Under Armour Charged Assert 8 Intro

When you go onto Under Armour’s website to read about the shoe this is how they introduce the shoe to you.

“These are running shoes anyone can wear to go faster-with Charged Cushioning to help protect against impact, a breathable upper, and durability.”

Since we live in a world where everything is fact checked, I decided to let you know that there are some debatable statements in this claim. I would not categorize this as a running shoe.

Of course, you can run in just about any shoe but anything past a mile is not pleasant. I would definitely do a speed workout in these shoes or take a nice walk in them, but I would never want to do a distance run in them.

When they talk about the breathable upper they are correct with that statement. It’s a very lightweight shoe with the fabric being very breathable.

In fact, if you’re outside on a windy day, you can feel the wind blow across your toes. I personally did not care for this. The last statement they make is “durability.”

I have tested this pair of shoes out for roughly 60 miles over the course of 3 weeks. They have already begun to peel on the upper part of the shoe near the outside of my toes.

The quality of materials used in this shoe would not shout durability to me.

I don’t mean to bash this shoe from the get-go but I would not recommend this shoe for moderate to long distances. There were many features I liked and overall the shoe was very comfortable.

I think the price it’s very reasonable. It will cost you around $70 dollars, it weighs 8.15 oz and has an offset of 10mm. You can definitely run a few miles in these shoes and feel comfortable.

The Under Armour Charged Assert 8 is very modern and offers some new technology.

The new technology includes; lightweight mesh upper with 3 color digital print that delivers complete breathability, a durable leather overlay, an EVA sockliner, Charged Cushioning, and a solid rubber outsole.

Under Armour Charged Assert 8 First Impressions

Under Armour Charged Assert 8 – Toe Closeup

My first impressions of this shoe were nothing over the top. There was nothing that stood out to me right away. It is just a very basic shoe. I received the white and black color which was a nice change of pace for me.

I usually like the flashy bright colors for my running shoes. Under Armour offers this shoe in one other color, Halo Gray/White.

My initial reaction to trying the shoes on was a positive one. They were all around cushioned. I could feel the softness all over my foot, along with that I could feel the overlay stitching as well. My first run was a 5k.

I had no problems with the shoe at all during this first run. Things I noticed right away were how light the shoes felt on my feet, the roomy toe box, and the stability they made me feel.

I did 2 longer runs with these shoes and had some issues with pain in my Achilles and tight calves as my run went on. I loved wearing these shoes for all of my cross-training workouts.

Under Armour Charged Assert 8 Sole Unit

Under Armour Charged Assert 8 – Sole

Let’s take a look at the sole unit of the shoe. This shoe is made for individuals who have a neutral foot strike and would not be suggested for the person who under pronates.

The Under Armour Charged Assert 8 has Charged Cushioning throughout the midsole. This is Under Armour’s brand of cushioning that uses compression molded foam to give you responsiveness and durability.

I would have to say when I put the shoes on to just walk around I could notice the squishy-ness of the foam . It’s comfortable. They have a nice EVA sock liner that I appreciated when wearing these shoes for hours at a time.

The outsole of this shoe is made of solid rubber . This rubber does not cover the entire bottom of the outsole. It is strategically placed on the high impact areas of the shoes, giving you greater durability with less weight.

Deep and shallow flex grooves are found between the midfoot and forefoot, which makes the platform very flexible.

I tested this shoe out on multiple different surfaces. Here is how each surface went. On the road, I took them out for various runs in wet and dry conditions. They did fine in both conditions.

Under Armour Charged Assert 8 – Lateral Side

When you visit the Under Armour website they have a section of questions from people who are looking to buy this shoe or who already have.

The one question that kept coming up was “Is this shoe slip resistant?” Under Armor’s answer was always “no.” I had no issue with them slipping.

The next place I tested them was a grassy hill. I live on a hill and like to incorporate hill runs into my weekly routine. On dry grass the shoes did well, with a little dew on the grass I did slip a bit.

The last place I tested them was on artificial turf. I train athletes and wanted to see how they would do during a speed and agility class. I did ladders, hurdles, sled pushes and change of direction drills.

Overall, I think this is what these shoes were made for. I had no issues with the shoes during this type of running workout.

The shoe that came to mind when comparing this shoe would be Under Armour Charged Impulse. Both shoes offer that same Charged Cushioning midsole and the solid rubber outsoles that only cover the higher impact areas.

Another brand that reminds me of the Under Armour Charge Assert 8 would be the Nike Revolution 5. The cushioning in each is a soft foam midsole, which offers a smooth ride. Another thing in common is their wallet-friendly price.

Under Armour Charged Assert 8 Upper Unit

Under Armour Charged Assert 8 – Closeup

The Upper is made of a lightweight mesh material. It’s a rougher mesh but very breathable material. The mesh only covers from the mid foot to the toe box.

In the inside of the shoe where the mesh is located is a thinly lined cushy material. When you first put your foot into the shoes, you will notice how plush the shoe as a whole is .

The rest of the shoe is made up of “durable leather overlays.” This is what Under Armour calls it . When you feel the overlays I don’t think of leather at all.

It’s more of a faux suede material, which does enhance the look of the shoe. The Under Armour logo is also a raised rubber material on the shoe and not screen printed like I’m used to seeing.

The overlays cover the heel cup, the lacing box and a small portion of the toe area. Where the overlays meets the mesh material near my toes has already started to show major wear.

Under Armour Charged Assert 8 – Inner

I had plenty of room in my toe box. The Women’s UA Charged Assert 8 Running Shoes fit true to size and have a standard B width. To accommodate for a wider foot, I would suggest sizing up a half size.

One of the areas I thoroughly liked about this show was the tongue. It was made of a soft mesh material that was extremely well ventilated. It was a perfect thickness and plush material.

The lacing system offers many choices for lacing up your shoes. The laces themselves are round and stayed in place when I double knotted them.

The heel cup supported my heel very well for just walking around and for cross-training workouts. There’s nothing fancy going on in the heel cup but for the price it got the job done.

Under Armour Charged Assert 8 Conclusion

Under Armour Charged Assert 8 – Lateral Side

My overall conclusion of the Under Armour Charged Assert 8 would be that it should not be categorized as a running shoe. It is a nice shoe for various other workouts and can be used for casual purposes.

It is a lightweight shoe that offers all-day comfort. If I am being totally honest, I would buy Nike’s budget-friendly running shoe.

The Nike Revolution 5 before I would buy this shoe again. The durability and the quality of materials really made an impact on my review.

We purchased a pair of Under Armour Charged Assert 8 from runningwarehouse using our own money. This did not influence the outcome of this review, written after running more than 50 miles in them.