Adidas launches Adizero Adios Pro Evo 1 running shoe, sparks backlash over ‘one race’ claim

The latest shoe from a major sportswear giant is facing backlash for one shocking detail as it tries to spruik its wares for a substantial sum of money.

The latest shoe from a major sportswear giant is facing backlash for one shocking detail as it tries to spruik its wares for a substantial sum of money.

Adidas have just released a new pair of sneakers with an eye-watering cost of AUD$777 (USD$500).

The new Adizero Adios Pro Evo 1 is the company’s latest running shoe.

Weighing in at 138 grams, it’s been described as marking “a new era of racing shoe – designed to revolutionise running economy and set new marathon records”.

The company’s previous shoe, the Adizero Adios Pro 3, is reportedly 40 per cent heavier than their latest release.

Adidas told Runners Worldthat several of their athletes will be donning the new shoe throughout the upcoming marathon season with four runners set to wear them next week at the Berlin Marathon.

However, there is a catch: Charlotte Heidmann, senior global product manager at Adidas, told Runners World that purchasing the shoe comes with an important disclaimer.

The shoes have been slammed for not meeting the brand’s sustainability values. Picture: Adidas

The new Adizero Adios Pro Evo 1 retails at A$777. Picture: Adidas

According to Heidmann, the shoe is only made for “one race – so one marathon – plus familiarisation time”.

So that means it’s only set to last for a little more than 42 kilometres.

This detail has caused some backlash online, with some disgruntled accusing the company of greenwashing, which is where a company claims to produce environmentally products but in reality fails to do so.

“Don’t champion as a sustainable shoe innovator ending plastic waste and make a 500 ‘designed for one race’ shoe”, one person commented on Adidas’ Instagram post promoting the new shoe.

Another user commented that while the “sustainability values of Adidas are 2nd to none”, and their shoes have made “immense progress in improving use of recycled material”, this new shoe doesn’t seem to fit in with those values.

“How do these principles align when you design a shoe, as great as it may be, to last a single race … has @adidasrunning forsaken its key sustainability principles in exchange for glory?” the commenter, a self-described marathon runner, asked.

Some people have expressed their disappointment in the fact that the shoe is designed for “one race”. Picture: Instagram comment section for @adidasrunning.

Picture: Instagram comment section for @adidasrunning

Yet another person commented that while Adidas was responding to comments about the speed of the shoe, they hadn’t been responding to sustainability comments, to which Adidas replied:

“The shoe’s upper is made from recycled nylon and the midsole foam consists of 40% bio-based castor oil. This is the lightest performance running shoe we’ve ever created and is a specialist innovation product, designed for experienced and advanced runners and optimised for one race.”

The backlash comes after the company teamed up with Parley for their Run for the Oceans event just last year, where Adidas reported 6,760,161 people took part in an effort to clean up plastic waste.

“Now that the event is over, we’ll work with Parley to clean up 250,000 kg of plastic waste from our beaches, islands and coastal communities,” the Adidas website states.

Adidas have made other efforts for sustainability, too, committing to using 96 per cent of recycled polyester in their products.

According to the Adidas website, the company also has an initiative, Made to be Remade, where they ground down old, returned products and melt them, after which point they’re used in the creation of new products.

News.com.au contacted Adidas for comment.

Originally published as Adidas launches Adizero Adios Pro Evo 1 running shoe, sparks backlash over ‘one race’ claim