Adidas made a marathon shoe that weighs less than 100 grams — and it costs $500
Adidas has released the Adizero Adios Pro Evo 3, the first marathon shoe to weigh under 100 grams — 97g per shoe in a men's size 9, roughly the same as a computer mouse. On its debut at the 2026 London Marathon, athletes wearing the shoe set two world records in the same race: Sawe ran 1:59:30 for the men's event and Assefa clocked 2:15:41 for the women's, per Dezeen. If you want a pair, you'll have to wait — the app-exclusive April 25 drop sold out fast, with a wider retail launch planned for fall 2026.
The engineering
Three years of development produced two headline changes. The new ENERGYRIM structure fuses the carbon plate and foam into a single unit, cutting weight by around 30% compared to the Evo 2 while boosting energy return by 11%. Adidas also claims a 1.6% improvement in running economy — a small number that matters significantly at the elite level. The updated Lightstrike Pro Evo foam is roughly 50% lighter than the previous generation, the result of extensive testing including high-altitude trials. Continental rubber inserts replace a full outsole, keeping grip without adding unnecessary weight. The fit is narrow and locked-down, in line with other elite racing shoes.
The market
Retail price is $500 in the US and £500 in the UK — already expensive, but the secondary market pushed it far higher. Within 24 hours of the London Marathon debut, WWD reported peak asking prices on StockX hitting $5,500, with an average around $2,627. That gap will likely shrink once the broader fall launch lands on adidas.com and specialty running stores.
The Evo 3 enters a crowded top end. Nike's Alphafly 3 and On's LightSpray are pushing similar boundaries, and the sub-100g milestone keeps Adidas competitive in the super-shoe arms race. The Adizero line has accumulated 24-plus world records since the first Evo launched in 2023.
The shoe is designed for world-class marathoners, not weekend runners — the narrow last and forefoot-focused carbon geometry reflect that. For anyone not chasing a podium, the fall retail launch is the realistic entry point, and even then the $500 price tag makes this a niche purchase. For elite athletes and serious collectors, it's the lightest performance shoe ever made for the marathon distance.