Under Armour Project Rock Delta

7.8
7.8 score
[Editors rating (8.0) + Users rating (7.4)] / 2 = (WalkJogRun) score (7.8)/10


2
Editor rating: 8.0 / 10
User's rating: based on 7 user ratings
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Under Armour Project Rock Delta Review Facts

The Project Rock Delta By Under Armour is a shoe that may not be appealing at first, at least not when you hear the name, but eventually will grow on you. The shoe is a remake of the popular shoe the Delta Highlight. The only thing about the Rock Delta is that it’s designed by an individual that we all know and love, Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson.  These shoes are meant to be a redo of that initial design with a few nuances packed into it. These differences are things such as the Charged cushioning in the midsole and the design of the outsole. This is one of the meanest high top running shoes that one will probably be able to find on the market today.

Editor's Pros & Cons
Pros
  • Highly cushioned
  • Durable
  • Responsive
  • Amazing Energy return
Cons
  • Tight fit

Outsole

The outsole on the Rock Delta is designed with various different stylistic elements which work to enhance the feeling that the shoe delivers when in actual use. For starters, the shoe is designed using varying degrees of rubber materials. The majority of the outsole is designed using a blown rubber material whose effects fall directly in line with the feeling that the midsole cushioning delivers. Under Armour made sure to incorporate various other technologies into the outsole of the shoe which enable it to retain a relatively high level of grip as well when the shoe is worn(these things will be touched on as this review progresses though). All that can be said about it now is that the outsole makes use of a rubber material that achieves a higher level of friction than that which the blown rubber achieves.

Midsole

The midsole of the Rock Delta is designed to provide adequate cushioning for an individual who is placing a heavy burden on their body, such as a weight. The midsole makes rather decent use of Under Armour’s famous Charged Cushioning. This is simply a dual-layered foam that performs two different things. One of the layers in the midsole is meant to be a bit dense and to deliver adequate comfort to the wearer of the shoe. In addition to this, the second layer of the midsole is meant to provide a polarizing effect on the shoe. By giving the shoe a midsole layer that sits at 2 different extremes, Under Armour allowed the shoe to have what they’d need in order to train effectively in either a gym or on a road.

Upper

The upper of the Rock Delta is actually something that should have a bit of attention to it. For starters, the upper has a tremendous amount of cushioning placed throughout. Even though it’s fashioned from an incredibly thin layer of mesh, it still needs to be able to provide wearers with a bit of comfort while they are out and performing while in the shoe. It has a standard adjustable lacing which allows the shoe to provide adequate snugness to all parts of the wearer’s foot. One thing to note about the design of these shoes is that they only come in hightop, there are no mid to low top versions of this shoe.

Weight

A rather surprising thing about this shoe is that it isn’t anywhere near heavy. The design of this shoe is meant to be relatively light in comparison to the various other running/weightlifting shoes on the market. This is surprising simply because of the use of the use of both the Charged Cushioning and the padding in the upper of the shoe; each of these things typically causes shoes to be nothing short of heavy when inside of a shoe. With that being said, for a size 10, this shoe weighs approximately 10.8 oz.

Style

If nothing else is to be said about this shoe, one has to take note of the fact that it is inherently stylish. It makes use of both strategically placed contrasting colors and geometric design elements to provide the wearer with what they need in terms of style. The shoe features a high top cut as well as the signature Rock Brahma Bull in an accented gold along the back of the shoe. Speaking of the accented gold, many parts of the shoe carry this type of contrast; from the laces, all the way to the outsole, it’s all designed with the gold element. All things aside, the design of this shoe is rather sleek which shows that it can be used for fast-paced activities as well.

Breathability

A great thing about being designed using a thin mesh material is that the upper of the shoe is also relatively porous. Mesh is an inherently porous material, this is just the way that it is meant to be. Another thing about the design of the upper on this shoe is that it doesn’t have very many overlays. The overlays that are featured in the design of this shoe are printed which means that it will consistently provide the wearer with what they’d need in terms of air circulation. The mesh also has a moisture wicking property which enables it to reduce the build up of secretions that typically occur when one is working out or training in an intense fashion.

Comfort

Another great thing about Mesh being used in a shoe’s design is that it allows the shoe to be extremely comfortable. Mesh is one of those materials that provide various different things to the wearer simply by being a part of the design. Things such as airflow and responsiveness enable this shoe to consistently provide wearers with the bit of comfort that they’d need when wearing their shoe. The use of printed overlays also allows for more range of motion when the wearer is making use of their shoes. The sole unit, primarily the midsole also works to put the wearer's foot at ease when in use. The charged cushioning makes sure that the wearer’s foot has a plush platform to sink into (to a degree) while they are performing the activity of their choice.

Durability

Something about rubber simply makes one believe that the shoe that they’re wearing will last forever; in this shoe’s case it won’t last forever but it tries. The varying types of rubber placed on the outsole of the shoe work to rid one of the fears of having to immediately purchase new shoes every month. The pods in the sole unit are placed in high-friction areas which definitely gives the shoe’s sole unit a bit more longevity. The upper on the other hand is a bit of a different story. The upper of the shoe is designed using a thin mesh and at first, use may not be able to hold up for very long during strenuous activities.

Protection

What was said in the durability portion of this review goes double when it comes to protection. The sole unit of the shoe, or the charged cushioning to be a bit more exact, provides wearers with what they’d need in order to feel protected while they are making use of their shoe. The dual layering of the sole unit allows individuals to feel secure when they are out performing their heavy lifts; they aren’t too cushioned nor are they so solid that one doesn’t feel as if they are able to do anything that they want while they are in the shoe. The upper of the shoe has the printed overlays but, the printed overlays don’t do much to give wearers all that they’d need in order to fully feel secure in the shoe.

Responsiveness

One thing about Charged Cushioning is that it is one of the most responsive midsole designs that one will probably encounter in a pair of Under Armour shoes. The cushy part of the Charged Cushioning enables the shoe to move relatively easily to the movements of the wearer’s foot which is great when the shoe is being used. The EVA section of the shoe does balance out the other section of the shoe and is actually what enables the shoe to double as a weightlifting shoe. Mesh, as we all know is a material that is extremely responsive; this is probably why the shoe was designed with the material. The mesh section of the shoe enables it to consistently provide wearers with what they need in order to move, without restriction, around a gym.

Support

This is a high-top shoe. That insinuates that it will be able to provide wearers with adequate support during whatever activity that they decide to partake in. Whether it’s going for a run or doing an explosive set of box-jumps this shoe will make sure to provide wearers with a great deal of ankle support. The cushioning in the sole unit, as well as the shoe’s cupped heel, allows it to provide the wearer with a semblance of support for the curvature of the wearer’s foot. Another good thing to pay attention to is the fact that the shoe lacing wraps all the way to the ankle of the wearer. This gives the shoe the snugness that it would need in order to effectively keep the wearer’s foot feeling supported in their shoe.

Terrain

The good thing about having a shoe with a design such as this one is that it can be used on top of various different surfaces. Consider the design of the outsole of the shoe. It can be worn on surfaces such as padded gym floors as well as roads. This is all made possible by the use of rubber pods in the shoe’s design. The rubber pods take the pressure off of the softer rubber and enable the wearer to have what they’d need in terms of versatility.

Price

A great thing about the design Project Rock is that it isn’t the most expensive shoe on the market. It isn’t extremely cheap but it isn’t so expensive that one would have to worry about their ability to make good purchasing decisions. Make note of the fact that these shoes are incredibly versatile. The fact that they can be worn for various different activities adds a bit of value to the design of these shoes that wouldn’t have been present otherwise.

Traction

When it comes to traction, the design of these shoes definitely takes the need for it into account. The fact that these shoes have rubber pods incorporated into the design of their outsole enables these shoes to provide wearers with what they’d need in terms of traction. Also, it is important to mention the shoe’s rather intelligent use of both flex grooves and patterning throughout its outsole. The shoe has triangular patterning which allows it to provide wearers with adequate grip while the flex grooves give it the range of motion possible to allow the patterning to really take effect.

Flexibility

As mentioned in the previous section, the shoe has flex grooves which allow wearers to achieve a full range of motion. These grooves are featured on both the heel and forefoot areas of the shoe and enable it to move in such a way that exercise while in the shoe becomes a breeze.

Stability

To begin, the use of dual density foam in the midsole makes sure that the feeling of security is not lost on the wearer. When lifting heavy in this shoe, the EVA foam enables the wearer to really be able to feel secure and stable. The upper also has a snug fit which works to give the shoe the same effect.

Drop

The drop on the Rock Delta is roughly 10mm. This allows the shoe to perform to it’s highest ability when using it for running activities.

Key Features

• Charged Cushioning
• Padded mesh upper
• Rubber pods
• Flex Grooves

Verdict

All in all, the design of this shoe is one that is incredibly versatile. It can be used for both intense running activities as well as those heavy lifts. For this very reason, the shoe has an immense level of value that simply isn’t achieved by various other models of shoe. This, along with the price of the shoe makes the purchase of this shoe something that not many individuals would regret.