Adidas Adizero Adios Pro 4 Review

In a world where every brand has a super shoe, is any super shoe really super? The answer is yes. Right now, there are a lot of great race shoes available. But two stand out. One of them is the Adios Pro 4, which is fast, smooth, comfortable, and punchy. The other is the Asics Metaspeed Sky Paris, which is equally as impressive but has slightly different attributes.

Side View Cut in Half

Cushioning

The formulation of Lightstrike Pro that Adidas used in the Adios Pro 4 is pretty soft when you land. During testing, I found that the faster I ran, the softer and more energetic the foam felt. That's similar to the experience I had in the Adidas Adizero Evo SL Lightstrike Pro, but that foam is noticeably firmer than in this shoe. In our lab, we measured 39 mm of foam at the heel, with a 9 mm drop. In case you forget those numbers when World Athletics comes to check if your shoes are legal, Adidas molded a big “39 mm” into the outside of the midsole foam in these shoes.

The Adios Pro 4 is not particularly comfortable at paces slower than marathon pace. In particular, I found that the foam feels unstable when I'm not running hard, which makes landings far less enjoyable. Overall, the landing experience of this shoe feels like a more plush version of the old Nike Vaporfly 3. It's not quite as insulated as the Nike Alphafly 3 or the Asics Metaspeed Sky Paris, but it is pretty close. Forefoot strikers should note that the aggressive rocker starts early in the shoe (we measured 62.5% forward from the back of the shoe in our lab), which means that there is significantly less cushioning available past that section of the shoe.

Upper Comfort

I am extremely impressed by the Lightlock upper. It's extremely lightweight and breathable, yet it is far softer and less abrasive than the upper in any other race shoe I've tested. It also has a tiny amount of stretch, which I found helps to keep the shoe comfortable during very long efforts.

Overall, I had no issues with rubbing or blistering during testing. It is worth noting that the toe box is a little cramped. My pinky toes were pushed up against the edge of the upper material, and while that didn't cause issues for me, it might for some runners. Overall, the toe box area does seem to run just a little small, which is worth noting if you're planning to use the shoe for 26.2 miles.

Stability

Like most super shoes, the Adios Pro 4 is not very stable. Runners looking for a race shoe with significant support and stability should consider an option like the New Balance FuelCell SuperComp Elite v4, or an uptempo trainer like the Nike Zoom Fly 6. Even the Asics Metaspeed Sky Paris, which does not have standout support or stability, is more stable than this option.

Responsiveness

The Adios Pro 4 can rip. It does a good job of locking into marathon pace, but it also has no issues with changing gears.

During hard workouts, I found that the Pro 4 feels great up to about a 5K pace for me. When I pushed faster, the geometry started to feel a little odd with my mechanics.

Overall, this is a very versatile race day option. I wouldn't hesitate to race any distance in it, although I do think the Asics Metaspeed Sky Paris does slightly better at paces faster than 10K. Similarly, the aggressive geometry of the Adios Pro 4 will likely work for fewer types of footstrike than the Metaspeed.

Weight

The Adios Pro 4 weighs in at 7.75 ounces in a US Men's 10.5. That's incredibly light, but it isn't the lightest race shoe in our lineup. Will less than an ounce make a huge difference in your race result? Probably not, and almost definitely not if the shoe feels more comfortable to you than a lighter choice.

Traction

The Adios Pro offers decent traction for a race shoe. It has a main coverage of Adidas' LightTraxion, then a small section of Continental rubber under the big toe. I didn't experience any unexpected issues with grip. I would have preferred to see just a little more Continental rubber on the outsole, although I'm not sure whether the traction benefit would be worth the weight cost.

Should You Buy the Adidas Adizero Adios Pro 4?

If you're a runner who wants a top-tier race shoe, then this one should be on your short list. It's a versatile option — although not quite as versatile as some key competitors for me. However, that may not be the case for your mechanics. If you mainly race distances shorter than a half marathon, I think there are better options. But if you're tackling a half or full marathon, then this would be in my top three recommendations.

What Other Running Shoes Should You Consider?