Fast Company highlighted Adidas’s Adizero Adios Pro Evo 3, a 97‑gram lightweight marathon shoe that won the 2026 Innovation by Design Award for its advanced materials and structural design.
Adidas’s newest marathon contender, the Adizero Adios Pro Evo 3, tips the scales at just 97 grams—lighter than a typical bar of soap—while delivering the performance boost elite runners demand.
Design Philosophy Behind the Featherweight Footwear
The shoe’s ultra‑lightweight status stems from a holistic approach that blends cutting‑edge materials with a minimalist structural layout, allowing Adidas to shave off grams without sacrificing durability or cushioning.
Engineers employed a proprietary foam blend that offers high energy return at a fraction of the mass of conventional midsoles. The foam’s cellular architecture is optimized through computer‑aided design, ensuring each gram contributes to propulsion rather than excess bulk.
Advanced Upper Construction
A seamless, engineered mesh upper replaces traditional overlays, reducing stitching and adhesive weight. The mesh is reinforced with strategically placed TPU strands that provide support where needed while remaining virtually weightless elsewhere.
Structural Innovations in the Outsole
The outsole features a thin yet robust carbon‑fiber plate that channels energy forward. Its geometry is fine‑tuned to balance stiffness and flexibility, delivering a propulsive feel without the heft of older plate designs.
- 97 g total shoe weight
- Proprietary high‑energy‑return foam
- Seamless engineered mesh upper
- Carbon‑fiber plate with optimized geometry
“We wanted a shoe that feels like an extension of the runner’s own foot, not a heavy piece of equipment,” said an Adidas product developer.
The Adizero Adios Pro Evo 3’s innovation was recognized with the 2026 Innovation by Design Award, highlighting its breakthrough in material science and ergonomic design.
Fast Company coverage of Adizero Adios Pro Evo 3’s design award