One of my least favourite things is to go shoe shopping (in fact, make that any kind of shopping) when the old reliable trainers have to be retired due to falling apart with every step, or the smell has just become too overpowering. You pop into your favourite sports store only to be faced with an intimidating wall of shoes, which, more or less, all look the same.

The SpeedForm AMP 3.0 training shoes stand out from the crowd with a unique design on both the midsole and lacing system. They come in four colours: Black and Orange, Black and Blue, Light Brown and Black and White, which was the design we received. This design, like anything that breaks the mould, will evoke a love or hate reaction, especially some of the other colours, but personally I liked the look.

The SpeedForm AMP 3.0 use the innovative UA SpeedForm construction that moulds over time to your foot shape for a precise fit. They are wonderfully light at just 250g per shoe and have a heel-to-toe off set of just 2mm. The upper has a full knit construction for ultimate flexibility and lateral stability. The unusual lacing system wraps across the upper, which, whilst adding to the stability, does make it difficult to find the perfect fit straight away - you will have to tweak each section of the lace before you get a good fit across the foot. After that, though, we found it easier to leave the laces tied and slip your foot in and out (just like your mum always told you not too).

This brings us nicely to the sock-like construction, which is lovely and comfortable and wraps around the foot. This, along with the lack of a tongue, means these shoes are best suited for average-narrow feet due to the design; a wider foot will probably find them uncomfortable as you can make the shoes tighter but not looser. The insole is non-removable, so you won’t be able to clean or add your own insoles to these shoes, and there is an internal stability shank to support explosive movements, which worked well, but it doesn’t help produce explosive movements; that’s all down to you.

Back to that original, open, floating space between the foot and the midsole, this has been employed to support your natural arch movement. After a few classes, we remain unconvinced this adds anything beyond aesthetics, but it doesn’t weaken the shoe either. Other features include the full-length Micro G foam midsole for a cushioned landing and the rubber pattern which covers the outsole for a good amount of traction.

After a few training sessions both indoors and out, we found that they are a comfortable and responsive training shoe with lots of flexibility. There is a seam on the inner sole on that is particularly rough on the outside of the foot, which has potential to cause trouble over time. We also found a few stones getting stuck in the open design. RRP £100.00

4 out of 5

Current Cheapest Price

Pros

Unique design

Comfortable

Flexible

Lightweight

Responsive

Breathable

Cons

Non removeable insole

Stones get stuck in cut away

Seam has potential to rub

Slightly narrow