The Adidas Adizero Evo SL has become one of the most popular running shoes on the market, so it was probably only a matter of time before Adidas introduced a more affordable alternative. Enter the Adidas Adizero Pacer, a shoe that borrows heavily from the Evo SL's design language while coming in at a much lower retail price. The big question is whether this budget version offers genuine value, or whether you're still better off spending a little extra on its more expensive sibling.
At first glance, the similarities are obvious. Adidas has wisely carried over much of the Evo SL's styling, creating a shoe that looks modern, fast and unmistakably part of the Adizero family. The silhouette is very similar, there are some excellent colour options available, and it certainly doesn't look like a budget running shoe.
Priced at £85, the Adizero Pacer undercuts the Evo SL's £130 retail price by a significant margin, although the gap isn't always as large in the real world thanks to the regular discounts available on the Evo SL. That's an important point because value ultimately becomes one of the biggest talking points of this shoe.
On paper, the specifications are solid. The Pacer features a 38mm heel stack, a 32mm forefoot stack and a 6mm drop. It weighs 274 grams in a UK size 10, fits true to size and uses Adidas' Lightstrike midsole paired with an Adiwear outsole and a breathable mesh upper. Rather than chasing premium materials, Adidas has focused on delivering a dependable uptempo daily trainer at a more accessible price.
The upper is comfortable and practical. The mesh is noticeably thicker than the Evo SL, providing a little more structure while still remaining breathable enough for everyday running. There's generous padding around the heel collar, which makes the shoe comfortable straight out of the box, while the more traditional tongue feels less race-focused than the Evo SL. It's worth noting that the tongue isn't gusseted, but it never became a problem during testing.
The biggest difference between the two shoes comes underfoot. Instead of the Lightstrike Pro foam found in the Evo SL, the Pacer uses standard Lightstrike. That means the ride is noticeably firmer and less energetic, although it's far from uncomfortable. In fact, this version of Lightstrike feels more forgiving than some previous Adidas shoes that have used the same foam.
Like many Lightstrike-based shoes, the Pacer improves after a few runs. Once the foam begins to soften slightly, the ride becomes noticeably smoother and more enjoyable. At easy paces around eight-and-a-half minutes per mile, it remains comfortable without feeling overly firm or lifeless, something that can be a weakness of cheaper daily trainers. As the pace increases towards seven-minute miles, the shoe starts to come alive, rewarding a more positive running style and delivering exactly what you'd expect from an uptempo daily trainer.
The outsole also deserves praise. While it doesn't feature the Continental rubber used on the Evo SL, the Adiwear rubber has performed very well on roads and canal towpaths. Grip has been more than adequate, and perhaps more importantly, the outsole appears exceptionally durable. The rubber is noticeably thicker than what's found on the Evo SL, particularly around the heel, suggesting this shoe should cope well with high mileage and heavier heel strikers.
Where the Adizero Pacer really impresses is in comparison to its direct competition. Against similarly priced daily trainers such as the Nike Winflo or the Brooks Launch, the Pacer is simply the better shoe. It feels more capable, more versatile and more enjoyable to run in, making it one of the strongest options in the affordable daily trainer category.
The problem isn't the shoe itself. The problem is the Evo SL.
Because Adidas has released so many colourways of the Evo SL, discounts have become commonplace. It's now possible to find the Evo SL for under £100, sometimes only £10 or £15 more than the Pacer. When that's the case, it becomes extremely difficult to recommend the cheaper shoe because the Evo SL delivers a noticeably softer, more responsive and more premium running experience.
That's a shame because viewed in isolation, the Adizero Pacer is a genuinely impressive budget running shoe. It offers a stable, versatile ride, comfortable upper, durable outsole and dependable performance across a range of everyday training runs. If the Evo SL didn't exist, or wasn't so heavily discounted, this would be an easy recommendation.
For me, the Adizero Pacer only really becomes irresistible once discounts start bringing the price down towards the £60 mark. At that point, it transforms into one of the best value daily trainers available. You're getting a reliable, enjoyable and durable running shoe that comfortably outperforms many of its direct competitors without spending premium money.
Adidas deserves credit for continuing to offer more affordable running shoes that don't feel like stripped-back compromises. The Adizero Pacer captures much of what makes the Evo SL appealing while creating its own identity as a capable everyday trainer.
If you can find the Evo SL on sale, buy that instead. However, if the Adizero Pacer receives the discounts it's likely to attract over the coming months, it becomes one of the standout budget running shoes on the market and a fantastic option for runners looking to maximise value without sacrificing performance.
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