Adidas Adizero Adios Pro Evo 2: First Look & Thoughts

Evolution of the Evo Pro

How to evolve an Evo, step one: Increase stack height. Step two: Improve the outsole. Step three: Keep it the same weight, an almost impossibly light 4.8 ounces. Step four (optional): keep it out of the hands of resellers.

And there you have it, the Adidas Adizero Adios Pro Evo 2, the follow-up to the groundbreaking original released in 2023. Seen on the feet of marathon major champions, often hard to keep in stock, always retailing for $500, sometimes reselling for three times that amount.

Announced today, the Pro Evo 2 will launch with a highly limited release on April 25, with a wider release to come later this year.

With this version, Adidas added 3 mm of its uncompressed Lightstrike Pro Evo foam to the forefoot for a total stack height of 39 mm in the heel, 36 mm in the forefoot (3 mm drop). According to Adidas, this will increase energy return by 5% in the shoe. The rocker point remains the same, at 60% of the length of the shoe.

The other major change is with the outsole, a new rubber with a grid-like pattern strategically placed in the forefoot, engineered to offer greater traction.

For the debut colorway, Adidas will go with a minimalistic silver finish, highlighted by bold red three stripes on the lateral and medial sides, the same colorway worn by Fotyen Tesfay Haylu as she broke the Berlin Half Marathon course record a couple weeks ago with a 1:03:35 finish.

Our Thoughts

When Adidas first dropped the $500 Evo Pro 1 out of nowhere in fall 2023, it sent shockwaves through the running world. Yes, because of its price. But also because of its weight – never before had a race day shoe with that much cushion and a carbon fiber element been made to be so light. 

Despite its price point, the shoe sold out immediately, with pairs finding their way onto StockX in short order. Some fetched as much as $1500, marking a new phase in race day hype. That hype was real, as the shoe stole the race day spotlight that had been dominated by Nike over the past six years. It quickly put all of that money where its mouth was, as Adidas elite marathoner Tigist Assefa set a new women’s world record in the shoe at the 2023 Berlin Marathon, posting a 2:11:53 over 26.2 miles.

We were big fans of the shoe as well (read the full review). Holding the box, it felt like there was nothing in it. The shoes felt as light as socks on the feet. They aren’t going to last more than a few races, but you’ll get everything you want out of them for those performances.

That said, we always could use some more cushion, so the extra foam in the forefoot is a welcome addition. Regarding the outsole, the slick tire-like rubber sheet used in the original didn’t seem as good as Adidas had promised, especially in wet conditions. Which is probably why we’ve seen some of their athletes use the shoe with a different outsole rubber. So it wasn’t a surprise when we saw that the outsole rubber and design had been overhauled.

To keep it at the same weight is a monumental achievement, especially considering how much Adidas shaved off every piece possible in the first version. 

Because of the production style of the shoe, Adidas will still lose money on this shoe, believe it or not. Cutting the midsole out of sheets of uncompressed foam means this shoe will still see limited numbers. Combine that with the ceaseless demand for premium race day shoes (whether for clout or performance benefits, who’s to say) and resellers clamoring to make their 100% profits, and the shoe will still be hard to get your hands on.

However, we will have our hands on them any day now, and plan to get out a full review as soon as possible, so stay tuned for that. If you’re looking for something to fill the gap between you current race day shoe and the Evo Pro 2, you may want to consider the more “budget friendly” Adidas Adizero Adios Pro 4, a fast, light, and responsive race day shoe that I personally ran in this past fall, helping me secure a PR at the Berlin Marathon.

If you are set on the Evo Pro 2, you can head over to adidas.com on April 25 to sign up for your chance to get the shoe. As with the original, if you enter the presale and you’re chosen to receive the shoe, you are committed to buying it.

May the odds be ever in your favor.