Under Armour Infinite Pro Unisex review: Could this be the grippiest shoe we’ve tested?

With specialisation and niche products becoming more common in trail running shoes, the Under Armour Infinite Pro Unisex is bucking the trend. Coming in with an RRP of £125 ($140), can this shoe really fit us all on a budget?

Described as Under Armour’s softest, springiest shoe, the question is can this unisex design achieve comfort and performance for all? Has it prioritised padding, grip, or somehow found the elusive balance of the two? We sent our freelance gear tester, Holly Giles, out into the wild woods of Surrey to put them to the test.

Upper

These shoes are not advertised as waterproof, but running through puddles, mud and bogs, my feet have stayed dry all month. What a bonus! I accept that they might not be waterproof for a full water feature (the wording cross-country runners use for a river crossing), but compared with most trail shoes, these have a good level of waterproofing.

This is the result of a thick upper lining, which provides protection from the weather as a trade-off with breathability: your toes do get quite hot and sweaty – but they stay dry!

It's also a feature of Under Armour that the shoes are relatively narrow and the toe box is small. I have narrow feet, but after 10km could feel my toes started putting up a fight.

These shoes will serve you well for shorter distances, but for longer runs you need to size up to avoid squished toes. Other reviews on the Under Armour website have also noted that these come up small so be sure size up by a half or full size for extra comfort. They are also not wide foot friendly.

Strangely, the ankle is actually quite wide, meaning you need to use the laces (with a traditional design) to strap yourself in. My guess is this is one of the sacrifices of the unisex design, meaning the shaping of the shoe is aiming to fit us all, while actually serving no-one.

There’s a minimal gusset on the tongue, starting in line with the second lace loop, so you are fairly well protected from trail debris but watch out for any enthusiastic twigs coming your way.

Midsole

The midsole is an interesting one for this shoe. It is described on the Under Armour website as their softest, springiest shoe, boasting of a die-cut EVA sockliner to “cradle the foot for enhance step-in comfort” and extra-springy UA HOVR+ technology. Sounds good right?

The experience of this shoe simply doesn’t live up to this description. While it does provide some levels of comfort when walking, or running shorter distances, for longer distances I found the midsole very hard. It has little give and provides minimal cushioning against the terrain.

After running longer distances in these, I noticed some aching in my hip and femur which I’ve never experienced with softer shoes. I am sure that this takes time to adapt to but it came as a surprise to me, as I felt fine when wearing them.

There is some additional cushioning around the back of the shoe, on both sides and at the heel, giving good ankle support and reducing the risk of injury. Ultimately, these shoes have focused on grip at the cost of comfort.

Outsole

Fear not, it’s not all bad! Hands down, the best feature of this shoe is the grip. They have a full-length Vibram Megagrip outsole with a hexagonal lug design. This rubber compound is designed for durability and grip properties on both dry and wet terrains.

I have tested these shoes on a variety of terrains and you simply don’t slip while wearing them. I mean it! They maintain good traction when changing direction and stand up well in the mud. For me, this is key for a trail shoe and meant I was able to go straight through muddy sections that others were having to skirt around on a cross-county course.

It's worth noting these are not hybrid shoes and are hard work when running on tarmacked paths or roads. They are exclusively trail shoes. This may be a barrier for new trail runners looking for a hybrid option, but their excellent grip will serve you well in trail conditions.

Features

While not the most important part of a shoe, the belt loops on the tongue and heel assist in getting them on and off without getting mud everywhere. They also allow attachment to bags using carabiners, which is a nice option for longer hikes.

I also want to give a special mention to Under Armour's colour choice. My biggest pet-peeve is when designers give trail shoes the most impractical colours! The dark red and orange of these shoes (the Earthen Orange / Brown Obsidian), stands up well against the mud, while giving you a pop of colour.

Sustainability

Under Armour makes no sustainability claims about the Unisex Infinite Pro: these shoes are not made of recycled materials and disappointingly do not offer many sustainability benefits.

However, this is something that Under Armour are working on, with a goal of developing a circular footwear program to be launched in market at scale by 2030. Under Armour also aim to be solely using recycled polyester, and to make the uppers in the highest volume footwear series from >50% recycled materials, by this date.

Price and competition

With an RRP of £125, these are definitely at the cheaper end of the scale for trail running shoes. That's a fair bit more than the Merrell Morphlite which I also reviewed recently. Merrell's is a more cushioned road to trail shoe, but the Under Armour Infinite Pro Unisex definitely stands up better on soft and slippy ground.

Verdict

The Under Armour Infinite Pro Unisex has a great sole for trail running. Their main advantages are the exceptional grip and waterproof upper sole, which let you charge on through the mud. However, the small toe box and lack of cushioning, means they won’t serve you well a longer run.

They are great choice for shorter distances and I will happily keep using them for muddy parkruns and cross-country courses. But don’t expect me to wear them for a half marathon!

Want to up your game? Check out our tips to supercharge your trail running skills.

How we tested

These shoes were tested and reviewed by Holly Giles. Holly is a scientific researcher, who is always running as a way to escape the lab. She is a freelance gear tester, parkrun tourist, and half-marathon lover.

Holly has put these shoes to the test for the last three months, including muddy parkruns, cross-country events, and runs through her local woods in Surrey. They’ve definitely seen their fair share of mud!