Adidas adizero Adios Pro Evo 1 Introduction

Every now and again, a running shoe is launched which moulds the future of running shoe design and dictates how future shoes will perform. The Nike Vaporfly 4% was one of these examples and the Adios Pro Evo 1 is now another.

There used to be a time when elite marathon runners would wear racing flats because they believed that a lighter shoe meant a faster time. But in order to use these racing flats for long distances, you needed to have exquisite running form and feet which are tough as nails. Most non-elite runners weren’t able to race a marathon in flats.

Then came the more forgiving Nike Vaporfly 4% with its stiff carbon plate inside a thick 31 mm/21 mm, cushy midsole. It offered much more cushioning, protection and speed assistance.

As midsoles got thicker and foams became more responsive, race record times dropped lower and lower. World Athletics then set rules for competition shoes. The midsole can’t be above 40 mm in stack height and there can only be 1 stiffening device in the midsole.

Brands now have to think outside the box about how they can make their super shoes faster without breaking the rules. 1 of the ways is to decrease the weight of the shoe.

Adidas has previously toyed with the idea of super light racing shoes. They used to have a racing flat called the Adizero Sub 2 which weighed only 5.6 oz (160 g). This shoe was designed to help athletes race a marathon in under 2 hours, but that never happened.

The Sub 2 racer had a flat ride, didn’t have much cushioning and didn’t provide much speed assistance. Adidas’ latest innovation, the Adios Pro Evo 1 combines the benefits of a super-light racing flat weight with the speed assistance of a maximalist carbon-plated super shoe.

The Pro Evo 1 is a concept shoe which is made available for the public to buy. This not only creates hype for Adidas but also gives the shoe credibility because non-elite runners are able to test it out for themselves to see that it’s the real deal. This is something that more brands should do.

There were only 1025 pairs of the shoes made- mine is number 910. I managed to buy the Evo 1 through a raffle on Running Warehouse and at the time of the writing of this review, there is still stock available on the Running Warehouse website for purchase.

The Adios Pro Evo 1 weighs just 4.87 oz (138 g) in a men’s US9. This is an entire 3 oz (85 g) less than the Adidas Adios Pro 3. It has a 39/33 mm stack height with a 6 mm drop. It costs $500, double the price of the “more affordable” and more widely available Adios Pro 3.

So why is it so expensive? Adidas carves each Evo 1 midsole out of a block of foam using a technique called CNC (computer numerical control) milling. To do this takes a lot of time, skill and excess material waste. Adidas probably makes very little profit, if any, on this shoe.

Adidas adizero Adios Pro Evo 1 First Impressions

My first run in the Evo 1 was a 10K race on a hilly course. I hadn’t done any training runs in it before that because I wanted to save it for race day so it was a bit risky to race in it.

I can remember walking to the start line and feeling like I was forgetting something because it felt like I wasn’t wearing any shoes due to its weight. The upper also felt really comfortable and the size was perfect: snug but secure.

It needed no break-in period and within the first 500 metres, I could tell that the Evo 1 had a softer ride than the Adios Pro 3. I could also tell that their rockers were different; the Adios Pro 3’s rocker felt more prominent while the Evo 1’s rocker felt more subdued.

I was really amazed with how it performed during that race. My time was 40:27. It wasn’t a PB because the route had 135 m (443 f) of elevation gain but during the late stages of the race, from kilometres 7-10, the featherweight build made my legs feel much fresher than they usually would feel. The lightweight build also made tackling the steep hills much easier.

Adidas adizero Adios Pro Evo 1 Upper

This is the thinnest, most minimal upper I’ve ever put my feet into. The plastic-feeling mesh feels thinner than some ziplock bags and I feel like I have to be gentle with it so that I don’t tear a hole in it. Breathability is excellent and it doesn’t absorb sweat.

There isn’t as much padding in the collar and heel tab as in the Adios Pro 3 so the Evo 1 doesn’t have very good heel lockdown. There’s also no heel counter so even using a runner’s knot, my heel feels loose but there isn’t any heel slippage.

The Evo 1 is true to size with the traditional Adidas narrow last. It has a snug, racing fit with a low toe-box height. It’s best suited to narrow, low-volume feet.

Adidas adizero Adios Pro Evo 1 Sole Unit

My height is 170 cm, my weight is 60 kilograms and I’m a heel striker. These are important stats because I’ve done 80 kilometres in the Evo 1 and it shows absolutely no signs of degradation. The cushioning now is just as responsive as my first run in it.

Adidas says that it’s designed to perform optimally for only 1 marathon race but that will depend on your weight and running form. I estimate that I will be able to run at least 2-3 marathons in it, in addition to the 80 kilometres I have already put on it.

They also state on the card that comes with it that it’s designed for runners who can run 3 hours 30 minutes or faster for a full marathon. My PB is 3 hours so I should be able to get the full Evo 1 experience.

My testing consisted of a 10K race, and two hard 35 kilometre long runs. The Evo 1 excelled at both distances and at a variety of paces. While some of the other lightweight racers don’t have enough cushioning for a full marathon, the Evo 1 has more than enough and I will definitely be racing a marathon in it this year. It also feels comfortable at slower paces due to its forgiving, “friendly” ride.

The Lightstrike Pro Evo foam that makes up the midsole of the Evo 1 is made from PEBA and it provides a softer ride than regular Lightstrike Pro. It feels fluffier and it has a higher compression rate. It feels as if they’ve injected Nitrogen into it to make it lighter and less dense.

The energy return isn’t as high as the regular Lightstrike Pro because of how much your feet sink down into the foam every time you load it. The ride of the Evo 1 feels plusher than the Adios Pro 3 and plusher than most flagship super shoes.

I find the Evo 1 most impressive in the late stages of runs when my legs begin to tire. Normally it feels like I’m dragging my feet, but in the Evo 1, I can maintain my pace or even speed up. It gives me the ability to “open fire” close to the end.

The rocker of the Evo 1 is at 60% of the length of the shoe. The rocker of the Adios Pro 3 is at 70% in comparison.

The longer rocker in the Evo results in a gentler, rolling transition compared to the Adios Pro which has a more aggressive, forward-tipping transition. I prefer the Adios Pro 3’s rocker but I suspect the Evo 1’s midsole is too soft for that setup as the rods would poke into your feet through the soft foam.

The Energy Rods inside the Evo 1’s midsole are super stiff, just like the ones in the Adios Pro 3 but they are able to move vertically independently. This results in highly efficient transitions and a more forgiving ride (than a carbon plate) during slow paces.

One of the big differences between the Evo 1 and other racers is that the Evo doesn’t have an insole so there’s less step-in comfort. Your feet sit directly on the strobel lining. During runs, I don’t notice the absence of the insole except towards the ends of long runs.

Besides providing more cushioning, an insole also absorbs sweat from your feet, but in the Evo Pro 1, the sweat doesn’t disappear down into the insole. During the end of long runs, it feels as if my feet are completely drenched which isn’t comfortable.

The Evo 1 feels more unstable than the Adios Pro 3. The edges of the Evo 1 midsole are much softer (30%) than a midsole which has been compression moulded so it has less structure and is less supportive. When cornering, I have to slow down more than I do in the Adios Pro. If you need a racer with stability, the Evo 1 might not be suitable for you.

The outsole durability of the Evo 1 has impressed me the most. Apart from some discolouring, the outsole still looks perfect after 80 kilometres with no dents, scratches or chips.

The Evo 1’s biggest weakness is outsole traction. I used it when it was drizzling lightly and I found the road extremely slippery where there were painted lines on the road. It makes sense now why the Adidas elite athletes used Evo 1’s with modified outsoles during the Berlin Marathon.

Adidas adizero Adios Pro Evo 1 Conclusions

The Adidas Adios Pro Evo 1 is the fastest running shoe I’ve tested.

While it doesn’t provide as much propulsion as other racers which are more aggressive, its featherweight build makes it feel faster and more efficient than competitors.

Its midsole foam isn’t as explosive as other super foams due to how squishy it is but it doesn’t feel sluggish or energy sapping.

It’s certainly not a gimmick and if money was no issue, this is the racer I would buy and lace up for all my races.
But if money is an issue, I wouldn’t recommend the Evo Pro 1 because it’s not worth 2 pairs of Adios Pro 3, Edge Paris or Vaporfly 3.

The Evo 1 is not for most runners. It’s for professional athletes to break records and it’s for running shoe geeks who want to experience the pinnacle of racing shoes. For $500, you get to experience the future.

The term “game-changer” is thrown around very often these days but it really does aptly apply to the Evo 1. In a year from now, every major brand will have a sub-5 oz marathon racer. There are already some Chinese racers which weigh less than the Evo 1.

This is good news not only for serious runners but for casual runners too because these lightweight racing foams will eventually filter down to the more affordable shoes.

The upcoming Adios Pro 4 already has Lightstrike Pro Evo foam inserts in its midsole.