Testing the best running shoes for a living is a job that I love, but if there is one minor downside it’s that I don’t often get the chance to keep using the sneakers I like the best, because there’s always something new to test.
That means if there is a shoe I do keep going back to months or even a year after reviewing it, it has to be pretty special.
The Adidas Adizero Evo SL is one such shoe. I loved the Evo SL from my first run in it and gave a glowing review after running 50 miles in the shoe. Since then I’ve run another 80 miles in it when I’m not testing new shoes, and it’s one I still consider part of my core running shoe rotation.
Since testing the Evo SL I’ve tried around 70 new shoes, but none have been able to best its combination of value and performance.
Here’s five reasons why I rate it so highly.
It’s light, springy and fun
Ultimately how a shoe feels on the run is going to be the main reason why I like or dislike it, and the Evo SL has a very fun ride thanks to its bouncy Lightstrike Pro midsole foam.
It’s exceptionally light too at 7.9oz in my U.S. men’s size 9.5, and this featherweight design coupled with the responsive midsole foam creates a fast ride that can handle all kinds of workouts and even races.
The rocker on the shoe also means it turns over quickly, and it’s one of the best fast trainers on the market regardless of price. But that’s not all it can do…
It’s comfortable for easy runs too, though unstable
I love using the Evo SL for relaxed runs as well as fast ones, and it has enough foam in the midsole to be comfortable for easy efforts, standing 39mm tall at the heel and 33mm at the forefoot.
It’s not a max-cushioned shoe, but it’s still comfortable for cruising, making it very versatile — I’ve done all kinds of runs in the Evo SL over the past 12 months, from all-out intervals on the track to slow recovery shuffles.
The only drawback at the easy end of things is that it’s not the most stable shoe, so if you need a more supportive ride, the Evo SL would probably only work for you for faster runs.
It’s proved durable
There’s not a lot to the Evo SL, which has a thin, breathable upper and a minimal outsole that just covers the forefoot and heel, but after running a lot of miles in the shoe I’ve not seen any worrying signs of wear and tear and the midsole is as bouncy as ever.
While I still don’t expect it to outlast heavier cushioned shoes with thicker outsoles and uppers, the Evo SL is durable for a lightweight daily trainer, and that only adds to the value it offers.
It’s great value
The Adidas Evo SL will set you back $150 at full price, and can often be found in sales these days since it’s now an older model.
That’s not cheap, but its performance level means it’s competing against super-trainers like the Saucony Endorphin Speed 5 or even the Asics Megablast, which cost $175 and $225 respectively. It’s great value for a versatile speed shoe with a top-class midsole.
Adidas didn’t change much in the new model
Adidas might not have expected the Evo SL to prove as successful as it has been, but the brand has done a good job of recognizing the key ingredient that made the shoe so beloved by runners, which is the midsole setup.
It kept that same midsole design on the winterized version of the shoe — the Adidas Adizero Evo SL ATR — and has also kept it the same on the new model of the Evo SL, which is called the Adidas Evo SL Woven.
This refers to the fact that the only update made is a new upper, which improves the fit of the shoe. For me that means you can go on buying the original Evo SL in sales rather than having to upgrade to the new shoe, because it is so similar, and that will only improve the Evo SL’s value.
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