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The first thing you notice is how light and comfortable it is. For a carbon race shoe, it fits well and immediately feels like it belongs on your foot. The midsole is markedly softer than the Pro Evo 2 with a fun, springy, bouncy energy to it. The curved rocker is the same as the last-gen Pro Evo 2. It rolls you quickly onto your forefoot, driving a fast foot turnover and a lively toe off. It\u2019s all very smooth, light, and propulsive.<\/p>\n
The higher levels of softness really come through. Fans of a stiffer, snappier ride (like you\u2019d get from an Asics Metaspeed Edge or Sky Tokyo) might not love that sensation. But there\u2019s a really good balance of cushioning and protection under the forefoot, with all the fun and punchy response you expect from a top-tier carbon race shoe.<\/p>\n
I found it worked best, as Heidmann describes, when I was moving at faster paces with locked-in form, landing mid-to-forefoot with real intent. But I was surprised by how accommodating it felt at slower paces, too. The energy rim lets you have some control over that high-compression midsole foam. It\u2019s hard to say after I ran for just 40 minutes on a treadmill, but for such a lightweight shoe, my instinct says the Pro Evo 3 should be surprisingly protective even if the wheels were to come off at mile 20 of a marathon.<\/p>\n
Up top, the Pro Evo 3 has a highly minimal, stripped-back engineered mesh upper, with the thinnest tongue I\u2019ve ever seen and scarcely-padded heel collar and minimal heel counter. Those uppers take some inspiration from kite-surfing materials and are noticeably more pliable than the uppers of the Pro Evo 2. That creates a feeling that\u2019s roomy, airy, and flexible, with good freedom for your toes to flex. These shoes disappear on your foot for a really great barely-there feel. I only got to run in straight lines, but I\u2019m not convinced they\u2019ll offer enough support around tight turns.<\/p>\n
When Adidas first launched the Pro Evo race shoes, I was one of the first to do a double take at the price tag. It\u2019s a lot of money for any shoe. Unlike previous versions of the Pro Evo that didn\u2019t wow me, the Pro Evo 3 feels genuinely pace-setting. However, I\u2019m still not convinced that 99 percent of runners really need a $500 shoe.<\/p>\n
Take it from this 66-time marathon finisher: PRs can tumble just as easily in much more affordable shoes. They don\u2019t even have to be carbon-plate shoes. It\u2019s not just the size of the investment that should give most of us pause. The Adidas Pro Evo 3 is built with a specific runner in mind: fast forefoot strikers who can run light and hold their form. That\u2019s definitely not everyone.<\/p>\n
If you fit that profile and you\u2019ve got the pace and disposable dollars, go for it. The Adizero Adios Pro Evo 3 feels like the real deal. That\u2019s if you can get ahold of a pair. Only a few are going on sale in a very limited first run, with more landing in the fall.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n