When race day hits, you want to be your best, fastest, lightest self yet. Sure, you rely on your training to achieve this status, but that doesn’t mean your gear can’t help lighten the load. No wonder so many race-ready running shoes are some of the lightest silhouettes available.
While many top-performing marathon shoes hover around 7–9 ounces in weight, those are cement blocks compared to the new Adizero Adios Pro Evo 1. At just 138 grams (4.87 ounces), these featherweight racers are easily the lightest in the Adidas stable — notably lighter than earlier Adios Pros — and some of the lightest running shoes on the market, period. The combo of innovation (plenty), price (high) and initial availability (limited) certainly stands out from the pack.
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"The Adizero Adios Pro Evo 1 is our own ‘Impossible is Nothing’ story," says Patrick Nava, the brand's vice president of product for running and credibility sports. "We set ourselves the goal to create a racing shoe that is packed with the technology ambitious runners have come to love in the Adizero franchise, but at a weight we’ve never seen before at Adidas."
Additional features are also aimed at give you your fastest chance at the podium. Do they add up to a $500 upgrade over whatever you are wearing now? Here’s everything you need to know about the Adidas Adizero Adios Pro Evo 1.
What's New with the Adizero Adios Pro Evo 1?
Two areas where Adidas aims to transform the racing shoe landscape are the Adizero Adios Pro Evo 1’s midsole and outsole construction.
Adidas has included its Lightstrike Pro midsole foam in a number of high-performing racing shoes, including the Adizero Adios Pro 3s worn by Evans Chebet in his recent Boston Marathon victory. For the Adizero Adios Pro Evo 1s, however, the brand kicks its innovation into high gear with a non-compression molding process. According to Adidas, this unique manufacturing process helps reduce weight yet still delivers exceptional energy return for fast strides and new PRs.
These sneakers also boast an uncommon geometry that uses a first-of-its-kind forefoot rocker. Located at 60 percent of the length of the shoe, this progressive profile is designed to help improve an athlete’s running economy while also promoting forward motion. (Look close and you'll see the rocker begins way back, behind the "Lightstrike Pro" lettering.)
Finally, Adidas has implemented a new outsole construction. Not unlike some earlier Adios Pro editions, it forgoes lugs, promising traction without adding weight.
The Adizero Adios Pro Evo 1 also boasts a lightweight mesh upper and ditches the sockliner to shed yet more grams.
What Does a Sub-5-Ounce Racing Shoe Equate to?
The (lack of) weight is the standout spec when it comes to the Adizero Adios Pro Evo 1s, but while that barely-there metric may be intriguing for dedicated runners, average athletes may be wondering just how light that 4.87-ounce measurement is.
It easily trumps two of our favorite marathon shoes of the year, the Saucony Endorphin Elite and Hoka Rocket X 2, which weigh in at 7.2 oz. and 8.3 oz., respectively. Beyond footwear, 138 grams is less than a baseball, a D battery and even your personal smartphone. So yes they are pretty damn light.
That could have a noticeable impact on running performance, especially because your wallet will be lighter too. All that performance and innovation comes at a cost that’s inversely proportional to the Adizero Adios Pro Evo 1’s weight...
How Can I Get the Adidas Adizero Adios Pro Evo 1?
The Adidas Adizero Adios Pro Evo 1 costs $500, making it one of the most expensive running shoes on the market. The brand is offering a limited release for ambitious runners, who have from now until September 26 to sign up for a chance to purchase these lightweight racers, limited to just 521 pairs upon initial release. Winning athletes will be informed by October 2 if they got lucky. According to the brand, a second commercial drop will occur sometime in November.
Is this impressive weight reduction enough to warrant such a costly total? How does this all-new racing silhouette stack up against other recent not-so-heavy hitters? Be on the lookout for further coverage as we hit our stride with this latest Adidas release.
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