Under Armor is a sports equipment brand well established in the USA but still little known in France. Having heard a lot of good things about it, I decided to test it to see what it really was.
I was used to Nike, Adidas or even Asics, but Under Armor turns out to be a very good alternative to these brands over-represented on the sports clothing market, which is also slightly less expensive.
Disclaimer: this is the first article dedicated to sports clothing on BonneGueule, more particularly for running. The objective of this article is to present to you a brand that is still little known in France but in no way to give you advice on how to run better, etc. I have neither this pretension nor this legitimacy: other blogs do it very well :)
But to be completely honest with you, I also wanted to test the brand that dresses the greatest superheroes! Under Armor obtained a special collaboration for the latest Avengers: Age of Ultron , released in 2015, in which Tony Stark wears their t-shirts under his armor, and Captain American during a running scene...
The “Transform Yourself” spin-off collection, which offers real superhero t-shirts, is currently sold out on the site. You will need a little patience to become one 😉
Under Armour, a cutting-edge sports brand
At the origin of the brand: the need for a light and breathable t-shirt
The brand's founder, Kevin Plank, played fullback and captain for the University of Maryland American football team in the mid-1990s.
It was at this moment that he noticed that his t-shirt and that of his teammates, worn under their shoulder pads, were very quickly soaked with sweat and therefore much heavier. At the time, technical polyester clothing did not exist (or very little) and/or was very expensive.
The famous “pads”, shoulder pads in French, emblematic of the equipment of American football players.
Impossible to stop there. After his diploma, he decided to begin research to design the perfect t-shirt, capable of remaining dry and light even in very hot weather. He thus produced his first prototype, which he had his former teammates introduced to the National Football League (NFL) try out. Just that !
After several months of work and research, prototype #0037 was born: a t-shirt designed with moisture-wicking synthetic fibers that keeps athletes fresh, dry and therefore light.
At that point, Plank
The company was really born at the end of 1996, when it introduced its now famous ColdGear® performance fabric. Its headquarters are today in Baltimore, Maryland.
Under Armor compression t-shirt, crew neck, in ColdGear® fabric.
Little by little, the brand became known and appreciated in the United States. It signs equipment contracts with big names such as Warner Brothers for films and even universities like Georgia Tech.
In 2003, Under Armor released its first TV spot with a slogan that would become a real rallying cry in the sports world: " Protect this house. I will ."
An offering that has expanded: towards connected sports products
Today, the brand has greatly expanded its product range, offering a complete wardrobe of sportswear and sneakers for women, men and children.
Its strong point: the development of increasingly efficient technical fabrics . For example, in 2011 it introduced Charged Cotton®: a fabric designed from a mixture of hydrophilic fibers (which like water) and hydrophobic fibers (which reject it).
Result: the brand produces high-performance jerseys, which absorb perspiration from the skin and distribute it to the surface where it evaporates best. All this while maintaining the comfort and softness of cotton!
But Under Armor doesn't stop there and is always developing more high-performance fabrics, solving the problems encountered during sporting activity . Thus, it is developing a number of ranges to stay cool, warm, active... All these technologies are explained on the site (I will come back to some later in the article).
To date, the brand is competing for second place as a company specializing in sports equipment with Adidas and dreams of dethroning Nike. It has just launched the Speedform Gemini 2 Record Equipped : connected sneakers that measure the cadence, duration and distance of training.
No need to run with your smartphone anymore, these connected sneakers record all the data and transmit it later to your cell phone via an application.
But why stop running so well?
The Health Box will be released on June 30, 2016
Under Armor is then totally in line with its credo: to make athletes even more efficient than they already are. More than an equipment brand, Under Armor is seeking to position itself in the sports coaching sector (a bit like Nike which fits into a lifestyle).
The brand dresses big names in the sporting world
Under Armor has gained a lot of legitimacy in recent years, allowing it to sponsor big names such as American professional golfer Jordan Spieth, currently second in the world rankings.
Jordan Spieth in his Under Armor technical clothing, whose logo we quickly recognize.
In 2013, she also obtained a contract with NBA player Stephen Curry (until then sponsored by Nike) and released two models of sneakers, signatures of the leader, which worked very well: the Curry 1 and the Curry 2.
Curry 2 model - Under Armor.
The brand is present in all sporting circles, without exception. It is therefore logical that it also equips big names in the NFL like Cam Newton and Tom Brady, but also the great Scottish tennis player Andy Murray since 2015, and the classical dancer Misty Copeland.
Here is one of the outfits entirely signed by UA, worn by Andy Murray for the 2016 edition of Roland-Garros.
It is also making its mark in Europe since it is the equipment supplier for the Wales rugby team and, in France, for the ASM Clermont Auvergne team (playing in the Top 14) since 2010 .
We can still recognize the UA logo here on the ASM Clermont team jerseys 😉
Finally, she also entered the world of football by signing a partnership with the English team Tottenham Hotspur.
Today, the brand is no longer stopping since it has just signed the most expensive equipment supplier agreement in the history of amateur sport with UCLA
A UCLA x Under Armor banner in the colors of the prestigious university.
A promising brand... but what does it do in practice?
Under Armour, the test in live conditions
When I was offered to test the brand, I immediately accepted because I had only heard good things about it, whether on the web or around me. I really wanted to form my own opinion.
I'm not a big runner (I'm literally a "Sunday runner", because it's the only day of the week I have some time for it) but I still had time to appreciate clothing and running
Before writing this article, I wanted to test them over time (I must have run a good hundred kilometers with them) in order to give you real feedback.
Now let's see if Under Armor lives up to its reputation.
Compression clothing to support muscles during exercise
I can already see you frowning, what is a compression garment? Well, it's a garment that will stick to your body and hold your muscles. His utility ? A muscle that is better maintained during exercise is a more efficient muscle and, in this case, more enduring.
No joke about musculature, I'm not built like the Under Armor models 😉
The leggings and top are made of HeatGear® technology . This material acts like a second skin; once put on, you completely forget about it and concentrate on the essential: the effort 🙂
The first few minutes you may feel a little tight (like a good new selvedge jean). The material will, however, relax very quickly, to be forgotten thanks to its elasticity in 4 directions (the "4-Way Stretch"). Rafik could easily do the splits
These shorts have the particularity of being 2 in 1 : shorts and compression stockings up to mid-thighs, for the reasons mentioned above.
I really enjoyed this 2 in 1 because it feels supported from start to finish. And in terms of length, it is ideal! It's a personal choice, but I'm not a fan of running shorts that are too short and unsupportive and allow air to pass through.
At the back, you have a small pocket to store your keys, quite practical and well located (between the lumbar and the buttocks).
Whether it's the top, the leggings or the shorts, all three are very light (without being transparent). The fiber guarantees very good heat transfer, which helps you stay dry. I tested it in all conditions (cold, wind, light rain, sun) and I noticed that at the end of my jogging, I had sweated but my body was dry. Something that was not necessarily the case with entry-level compression tops and bottoms.
And for the record, you don't play the contortionist when you take it off to go to the shower, because the garment is also (almost) dry: it wicks away moisture and therefore does not stick to your skin. Practical !
It is with this HeatGear® technology that Under Armor made itself known to athletes: the beginning of the saga! Note that these are not seamless pieces, but they are really flexible: they don't scratch, you don't feel them. A detail that deserves to be highlighted, especially when worn next to the skin.
Along with the HeatGear line, UA has also developed SwitchCool® technology. It can be recognized by the crystal print on the back of the garment. It keeps you fresh and dry throughout the effort!
A triple action but be careful, you won't transform into an astronaut!
I haven't had the opportunity to test clothes with this technology but I intend to do so in the coming months (especially for high summer). It seems particularly suitable to me when temperatures rise!
Useful second layer clothing for cool weather
The second layer of clothing is the one that will protect you from the wind, the rain and will accompany you in cool weather, like a mid-season jacket. I personally tested the long-sleeved t-shirt.
It fulfills its function as a second layer very well. On the menu: zip to protect yourself from the cold, or on the contrary to bring a little freshness; deliberately looser cut, while maintaining fitted sleeves to prevent drafts from passing through.
Very pleasant to wear, soft to the touch, it can even be transformed into clothing for chilling out at home on Sunday 😉
What is the effect of these textile technologies on the body? During exercise, the more slowly your body increases in temperature, the more it facilitates its proper oxygenation over time (dehydration is its enemy). Less water in the body, less oxygenation (a bit like “no arms, no chocolate” ), it’s as simple as that.
Sportswear that makes design efforts
I always had trouble understanding why brands offered multi-colored, even flashy, clothing. A symbol of vitality linked to sport? Being seen by dangerous elements like motorists? Maybe... In any case, wanting to let off steam or have fun should not rhyme with looking like a DDE agent!
Great progress has been made in recent years, driven by Nike, but also Under Armour. This involves lines of sportswear clothing, particularly running clothing, with a refined, fairly graphic design, with well-chosen patterns. And above all, the brand respects a certain combination of colors : the famous “rule” of no more than three!
You see, it's not colorful, there is orange which is calmed by the black. And you don't overdo it because the brightest color is not the most present on the garment.
If you're not too comfortable with orange or bright colors, just add something muted (a dark color, like black, navy, or gray). These kinds of pieces tone down the rest of the outfit.
Last thing, you can add shorts like I did to get a more versatile look 😉 (and if you're not comfortable running in leggings in the street, I took a little time to get started).
Under Armor running shoes for men: great satisfaction
Basically, I knew Under Armor for their clothing but much less for their shoes. It was the opportunity for me to test one of their latest models, the SpeedForm® Gemini 2.
To be honest, at first, I had a hard time getting used to the orange quite present on the shoe (vs. my black and gray Nike Pegasus) but ultimately, once inserted into the outfit, the result is nice.
Running experts (at least in France) swear by Asics, which is a benchmark on the market (rightly so), but I can tell you that these UA have energy and comfort to resell.
Technology developed for the comfort and support of your feet
SpeedForm® technology, with its seamless heel cup, eliminates any risk of discomfort or even irritation. The fact that the heel is made of textile and reinforced by the shell is an interesting compromise. It combines:
- Flexibility in the Achilles heel, which can sometimes rub if it is in contact with a part that is too rigid,
- And rigidity, with the shell which wraps the heel well.
Having covered a hundred kilometers with it, it's a real slipper from the first wear (no blisters to notice).
The upper (the entire textile part of the shoe) is designed in a factory manufacturing… bras! This is one of the reasons why it feels so good straight away: it is made with precision and without any seams inside.
The only seam you will find is smooth, being ultrasonically welded and fitted with a Bemis tape found in bras. We don't feel it at all!
And of course, your feet stay dry because the textile is perforated on its first layer.
It's a big trend at the moment, making textile uppers for more flexibility and comfort. The support is very good thanks to the heel cup and the asymmetrical tongue which fits well against your foot.
In addition, if you are in a descending stride, the reinforcement at the toe prevents you from unwanted shocks with a few stones.
And it's not over ! The ArchForm® technology in the insole allows you to keep your feet stable , especially when you lengthen your stride uphill. It’s tested and approved, my legs still remember it 😉
A well-designed sole, adapted to a universal stride
This is certainly the most important part of a pair of running shoes. It provides cushioning from shocks caused by walking and, therefore, overall comfort. If you want to start running seriously, you'll have to invest: your knees will thank you
So, very importantly, this shoe will not be suitable for pronation or supination strides, only for neutral/universal strides.
Small explanation:
- Pronation : When you run, your foot collapses inward;
- Supination : it's the opposite, your foot goes outwards;
- Universal : your ankle is aligned with your heel, your foot attacks the ground evenly.
How to know your stride type?
The easiest way is to look at the most worn parts of the sole on your shoes. Example: if it's the inside, you're probably pronator. If you are in universal like me, it is the front of the sole in the middle which will be the most damaged.
There is no harm in being one or the other, the universal is, as its name indicates, the most widespread (45% of runners). Choosing your running shoes based on your stride is important, otherwise you are heading straight for tendinitis.
Back to our soles!
Under Armor has chosen to add pads to the arch and heel to provide more comfort (each manufacturer has its own technique).
In any case, on the different runs that I was able to do, with different paces, I always felt real comfort. Which ultimately gives a drop of 8 (= your heel is raised by 8 mm), but some will prefer to run flat (without drop): it's a question of taste
I run 10 to 15 km every weekend and I have never felt pain in my knees , something that has happened with other pairs of running shoes. Very good point then!
Runnings that keep up with the pace at a different speed
Let me be clear, I am neither a performer nor a marathon runner, just someone who likes to let off steam while running (and to maintain my football past). I'm used to giving it my all in the last few kilometers and I can tell you that the carbon-rubber outsole grips the ground really well (whether on the road or on trails).
The energy transfer from rear to front is very good. Especially since the rebound
After a good hundred kilometers, the sole is like new, thanks to the rubber/carbon composite 😉
The sole of the shoe is not flat in order to better transfer the energy of the stride, from the back to the front (from the attack by the heel to the traction, via the arch of the foot).
My review of the sports brand Under Armor
It is undoubtedly a very pleasant surprise, which confirms the reputation that the brand has built in Uncle Sam's country. The quality/price ratio is there:
- Leggings at €45,
- Shorts at €45,
- Compression top at €30,
- Long-sleeved t-shirt at €55,
- Shoes at €130.
These are even prices below those charged by Nike or Adidas , for example . On the other hand, UA is not comparable to these two brands in terms of design and colors: their shoes are not, for the moment, intended for urban use.
We will still remember that taking into account the price, details and product innovation, Under Armor is making a place of choice in the sportswear market. The products are of good quality and accessible, whether you are beginners or experienced.
The product that appealed to me the most was undoubtedly the pair of running shoes, due to their versatility and dynamism. My Pegasus have some worries... 😉
This brand with little visible marketing in France should quickly establish itself!
