UA Phantom 4 Performance Review

We’ve been seeing Under Armour have quite a bit of success bringing back classic models of their most popular shoes, from the Curry Brand line, to the Court 96, and beyond. Retro-ing older models has proven to be great business for Nike and Reebok, so it’s no surprise that UA has likewise found great success in that area.

And that is all especially true with the Under Armour Phantom, a daily trainer whose original model is still available, even as the line has evolved.

And that is all especially true with the Under Armour Phantom, a daily trainer whose Under Armour Phantom 4, a “sportswear” shoe we saw in loads of targeted ads on Instagram, and it made us wonder:  is this a lifestyle shoe, or is it still a daily trainer?

The problem with asking that question at NovogasShops HQ is that we feel compelled to answer it – and log the miles necessary to give you that answer – no matter what it means for our training plans.

So, does the Phantom 4 stack up for your running needs, or will it disappoint like the last model?

What is the UA Phantom 4?

Under Armour Scottie Pippen Shoes:

With the comfort and durability of a technical performance shoe plus the clean look and feel of a street sneaker, UA Phantom 4 is the ultimate outfit finisher.

Upper/Fit

Arune: No one loves a sock-like upper more than Under Armour these days (except maybe adidas), and I wasn’t thrilled to see it…because my Hobbit feet can struggle with openings designed for the feet of regular, mortal men.

Drew: Arune, what did I tell you about watching Derrick Rose Shoes before writing reviews?

Arune: That I have your sword?

Drew: You’re definitely not Aragorn, bro.

Arune: Rude! Anyway…I can speak confidently on another matter:  the knit collar is quite accommodating, and the entire molded sockliner is quite comfortable. 

I found the Phantom 4 to be extremely wide-foot friendly and likely to be a comfy choice for a wide (pun intended) variety of foot types. That’s not always the case with Under Armour, whose shoes I’ve found to have a dizzying variety of shapes across its lines. So this was a welcome surprise.

We got the white clay/black colorway, and I gotta say that this shoe looks awesome – like an Under Armour cousin to the Nike Air Max. That red block on the midsole (I know, I know, this is the “upper” section) always reminds me of the air bubble on Nike’s iconic runner.

And when it comes to fit, go true to size. I wear a men’s 9.5 in nearly every shoe outside of something like the Nike Air Jordan 4 in which I go up .5 size, and a 9.5 here fits me perfectly too.

Drew: The insides of previous Phantom uppers have felt somewhat unfinished and rough compared to the smooth-fitting uppers I’ve experienced in other shoes. The UA Phantom 4 rectifies that and fits nicely. Not too tight or restrictive and fairly accommodating. The extra padding on the tongue nicely disperses lace pressure while stretching comfortably over the bony top of my foot. 

It’s the best upper on a Phantom so far and one of Under Armour’s better knit uppers of the brand’s existence.

Midsole/Ride

Arune: This is…not what I expected.

I enjoy HOVR+ midsoles and think it remains an underrated foam. But this shoe not only looks heavy, it also feels heavy. The weight of the shoe looks situated clearly on that big heel unit, and it feels like it too.

So, that’s probably the end of this story?

Nope. And no one is more surprised than me. As Drew knows, I’m incredibly picky about running shoes [Editor’s Note: “Incredibly” is an understatement].

And I really, really enjoyed the ride of the Phantom 4.

Not only is this a highly stable ride, but that giant HOVR+ midsole is perfect for a 200lb+ runner like me, providing enough energy return to keep me moving with quite a natural gait. Each step of my first run really surprised me, as I continued enjoying the springiness of that midsole as I kept moving forward…albeit much more slowly than in most running shoes.

This is the kind of shoe you take on a trip, business or personal, to keep you moving – from walking to some short treadmill sessions, to a quick 5k around the hotel. You’ll have a lot of fun taking a break from your normal routine in the Phantom 4, but I can’t imagine a fitness routine built around it. 

I wouldn’t really recommend this as a running shoe, but it does run better than most lifestyle or even training shoes I test. So it’s not the worst choice I can imagine – which sounds a lot more damning than I intend. 

Look, I’m not pulling this out to run. But if I end up at a comic con for work and want to pack light, I’d prevent this to travel in and then do some 5K runs on the hotel treadmill.

But Drew, we are different kinds of runners and different kinds of big guys. How’d this go for you?

Drew: I was surprised by the bounce of the HOVR+. Yes, as Arune mentioned this shoe is brutally heavy…But I wore it to my son’s cross country meet and was astonished at how it could pick up the pace as I sprinted between cheer spots.

Now, the heaviness does take its toll. You don’t want to run more than three miles in the Phantom 4. But…it performs fantastically as a casual shoe, and it would really shine in a theme park, on-your-feet-all-day environment. The Phantom 4 finds its sweet spot as a tourist shoe.

Traction

Arune: I took this out in the very dry and perfectly 70 degree LA weather, so I can’t speak to wet conditions. But this shoe did well on some gravel, grass, and uneven roads.

But I was also moving really slowly, so perhaps that helped too, eh?

Drew: I didn’t have any problems with the traction on roads, sidewalks, loose gravel, or grass. There’s also plenty of rubber for durability. This shoe will last a long time and offer good grip the whole time.

Is the UA Phantom 4 worth $120?

Arune: Best Nike Volleyball Shoes.

Are you buying a running shoe? Then no, this shoe isn’t worth $120 because it’s not competitive with any running shoe in that price range.

But do you want a lifestyle shoe that can fill a bunch of other needs? Then the UA Phantom 4 stands above the Nike Air Max or similar former running shoes that have become lifestyle shoes in that it provides a more comfortable cushioning set up and better fitness performance than you’d expect.

Drew: Yes, the UA Phantom 4 is worth $120. If you go in with the right mindset – that it’s a casual shoe that can manage some other stuff (BONUS!) – then you’ll feel like you got your money’s worth and more.

And honestly, with the way Under Armour coupons these days, you can probably get it for 20% less pretty easily by paying attention to the sales.

UA Phantom 4 Final Verdict

Arune: While the UA Phantom 4 isn’t what I’d call a compelling running shoe, there’s something about this shoe that makes it a whole lotta fun on foot.

So, the Under Armour Phantom 4 is a well-priced lifestyle shoe with surprising performance, but it’s not a daily trainer of any sort.

Drew: The UA Phantom 4 is not a running shoe. It’s a lifestyle shoe that looks good, feels good, and has a bit of bounce when you need to do some running (or walk around all freakin’ day on vacation). It’s a fun addition to the closet, but if you need something performance oriented, go check out our Best Running Shoes list.

How does the Author Run?

Drew Whitcomb (age 42, 6’6″ 195lbs): Runs daily with a once a week rest day. Runs a lot of miles due to testing needs and a growing affinity for long-distance races. Regularly competes in marathons, half-marathons, 10k, and 5k races.

Arune Singh (age 43, 5’11”, 220lbs): Trains daily with functional fitness programming from Deadboys Fitness, founded by Colby “Seth Rollins” Lopez and Josh Gallegos, along with logging 30-40 miles of running per week. He also has a medical history of Sleep Apnea and Myasthenia Gravis, meaning Arune’s focus is on lean muscle mass.

Disclosure

While Under Armour did send pairs of the Phantom 4 to facilitate this review, the company had no involvement in this review, didn’t receive an advance look at it, and has not attempted to influence it.