in this model.
If you have additional questions about the UA Charged Commit 3, drop a comment below or reach out to me personally via Instagram (@jake_boly or @that_fit_friend).
