A white running shoe adorned with black stripes, positioned against a gentle grey background, emphasising its streamlined design and branding.

Up close: Adizero Evo SLAdidas’ lightest daily running shoe yet

With premiere Lightstrike Pro foam and at €150, adidas has just launched what will be a go-to shoe for taking your daily runs to the next level.

By Lucas Pantoja

25 October 2024 · 3 min read

Want a chance to cop the adidas adizero Evo SL before anyone else? With such limited items in stock, this is your moment to join the inner circle. Sign up now to go in the running for the full invite-only experience.

With a history dating back to Bavaria in 1924, and early gold medalists running in their shoes like Lina Radke and Jesse Owens, adidas has built an arsenal of prestige running shoes. It ranges from the best-in-class adizero adios Pro 3 — a fan-favourite marathon shoe that we reviewed back in April — to the long-lasting comfort of the Ultraboost family and the most recent legendary Adios Pro Evo 1.

Aside from its high €500 point, scarcity, and one-time recommended use, the Pro Evo 1 is most well-known for being worn during Tigist Assefa’s record-shattering marathon in 2023 (breaking the previous time by 2min 11sec.). It also happens to be the starting point and model for the newly released adizero Evo SL.

THE EVO SL MAKES ITS DEBUT

Get started with adidas’ elevated daily running shoe today, available in both men’s and women’s sizing.

THE EVO SL MAKES ITS DEBUT

Get started with adidas’ elevated daily running shoe today, available in both men’s and women’s sizing.

About the Evo SL:

With an appearance so closely resembling the Evo Pro 1 and a colourway of Cloud White / Core Black / Cloud White, fans of that style will rejoice knowing that the SL costs only a fraction of the price at €150 (£130), retains adidas’ high-performance technology and is built to last for repeated use as a training shoe. It’s essentially the everyday counterpart to the one-time-use shoe. Among other details we’ll break down below, thanks to the Lightstrike Pro foam in the midsole — the same that features in the adizero adios Pro — you can now get a taste of top-tier technology on an ideal daily trainer built for speed.

Bloggers and fans have rejoiced since the shoes’ announcement, with reviewers like Aubrey Running and Believe in The Run testing them out in the lead-up to the Berlin Marathon, exclaiming they’re “That one shoe you can recommend to as many people”. Others are calling it “The ultimate super trainer”.

Running shoe with a sleek design, featuring a midsole drop of 6.5 mm, accented with measurement lines and black stripes on a grey background.

Purpose: train to race, all surfaces

While the Evo SL has already been identified as a great daily trainer to get out fast and start clocking in those kilometres, don’t be mistaken, it’s competitive to race in as well. The Lightstrike Pro foam that features is used only in adidas’ premiere marathon shoes. It’s made from TPEE (Thermoplastic Polyester Elastomer) and is supercritical, meaning it’s gas injected to be lighter. Expect a return on energy, smooth cushioning, and engineering to support muscle recovery between runs.

Not only that, the SL weighs in at a mere 188g (size UK 5.5 women’s) and 224g (size UK 8.5 men’s) which is only 6 grams more than the renowned adizero adios Pro. As for wear on different surfaces, the outsoles come with signature Continental rubber — made by a tyre manufacturer – so rest assured the traction can support longer use.

Fit, feel and support: breathable, light, neutral support

A key differentiator of the SL is its engineered mesh upper, which takes on lightweight breathability but is built to handle everyday wear, as opposed to the extra thin upper on the Pro Evo 1. It has a neutral support, while the midsole drop is 6.5 mm and the stack height is 32 / 38.5 mm.

List of details:

Upper: engineered mesh to allow for breathability Midsole technology: Lightstrike Pro, adidas’ top-tier marathon foam, supercritical (gas-injected to be lighter), TPEE (Thermoplastic Polyester Elastomer), and with top-loaded nylon dogbone Outsole: continental rubber on the forefoot, clear rubber on the rearfoot Purpose: light trainer Support: neutral Surface: all surfaces Weight: men’s 224 g +/- 9g (size UK 8.5) Stack height: 32 / 38.5 mm Midsole drop: 6.5 mm Fit: regular Laces: lace closure Colourway: Cloud White / Core Black / Cloud White

A close-up of a muscular leg in black athletic shorts and a black sock, wearing a white sports shoe with black stripes, captured mid-stride.

Our verdict:

Whether you’re a returning Three Stripes fanatic in need of a prestigious daily training shoe, or a casual runner looking to level up your performance and get a taste of premium feel and lightness, then look no further than the Evo SL. We’re expecting them to go fast and far.