One of the biggest flaws with the last-gen Adidas Pro Evo 2 was the baffling lack of grip. The moment things got wet, you took your life in your own hands.
The Pro Evo 3 uses a new thin layer of rubber in the forefoot and the heels. And while the traction isn’t as rock solid as some carbon race shoes, it’s now infinitely more reliable. The grip held up well while running through puddle-strewn water stations during the Cape Town Marathon.
Durability is always a question mark with carbon race shoes, and the Pro Evo 3’s weight-saving outsole leaves a lot of exposed foam. Overall, I’ve clocked close to 50 miles, including big miles on some harsh dual-carriage-way tarmac in Cape Town, and the outsole shows no worrying signs of wear. The midsole is still firing like new and the uppers remain strong.
The only real concern are the heel collars. They already look somewhat beaten up (as do my own heels).
Ultimately, I didn’t achieve a PB
I had grand hopes of following in Sawe’s shadow and achieving a personal best in these running shoes. Granted, my personal best has an extra 50 minutes on the end of Sawe’s, which I achieved in the Puma Fast R3 at the Dublin Marathon in 2025.
Alas, it was not to be in Cape Town. Though I finished with a good time of 2hr 58min, I was eight minutes off my previous PB, and finished with blisters on my heels. I did, however, achieve a PB in the Ealing Mile, finishing in 5min 17 sec.
Should you buy the Adidas Adizero Adios Pro Evo 3 shoes?