adidas Evo SL Performance Review

While I was in Berlin to run the Berlin Marathon, adidas launched its newest race day shoe, the adidas Adios Pro 4, and its newest trainer, the adidas Evo SL. And while the Adios Pro 4 is a high-end racing shoe (I used it to run the Berlin Marathon and had zero issues with my feet), the true star of the unveiling was the Evo SL. Why?

Because the adidas Evo SL is set to rewrite the super trainer playbook. And it’s going to do that without going above the 40mm stack height mark that many super trainers blow past. Plus, the Evo SL is priced at $150, a full $30 under the nearest super trainer.

Those are the two reasons the shoe generated buzz almost immediately upon being announced. Now let’s find out how it performed on the roads.

What is the adidas Evo SL?

According to adidas, the Evo SL “brings Pro Evo 1 design DNA to non-race moments and is engineered for those that want to look good and feel fast. The lightest training shoe in adidas’ entire running line, weighing approximately 188g for women and 224g for men, features clean lines and minimalist white finish, highlighted by bold black three stripes that blur as the runner gains speed.”

Now, that adidas description leans entirely too much on looks for my taste. Though the adidas Evo SL does look good and really clean, its value is found in other places.

The Evo SL features a Continental Rubber outsole, a full-length Lightstrike Pro midsole, a small midfoot shank, and an engineered mesh upper. It’s almost an Adios Pro 3, just without the carbon rods. I say “almost” because the Evo SL takes the farther back rocker point from the exquisite Adios Pro Evo 1. 

And that’s a great move. For my money, that’s the single best part of the Evo 1 and the main reason it’s such a gem. The Adios Pro 4 getting that rocker point was one of the keys to its improvements over the already solid Adios Pro 3. That new geometry is a big upgrade. But let’s find out how it felt on the Evo SL.

How did the adidas Evo SL perform?

After running 50 miles in the adidas Evo SL, it immediately vaulted to become one of my favorite shoes of the year. Let’s start at the bottom and work our way up.

The Continental rubber outsole grips extremely well and was reliable in all conditions. Wet-to-dry transitions didn’t phase it, and taking corners at full speed was no issue.

Moving up to the midsole, the Lightstrike Pro is bouncy yet stable. It’s not stiff, as there are no carbon rods or a plate inside, but the bounce back upon toe-off is elite. The toe-off bounce matches up well with more expensive shoes like the Puma MagMax Nitro and the Brooks Glycerin Max, despite costing $30-$50 less.

I loved the midsole for both daily running at an easy pace and for runs where I picked up the tempo. Going fast felt easy. Very few shoes can summon this amount of bounce without a carbon plate or rods. It was impressive. I expect many people will be able to run marathon and half marathon races in the Evo SL. It’ll be especially tempting for those people who don’t like or want carbon in their race day shoes.

Moving up to the engineered mesh upper, it’s basic but extremely breathable. It fits well and feels great without any potential hotspots. There’s just enough collar padding for comfort, and the light, zonally padded tongue feels barely there but still comfortable. 

The only thing the upper needs is gussets for the tongue or for the tongue to be stitched into one side. As is, the tongue is slippy. Without the built-in lace loop, the tongue would slip willy-nilly into the lateral side of the shoe. But that’s basically my only complaint.

The adidas Evo SL is an easy one to recommend because the performance is elite with only one con dragging it down.

Pros

• Bouncy Lightstrike Pro midsole
• Breathable, comfortable upper
• Grippy and durable Continental outsole
• Reasonable price

Cons

• Slippy tongue

Is the adidas Evo SL wide foot friendly?

The adidas Evo SL is one of the more wide foot friendly adidas shoes. The forefoot provides plenty of room to spread the toes. The Evo SL narrows at the heel, so those with wider heels may need to try them on to be sure.

As for length, the adidas Evo SL fits like a typical adidas running shoe…for me that’s a half size down from my size in most other shoe brands. If you grab your normal adidas size, it’ll fit perfect with room to spread your toes.

Is the adidas Evo SL worth $150?

Yes, the adidas Evo SL is worth $150. Actually it’s worth a lot more – probably $180 – but I don’t want to give adidas any ideas about raising this stellar price. At $150, the Evo SL is a huge value and is going to put the pressure on other brands to respond.

adidas Evo SL Summary

The adidas Evo SL is one of my favorite running shoes I’ve ever tested. It’s bouncy, comfortable, and versatile; it delivers a ton of performance for the money. If the above performance review has you intrigued, just go ahead and buy the darn shoe. No one who purchases the adidas Evo SL is going to regret it.

How does the Author Run?

Drew Whitcomb (age 42, 6’6″ 195lbs): Runs daily with a once a week rest day. Runs a lot of miles due to testing needs and a growing affinity for long-distance races. Regularly competes in marathons, half-marathons, 10k, and 5k races.

Disclosure

While adidas did provide a pair of the Evo SL to facilitate this review, the company had no involvement in this review, didn’t receive an advance look at it, and has not attempted to influence it.