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The Adidas Adizero Adios Pro 4 is a significant upgrade on the Adios Pro 3 thanks to a softer and springier midsole foam, a more comfortable upper, and a new lightweight outsole design.
It’s one of the best carbon plate running shoes available, and also one that comes in cheaper than some big rivals including the Nike Alphafly 3 and Hoka Cielo X1 2.0, though it’s the same price as the Asics Metaspeed Sky Paris, which remains our favourite super-shoe overall.
Design & Key Stats
- Price: £220/$250
- Weight: 201g/7.1oz (men’s UK 9 / US 9.5)
- Drop: 6mm
- Stack height: 39mm heel, 33mm forefoot
- Upper: Lightlock woven mesh
- Midsole: Lightstrike Pro foam with full-length carbon-infused rods
- Outsole: Lighttraxion rubber with Continental rubber section on forefoot
Adidas Adizero Adios Pro 4 review
How’s The Fit
Nick and Kieran have both tested the Adios Pro 4 and found it quite a tight fit around the toes. That’s especially true if you use UK sizing, so we’d recommend using US or EU sizes to get the right fit, and even then it could be the case that some runners find there Adios Pro 4 rubs their toes on longer runs in particular.
Check out more of the best Adidas running shoes
The Run Test: Likes
The Adios Pro 4 is lighter, softer and springier than its predecessor, and has a more enjoyable and faster ride for any kind of race or speedy training session. The Lightstrike Pro foam protects the legs well and rebounds rapidly to propel you on your way.
It’s a shoe that combines a lot of bounce with a fast turnover, with the sharp forefoot rocker helping to roll you onto and then off your toes quickly with each stride.
We also found that the grip from the mix of rubbers on the outsole was good during our test runs in the winter, so even though this isn’t a full Continental rubber outsole the Adios Pro 4 will deliver reliable traction in wet races.
The ride is fast and nimble enough for short races and reps, but has enough comfort for longer sessions and events as well, whereas we felt the Adios Pro 3 skewed more towards marathons because of its heavier design and slightly more ponderous ride.
The Run Test: Dislikes
The fit will be a concern for many runners with the Adios Pro 4, and Kieran found that the upper started to lift his toenails during a marathon test of the shoe.
While we consider the shoe an improvement on the Adios Pro 3, some runners might miss the extra stability you got from the older shoe, which also had a highly durable design that meant you could use it for a lot of training as well as racing. The jury’s still out for us with regards to the durability of the Adios Pro 4.
Verdict And Alternatives
The Adizero Adios Pro 4 is certainly one of the best running shoes for racing you can get, and our favourite Adidas super-shoe yet, though we haven’t been able to test out the more expensive Adios Pro Evo 1 ourselves.
It has a fantastic ride for fast running of any kind, offering a nice blend of bounce and a fast transition, and comes in cheaper than many options, including the Nike Alphafly 3, while offering a similar level of performance in our opinion.
We’d get the Adios Pro 4 ahead of several more expensive shoes, including the Hoka Cielo X1 2.0 and Saucony Endorphin Elite 2, and really the only shoe that stands in its way for us is the Asics Metaspeed Sky Paris, which is the same price and has a slightly more responsive ride as well as a better fit that has caused us no problems over several marathons.
If you don’t have problems with the fit of the Adios Pro 4, however, you won’t be let down by its performance on race day, and it’s a shoe that offers a bit more comfort than the Asics, which might make it preferable for longer events for some runners.
Adidas Adios Pro 4 vs Nike Alphafly 3
Compared with Nike’s top racing shoe, the Adidas is cheaper and lighter, but less springy and the Alphafly 3 is also a little more stable. The Adidas is going to be as fast on race day, in our opinion, so grabbing it at a lower price looks a good option.
Adidas Adios Pro 4 vs Puma Fast-R 3
The Puma Fast-R 3 has a very efficient ride powered by a more aggressive rocker than the one on the Adidas, and it’s lighter as well. The Adidas is more comfortable and might be more accommodating in the latter stages of long races, but the Puma is faster, for us.
Adidas Adios Pro 4 vs Adidas Adios Pro 3
The Adios Pro 4 is lighter, softer and bouncier than its predecessor, and we’d say it’s a better racing shoe for any distance. The Adios Pro 3 might well be cheaper in sales though, and is a durable carbon super-shoe you can use for training and racing.