adidas Adizero Evo SL vs Li-Ning Chaoying Pro

Which Running Shoe Is Better?

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adidas Adizero Evo SL
Li-Ning Chaoying Pro

Tested using Methodology v0.15

Updated Jul 23, 2026 12:47 PM

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Adidas.com

Tested using Methodology v0.13

Updated Aug 11, 2026 02:17 PM

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adidas Adizero Evo SL Picture

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Li-Ning Chaoying Pro Picture

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Our Verdict

adidas Adizero Evo SL

Li-Ning Chaoying Pro

The Li-Ning Chaoying Pro and adidas Adizero Evo SL are both lightweight trainers, but they suit very different runners. The adidas is the speedier, livelier shoe, with much better rebound and more life underfoot. It's the better pick if you want a shoe that can handle everything from easy runs to workouts and progressive efforts, no matter your strike pattern. The Li-Ning is the more protective and stable option, with deeper cushioning overall, an impressively secure platform, and a much more effective heel rocker. This makes it the better choice for heel strikers who want a shoe that rolls smoothly through easy miles and longer runs, with enough underfoot to just about handle uptempo efforts as well.

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Variants

  • Adizero Evo SL (Carbon/Lucid Red/Solar Slime - (Men - US 9))
  • Adizero Evo SL (Cloud White/Core Black/Cloud White - (Men - US 9))
  • Chaoying Pro (Crystal Gray/Silver - (Women - US 7))
  • Chaoying Pro (Dim Twilight Blue/Standard White/Lilac Breeze - (Women - US 7))
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Main Differences for
Half/Full Marathon Racing

Threshold 

0.10

Half/Full Marathon Racing 
 

7.6
7.7

Heel Stack Height 
 

36.9 mm
40.9 mm

Forefoot Compression Energy Return 
 

8.4
6.7

Outsole Arch Width 
 

64 mm (2.5")
82 mm (3.2")

Forefoot Bending Energy Return 
 

7.7
6.6

Full Comparison

Design

Weight  

7.5
7.4

Right Shoe Weight Photo 
 

Compare High-Res
adidas Adizero Evo SL Right Shoe Weight Photo
Compare High-Res
Li-Ning Chaoying Pro Right Shoe Weight Photo

Left Shoe Weight Photo 
 

Compare High-Res
adidas Adizero Evo SL Left Shoe Weight Photo
Compare High-Res
Li-Ning Chaoying Pro Left Shoe Weight Photo

Weight 
 

220.0 g (7.76 oz)
222.5 g (7.85 oz)

Stack Heights 
 

Stack Height Photo 
 

Compare High-Res
adidas Adizero Evo SL Stack Height Photo
Compare High-Res
Li-Ning Chaoying Pro Stack Height Photo

Heel Stack Height 
 

36.9 mm
40.9 mm

Forefoot Stack Height 
 

30.2 mm
30.8 mm

Heel-To-Toe Drop 
 

6.7 mm
10.1 mm

Advertised Heel-To-Toe Drop 
 

6.0 mm
6.0 mm

External Shape 
 

3D Model Full Shoe  

Preview 3D
adidas Adizero Evo SL 3D Model Full Shoe
Preview 3D
Li-Ning Chaoying Pro 3D Model Full Shoe

Outsole Heel Width 
 

84 mm (3.3")
94 mm (3.7")

Outsole Arch Width 
 

64 mm (2.5")
82 mm (3.2")

Outsole Forefoot Width 
 

114 mm (4.5")
118 mm (4.6")

Heel Width-To-Stack Ratio 
 

2.27
2.30

Forefoot Width-To-Stack Ratio 
 

3.77
3.83

Internal Shape 
 

3D Model Internal  

Preview 3D
adidas Adizero Evo SL 3D Model Internal
Preview 3D
Li-Ning Chaoying Pro 3D Model Internal

Internal Length 
 

276 mm (10.8")
275 mm (10.8")

Internal Heel Width 
 

61 mm (2.4")
60 mm (2.4")

Internal Forefoot Width 
 

94 mm (3.7")
92 mm (3.6")

Wide Sizing Available 
 

No
No

Forefoot Fit: Width 
 

7.6
8.3

Forefoot Width Photo 
 

Compare High-Res
adidas Adizero Evo SL Forefoot Width Photo
Compare High-Res
Li-Ning Chaoying Pro Forefoot Width Photo

Ball-Of-Foot TTS Deviation 
 

-2.2 mm (-0.085")
5.4 mm (0.214")

Toe TTS Deviation 
 

-6.4 mm (-0.253")
5.9 mm (0.231")

Forefoot Fit: Height 
 

8.5
6.9

Forefoot Height Photo 
 

Compare High-Res
adidas Adizero Evo SL Forefoot Height Photo
Compare High-Res
Li-Ning Chaoying Pro Forefoot Height Photo

Toe TTS Deviation 
 

-2.1 mm (-0.081")
-3.8 mm (-0.148")

Arch Fit: Width 
 

8.5
0.0

Arch Fit Photo 
 

Compare High-Res
adidas Adizero Evo SL Arch Fit Photo
Compare High-Res
Li-Ning Chaoying Pro Arch Fit Photo

Arch Width TTS Deviation 
 

-2.6 mm (-0.103")
-11.5 mm (-0.451")

Length Fit 
 

10
10

Toe Clearance Photo 
 

Compare High-Res
adidas Adizero Evo SL Toe Clearance Photo
Compare High-Res
Li-Ning Chaoying Pro Toe Clearance Photo

Heel Rocker Geometry 
 

7.4
8.2

Heel Rocker Photo 
 

Compare High-Res
adidas Adizero Evo SL Heel Rocker Photo
Compare High-Res
Li-Ning Chaoying Pro Heel Rocker Photo

Heel Spring 
 

21 mm (0.8")
28 mm (1.1")

Heel Apex Position 
 

20.3%
22.6%

Heel Rocker Angle 
 

19.3°
22.7°

Forefoot Rocker Geometry 
 

7.2
6.2

Forefoot Rocker Photo 
 

Compare High-Res
adidas Adizero Evo SL Forefoot Rocker Photo
Compare High-Res
Li-Ning Chaoying Pro Forefoot Rocker Photo

Toe Spring 
 

49 mm (1.9")
43 mm (1.7")

Toe Apex Position 
 

62.7%
66.2%

Forefoot Rocker Angle 
 

24.0°
23.3°

Foam 
 

Primary Foam Picture 
 

Compare High-Res
adidas Adizero Evo SL Primary Foam Picture
Compare High-Res
Li-Ning Chaoying Pro Primary Foam Picture

Secondary Foam Picture 
 

Compare High-Res
adidas Adizero Evo SL Secondary Foam Picture
Compare High-Res
Li-Ning Chaoying Pro Secondary Foam Picture

Primary Foam Name 
 

Lightstrike Pro
Super Boom

Primary Foam Type 
 

TPEE
PEBA

Secondary Foam Name 
 

N/A
N/A

Secondary Foam Type 
 

N/A
EVA

Laces 
 

Laces Picture  

adidas Adizero Evo SL Laces Picture

Lace Type 
 

Flat

Width 
 

5.0 mm (0.2")

Thickness 
 

1.1 mm (0.0")

Stretch 
 

6.0%

Other Features  

Other Features Photo 
 

Compare High-Res
adidas Adizero Evo SL Other Features Photo
Compare High-Res
Li-Ning Chaoying Pro Other Features Photo

Tongue Gusset Type 
 

Non-gusseted
Semi-gusseted

Plate 
 

Plastic Shank
None
Performance

Heel Compression Energy Return 
 

8.1
4.9

Heel Compression Video  

Heel Energy Return  

 Preview Graph
Li-Ning Chaoying Pro Heel Energy Return

Heel Energy Return 
 

81.4%
71.8%

Forefoot Compression Energy Return 
 

8.4
6.7

Forefoot Compression Video  

Forefoot Energy Return  

 Preview Graph
Li-Ning Chaoying Pro Forefoot Energy Return

Forefoot Energy Return 
 

83.3%
75.1%

Heel Cushioning 
 

8.0
8.4

Heel Cushioning Picture 
 

Compare High-Res
adidas Adizero Evo SL Heel Cushioning Picture
Compare High-Res
Li-Ning Chaoying Pro Heel Cushioning Picture

Heel Cushioning  

 Preview Graph
Li-Ning Chaoying Pro Heel Cushioning

Energy Absorbed At 550N 
 

3.46 J
3.49 J

Energy Absorbed At 1100N 
 

10.03 J
10.78 J

Energy Absorbed At 1900N 
 

17.07 J
18.88 J

Forefoot Cushioning 
 

8.1
8.3

Forefoot Cushioning Picture 
 

Compare High-Res
adidas Adizero Evo SL Forefoot Cushioning Picture
Compare High-Res
Li-Ning Chaoying Pro Forefoot Cushioning Picture

Forefoot Cushioning  

 Preview Graph
Li-Ning Chaoying Pro Forefoot Cushioning

Energy Absorbed At 800N 
 

5.16 J
5.22 J

Energy Absorbed At 1300N 
 

8.87 J
9.04 J

Energy Absorbed At 2050N 
 

12.68 J
13.21 J

Heel Firmness 
 

7.7
7.7

Heel Firmness Graph  

 Preview Graph
adidas Adizero Evo SL Heel Firmness Graph
 Preview Graph
Li-Ning Chaoying Pro Heel Firmness Graph

Firmness At 550N 
 

44.0 N/mm
46.9 N/mm

Firmness At 1100N 
 

52.8 N/mm
52.6 N/mm

Firmness At 1900N 
 

73.9 N/mm
71.6 N/mm

Forefoot Firmness 
 

7.5
7.5

Forefoot Firmness Graph  

 Preview Graph
adidas Adizero Evo SL Forefoot Firmness Graph
 Preview Graph
Li-Ning Chaoying Pro Forefoot Firmness Graph

Firmness At 800N 
 

53.9 N/mm
54.3 N/mm

Firmness At 1300N 
 

70.3 N/mm
70.4 N/mm

Firmness At 2050N 
 

98 N/mm
97 N/mm

Forefoot Long Run Cushioning 
 

7.6
7.5

Forefoot Long Run Cushioning  

 Preview Graph
adidas Adizero Evo SL Forefoot Long Run Cushioning
 Preview Graph
Li-Ning Chaoying Pro Forefoot Long Run Cushioning

Energy Absorbed At 10km 
 

8.31 J
8.14 J

Energy Absorbed At 20km 
 

8.17 J
7.98 J

Energy Absorbed At 30km 
 

8.07 J
7.87 J

Energy Absorbed At 40km 
 

7.99 J
7.81 J

Rocker Stiffness 
 

6.1
8.1

Forefoot Rocker Stiffness Video  

Forefoot Rocker Stiffness Graph  

 Preview Graph
adidas Adizero Evo SL Forefoot Rocker Stiffness Graph
 Preview Graph
Li-Ning Chaoying Pro Forefoot Rocker Stiffness Graph

Force To Flatten The Rocker 
 

63 N
124 N

Forefoot Bending Energy Return 
 

7.7
6.6

Forefoot Bending Video  

Forefoot Bending Energy Return  

 Preview Graph
adidas Adizero Evo SL Forefoot Bending Energy Return
 Preview Graph
Li-Ning Chaoying Pro Forefoot Bending Energy Return

Forefoot Bending Energy Return 
 

69.4%
62.7%

Forefoot Bending Stiffness 
 

6.4
7.6

Forefoot Bending Resistance Picture 
 

Compare High-Res
adidas Adizero Evo SL Forefoot Bending Resistance Picture
Compare High-Res
Li-Ning Chaoying Pro Forefoot Bending Resistance Picture

Forefoot Bending Resistance  

 Preview Graph
adidas Adizero Evo SL Forefoot Bending Resistance
 Preview Graph
Li-Ning Chaoying Pro Forefoot Bending Resistance

Forefoot Bending Stiffness 
 

9.4 N/mm
17.6 N/mm

Forefoot Bending Force 
 

247 N
268 N

Heel Compression Depth 
 

6.0

Heel Compression Graph  

 Preview Graph
adidas Adizero Evo SL Heel Compression Graph

Heel Compression At 550N 
 

12.5 mm

Heel Compression At 1100N 
 

20.8 mm

Heel Compression At 1900N 
 

25.7 mm

Forefoot Compression Depth 
 

6.3

Forefoot Compression Graph  

 Preview Graph
adidas Adizero Evo SL Forefoot Compression Graph

Forefoot Compression At 800N 
 

14.8 mm

Forefoot Compression At 1300N 
 

18.5 mm

Forefoot Compression At 2050N 
 

20.8 mm

adidas Adizero Evo SL

Li-Ning Chaoying Pro

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