Under Armour Project Rock BSR 3 Review | What’s Really Different?

UA Project Rock BSR 3 Pros

Over the course of my training and testing with the UA Project Rock BSR 3, I’ve found a few key things to like about this model.

1. Good Versatile Budget-Friendly Trainer
2. Charged Midsole Is Responsive and Fairly Stable
3. Upper Feels Secure and Comfortable

The first thing to like about the UA Project Rock BSR 3 is its well-rounded performance for its price point. This model comes in at $100 USD and if you love The Rock and his gear, but don’t want to drop $150 on the Project Rock 5 then this is a good comparable model.

For general strength work, this shoe does a pretty good job, and more specifically, I think if you’re a beginner or intermediate lifter wanting a shoe to support things like barbell deadlifts up to 405 lbs and squats up to 365 lbs then this shoe should work well.

This model also works well for machine work and dumbbell accessories. Outside of lifting, this shoe is also pretty good for versatile training, HIIT workouts, and short runs. When doing faster quarter-mile runs, this model was responsive and pretty comfortable.

For daily wear, this shoe can also work pretty well as it’s fairly comfortable with its fit and construction. If you want a trainer for a little bit of everything that you can beat up on a daily wear basis, then I think you’ll enjoy the UA Project Rock BSR 3.

Another aspect to like about the Project Rock BSR 3 is its Charged Cushioning midsole. I think if you like midsoles that run a little more on the dense side, then you’ll enjoy the BSR 3’s midsole and how it feels.

In addition, if you’ve worn UA Project Rock shoes before and enjoyed how they felt, then I think you’ll also resonate with this shoe as it feels super consistent with the Project Rock BSR and Project Rock BSR 2.

The last aspect to like about the UA Project Rock BSR 3 is its reworked upper construction. This shoe features a bootie-style construction with a lightweight mesh upper with synthetic overlays around the base of the forefoot.

When it comes to comfort, I liked how this upper hugged the foot. It feels sock-like in nature and it has enough volume through the forefoot and midfoot to not make it super limiting or too tight.

The boot of this model also features a slightly more rigid design which is nice for ankle support and the external heel tab is a nice add-on for helping with the ability to pull this shoe on.

UA Project Rock BSR 3 Cons

While the UA Project Rock BSR 3 delivers a pretty good well-rounded performance, there are definitely a few cons to note about this shoe before investing in them.

1. Lack of Flexibility and Articulation
2. Not Great for Serious Training
3. Limiting for Wider Feet

The first drawback that I have with the UA Project Rock BSR 3 is that they’re a pretty stiff training shoe that lacks sole flexibility. For exercises like lunges and split squats, you want more articulation through the sole and you don’t really get that with this model.

The Charged midsole is super dense and with this model’s higher stack height, I think you’ll want to pass on this shoe if you enjoy training shoes that have more flexibility to them like the Haze Trainer or a more “minimalist” feel as this model can feel pretty clunky.

The second drawback that comes along with the Project Rock BSR 3 is that its performance is going to start to fall off as you get more serious and specific with your training. For example, for heavy barbell work, this shoe’s stack height and toe spring can feel limiting.

In addition, this won’t be a good shoe for CrossFit WODs and tougher cross-training. I think for these contexts you’ll want a shoe that has a more specific construction that will prolong its durability and improve its niche performance.

The final drawback that comes with the UA Project Rock BSR 3 is that it won’t be the best model for wider and thicker feet. This shoe has a “regular” fit per Under Armour’s website and I find that it lacks width for those who will need more toe box width.

In addition, since this shoe has a bootie-style construction and an insole that is not removable, I think you’ll want to pass on this shoe if you have thicker feet as it will likely feel tough to get on especially if you’re wearing socks.

Performance Breakdown

To assess and break down the performance of the Under Armour Project Rock BSR 3, I put these shoes through a battery of tests. More specifically, I tested this shoe for lifting, versatile training, short runs, and daily wear.

Since these shoes are designed to be versatile with their construction, I wanted to see where they performed best and where they start to fall off.

Testing the UA Project Rock BSR 3 for Lifting

To test the UA Project Rock BSR 3 for lifting, I used this model for a variety of strength workouts. I took them through some heavier barbell-focused days and days where I was working out with machines and with dumbbells and kettlebells.

When it comes to barbell work, this model is okay and I see it as a good generalist for anyone not super specific with their strength work. For example, they’re stable enough for moderate loads with squats, and for light to moderate deadlifts they also work okay.

My issue with this shoe for barbell work, though, is that they do have a fair amount of toe spring and a pretty thick stack height. If you want to feel more grounded when lifting, then you’ll want to find a flatter model with a lower-to-the-ground feel.

That being said, if you’re only planning to use this shoe for casual strength work or for strength days that are blended with versatile training, then you should be fine with this model’s performance and construction.

Plus, if you compare the Project Rock BSR 3 to other training shoes around $100, then I think their lifting performance is right around the middle of the pack. They’re not the best, but they’ll get the job done for a wide range of lifters.

Testing the UA Project Rock BSR 3 for Versatile Training

When it comes to versatile training, the Project Rock BSR 3 does a pretty good job. To be honest, these shoes feel exactly like the Project Rock BSR 2 and I don’t really think they have a grandiose improvement with their construction in the context of versatile work.

The Charged midsole is pretty responsive for things like jump rope, box jumps, lateral jumps, and explosive bodyweight exercises. I also think this shoe’s higher heel-to-toe drop and toe spring give them a nice edge for class-style workouts.

One area where the UA Project Rock BSR 3 is arguably better is its upper construction. The bootie-style construction, reinforced heel, and breathable mesh give this shoe a nice snug fit for HIIT workouts and athletic-style training sessions.

I think if you’re investing in this shoe for more casual versatile training, then you’ll enjoy this model’s overall performance. It got the job done for most of my HIIT workouts and athletic sessions and with beginners, intermediates, and heavier-set athletes, they should perform well.

On that note, if you like training shoes that have a little more cushion or forgiveness through their midsole, then you may want to pass on the Project Rock BSR 3 as they are a more dense model.

Testing the UA Project Rock BSR 3 for Short Runs and Daily Wear

When it comes to running in the Project Rock BSR 3, I think you’ll want to cap your mileage in this shoe. This shoe should work fine for runs that range from 400 meters to about 3 miles and I think 3 miles would even be pushing it in these shoes.

For shorter runs, this model is comfortable enough and they have a nice responsiveness for moderate-paced run sessions. If you want a hybrid training shoe or a model for long-distance runs, then I think you’ll want to pass on these shoes.

For daily wear, I like and dislike the UA Project Rock BSR 3 for certain reasons. When it comes to comfort and functionality, this shoe performs pretty well. It’s comfortable enough for long walks and for daily wear I could also see them doing a good job.

My only complaint with this shoe is that some of the colorways don’t look the best, and mine is one of them, in my opinion. I kind of feel like the colorway in my Project Rock BSR 3 has a “dad shoe” vibe which can be pretty hit or miss depending on who you are.

UA Project Rock BSR 3 Sizing

When it comes to sizing in the UA Project Rock BSR 3, I think most athletes and lifters should be safe going true to size in these shoes. This model’s length fits true and they have a neutral-width, or “regular” fit per Under Armour’s site.

This model fits very similarly to the UA Project Rock BSR 2 and I think if you currently wear Under Armour shoes, then you’ll want to size these shoes similar to the other models you wear.

For wide and thick feet, you may want to pass on this shoe. It doesn’t have the widest toe box width as mentioned above and with bootie-style shoes that lack removable insoles, you’ll want to be careful regarding this shoe’s fit and your foot anatomy.

• UA Project Rock BSR 3 Sizing Thoughts: True to size for most athletes and lifters.

If you have additional sizing and fit questions about the UA Project Rock BSR 3 or what size to go with for you, drop a comment below and I can you out accordingly.

Price Assessment

For the UA Project Rock BSR 3, you can expect to pay $100 USD. This price point is similar to prior Project Rock BSR models, and fortunately, it hasn’t been increased as we saw with the TriBase Reign 5’s price.

Regarding the price of this shoe, I think if you love the Project Rock line and you’ve worn the BSR models before, then you’ll enjoy what this shoe has to offer. It’s not a shoe with drastic changes, but the subtle changes are a net positive, in my opinion.

Conversely, if you’re not set on the Project Rock BSR shoes and you’re wanting to spend around $100 USD for an Under Armour training shoe, then I’d suggest checking out the TriBase Reign Vital or TriBase Reign 4 which is on sale.

Construction Details

There are a lot of similarities between the UA Project Rock BSR 3 and its predecessor the BSR 2, however, there are a few updates. Below are some of the key construction details to note about this shoe that can influence its performance and durability.

• Heel-to-Toe Drop: N/A (feels like 8mm, though)
• Weight: 11.60 oz (for my size 10 model)
• Removable Insole: No
• Charged Cushioning Midsole
• TriBase Outsole Tech
• Mesh Upper Construction
• External Heel and Tongue Tabs
• Bootie-Style Construction
• 5 Core Eyelets

If you have additional questions about the UA Project Rock BSR 3’s construction, drop a comment below and I can help answer whatever you have.

Takeaway Thoughts

The Under Armour Project Rock BSR 3 offers a well-rounded performance once again just like its predecessors. This model will work best for beginners, intermediates, and budget-conscious shoppers.

For weight training, this shoe works for general strength sessions and they do a pretty good job for versatile and athletic-style training sessions.

There are areas where this model falls short, though. For example, this training shoe lacks flexibility and can feel pretty clunky and it’s not going to be your best shoe for serious training sessions.

If you have additional questions about the UA Project Rock BSR 3, drop a comment below or reach out to me personally via Instagram (@jake_boly or @that_fit_friend).