money Adidas' Adios Adizero Pro Evo 1 super shoe looks fast — but the price will make you wince
The world of the carbon fiber super shoe just got lighter, as Adidas announced the release of its lightest carbon fiber shoe yet — the Adizero Adios Pro Evo 1. Weighing in at just 138g, Adidas says this is its fastest super shoe to date, and it’s due to premiere on the feet of some of the fastest runners in the world this fall marathon season.
The shoe is 85g lighter than the Adios Pro 3, and features the brand’s newly developed Lightstrike Foam Pro midsole for greater energy return, as well as an innovative new outsole, and a new forefoot rocker, designed to trigger forward momentum. The shoe has a stack height of 39mm in the heel and 33mm in the forefoot, giving it a similar geometry to Nike’s Alpahfly Next% 2, which is 40mm in the heel and 32mm in the forefoot, yet the Adios Adizero Pro Evo 1 is 89g lighter. I’ve tested most of the best carbon fiber running shoes on the market, and this is, by far, the lightest shoe I’ve ever seen.
To achieve the dramatic weight change, Adidas has optimized the shoe to reduce weight. They’ve completely removed the sock liner of the shoe, and they’ve reengineered the upper from a super translucent material. Adidas says this “acts as a metaphor for its lightness.”
When is the shoe released, and how much will it cost?
It all sounds very exciting, but there’s a catch. All that speed and technology comes at a price, and it’s a whopping one — the shoe retails at £500/$500. It’s available to the public, as well as the elites, from September 14, but in a very limited drop, with only 521 pairs available. Adidas has said there will be a second drop in November this year.
Unlike other super shoes on the market, it seems this shoe won’t last you anywhere near as long as competitors. It’s only designed to last one marathon, meaning you’re probably not going to see this shoe in the masses at your next race, but potentially on the podium. We’ll see on September 24, when four of Adidas’ elite athletes toe the line of the Berlin Marathon.
