Asics Superblast 3 vs Adidas Adizero Evo SL
Two shoes people weigh up against each other constantly. Here is what actually separates them, taken from the same database that drives the Shoe Finder quiz, with nothing added by hand. The short version: the Asics Superblast 3 has the higher heel at 8mm against 6mm, only the Adidas Adizero Evo SL comes in a wide fitting.
Side by side
| Asics Superblast 3 | Adidas Adizero Evo SL | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | £199.99 RRP | £129.99 RRP |
| Type | Faster training | Faster training |
| Support | Neutral | Neutral |
| Weight | 235g | 224g |
| Heel drop | 8mm | 6mm |
| Heel stack | 46mm | 36mm |
| Widths | Standard only | Standard and wide |
| Plate | None | None |
What the differences mean
Weight
The Adidas Adizero Evo SL is 11g lighter, at 224g against 235g. As a rough guide every 100g costs about one percent in running economy, so 11g is worth a fraction of a percent. You will feel it more than it costs you, and it counts for more on a fast 5k than on a slow long run.
Heel drop
This is the real difference. The Asics Superblast 3 has a 8mm drop and the Adidas Adizero Evo SL has 6mm. A higher heel asks less of your achilles and calf and more of your knee, and a lower one does the opposite. If you get regular trouble at one of those, pick accordingly. If you get none, pick whichever is closer to what you already run in, because changing drop suddenly is the most reliable way to give yourself a new problem.
Width fittings
The Adidas Adizero Evo SL comes in a wide fitting and the Asics Superblast 3 is standard width only. If your feet are broad this is likely to settle it on its own, because no amount of cushioning makes up for a shoe that squeezes. Sizing up does not fix width, it just makes the shoe longer.
Feel underfoot
The Asics Superblast 3 is the softer ride. The other sits in the middle. Preference rather than performance.
How long they last
The Asics Superblast 3 is built to take more mileage. If one pair is doing all your running, that is worth more than it sounds, because cost per mile matters more than the price on the box.
Price
£129.99 against £199.99 at full price, so the Adidas Adizero Evo SL is £70 less. Both are discounted often enough that the gap on the day may look nothing like this, which is worth checking before you decide on price alone.
Which should you buy?
Neither, until you have tried both on. Fit decides more than any specification on this page, and the two shoes above are close enough that a foot shape will separate them faster than a spreadsheet will.
Asics Superblast 3
Tall, light and lively. Expensive, but it can do almost every type of run.
Adidas Adizero Evo SL
Light, springy and great value. A favourite for faster runs and shorter races.
Or let the quiz decide
This page compares two shoes. The shoe finder compares all 104 of them against your width, your weight, where you run, your budget and any recurring niggles, then gives you three and tells you why each one made it. It takes about a minute.