First Look at the adidas Adizero Adios Pro 4
In a highly competitive “Super” shoe market, each shoe is fighting to stand out, some shoes claim to be the lightest, or have the newest tech, but the hook for the Adios Pro 4 is that it wins the most races, and that’s not a bad place to hang your hat.
Introduction
With improved midsole foam, outsole rubber and a brand new upper, the adidas Adios Pro 4 doesn’t plan to rest on its laurels, but to keep reaching for new speed, new records and even more wins.
Key Info
Price: £220
Foot type: Neutral
Weight: 200g (Men’s)
Stack height: 39mm – 33mm
Heel drop: 6mm
Surface: Road
Best for: Marathon races
History
The first time an Adizero shoe was unleashed on the running world was on the feet of the legendary Haile Gerbrselassie in September 2008, where he broke the marathon world record by 29 seconds in a pair of prototypes. Not a bad way to start.
A decade later in 2018, adidas launched the Adizero Adios Pro as a record-breaking marathon super shoe designed to maximise your distance running speed.
As part of the development of the new shoe, adidas introduced Energy Rods. Now released in their 2.0 version these carbon infused rods mimic the metatarsal bones of the foot, acting like a carbon plate, but with a small amount of flex that is able to follow individual toe movements for better, more personalised performance.
Closer Look
With the famous Energy Rods just about the only part of the new Pro 4 unchanged, it looks surprisingly like the Pro3, although the large three stripe logo is an obvious style enhancement.
Looks can be deceiving though, the entire upper is a complete update that adidas are rightfully very proud of. Called a Lightlock upper it offers the locked in fit and breathable nature you would expect from a race day shoe, but with a wraparound comfort that you might not.
Our wear tester Tom was clearly impressed, calling it a “much better fit than the previous iteration”, and going on to state, “the upper is softer to the touch and more breathable, resulting in a far comfier fit on the foot. The tongue and general lacing is also much improved”
Away from the upper, the Lightstrike Pro through the midsole uses a new compound of foam designed for more energy, less weight, and what adidas described to me as a “squidgier” feel.
I asked Tom if this ‘Squidginess’ was a noticeable difference from the Pro 3
“This newer formulation of Lightstrike Pro does indeed feel less dense and softer than Pro3. A very good thing in my books. Greater sense of compression in the forefoot but still super responsive.”
So, if the upper and midsole all get big thumbs up, how about the change in the outsole? It uses a brand new LIGHTTRACTION outsole that is designed to reduce weight without sacrificing traction. Only time will tell if this remains as durable as past rubber, but with no obvious wear on our test pair yet, and a chunk of proven ContinentalTM rubber in the forefoot, the signs are good. Toms view on testing? “I like the steer away from Continental, as it is a pretty heavy rubber compound and not entirely necessary on pinnacle race day product. Traction remains excellent in wet conditions”.
The last big change is inspired by the success of their Elite Athlete focused Pro Evo shoe and sees the rocker moved further back in the foot, to the 60% point, for a more dynamic, faster feel. Again I spoke to our tester Tom, to see if this change was noticeable
“Yes! Particularly in the forefoot. Feel a significant pop off the toes compared to Pro 3”.
Conclusion
If you take what the Americans would call the “winningest” shoe out there and improve on almost every aspect of the shoe you get an easy win, and a podium topper in the making.
With improved comfort both on the upper and under foot, more speed, improved lightness and an even smoother transition thanks to that new rocker profile, the adidas Adios Adizero Pro 4 is a great new speed shoe for marathon runners everywhere.
FAQ
Does Adizero Adios Pro have carbon plate?
Instead of a carbon plate, it features carbon rods, five rods that follow each metatarsal bone in your foot. Although they are joined at the toe and heel, they can flex a little through the foot for a more personalised performance.
Is Adios Pro good for marathons?
With more wins in majors over the marathon distance than any other shoe, this is designed specifically to conquer 26 miles and 385 yards.
What is the difference between the Adios Pro 3 and 4?
A brand new upper called Lightlock features impressive comfort, hold and breathability around your foot, while underneath a new lighter, faster, and squidgier version of Lightstrike Pro cushions and propels you forward. The LIGHTTRACTION outsole is also new and provides traction with reduced weight.
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