Under Armour Strive 7

Editor rating: 7.5 / 10

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By Terry Fowler

All Under Armour Shoes

Under Armour Strive 7 Review Facts

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Under Armour is an American-born company that was founded in the mid-90’s and was born out of the need for moisture-wicking clothing. The founder, a fullback for the University of Maryland, grew annoyed at having to change his sweat-soaked clothing constantly during his games. Before he knew it, he was operating a business from his grandmother’s basement and selling thousands of dollars worth of t-shirts made with microfibers that not only wicked away moisture but kept athletes cool and dry during even the most strenuous game or workout.

As the company grew, so did the line-up of clothing and accessories that they offered their consumers. The brand began to form relationships with huge retailers as well as sports leagues like the MLB and the NHL. By 2008, Under Armour had branched out to offer sports cleats for football, baseball, softball and lacrosse players as well as performance trainers for athletes from all backgrounds. Though the brand isn’t as big as Nike or Adidas in the footwear realm, they have carved themselves a name in the cross-training and athletic shoe world and are consistently putting out well-made, well-received and highly-praised footwear.

We’re going to take a look at the Under Armour Strive 7 today. This is the seventh iteration of this silhouette and this version only builds upon its predecessor. With its comfortable midsole, breathable upper and traction-providing outsole, the Strive 7 really has a lot to offer gym-goers, weightlifters and short distance runners at a relatively low price point. Let’s take a bit of a closer look at what these shoes can do for you.

Editor's Pros & Cons

Pros

-Very lightweight and comfortable
-Provides enough support and stability for HIIT workouts
-Full-length sock liner for added comfort and moisture-wicking
-Provides a low-to-the-ground ride
-A relatively low price point

Cons

-Wide sizing doesn’t fit as wide as one would expect
-Sizing is off in general
-Some concerns from reviewers about the overall durability

Outsole

The Strive 7’s outsole is made with strategically-placed rubber pods in areas that are susceptible to the most wear. These pods help to prolong the lifespan of the shoe as well as add traction and grip for quick turns and direction changes in your high-intensity interval training.

Midsole

The midsole of these shoes is made from an EVA (ethyl vinyl acetate) material that is both lightweight and shock-absorbing. Another material that’s found in the midsole is Under Armour’s Micro G Foam cushioning. We will get into what exactly this material is a little later in our review. There is a full-length sock liner present in the Strive 7 as well, which acts as a moisture barrier between your foot and the insole. The sock liner also provides an extra level of comfort and a cushioned ride for the wearer.

Upper

The upper is made from another lightweight material – spacer mesh. This material is comprised of three different layers of fabric that are knit together to maximize air circulation. This type of fabric is also sometimes known as 3D mesh and is akin to laminated neoprene, but is actually more durable, breathable and wallet-friendly. The upper also features stitched leather overlays that help to add superior support. There is something to be said about the webbed lacing feature on the upper as well, which helps to provide wearers with a customized fit every time.

Weight

At just 8.74 ounces, the Strive 7 is an incredibly lightweight shoe. While not marketed as a minimalist option, folks who purchase these will likely find that slipping them on feels like putting nothing on at all. The reason that these are so light is likely due, at least in part, to the incredibly lightweight materials that are used in the construction of the upper.

Breathability

Thanks to the spacer mesh, wearers will find that the Strive 7 are a pair of very breathable shoes. This material is comprised of three layers – a face, a back and sandwiched between is a monofilament yard. It’s a cheaper material to use, but still provides breathability that folks need in a running and cross-training shoe. The synthetic leather which makes up some of the supportive overlays in the upper, however, is not a very breathable material. We felt this was worth mentioning, though we didn’t read any negative comments concerning the breathability or the leather material during our research.

Comfort

The midsole of the Strive 7 was designed with ultimate comfort in mind. If you remember from our Midsole section, the material used is an EVA, which is considered to be a foam. It lends itself well to this shoe because it’s soft, flexible and responsive all at once, all great qualities to have in a cross-training shoe. Most of the reviewers we spoke with praised how comfortable these shoes were

Some reviewers found that the Strive 7 fit small, however, and that even the wide versions felt a little too snug for folks with wider feet. This is worth noting if the availability of wide sizing was a selling point for you. Some customers found that sizing up fixed these size issues for them. We suggest trying these shoes on in person or at least making sure the online supplier you’re purchasing from has a fantastic return policy if you decide to buy online.

Another aspect of the Strive 7 that lends itself well to the comfort level is the full-length EVA sock liner. The sock liner is the part of the shoe that your feet sit directly on top of. This particular liner is not only comfortable but also helpful in providing a custom feeling fit.

Style

The Under Armour Strive 7 is offered in four different colorways – charcoal/red, steel/black, navy/gold or blue/black. The blue/black option is about as bright of a colorway as you’re going to get with these kicks. There aren’t any bright or funky colorways available in this shoe – just yet anyway – so if you’re someone who likes to make a bold statement with lime green and hot pink shoes, you’re probably going to want to look elsewhere. Overall, however, the Strive 7 is a very nice-looking shoe. The leather overlays add a bit of an elegant touch to the aesthetic and Under Armour fans will love the sporty look of these shoes.

Durability

The durability of the Under Armour Strive 7 came with mixed reviews from owners of the shoes. One review mentioned the material surrounding the heel is breaking down already, just six months in. Another said their teen son’s pair of Strive 7’s has stitching coming apart less than two months after buying them. Other reviews, however, mentioned the reliability that comes from buying a pair of these shoes. They are often referred to as a trusty pair of shoes. Whether or not the Strive 7’s last long for you will likely depend on how well you take care of them and what sorts of activities you’re doing while wearing them.

Protection

The Strive 7 features a leather toe cap at the front of the shoe to protect your toes from any possible debris you may encounter as well as to provide protection from any pesky gym equipment that may “jump out” at you during your workouts. No painful stubbed toes here! The leather overlays protect your foot by “hugging” it and providing necessary stability in the gym and on the streets.

Responsiveness

Thanks to the foam in the midsole of these shoes, runners, in particular, will find that the Strive 7 is a low-to-the-ground ride with just the right amount of responsiveness. When your foot is close to the ground, you are able to gain a better underfoot feeling. This underfoot feeling helps you to be more intuitive during your workouts but also to switch directions on a dime. This material is also known as a “high rebound” foam which simply means you’ll feel a more prominent bounce back and energy return when you wear them.

Support

The Strive 7 provides a moderate amount of arch support, perfect for folks who need “a little something” for their arches but don’t want to feel overpowered and out of control. The stitched leather overlays in the upper hug your feet and add a nice layer of support. There is also an internal thermoplastic polyurethane (TPU) heel counter which reinforces the heel cup and provides some additional support.
One reviewer felt that there wasn’t enough ankle support available to wear these at the gym, but did note that they were able to wear these shoes for long shifts on their feet all day without any issues.

Terrain

The Strive 7 was made to be a gym and cross-training shoe. Though some folks will find that these kicks are all they need to go on a good run, whereas some might find that there just isn’t enough support present to make these an adequate running shoe option. But, as a training shoe, the Under Armour Strive 7 really shines. They provide the right amount of comfort that you’ll need when you’re sweating it out at the gym.

Price

The MSRP of the Under Armour Strive 7 is $70.00. This is a low price point for such a high-quality shoe. Depending on the size and color option you’re leaning towards, you may be able to find the shoe for a slightly lower price.

Traction

The rubber pods found on the outsole of these shoes provide a fair amount of traction for your gym and road workouts. Wearers will find that they don’t have any issues getting grip on hard surfaces such as in the gym or on the tennis court.

Flexibility

It’s important to have a shoe with some degree of flexibility because it helps to distribute impact evenly. Flexibility is also an important feature to have because the more flexible the shoe is, the more you’re able to feel what’s going on in and under your shoe. Knowing that almost a quarter of all of your body’s bones and joints are located in your feet, you’ll see why being able to intuit what’s going on in and under your shoe is important.

The Strive 7 is a surprisingly flexible shoe. The flexibility found here is due in part to the flex grooves that are found in the forefoot area of the outsole. These grooves are anatomically-correct and because of this, help to encourage natural movement. You won’t have a problem gaining a good sense of underfoot feeling with these on your feet.

Stability

A good pair of cross-training shoes provides stability during quick, lateral movements on hard surfaces. The Under Armour Strive 7 does a perfect job of doing just that. They are a perfect shoe choice if you’re an avid lifter and need something with a little bit more stability to help keep you safe during those heavy deadlifts.

Drop

The heel-to-toe drop for the Strive 7 is a standard 10mm. This is a typical drop for many running, gym and cross-training shoes. Some people prefer to lift weights in a more minimalist shoe and if that’s the case for you, you may want to look at something like the Nike Free Trainer V7 or Reebok’s Crossfit Nano 8 Flexweave.

Key Features

-Synthetic stitched leather overlays for additional support
-Breathable mesh upper
-Improved traction thanks to the rubber pods in the outsole
-Flex grooves in the forefoot helps to encourage natural motion

Bottom Line

There wasn’t a whole lot of bad things to say about the Under Armour Strive 7. They have been well-received by reviewers all around the world and we feel confident in recommending these shoes for you. If you’re an avid gym-goer, CrossFitter or fancy yourself a cross trainer, the Strive 7 will provide you with all of the support, stability, and traction you need to not only stay safe but to outperform yourself day-after-day. The only negative comments we read about this shoe were when it came to the fit. It seems that most of these issues were easily solved by simply ordering a size up from your usual size, but if you’re worried about the shoe not fitting properly, we suggest finding a store that carries them and trying them on there first. You can always find out what size works best for you and then order the shoe online when you find a great price point for it. Although, that said, at an MSRP of only $70, the Strive 7 is already a great priced shoe for all of the value you’re garnering from them.