I get to test the best running shoes for my job and as an obsessive runner who’s almost always marathon training, it’s a job I adore.
I’m able to try the most exciting new shoes on the market, and discover gems like the Adidas Adizero Evo SL, which has been a fixture in my running shoe rotation ever since I first used it in early 2025.
A lot of incredible running shoes have launched since then, including the Adidas Hyperboost Edge super-trainer, but if I could only pick one shoe from the brand to use for my training, it’s still the Evo SL — here’s five reasons why.
It’s very light and fast
The Evo SL has a stack height of 39mm at the heel and 33mm at the forefoot, so it’s by no means a minimal shoe, but the foam used is Adidas’ Lightstrike Pro, which is a very light material, so the shoes weigh just 7.9oz in my US men’s size 9.5.
That light weight, coupled with the energetic midsole foam and the sharp rocker on the shoe, means that the Evo SL is great for fast runs, and I’ve done a variety of workouts in it during my 100+ miles of testing, from short track intervals to long tempo runs on the road.
It’s comfortable enough for easy runs too
The Evo SL excels at fast paces, but it’s not just a speed shoe in my opinion, because it’s also comfortable for cruising through your easy and steady daily training runs too.
It’s cushioned enough to protect the legs on these runs, and while it’s not the most stable shoe because of a cutout on the medial side of the midsole, it’s been fine for me as a neutral runner, and its versatility makes it one of the best all-rounders on the market.
It’s great value
At $150, the Adidas Adizero Evo SL is not an extremely cheap shoe, but the level of performance it offers is in line with top super-trainers like the Hyperboost Edge and Asics Megablast, and these will set you back $200 or more.
Its price-to-performance ratio makes it a very good value in my opinion, and it’s also a shoe that’s now often on sale, because it’s been around for a while.
It comes in different versions, including a winterized model
The Evo SL has been a huge success for Adidas, and rather than overhauling the shoe with a new version, which would risk ruining it, the brand has so far opted to release modified models of it instead.
These include the Adidas Adizero Evo SL Woven and Adidas Adizero Evo SL EXO, which have different uppers to the original shoe — some people struggled with the fit of the OG Evo SL, though I’ve found it great myself.
The alternate model I really like is the Adidas Adizero Evo SL ATR, which is a winter-ready version of the shoe. It has a water-repellent upper and improved grip for wet roads, but retains the bouncy Lightstrike Pro midsole design.
As someone who trains through the British winter, which is never short of rainy days, the improved grip and weatherproof upper on the Evo SL ATR have made it my go-to for runs in inclement conditions.
It’s more fun than most running shoes
The last reason I rate the Evo SL so highly is the simplest — it’s just great fun to run in. It’s bouncy, fast, and light, and I always look forward to using it.
I test a lot of running shoes, and when I compare them directly to the Evo SL, its springy ride always shines through and puts a smile on my face.
