Under Armour launches Hovr, a smart running shoe to track runs, pace, more

Under Armour is known for its fitness clothing and accessories. Recently, one area that Under Armour has started to break into is the shoe market. When buying running shoes, there are a number of aspects to look at: comfort, breathability, support, etc. Well, one area I feel that will become a staple of running shoes soon is smart connectivity, and Under Armour is doing just that.

Hovr is a new type of running shoe that has Bluetooth connectivity built-in to interface with your phone. These days, everything seems to be connecting to smartphones. We have smart watches, smart assistants, self-driving cars, and it feels like every other day something else is becoming “connected”. I absolutely love this trend and am excited to see it branch out to connected running shoes.

Tracking your run is very important when training, or even just when trying to lose a few extra pounds. Knowing how far you ran, what route you took, pace, stride length, and more are all key aspects of getting the most out of your exercise game.

Before, you used to have a workout coach that would help you track and keep up with these aspect of exercising, but now it can all be done with your phone and connected devices. Smart watches have long tracked heart rate, GPS location, and more, but there are a few things that watches cannot track.

It’s hard for a watch to know what your stride length is, or exactly what your step count is (as it just goes off of your wrist movement). But, by putting the tracker into a shoe, you can capture much more precise information.

Map My Run, the app which these shoes connect to, can track things such as detailed running metrics, pace, cadence, stride length, and distance. The app can also give audio feedback on your GPS run to help you know what goals you are reaching.

Through the community aspect of Map My Run, there are downloadable routes to help you know what trails others run, what people like, and what they don’t. All information can be synced to Apple Health so you can keep track of everything in one place as well.

There are even hooks into programs like MyFitnessPal so you can get even further detailed tracking thanks to the new information these shoes provide.

Under Armour has launched Hovr in multiple styles for both men and women, and prices start at $100. Most high-end running shoes will cost close to this anyway, so if you’re in the market for some new kicks, why not pick up connected shoes to help you keep track of your fitness progress?

Hovr is available from Under Armour’s own website right now, but we expect to find them in most major retailers in the coming weeks or months.

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