adidas EVO SL Woven – This year's coolest volume training shoe?

I know it. I'm certainly not the first to arrive at the party called adidas EVO SL. But when the party is as good as it is in this case, you just come when you can!

I think it's fair to say that adidas EVO SL crashed adidas back into the public's consciousness, at least regarding volume training shoes, and I also dare say that this release alone has significantly lifted the entire brand.

Why is it such a big success, and what's the deal with ”Woven”, as the shoe is called in this case? We'll dive deeper into that in this article.

My take on why this shoe has become so popular is that adidas has succeeded with the method ”less is more”. This is evident both in the shoe's appearance and in how it feels to run in. The design is, to say the least, iconic. The shoe's look draws references from adidas’ race shoes, but with a more subdued appearance. ”The three stripes” have, in my opinion, never looked better on an upper. So now it's clear that I think it's a really beautiful shoe.

adidas EVO SL Woven - Woven upper?

Let's revisit this ”Woven” element in the shoe. It refers to the updated upper in this version of the shoe. If one were to mention a less favorable thing about the upper on the first version of EVO SL, it might be that the upper lacked a bit of comfort and premium feel. It was nice, but perhaps not at quite the high level one might wish for. This is something adidas has tried to address here with a Woven upper. The material is clearly more comfortable and breathable, allowing your toes to move a bit more. The tongue is now also attached to the upper, which significantly helps in securing your foot better in the shoe. This Woven mesh material adapts much better to your foot's needs than before, ultimately helping to create stability.

adidas EVO SL Woven - Well-composed midsole

adidas EVO SL is not only popular because it looks good, far from it. It has also become popular because it's a true pleasure to run in. It's not only in the upper that you find references to adidas’ race shoes. The midsole also has a clear race-DNA in it. Here you get a complete midsole in ”Lightstrike Pro” material, which is the same used in their race shoes. It's a trick that adidas is not alone in using, and time has shown us that the ”Lightstrike Pro” used in their race shoes is not the same formula as the one used here in adidas EVO SL Woven. Guacamole is not just guacamole, it depends a bit on how it's tuned. I think I better go to lunch – here are a few pictures for the break.

Some midsoles you just shouldn't mess with. This is one of them. You just need to run in it. And you'll want to once you've put them on for the first time. Suddenly, you can eat guacamole even with your oatmeal. adidas EVO SL Woven is extremely simple to run in. It's relatively light, 261 g for an EU 44.5, but it somehow feels lighter. It comes with a height of 38.5 mm in the heel and 32 mm in the forefoot, giving a heel drop of 6.5 mm.

adidas EVO SL Woven - Volume training shoe

The shoe is naturally tuned for volume training. It's not a race day running shoe, even though it plays on many notes from that category. In this version of Lightstrike Pro, you get a dynamic, medium-soft midsole that has just the right amount of ”pop” to make it fun to run some easy intervals in, but also just super comfortable to wear for any run.

The transition from heel to toe is very reliable and stable, but in a sleek way. This transition is assisted by a medium-high drop, making the shoe usable for both heel-, midfoot-, and forefoot runners. My experience with the shoe was that it wasn't a shoe that screamed to be run hard in. It didn't make it better. It's a shoe that wants to flow, it wants to be run in. EVO SL Woven is made without a plate, but the foam has enough responsiveness to be useful when runninga bit faster.

You won't find huge rubber layers on the outsole, but what is there works really well. It's Continental rubber, which is known for its good reputation in the field. Naturally, it keeps the weight down by not being overly coated with this rubber, but the concern will always be whether there's too little, causing the shoe to wear out too quickly.

adidas EVO SL Woven - Understandable success

What we are left with is a well-composed and beautiful guacamole... I mean shoe. A shoe that can be used for everything from easy jogs to long runs and even tempo training, where you don't necessarily need to hit your max. The shoe has become hugely popular, not only because it's as beautiful as the day is long, but because the midsole delivers something from both worlds. Thesafe, but also the exciting. Even though I've almost worn out my EVO SLWoven , I'm far from satisfied; on the contrary, I've become much more eager for both this shoe and the rest of theadidas lineup.