Adidas Quietly Released an Elite Version of the Adizero Evo SL, at No Extra Cost

Thanks to a retooled upper, all aspects of the fan-favorite trainer are as fast as they feel.

White and gray athletic shoe with black geometric stripes and thick white sole.

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By Jack Seemer

Published February 17, 2026

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Updated February 17, 2026

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A year ago, the Adizero Evo SL was little more than a promise.

Soft launched at the Berlin Marathon the previous fall, the shoe packed the same high-end foam as some of Adidas’s top super shoes. And yet, it cost the same as a daily trainer, if not less … assuming you could buy a pair.

Hype and limited availability made it running’s most in-demand shoe at the start of 2025. By the end of it, the Adizero Evo SL was a full-blown phenomenon — an essential shoe in many runners’ rotations, not to mention a franchise all its own.

Adidas Adizero Evo SL — The original Adizero Evo SL (pictured) soft launched in late 2024.

Adidas now sells the original shoe in myriad colorways (including two with Pharrell Williams’s brand Humanrace); one with a woven upper; and even an all-terrain version for gravel and light trails.

That said, the Adizero Evo SL Exo, quietly released on Running Warehouse, might just be the most promising of the bunch.

Black and gray running shoe with bright orange stripes and black sole. — The new Adizero Evo SL features a lightweight exoskeleton for improved lockdown.

Lock it down

Similar to the original, the new model packs a Lightstrike Pro midsole with an aggressive rocker inspired by the $500 Adios Pro Evo.

White and black running shoe with bold black stripes and "Lightstrike Pro" text on the sole. — The shoe features the same Lightstrike Pro midsole as the original Adizero Evo SL, along with an aggressive rocker for a snappy feeling underfoot.

Both attributes make it exceptionally quick underfoot, however, a retooled upper caters to runners who found the original a tad too flexible for uptempo efforts and swift changes in pace.

Close-up of a white and black athletic shoe with white laces and a thick white sole. — The exoskeleton extends all the way to the toe.

White and black Adidas sneaker with "Adizero" text on the tongue and insole, viewed from above. — Perforations near the toebox encourage breathability.

The Adizero Evo SL Exo utilizes synthetic overlays to add structure and stability to the overall design, resulting in a more secure lockdown with no perceivable change in the weight.

The outsole is identical to the one found on the original Adizero Evo SL.

Running Warehouse

Availability and pricing

Another aspect that stayed the same? The model’s legendary affordability.

While the all-terrain version comes with a small bump, the Adizero Evo SL Exo preserves the original’s $150 price tag, making it cheaper than virtually every competing shoe in its class.

At launch, the shoe comes in two men’s colorways, white with black stripes and black with orange stripes.

Black and silver Adidas running shoe with bright orange stripes and thick black sole labeled Lightstrike Pro.

Adidas Adizero Evo SL Exo

$150 at Adidas

About the Author:

Jack Seemer is the executive editor at Gear Patrol, with over a decade of experience in product journalism. He currently reports on a wide range of topics, including footwear, watches, EDC, cookware and more.

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