Adidas Adizero Adios Pro 4 Review: A Bridge Between and a Level Up

Introduction to the Adidas Adios Pro 4

ROBBE: Back in my youth skateboarding days, there was a pop punk band called Me First and the Gimme Gimmes, a super group/pet project comprised of members of NOFX, No Use For a Name, and Lagwagon. They only did pop punk covers of radio hits, a trend that seemed to be wildly popular at the time. A number of bands followed suit– Goldfinger, The Ataris, and MxPx– they all cashed in on this trend. Head into the studio for a day, record an album of songs that people already wrote, release it and make money. Rinse and repeat. It was a simple way to make a quick buck in the music industry. 

The same could be said for the shoe industry in 2024. Six years ago, Nike disrupted the space when they brought in the Nike Vaporfly 4%, a shoe that would literally change history. From there, the arms race was on for every brand to put out their cover version of the Vaporfly. Some of those shoes sounded like they were recorded on a four-track in their parents’ garage; others had the raw race day power of something laid down in Muscle Shoals.

Many of those shoes shouldn’t have been released, but as the running boom began to gather steam, there was the demand side of the equation looming front and center, consumers’ arms extended with fistfuls of cash, saying “me first, gimme gimme.” A publicly traded shoe company isn’t going to let that bread get eaten by a competitor, so every year, a new version of a shoe could come out, for better or for worse. 

The first couple shoes in the Adidas Adios Pro family probably fell into the “cover song” category. It was a shoe that existed and it was okay, certainly better than the average shoe, but it was not the Vaporfly or Alphafly. Adidas has not yet found its identity on race day. Of course, Adidas wasn’t the only shoe company in this position; most brands were caught flat-footed in the wake of the Vaporfly’s tidal force, and were scrambling to make their own version of the shoe.

It took a few years, but eventually, the gap began to close between Nike and its competitors. The Adidas Adios Pro 3 was a big step in that direction, with an improved Lightstrike Pro midsole, the always reliable Continental rubber outsole, and an aggressive EnergyRods design that kept you on your toes. It wasn’t the softest of shoes, and the upper left much to be desired, but it did get the job done when called upon, resulting in a number of world records from athletes who wore the shoe.

Then, out of nowhere, Adidas dropped the Adizero Pro Evo 1, the $500 racing shoe that marked another line in the sands of history– this time for a shoe that weight an almost impossibly light 5.1 oz. (144 g) for a US M10.5, featuring an uncompressed version of Lightstrike Pro for the midsole. Of course, that shoe set the women’s world record in its first appearance at the 2023 Berlin Marathon, a record that still stands today.

But time went on, and the Adios Pro 3  stayed the same. Two and half years later, the next version is here with the Adidas Adizero Adios Pro 4.

Adidas has pointed out that the delay was intentional. Instead of rushing an update to put out a shoe based on the annual selling cycle, they felt it was important to engineer the best possible race shoe, timelines be damned. It’s a risky move, not just from a bottom line perspective, but one that can backfire horribly if you start to lose relevance within the space. I’ll be honest, I ran two marathons in the Adios Pro 3 and was ready to move on to something new. It seemed like it was taking forever. 

And, it was. Most models go through 2-3 sampling/prototype iterations before settling on a final production version, which is how you get a new version of a shoe each year or so. Adidas calls these samples “creative rounds,” and the Adios Pro 4 went through a total of six rounds, tweaking each one and sending them out into the wild, from the pavement of Germany to the red dirt roads of Kenya.

The final result is a shoe that is both an evolution of the Adios Pro 3 and a bridge between the Pro Evo 1, but an undeniable reinvention of the Adios Pro altogether.

For the upper, Adidas went back to a Japanese source that helped with the materials used in the OG Adios back in 2008; this time around, he presented them with a soft and light woven mesh that only stretches in one direction– vertically– while keeping the foot in place laterally. Since it is a very thin material, an all-new Lightlock band is positioned internally, wrapping from the heel around both sides to the throat of the shoe, giving extra support around the foot.

For the midsole, a new iteration of Lightstrike Pro was designed to be softer and bouncier, while the carbon fiber EnergyRods mimic the same design used in the Pro Evo 1. Meaning, the fulcrum point comes in at a 60% point in the length of the shoe, measured from heel to forefoot. The idea here is that it provides a leverage point directly under the midfoot with the harsher, more aggressive feel of the Adios Pro 3. Underneath, Adidas analyzed the landing pattern of their athletes and found that the most critical traction point was under the balls of the feet on the medial side, which is where they placed a thick patch of sticky Continental rubber. The rest of the outsole features strategically designed grip points with a new rubber compound. 

After all that, the shoe still managed to lose a whole ounce of weight, coming in at a very light 7.1 oz for a US M9, second only to the Asics Metaspeed Sky/Edge Paris in that regard.

Of course, the only thing remaining was to run an actual race in the shoe. Which we did at the Berlin Marathon. We learned a lot about the shoe over the course of those 26.2 miles, so let’s see what lessons came out of it.

MEAGHAN: Robbe covered… a lot. So I will keep this simple. I have never been a fan of the Adizero Adios Pro line. Sorry, Adidas. The foam always felt too dense and the energy rods too harsh. But the shoe got a complete freakin’ overhaul and I’m feeling good about the updates… so let’s see if this one hits my sweet spot.

THOMAS: Adidas is a brand I root for and always have, for as long as I can remember. I grew up with the brand from the days of black Sambas to the ‘80s shell toes, and the Instinct Hi Tops Adidas were always there. Adidas weren’t making running shoes that grabbed my attention when I started running in 2007, even though the Adizero line began in 2008. It wasn’t until the Energy Boost dropped in 2013 that Adidas became a player in the space. At least in my space, anyway. The new Boost cushioning made a splash and worked its way into the Adizero line. I ran the OBX marathon in the Adios Boost. At that time, the shoe was the pinnacle for the marathon on race day. The shoe was light at 8.5 oz. (242 g) and the thin layer of Boost felt more cushioned than most flats. Looking at it now, it looks more like a slipper than a running shoe.

I didn’t run a race in another Adidas shoe until using the Adizero Adios Pro 2. And by the time the Pro 3 came out, it looked like Adidas was finally getting the kinks out of its super shoe development. Running Boston in the Pro 3 was a treat; I liked the shoe so much I went from the finish line to hanging out all night in the shoe. It was that comfortable.

We waited patiently for an update to the shoe, but Adidas said they weren’t going to come out with a fourth version until the shoe would be better than the current version. Robbe covered the tech already, but I will add this: Adidas did it. They made a better version. The foam packs more energy return, the toe spring feels more aggressive, the upper fits better and is softer to the touch, and the weight dropped from 8.3 oz/235 grams to 7.5 oz/215 grams for my US M10.5.

What We Like About The Adidas Adios Pro 4

ROBBE: As I mentioned earlier, I ran two marathons and a handful of long runs in the Adios Pro 3, a shoe that performed quite well on race day, if– you could navigate its shortcomings. For most people, those shortcomings came in the upper, which was made of a stiff mesh and came with a peculiar lacing system that was frustratingly difficult to find the right fit. The lace pressure on top of the foot could become downright painful if not positioned properly. I also found that the placement of the EnergyRods in the forefoot caused pain behind my middle toe, something that would take awhile to get over following a hard race in the shoes. This only ever happened in the Adios Pro 3, by the way. So I was really, really hoping both of those things would be fixed this time around.

The good news– they were. The upper on the Adios Pro 4 is luxurious to the touch, a soft mesh that you can’t wait to put your foot into. The new lacing system is much easier to dial in, and a foam pillow on the tongue helps relieve any trepidation regarding lace bite. The all-new Lightlock band gives just an extra touch of support, while the stitched in tongue assures that everything stays in place. The result is a snug and secure race day fit, from the heel through the midfoot and forefoot. It’s the exact fit you want on race day. I think. More on that later.

Underfoot, the new Lightstrike Pro iteration is markedly different from past versions. It’s definitely softer and bouncier, but not mushy. For me, it felt like a slightly softer Vaporfly but with a bit more bounce. On the run, it’s smooth and quick and the turnover comes with little effort, especially at faster paces. I used this shoe in an 8-mile cutdown workout before race day and felt that it really comes alive the faster you take it. I attribute this mostly to the 60% inflection point of the geometry– when you’re really pushing the pace, it hits that spot perfectly and propels you into your next step. That right there is a big difference from the Adios Pro 3, which felt like it was good at any pace, but never had that true super shoe magic and “wow” factor that was found in other race day shoes. 

As for the outsole, Adidas hit the mark on the strategic rubber placement. Cornering turns and digging into the toe-off with the Continental rubber felt flawless, while the new rubber compound felt quite grippy, even while navigating the super sketchy water station zones.  

Onto the weight, the shoe disappears on the foot when running in it, which is exactly what you want in a race day shoe. Early marathon miles are always easy, but they felt like nothing in the Adios Pro 4. As the miles accumulated, it felt easy to maintain my goal race pace and my legs felt great from start to finish.

I will admit that I’ve had a very good training cycle and felt more prepared and confident than I have in some time; that said, I was surprised at how good I felt and how strong my legs were even at mile 22 in the race. With 5K to go, I was right around goal pace but knew I was going to have to drop 45 seconds off my pace to get a surefire PR. I asked the shoe to give me a lot, and when I went faster it responded in kind. It felt like it opened up even more the faster I went in the shoe, giving more back than I put into it.

After the race, I was shocked at how good my legs felt, much like they did after a typical long run. The next day was a different story, but that’s what three hours of sleep and 16 hours of flying will do to you. Even so, I’ve had much worse “next days” after running marathons.

It’s also the cleanest looking race shoe right now and you can’t change my mind on that.

MEAGHAN: The Pro 4 is an objectively great looking shoe – the nearly all-white upper and black stripes that seep into the midsole look clean while the strip of bright pink fabric along the collar adds some race day flair. And the fit is just as lovely as the look. The thin, breathable upper is lined with a Lightlock band that provides support without adding any weight. The simple laces do a nice job of locking the foot down and there is minimal padding around the collar and tongue, to keep the shoes light. My W7.5 came in at 6.2 oz. 

Beneath the foot is my favorite update of all: a Lightstrike Pro foam formulation that feels lighter, bouncier and less dense. The EnergyRods have shifted placement and feel less harsh underfoot, but still provide that propulsive ride that we’ve come to love in super shoes. Beneath that is some really decent rubber coverage that added a layer of confidence on quick turns and wet conditions.

THOMAS: This shoe felt amazing out of the box. The Lightstrike Pro formulation makes a huge difference in the personality of the midsole. Between the new placement for the toe spring and the foam, the Pro 4 feels loads more energetic. The new upper material and Lightlock system make the Pro 4 one of the best fitting uppers on a race day shoe. Adidas added some extra padding on the heel counter to help lock down the foot and avoid the Achilles rubbing that some runners complained about in the Pro 3. 

This shoe wants to go fast and feels best at faster paces. For this reason, I almost didn’t choose it for the Berlin Marathon. I was pacing a friend to a 4:30 marathon, and this shoe might be too much firepower for that pace. For the majority of the marathon my feet felt good and turnover came easy.

What We Didn’t Like About The Adidas Adios Pro 4

ROBBE: After my first run in the shoe, I would’ve said nothing. Everything seemed perfect to me, like a better version of the Vaporfly and for sure the best version of the Adios Pro. I still think I’d pick this shoe on any given race day, but I can’t be sure without trading in my current pair for a half-size up. This was partially a user error– using the thumb-width rule, I only had about a half a thumb between my toes and the front of the shoe. That said, I’ve worn this size in every Adidas shoe over the past three years, so I assumed we were good to go. And we were good to go, but not good to go 26.2. 

Things hurt during a marathon, and if they don’t, you’re probably doing something wrong. So when I noticed my big toes hurting about halfway through, I figured it was the price to pay for racing. I traded in some currency for sure, because by the end of the race both big toes looked like baby puppets of Grimace. Translation: they were very purple. And very painful. I’m writing this eight days later and they’re still not back to normal.

Again– this is partly user error. I should’ve known I was in between sizes and I should’ve gone up a half size. I didn’t do this, because again, my 8-mile workout went perfectly fine in the shoe. I loved everything about the fit, it was almost Cinderella-like in terms of race day shoes. Granted, I am on the extreme end of sizing at a men’s 7/7.5 and have found it to be very inconsistent across brands and product lines. However, the reinforced toe bumper probably didn’t help. While I appreciate a bit of structure to an upper, the persistent slamming of my big toes into a somewhat narrow toe box with a rigid toe bumper resulted in two dead piggies by the end of the race. Honey, we’re having bacon tonight.

I should’ve known I was playing with fire, so part of that’s on me. But I’m not sure I would still want to size up because the fit was so perfect everywhere else. Therein lies the problem. Either way, I highly recommend going a half size up if you’re in between sizes.

Now I would just write this off as a lone user error, except I wasn’t alone in my experience. Karl, our videographer, was well on pace for a PR, had trained well, and was feeling great until the wheels came off. Or more specifically, his feet. Around mile 15 in the race, he developed a stabbing pain on the lateral side and under the ball of his right foot and by mile 22 the toes in both feet went numb. Now, again, was this a user error and the laces were too tight? Hard to say, but he’s never had that in another pair of shoes. And while he also loved the ride and feel of the shoe underfoot, it was great until it wasn’t.

Point being, I think the upper is pretty snug from front to back and side to side, which can be a double edged sword. Get in at least a few runs, including one longer run, to figure out the fit before you go the full marathon distance.

I wouldn’t wholesale write off the shoe based on our two fit experiences; after all, every foot is different and what you find to be a perfect fit may be a bit too snug or too roomy for myself. I’m just saying that while the upper feel and fit may seem light years better than the last version, it still may take a little bit of adjustment to get it exactly right.

Lastly, and this isn’t really a bad thing, it’s just a thing– while this shoe is bouncy and light at any pace, where it really feels fast is when you’re pushing it fast, like half marathon pace and under.  Meaning, I’m not sure this is the best shoe for slower runners because it seems to reward speed. That’s not really a bad thing though, I mean, it is a race day shoe after all. I’m just saying that if you’re gonna be out there for 4+ hours, you may want to look somewhere else, something like the Salomon S/Lab Spectur or Diadora Gara Carbon or New Balance SC Elite v4 or Saucony Endorphin Pro 4.

The good news is that this thing will work just as well– or even better– for 5K, 10K, or half marathon distance.

MEAGHAN: I’m the only one from the team who didn’t race Berlin in the Pro 4, but it’s not because I didn’t love the shoe. I quite literally made the decision the night before to lace up the Evo 1. The Evo is like lacing up magical glass slippers; they’re so light and fast, which is pretty much what it came down to. I went with the lighter shoe.

THOMAS: The softer foam has a lot more creases after the marathon then the previous version. This may indicate that it won’t be as bulletproof as the previous version; however, the shoes still feel fresh now. 

The fit of the Pro 4 is snug. I would write it off as a “race day” fit, but after running 42 km in the shoe, I feel like the shoe is a tiny bit short. I wouldn’t want to go up a half size, I just want an additional half thumbnail between my big toe and the tip of the shoe.

Final Thoughts on the Adidas Adios Pro 4

ROBBE: I am so torn on this shoe because for 26.2 miles in Berlin, this thing was straight magic. I mean, this is the shoe that carried me to a PR after six long years of wandering in the wilderness. I truly love everything about it and feel that Adidas has made one of the best– if not the best– race day shoes on the market. The midsole is just straight butter, the grip is outstanding, the weight is weightless, and the fit and construction are second to none. In all respects, it’s such a great update to the Adios Pro 3. It’s really a perfect race day shoe in every respect– except for the toes. Could that be fixed by going a half size up? Maybe. Probably. And if I find out, I’ll update this review with the necessary information. 

I’ll still wear this size for anything under a half marathon because it’s that good. For sure it’s the best shoe at the $250 price point. But if you do pick it up, just give yourself some room in the front before ripping off a whole marathon. 

It may not be perfect for everyone, but it’s pretty close to perfect for all the rest of the runners.

MEAGHAN: In terms of racing shoes, this has got to be one of the best updates. The Adios Pro 4 feels light-years ahead of the Pro 3. It’s comfortable, lighter, more responsive, and just generally feels faster. I’m excited to lace these back up when my legs are ready to run fast again.

THOMAS: The Adidas team made an amazing racing shoe, and by far the best race companion to the Evo 1. It will be tough for Adidas athletes to choose between the two shoes. As someone who has run in both the Evo 1 and the Pro 4, I lean towards the Pro 4 even with the extra weight. Typically, I would tell you to run in any shoe that makes you feel fast on race day regardless of your pace. In hindsight, I would have been better off pacing the marathon in the Evo SL trainer over the Pro 4.

The Pro 4 is built to run fast and the tech in the shoe felt like overkill and less comfortable than the non-plated Evo SL for a 4:25 marathon. By the end of the 42K, my arch was feeling the EnergyRods and my big toe was filing complaints as it rubbed against the front of the shoe. This leads me to believe that the Pro 4 is suited for faster efforts out on the course. There are plenty of other super shoes that can handle a wider variety of paces, but the Pro 4 isn’t as accommodating to slower paces. I did do a faster workout in the shoe and it sang. I have a 10K in a couple weeks, I may just throw it back on to test my effort theory. I really love lacing this one up.

You can pick up the Adidas Adizero Adios Pro 4 on January 2, 2025 for $250 by using the shop link below.