German kicks off 2025 with a bang: The long-awaited update of the Adios Pro series. adidas offers unprecedented speed in a shoe that still endures more than just one race.
picks up where its predecessor left off: an aggressive shoe filled with adidas's latest technologies. Both the upper and midsole are updated, resulting in a snug yet comfortable fit that invites your competitors to dance.
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German Craft Meets Elegance
When I first got the shoe in hand, I worried whether it could be tightened properly: The shoe is one of the most streamlined I've experienced, with an upper as thin as paper. Yet, the upper is excellent at locking the foot in place on top of the aggressive midsole.
The LIGHTLOCK upper locks the foot so well that I'm hardly worried about discomforts like blue nails, which can otherwise be a risk in thin uppers like those found on race shoes.
The stiff upper also meant that I used it twice to "break in the shoe." By this, I mean it was only after a few uses that I felt 100% comfortable in the shoe. Initially, the shoe felt narrow, but now it fits splendidly.
This is noteworthy, as the shoe can certainly take a few runs before being used for racing. I am thinking here of adidas's fastest shoe, Adizero Adios EVO, which uses many of the same techniques but is somewhat lighter than Adios Pro 4. However, the lightness comes with a big BUT: They last even shorter than race shoes like Adios Pro 4, which are already fragile.
Although Adios Pro 4 is streamlined and has one of the thinnest uppers I've experienced, I'm quite worry-free that the shoes will manage to run 600 kilometers: more than eight times as much as EVO. This is excellent for me, as I often need a few training sessions in shoes before I'm confident in them – especially true for race shoes.
Soft Overhaul
The midsole looks much like the one found in its predecessor on paper: The combination of adidas's somewhat firm LIGHTSTRIKE PRO foam made from durable TPEE material and ENERGYRODS 2.0 is the same in the 4. However, both parts are updated.
Adios Pro 3 was somewhat firmer compared to other super shoes at the time. The shoe had a tremendous response and an upper that divided opinions. For me, the shoe was never competitive with competitors when choosing a shoe for race day – that has changed now.
There's still plenty of response. But this year, adidas has gone softer, as the foam material is updated to be softer. This offers more comfort while making the foam lighter, and for me, there's no longer any doubt that the shoe is now competitive with the fastest on the market.
Even though comfort is increased, the shoe feels faster than before. This may be due to the update of adidas's ENERGYROD system, which in this version is inspired by adidas's aforementioned PRO EVO 1. Here, the "bend" in the "fingers" is moved further forward under the forefoot, giving a more aggressive feel: This is noticeably as the shoe certainly feels faster than its predecessor.
The ENERGYROD system is actually designed to avoid the unnatural stiffness that a carbon plate adds to modern race shoes. Instead, the respective rods should anatomically follow the foot's bones. It's not something I feel – neither good nor bad.
For the shoe still feels stiff and responsive, providing a sense of speed and competitiveness. The shoes work at speeds between marathon and 5-kilometer pace, and if you ask me, the shoe works best around 5k and 10k paces.
Grip and Distance
Like many other adidas shoes, the outsole on the ADIOS PRO 4 is developed in collaboration with the tire brand Continental. This is yet another testament to adidas's focus on the shoe lasting more than one race.
Not only that, but you find something as rare among super shoes as grip under the shoes. adidas calls the grip LIGHTTRAXION, and it runs strategically from the big toe to the outside of the heel. The only place where the grip goes from outside to inside is under the ball of the foot.
The minimalist grip is a cheeky detail I am quite fond of. For even though the shoe is intended for racing on asphalt, it's nice to have just that little bit of grip, for example, in wet conditions, or if the shoes should be used for tempo runs on gravel paths – something it can be recommended for.
Goodbye to Old Records
adidas Adizero Adios Pro 4 builds on three generations of shoes, whose firmness made the 3 especially controversial. This year's top model has seen adidas listen and make the shoe softer.
At the same time, they have retained the series' characteristic aggression – indeed, actually improved it with ENERGYROD inspiration from the EVO series.
The upper remains firm and exciting. My experience is significantly better after 60 kilometers than at the first kilometer. The advice is: Run a few intervals in the shoe before race day.
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