5 Reasons Why the Adidas EVO SL is a Great Shoe for Marathon Training
The Adidas Adizero EVO SL is a speed training shoe with a full slab of Lightstrike Pro race foam that is designed to offer speed and versatility in an aesthetically pleasing package. Priced at $150, it competes with shoes like the Hoka Mach X2 ($190) and Nike Zoom Fly 6 ($170). Here we will go over 5 things that make the EVO SL a great training companion.
Touting a full Lightstrike Pro midsole underfoot, race day–inspired rocker for smooth transitions, a simple, breathable upper, and Continental rubber for grip—all wrapped into a $150 package that’s built to go the distance. The EVO SL is a Supwell-certified Banger!
1. The Midsole: Non-Plated Classic LightStrike Pro Foam (small mid-foot shank for stability)
The standout feature of the EVO SL is its midsole. It’s hard to beat a non-plated slab of the same Lightstrike Pro that was in the Adios Pro 3 (especially at the pricepoint of $150). Offering bounce and speed assistance for daily miles, the EVO SL is the definition of a Zone 3 Champion. Anyone who has run in a last gen Lightstrike Pro shoe will feel right at home—it's got the same not too soft, not too firm underfoot feel, fun bounce, and crazy durability the foam compound is famous for.
Adidas Evo SL
2. The Rocker: Aggressive, Race-Day Inspired Rocker Geometry Drawn from Pro Evo Line
The midsole of the EVO SL might be taken from the last gen Adios Pro 3, but its rocker geometry pulls from Adidas’ current pinnacle marathon racing products. Just as it does in the Pro Evo, this rocker encourages a fast, efficient turnover and rewards a mid/forefoot strike. The race day-inspired platform is less than ideal for easy runs, but the geometry/midsole compound come alive when you pick up the pace. Overall, we’re impressed by Adidas’ willingness to trickle down technology from a $500 racing shoe into an accessible training model like the EVO SL.
Adidas Adizero Adios Pro Evo 2
3. The Outsole: Continental Rubber
The EVO SL outsole works surprisingly well despite its minimal appearance—you won’t find the legendary grooved tread pattern of the Boston 12, nor the aggressive bite of PumaGrip lugs; instead, the rubber compound itself pulls the most weight. Featured here is a thin layer of Continental Rubber—a tacky, durable tire rubber compound that Adidas is notorious for using. While not as aggressively grippy as other Adidas offerings, the outsole performs great in less-than-ideal conditions, and hardly wears down even after hundreds of miles.
4. The Upper: Simple, Lightweight Mesh Upper
The upper of the EVO SL isn’t anything to write home about, but we’re willing to look past it because of the shoe’s stellar midsole and pricepoint. The materials used are fairly pedestrian (simplistic mesh and standard, cheap laces,) but the fit itself is comfortable, especially for wider-footed runners who frequently experience irritation and hotspots. The upper provides plenty of room to breathe in the midfoot and forefoot, so those who prefer more structure and support will want to look elsewhere, possibly at the Adizero SL2.
Adidas Adizero SL2
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5. The Price: $150 MSRP
At Supwell, we always like to judge shoes for the ride experiences they provide rather than their price points, but the affordability of the EVO SL bears mentioning. Coming in at the same $150 price point as standard daily trainers like the Ghost 17 and Clifton 10, undercutting tempo shoes like the Zoom Fly 6 and Endorphin Speed series at $170, and delivering race foam well below the $190 Mach X2 and $200 Superblast 2, the EVO SL is the best bang for your buck on the market.
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