Details
Brand
Under Armour
Heel To Toe Drop
8 mm
Breathability
7/10
Latest Version
Yes
Terrain
Road
Type
Stability
Key Features
• Combination leather and synthetic mesh upper• Dual layers of EVA cushioning in the midsole and sock liner• Extra padding around the heel collar and tongue• High abrasion rubber outsole• Very high stability but severely limited flexibility
Upper
The upper portion of this shoe is partially made of leather, which is something you don’t see every day in a pair of running shoes. This helps the upper stay durable over many miles, but it may turn off some runners who object to the use of animal products. The selective use of this premium material is just enough to provide that much-needed resiliency without detracting from the Toccoa’s breathability. Speaking of breathability, the synthetic material used for the rest of this Under Armour shoe’s construction is designed in a way that air gets in while keeping debris and moisture out. Finally, an EVA footbed inside the upper where the footrests act almost as a second midsole, nearly doubling this shoe’s comfort level.
Midsole
When it comes to the UA Toccoa’s midsole, owners of standard running shoes should expect some deja vu. While Under Armour has defined themselves by bucking many design trends, one design that remains relatively conventional in this shoe model is the midsole. This means that it is made of dense EVA foam and features a significant difference in elevation from the heel to the forefoot. The purpose of using EVA foam for this midsole is to provide a dense layer of cushioning between a runner’s feet and the ground beneath them without adding on too much weight. Again, this is nothing new, however, it accomplishes its intended goal admirably so there is no real need to reinvent the wheel in this scenario.
Outsole
The outsole of the UA Toccoa is made from a solid piece of high abrasion rubber. Aside from a small Under Armour emblem in the middle, the rest of the outsole is populated by several small nubs. These play a large role in providing enough traction for runners to maintain a solid grip on the ground they run on. The fact that this part of the shoe is made from one solid piece without any flex grooves added means that it won’t be very flexible. Because of this, runners who are more accustomed to a pliable outsole may find the extra rigidity uncomfortable. However, this lack of flexibility does come with the positive trade-off of extra stability, which is sure to be appreciated by many runners.
Breathability
If you’re concerned about the breathability of this running shoe because the upper is partially made of leather, don’t be. Although it is true that leather is notorious for its ability to capture odors and moisture, its implementation in the design of the UA Toccoa’s upper is limited to some high-stress seams for the purpose of ensuring higher durability. Thankfully for runners with a proclivity toward sweaty feet, the majority of the Toccoa’s upper is made from a highly ventilated synthetic mesh. This material works beautifully to circulate air around a runner’s feet to keep them dry and cool.
Comfort
With the amount of comfort-related materials and amenities packed into this running shoe, a wearer may be confused into thinking these are a hardy set of trail shoes instead. However, this is the only design aspect that the UA Toccoa has in common with hardcore trail runners. Most of this comfort can be felt on the underside of a runner’s feet since the combination of an EVA cushioned midsole with the EVA cushioned footbed makes for a powerful dual-layer cushioning system. One comfort-related aspect of this Under Armour shoe’s design that may polarize customers is the greater width, wide-footed runners will love it but a few narrow-footed runners have expressed grievances.
Style
One of the things Under Armour does best is endowing all of their products with a distinctive and appealing style. Some elements of the novel aesthetics commonly used by UA are present in the design of the Toccoa, such as on the outsole. However, this isn’t nearly as bold of a stylistic statement as can be seen on other shoes by this designer such as the Charged Ultimate 2.0. Still, many customers should appreciate the combination of traditional and innovative fashion features, especially with so many color schemes to choose from.
Durability
Thanks to the use of two key materials in the creation of these running shoes, the UA Toccoa showcases an impressive level of structural reliability. The first feature can be found on the very bottom of the shoe in the form of an outsole made from high-abrasion rubber. This solid piece of sturdy and dependable material helps these shoes maintain their traction for many marathons. The second feature is the key placement of leather around the upper portion. Just enough is present to create a form of stitching that is highly resilient to damage or tearing without excessively weighing down the entire shoe or inhibiting its breathability.
Protection
Based on the intimidating size, multiple levels of cushioning, and pronounced lugs on the outsole, an individual wouldn’t be blamed for thinking that this Under Armour running shoe could provide enough protection for hardcore trail running. In truth, the Toccoa does provide enough of a defense to handle some tamer versions of these environments, however, key design features are missing in this shoe required for any serious trail running shoe. That said, these shoes offer more than enough protection to handle just about every standard running situation and environment.
Responsiveness
The degree to which these shoes are able to respond to the movements of the wearer is decent but not remarkable. Thanks to the generous use of EVA foam for the midsole and sock liner, the Toccoa is able to quickly rebound energy from foot impact with the ground and enhance a runner’s momentum. Unfortunately, any significant advantage that might be offered by these two layers of cushioning is diminished by the wider fit, at least for runners with narrow feet. Due to an improper fit, wearers can lose responsiveness due to their foot slipping inside the shoe.
Support
The one demographic of runners who will most appreciate the support offered by these Under Armour running shoes are those with wide feet. No longer are these poor souls doomed to wear New Balance products for the rest of their lives, thanks to the wider fit of the Toccoa, they can enjoy wearing shoes that are both functional and fashionable. Aside from this, little effort has been made to provide targeted support for certain areas of a runner’s foot. However, thanks to abrasion-resistant outsole material and highly cushioned midsole material, runners are provided enough support to prevent stress-related injuries.
Terrain
Thanks to the addition of several small lugs along the entirety of the UA Toccoa’s outsole, these shoes can handle terrain that is slightly more severe than the standard running shoe environments. This means that in addition to functioning well on roads, sidewalks, tracks, treadmills, fields, and dirt paths, these shoes can be used effectively on some rougher environments such as loose soil and non-technical trails. Some features are absent from these shoes that are necessary to handle more intense trail running environments, however.
Price
Right from the onset Under Armour listed these running shoes at a price low enough to make it very appealing to customers on a budget. This isn’t to say that there aren’t enough features or a high enough build quality to justify a higher price, for whatever reason, the initial suggested retail price is very low. Even deeper discounts can be found on certain websites such as RoadRunner or Amazon, making these some of the best-budget-picks for running shoes.
Drop
The difference in elevation from the heel of these shoes to the forefoot, also known as the heel drop, is around 8 mm. This extra material is predominantly found in the midsole in the form of extra EVA foam cushioning. It’s not unusual to see a running shoe with this extreme of a height difference since most runners in these forms of footwear tend to favour their heels when striking the ground. As a result of this extra reinforcement, runners won’t have to worry about feeling pain in their heels after even very long running sessions.
Stability
Despite having an uncomfortably limited degree of flexibility, this running shoe from Under Armour showcases a terrific level of stability. This is often how running shoes work, less of one aspect tends to bolster the other, particularly with flexibility and stability. The best running shoes manage to strike a balance between the two but the vast majority fall in the extremes of either camp. Unfortunately, the Toccoa is an example of this since it features much stronger stability than it does flexibility. However, runners who really need that control and safety, such as those with pronation issues or a tendency toward running injuries, will definitely appreciate the feeling of running in these shoes.
Flexibility
As has been touched upon in a few earlier sections, there are a few aspects of this shoe’s design that inhibit its flexibility. One of these features is the multiple layers of cushioned material that can be found in the midsole, sock liner, tongue, and heel collar. While these things help to keep a runner’s feet feeling comfortable during longer runs, they do make it harder for the shoe to bend in a naturalistic way. The other major design setback in this area is the rigid outsole, which features no flex grooves or separate plates in its construction. The decision to use one solid piece may help in some aspects of the UA Toccoa’s ride but one area where it causes harm is flexibility.
Traction
Thanks to the clever design of the UA Toccoa’s outsole, wearers are provided with excellent traction that functions well on just about any running surface they would want to run on. This was achieved through the use of a single high-abrasion rubber block densely populated with small lugs. The single piece construction allows for the greatest surface area to be covered with each stride and the lugs allow for a teeth-like grip on most surfaces, even if they don’t normally offer much in the way of control. While these design decisions did result in lessened flexibility and a higher weight, the benefits of traction are real and fantastic.
Bottom Line
For runners who aim to reach top speeds and shave seconds off their mile times, these aren’t the best shoes for them. The excessive weight and lack of proper flexibility will cause their times to suffer. However, runners with hardcore stability and comfort needs that enjoy mild hikes in their spare time will find a lot to love with the inexpensive and well-built Under Armour Toccoa.
