the best affordable pair of running shoes ever?  - by Stride & Glory 🏆 

My review of the Under Armour Charged Pursuit 3s after years of use and multiple pairs owned.

Carl Wakeford - Oct 2022

UNDER ARMOUR CHARGED PURSUIT 3 - Best Affordable pair of running shoes i've worn

Having owned many running shoes in my time and having spent over £200 on a single pair of ‘super shoes’ (multiple times), the Under Armour Charged Pursuit 3s, in my humble opinion, deserve a spot on the podium. 

I have been wearing the Under Armour Charged Pursuit 3s for years after buying a new pair four times now because I enjoy wearing them so much. I've run countless half-marathons in them and I've even completed a 70.3 Iron Man in Majorca wearing them! (pictured above)

Here’s what makes them so fantastic in my opinion…

• Price 10/10
• Durability 7/10 (offset by low price to replace) 
• Functionality 9/10 
• Comfort 10/10 
• Design 8/10

Affordable price

The Charged Pursuit 3s are the most affordable pair of running shoes that I have ever owned at only £55.

Wearing them as much as I do means that they last for around 6-12 months, which in my case equates to many hundreds of miles. I don’t mind going to buy a new pair for the cost of £55 at 6-12 months intervals. It’s still a huge cost saving compared to other shoes.

If I wear a pair down to the point where I know they’re losing their edge, then I keep them for wearing in the garden, driving, or doing ad-hoc tasks.

Versatility and functionality

I wear these shoes literally everywhere. I can’t do this with some of the more expensive carbon running shoes I’ve bought that wear down pretty quick like the Carbon X3s.

This is a serious benefit for me, because when I like a pair of trainers, I want to wear them all the time, especially if they’re as comfortable as the Charged Pursuit 3s.

The Charged cushioning midsole uses compression moulded foam which makes the shoes really responsiveness and durable. As a faster runner, I prefer responsive shoes, but if you’re after something more supportive to help with a specific condition then these might not be for you.

Comfort

The Charged Pursuit 3s are genuinely one of the comfiest pairs of running shoes I have ever owned. The cushioning is next level.

The very first time I bought a pair of these shoes I stopped to look at my girlfriend in the store in disbelief and regret for all of the shoes I had worn up until that point!

The foam padding placed around the ankle collar & under the tongue are the main contributing factors here in my opinion. They really do make a big difference. Under Armour have said that the ‘deluxe foam sock liner’ moulds to your foot for added underfoot comfort, which I certainly agree with from experience.

The CP3s are a neutral shoe with an 8mm offset, so they’re designed for runners who need a balance of flexibility & cushioning.

But don’t just take my word for it, I’ve shouted about the Charged Pursuit 3s to my entire 70K audience of runners on Instagram and although I’m not sure how many people in total bought them, I can tell you that at least 10 people got back to me to tell me how amazing they are and that they’re happy with the purchase.

Online ratings

The CP3s are rated 4.5/5 on Amazon based on 737 ratings at the time this article was written.

If you’re buying direct from the Under Armour website, then it’s important to note here that there are 21 reviews of these shoes on the under-armour website giving an average rating of 3.6. However, 5 of these reviews relate to people who feel like the shoes didn’t resemble the photos because of the shine on the shoe offered in the website photos when in reality they are knitted without a gloss affect. This is a complete non-issue in my opinion and unjustly drags down the rating, so bare this in mind.

In summary…

All in all, if you’re looking for an affordable pair of running shoes you can’t beat the Under Armour Charged Pursuit 3s. They may not be as durable as other shoes, but they make up for this by costing only £55 and being extremely comfortable and responsive.