The Adidas Adizero Adios Pro 5 and the Adidas Adizero EVO SL belong to the same Adizero line, but they don’t play the same role. The Adios Pro 5 is the racing shoe, a carbon super shoe built for the marathon. The EVO SL is its training counterpart, with the same racing foam but no plate.
At nearly 50 g / 1.8 oz less, the Adios Pro 5 is much lighter. Heel height is the same, but the Adios Pro has a bit more foam under the forefoot, hence a slightly lower drop.
Both ride on Lightstrike Pro, Adidas’s racing foam. The difference is the carbon piece: the Adios Pro 5 has the new U-shaped EnergyRim structure, which replaces the EnergyRods and leaves more foam in the flex zone without losing stiffness. The EVO SL goes without it entirely: it is a plateless super shoe, more flexible and more forgiving, that puts the racing foam to work for training.
The Adios Pro 5 is a pure performance shoe: plusher on impact than the previous version, more explosive, with a pronounced forward roll and much better stability. It is made for racing, from the 5K to the marathon. The EVO SL is a light, responsive little gem for training: bouncy and versatile, it strings together fast workouts and easy runs with a genuinely enjoyable ride.
Both light, breathable uppers deliver good lockdown at fast paces. The Adios Pro 5’s Lightlock 2.0 upper only stretches vertically and holds the foot very well side to side. Its forefoot is tighter than on the previous version, so plan on going up half a size if in doubt.
The Adios Pro 5’s traction is very reliable, even on wet surfaces, thanks to the Lighttraxion outsole. The EVO SL holds well on dry ground, but its grip is limited on wet roads.
Adios Pro 5 or EVO SL: Which Should You Choose?
It all depends on what you need, because the two complement each other. For training, the EVO SL is the right choice, and it is noticeably cheaper, about $125 less.
The Adios Pro 5 is the race-day benchmark. Based on our test, it may be the most complete carbon shoe to date. If you are chasing performance in races, this is the one.
Ideally you combine them: the EVO SL for training, the Adios Pro 5 for racing. If you can only buy one, go with the EVO SL; the Adios Pro 5 is only worth it if you are going for a fast time.
