Although not one of the bigger brands as far as volleyball shoes go, Under Armour certainly still has some solid options for volleyball players.
Their range of volleyball specific shoes is quite small and they tend not to stay in production for particularly long, but luckily for us, UA has some really excellent basketball shoes which do a great job on the volleyball court.
In this article we’ll take a closer look at Under Armour’s top 4 shoes to wear for volleyball and what makes them special.
So without further ado, let’s begin!
If you’re after a super lightweight shoe with out of this world traction as well as solid lateral support and decent cushioning, the Curry 10 has got the goods.
Best Overall Under Armour Volleyball Shoes
So far as basketball shoes for volleyball go, there’s few that do a better job than the Curry 10.
With a super low to the ground feel, these shoes are ideal for anyone doing a lot of passing or digging who likes to feel connected to the court.
They have some of the stickiest traction of any basketball shoe ever. Seriously.
You simply cannot get shoes with better grip.
This also helps when it comes to passing and setting, which is why they’re some of my favorite shoes for liberos and setters.
So far as ankle lockdown and lateral stability goes, the Curry 10s do a really amazing job, making them one of the most well rounded shoes for back court specialists and setters.
The cushioning system is decent but nothing amazing, so it might be appropriate for outside hitters but probably not for middle blockers.
They’re a unisex shoe so perfect for both men and women as well as wide feet!
Ideal For
- Setters and liberos. This is one of my top rated basketball shoes for these two volleyball positions.
Not Ideal For
- Hitters doing a ton of jumping. The impact protection is probably not ideal for players doing a lot of jumping. If that’s you, check out my article on the top shoes for hitters.
One of the better UA shoes for volleyball players doing a lot of spiking is the HOVR Highlight Ace, known for its exceptional ankle support and bouncy cushion.
Best Women’s Under Armour Volleyball Shoes
This is really the only truly high top volleyball shoe in existence, and surprisingly it performs really well!
One thing that separates volleyball from basketball is the need for super small and quick lateral movements, like the adjustments made when passing and digging.
Usually, high top shoes tend to restrict ankle movement quite a lot, but the HOVR Highlight Ace seems to still allow for a decent amount of dexterity around the ankle.
In any case, this is clearly a shoe best worn by middle blockers and opposite hitters. Both of these positions do a ton of jumping and landing around the net and will benefit the most from support and lateral stability.
The Highlight Ace is also well known for a good amount of extra bounce, making it an absolute joy to jump in for spikers.
Impact protection is also really nice in these, so they’ll help keep your joints healthy if you’re playing a ton.
A word of caution, traction on dustier courts is not so good with these…
On clean floors, they perform really well and are super responsive, but they’re a notorious dust magnet which can make them uncomfortable to play in if you often find yourself on dusty courts.
They also do run very small/narrow, so I’d strongly recommend ordering at least a half size bigger than normal, possibly a full size.
If you have wide feet, definitely go a size up.
One other downside with these shoes is that they can be a struggle just to get on, which isn’t ideal if you’re always in a rush!
Ideal For
- Volleyball players prioritizing ankle support and bounce. This makes it one of the better shoes for middles and opposites.
Not Ideal For
- Those who play on dusty courts. These pick up dust like crazy, so if you frequent dusty courts, they’re not the shoe for you.
- Anyone who likes to be able to put their shoes on quickly! You’re probably going to need some patience just to get your feet in these things!
For under $100, the Spawn 3 has an exceptional cushioning system, excellent lateral stability, and decent traction and responsiveness. This makes it a decent budget option for all volleyball positions.
Best Budget Under Armour Volleyball Shoes
The UA Spawn 3 is an ultra lightweight, low to the ground shoe which does a really solid job across the board.
With the full length Micro G foam cushion, the bounce and impact protection is really nice overall, which is not something we often say about budget shoes!
The traction and responsiveness is really quite decent too, making it one of the better budget shoes for setters and liberos who need to perform very agile movements on court.
They’re also a great budget option for outside hitters with adequate cushioning to protect your joints from all of the jumping.
These actually run kind of big so it’s a decent idea to buy 1/2 a size smaller than usual.
Ideal For
- Setters, liberos, and outside hitters on a budget. This shoe makes a great entry level option for anyone who plays in these positions.
Not Ideal For
- Middle blockers. With some concerns around lateral stability, I wouldn’t recommend this shoe for middle blockers who require more support in this area.
Great All-Round Under Armour Volleyball Shoes
The UA HOVR Havoc is possibly my second favorite shoe on this list for a number of reasons…
With HOVR/Micro G cushioning, this midsole makes the shoe feel a lot softer than what we typically see from UA shoes which is quite a hard feeling usually.
They offer a nice little extra spring when jumping and have decent impact protection, so they’re great for spikers.
They look fairly bulky but they actually only weigh ~11.6oz, so they’re on the lighter side.
With a good amount of padding at the rear around the heel/Achilles, ankle lockdown is really good and the reinforced padding on the upper make this a really secure ride as far as lateral support goes.
The one negative, as with a lot of UA shoes, is they pick up dust like crazy.
If you play on a dusty court, you’ll have a tough time in these shoes and they’re a particularly hard wipe as well.
These fit pretty much true to size but fairly snug and possibly a little narrow, so going up 1/2 a size wouldn’t be a bad idea for wide feet.
Ideal For
- Hitters. With decent spring and impact protection, these are great for all spikers.
- Ankle/lateral support. This shoe checks all the boxes when it comes to ankle safety.
Not Ideal For
- Anyone who plays on dusty courts. These are a bit of a nightmare on dusty courts picking up heaps of dust and not wiping easily.
Final Verdict?
Without a doubt in my mind, the best shoe on this list is the Curry 10. It’s one of the most celebrated basketball shoes of all time and converts amazingly well to volleyball, particularly for setters and liberos.
For outsides, opposites, and middle blockers, the UA HOVR Havoc Clone 4 is a really nice secure option.
As far as women’s shoes go, if you’re a middle blocker, outside, or opposite who prioritizes ankle support, give the HOVR Highlight Aces a go – they’re one of the coolest looking volleyball shoes of all time!
And for anyone looking to save some cash, the Spawn 3 (or Spawn 4 which has just arrived) is a really nice option for all players.
UA Volleyball Shoes FAQ
The only UA volleyball shoe I’m aware of that comes in the white and gold colorway is the UA HOVR Highlight Ace.
The only currently available high top Under Armour volleyball shoe is the UA HOVR Highlight Ace.
Both the Spawn 3 as well as the Curry 9 come in red colorways. The UA HOVR Highlight Ace is also available in white with a red trim.
