How To Buy the adidas Adizero Adios Pro Evo 3

Two days after launch, the adidas Adizero Adios Pro Evo 3 changed the marathon conversation.

First, Tigst Assefa broke the women's-only marathon world record wearing the shoe for the first time in competition. Later the same day, Yomif Kejelcha broke the two-hour barrier in the men's race, only for Sabastian Sawe to go even quicker, winning in 1:59:30 and taking more than a minute off the previous record.

That is the kind of race-day proof runners notice. The kind that turns a shoe from interesting to almost impossible to get.

And the Pro Evo 3 will be seriously limited. We will be receiving pairs soon at Pro:Direct Running, but numbers will be extremely tight. Across Europe, only 100 pairs will be available, so demand is expected to be huge.

How can I purchase the adidas Adizero Adios Pro Evo 3?

The adidas Adizero Adios Pro Evo 3 will not be going on general release through Pro:Direct Running.

Early access to purchase will be reserved for Pro:Direct Running Club members only. That means the only way to get the chance to buy a pair from us is to sign up to PDRC for free and wait for further release information.

Joining does not guarantee a pair. Stock will be extremely limited and competition will be high. But if you want access when they arrive, you need to be part of the club.

 1:59:30 | Sign up to the Pro:Direct Running Club

Why is the adidas Adizero Adios Pro Evo 3 so fast?

The headline number is the weight. The Pro Evo 3 comes in at around 97g, making it the first sub 100g race shoe out there.

Underfoot, adidas use a huge stack of pinnacle Lightstrike Pro foam, with this version coming in 50% lighter than previous adidas foam iterations. That helps give the shoe its barely-there feel, but still leaves enough propulsive foam under the runner to chase serious energy return deep into a race.

Instead of a traditional carbon plate, the Pro Evo 3 uses what adidas call an Energy Rim. It follows the outline of a standard plate but leaves the centre open. The idea is to keep the snap and structure you want at toe-off, but it should allow more of the foam's bounce to come through under the forefoot.

That may help explain adidas' claim that the Pro Evo 3 is not only around 30% lighter than the previous version, but also delivers 11% more forefoot energy return.

The outsole follows the same logic. Rubber is kept to a minimum and placed only where it is needed, cutting weight without ignoring the contact points that matter on race day. Up top, a featherlight upper strips everything back again, keeping the shoe focused on one thing: moving fast for as little effort as possible.

This is not a daily trainer. It is not built for easy miles, wet winter loops or casual rotation use. It is a highly specific race shoe for runners chasing the absolute edge.

And when it arrives at Pro:Direct Running, it will be one of the hardest shoes of the year to get hold of.