Our Thoughts on the Adidas EVO SL After 100 Miles
The Adidas EVO SL is one of the most popular new lightweight daily trainers on the market. Priced at $150, it features a full bed of Lightstrike Pro race foam and an undeniably beautiful racing silhuoette. Here we will provide an overview of the Evo SL and let you know our thoughts after 100 miles.
The Adidas EVO SL was one of the most hyped running shoes in recent memory, and it’s quickly become one of the most popular lightweight daily trainers of 2025. Below, we break down four reasons why the EVO SL has become a hobby jogger favorite—and how it’s held up after 100 miles of use.
Why the Adidas EVO SL is so popular:
Adidas Evo SL
The Design
Adidas took the beautiful silhouette, geometry, and design language of their $500 elite race shoe—the Pro Evo—and brought it to the $150 EVO SL. It looks fast, feels fast, and wears like a race-ready daily trainer. They've also released it in some beautiful colorways, even making our Best Looking Shoes of June 2025 list in the White/Team Royal Blue version.
Adidas Adizero Adios Pro Evo 2
.png)
The Midsole
The EVO SL features a full slab of pure Lightstrike Pro—Adidas’s supercritical TPEE race foam—with a small plastic shank. No other brand is offering 100% of their race-day foam in an accessible daily trainer. Runners have come to love the classic Lightstrike Pro’s support, comfort, and durability. It's notably more stable and less mushy than the softer formulation found in the Adios Pro 4.
The Rocker
This shoe is built for faster daily miles. We’ve used it for 30-mile tempo runs, and it really shines at Zone 3 efforts—which is why it earned a spot on our recent Zone 3 Champs Power Rankings list. It works especially well for higher cadence, forefoot running. Both Barrett and Meredith on the Supwell team are forefoot strikers, which might explain why it feels so good to them across a wide range of paces and efforts.
The Durability
After 100 miles, the foam is just now starting to break in. There’s still plenty of life left in it. The Continental rubber outsole is holding up extremely well, with no signs of significant wear.
Watch Yowana's YouTube video below on his full 100 mile review of the EVO SL below:
What we didn’t love about the EVO SL:
The Firmness at Easy Paces
The foam can feel a little too firm, especially at slower recovery paces. Yowana found it uncomfortable and a bit harsh during easy runs. However, Barrett and Meredith love its range and versatility. That said, without a carbon plate or stiffening rods like in the Boston 13, the EVO SL doesn’t feel quite snappy enough for true speed workouts.
The Upper
The upper isn't as refined as we’d like. It's fairly loose and baggy, which can lead to a lack of forefoot lockdown. On the bright side, it works well for runners who need a higher volume forefoot or have wider feet. It is also very lightweight and breathable.
The Stability
The combination of a loose-fitting upper and unplated race foam results in a less stable ride than some of its competitors—like the ASICS Novablast 5 or Salomon Aero Glide 3. Lockdown issues can be a challenge, especially on turns or uneven surfaces.
Asics Novablast 5
Salomon Aero Glide 3
.png)
Summary
For $150, the Adidas EVO SL delivers reliable bounce, speed, and cushioning in a lightweight, aesthetically pleasing package. It’s not perfect—but for faster daily miles and tempo efforts, it’s absolutely earned its place in the 2025 daily trainer conversation.
Supwell App
For great deals on gently used or brand new running shoes, sign up for the Supwell app. You'll get DAILY motivation, the most supportive hobby jogger community, best buy, sell and trade shoe marketplace and exclusive Hobby Jogger gear discounts, including access to the Running Warehouse code that will get you 20% off of clearance shoes.
Join the buy, sell, trade marketplace.
Find your next running shoe
Answer a few questions to find the best shoe based on your preferences and goals
