It’s no secret that the adidas Adizero EVO SL has been a huge success. Caught between an easy day trainer, a race day or even marathon shoe, the EVO SL has got range – heck, I think I even saw someone getting married in them the other day. But if this shoe is so great, why have adidas tweaked the recipe? Well, that’s a valid question, but as they say, ‘variety is the spice of life’.

So far we’ve had the standard EVO SL model and the ATR (All Terrain) edition, one for road running and the other for your off road ventures. The latest version from the Three-Stripes is the EVO SL EXO, the best looking out of the bunch, at least according to me. Short for Exoskeleton, this update comes with added support across the upper, all while sacrificing little-to-any weight.

The new EVO SL EXO looks a lot more technical, which is great news for people who are still deep in their GORPcore bag. Having said that, there are no set rules for styling the EVO SL, the silhouette is completely open to whatever you can make work. Catwalk fits, your favourite 5K get-up or your standard weekend wondering garbs, the EVO SL can handle it all.

However third time’s a charm, with this improving on the kinks of the original, increasing lockdown without affecting the ride of the LightstrikePro. You’ll be happy to hear that the price is also the same, meaning the EVO SL is still a solid bang for your buck at £130.

The team over at adidas have also added a thicker set of laces, preventing them from coming undone as often, a gripe that some runners found with the OG. Although, this does mean you’ll have one less excuse for missing out on those Strava PBs...

Is the Exoskeleton EVO SL a complete reinvention, of course not, but it didn’t need to be. For those who have run up the miles in their adidas EVO SL pair, the shoe has quickly earned a spot in their running rotation. The EXO looks to refine on an already great shoe by adding extra lockdown and support, keeping all that was loved about the original.

After a techy update of the EVO SL with a few more performance improvements? Then the Exo is just the ticket. You can browse our selection of adidas Adizero EVO SLs or check out the adidas.co.uk website for more.

Although the new EXO update comes with the latest updates and improvements, going with the original EVO SL is still a solid choice. We got the "White Black" and "Black White" editions as soon as they dropped, knowing adidas had just cooked up something seriously exciting. Now that the runner has been out for over a year and established a strong fanbase, this Adizero model has been super busy tallying up the miles all across the globe.

It might be too early to say, but the EVO SL has all the makings of a future classic, a statement that gets waved around a lot these days, but if there's any shoe worth making a case for, you're looking at it.

We tested the EVO SL ATR version in our Run Don't Walk episode earlier this year, and came away loving the new updates. The extra grip underfoot and water-resistant upper were much-needed, letting us head off the beaten track without having to stress. Yes, this version does come with a little added weight, but it's well worth the sacrifice when you're needing an EVO SL for the muckier parts of Earth. If you love the adventurous side of life, whether that be taking a gap year or a punt up the Peaks, we'd definitely say you're more suited to the ATR edition.