The adidas Adizero Adios Pro 4 is a premium marathon super shoe designed for competitive runners looking for lightweight responsiveness on race day. It features adidas' updated Lightstrike Pro midsole, delivering a softer, more energetic ride than its predecessor, the adidas Adizero Adios Pro 3, while retaining the signature carbon rods for added stiffness. The redesigned upper shaves off significant weight, creating a more efficient experience and a noticeably snugger fit compared to the previous version. These updates make it an excellent choice for runners aiming for peak racing performance, particularly those who prefer a very bouncy experience.
Our Verdict
The adidas Adizero Adios Pro 4 is an amazing marathon racing shoe thanks to its excellent energy return and cushioning. It makes it feel ideally suited for long-distance races and helps keep legs fresh deeper into the run. Its embedded carbon ENERGYRODS help hold the foam together and add stiffness to the midsole. Although its lateral stability isn't the best, this is common for performance-oriented super shoes, so experienced marathoners with proper form won't find this a significant issue.
Updated Lightstrike Pro offers amazing bounce and cushioning.
Carbon ENERGYRODS add stiffness.
Very lightweight super shoe.
The adidas Adizero Adios Pro 4 is a great option for shorter races, providing a dynamic and responsive ride with its premium midsole, carbon rods, and lightweight construction. The midsole is somewhat firm but not overly so. This makes it slightly less explosive than specialized shorter-distance racing shoes, but it remains a very competitive choice for these distances.
Carbon ENERGYRODS add stiffness.
Very lightweight super shoe.
Updated Lightstrike Pro offers amazing bounce.
Foam is quite soft.
The adidas Adizero Adios Pro 4 has excellent energy return, efficiently converting each stride into forward momentum. The updated Lightstrike Pro midsole is very responsive both at the forefoot and heel, offering consistent bounce. This makes it an amazing super shoe for maintaining pace over longer distances and maximizing efficiency during races.
Updated Lightstrike Pro offers amazing bounce.
The adidas Adizero Adios Pro 4 delivers great cushioning. Particularly remarkable at the heel but still great at the forefoot, this protection makes it suitable for longer runs, effectively minimizing fatigue and maximizing comfort throughout extended distances. This new, more compressive version of Lightstrike Pro midsole stands out among competitors by providing ample protection without sacrificing its energetic feel.
Premium midsole makes for a super cushioned ride.
The adidas Adizero Adios Pro 4 offers decent lateral stability. The very narrow outsole arch, due to a large cutout in this zone, and soft foam in the heel doesn't help, but this is less evident for runners able to maintain great form. On the plus side, the shoe has quite a wide base and a secure lockdown to help compensate for the high and wobbly stack of foam.
Carbon ENERGYRODS add stiffness.
Wide base at the heel and forefoot.
Large cutout in the outsole makes it quite unstable.
Foam is quite soft.
High stack height.
Performance Usages
Changelog
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Updated Nov 24, 2025:
We have updated the Popular Running Shoe Comparisons box to include the adidas Adizero Prime X3 STRUNG in the lineup overview.
- Updated Oct 28, 2025: We've converted this review to Test Bench 0.9, which adds a Forefoot Long Run Cushioning test to our performance section. Read more in our changelog.
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Updated Oct 27, 2025:
We updated the Compared Summary, Pros & Cons, Lateral Stability, Cushioning, Marathon Racing, 5K/10K Racing, Forefoot Cushioning, Heel Firmness, and Forefoot Firmness boxes to align with the latest test bench, refreshed the Popular Running Shoe Comparisons section, and revised the side-by-side comparisons to keep the review accurate.
- Updated Oct 24, 2025: We've converted this review to Test Bench 0.8.2, which updates our methodology for the impact force range used in our compression tests to improve their accuracy. This also affects all usage and performance usage boxes using those compression tests as score components.
Differences Between Sizes And Variants
We tested the adidas Adizero Adios Pro 4 in men's US size 9, as indicated on the label. The shoe pictured here is in the Silver Metallic/Lucid Red/Grey colorway. This model is available in several colors, including Lucid Blue/Dash Grey/Onix, Lucid Red/Core Black/Lucid Red, Lucid Lemon/Core Black/Halo Silver, and Warm Vanilla/Cloud White/Onix. Special Y-3 editions are also available in unique colorways like Alumina/Cinder/Cinder. Wide versions aren't available for this model. The design section applies only to the exact model we tested, but we expect other sizes and gender variants to perform similarly.
Popular Running Shoe Comparisons
The adidas Adizero Adios Pro 4 competes directly with other top-tier carbon-plated racers optimized for longer distances, like the Nike Alphafly 3 and the New Balance SuperComp Elite v4. Compared to most super shoes, it delivers a noticeably softer and more cushioned ride, making it a compelling option for runners prioritizing comfort while still providing amazing responsiveness. For example, the Alphafly 3 offers a stiffer, more mechanical feel, especially in the forefoot. Both are highly efficient, but the Adios Pro 4 feels smoother and more natural through transitions, especially on longer efforts.
Within adidas' premium Adizero lineup, the Adios Pro 4 is the brand's flagship long-distance racer, slotting just below the ultralight adidas Adizero Adios Pro Evo 2. While the Evo 2 is more aggressive and lighter on foot, it sacrifices some bounce for weight savings. This model is also a significant evolution over the adidas Adizero Adios Pro 3, with a lighter build, improved responsiveness, and more cushioning underfoot. However, the new upper has a snugger fit that may require adjustment. For runners seeking a plated super trainer, the adidas Adizero Boston 12 is a good choice, offering more stability and durability. For steady long runs, check out the adidas Adizero Prime X3 STRUNG. Meanwhile, those not interested in carbon plates might consider the adidas Adizero Evo SL, an uptempo trainer that can also handle some racing.
For more options, check out our recommendations for the best running shoes to find the perfect pair.
The adidas Adizero Adios Pro 4 and Nike Alphafly 3 are both elite-level racing shoes built for long-distance performance, but they deliver distinctly different experiences. The adidas shoe offers slightly better energy return and more cushioning, making it especially well-suited for marathon racing. The Nike shoe, while also a strong long-distance option, has a firmer forefoot, thanks to its Zoom Air pods, which give it the edge for shorter events like 5Ks or 10Ks. It's also more stable laterally, offering a bit more confidence.
The ASICS METASPEED SKY TOKYO and the adidas Adizero Adios Pro 4 are both top-tier marathon racers, but they differ in design philosophy and feel underfoot. The SKY TOKYO is dramatically lighter and uses a flatter full-length carbon plate placed close to the foot for a direct, propulsive toe-off, while the Adios Pro 4 relies on its carbon-infused EnergyRods and more pronounced rocker geometry to deliver a rolling, snappy transition. Both are highly efficient, but the SKY offers slightly better energy return and a more consistent cushioning performance over the course of a marathon, maintaining its effectiveness even late into the race. The Adios Pro 4, with its higher drop and slightly firmer midsole feel, provides a bit more structure and guidance but feels less agile in comparison.
The adidas Adizero Adios Pro 4 and the Saucony Endorphin Elite 2 are both high-end super shoes that strike an impressive balance between cushioning and energy return, and they weigh about the same. The adidas offers a slightly more cushioned underfoot feel that's great for protecting legs over long distances. The Saucony, while still well-cushioned, offers a firmer, more stable ride. Both are optimized for marathon efforts, but if you had to race a 5K in one of them, the firmer platform of the Saucony would better support quick turnover and a snappy toe-off.
The adidas Adizero Adios Pro 4 and the PUMA Deviate NITRO Elite 3 are both lightweight carbon-plated super shoes, but they offer different strengths. The adidas delivers unmatched energy return and cushioning, making it a top-tier option for longer distances like the marathon. The Deviate NITRO Elite 3, on the other hand, feels even softer, which might feel a bit too plush for shorter events, but it's got a more accommodating fit, making it suitable for more foot shapes.
We've recently started buying and testing running shoes with a very data-oriented approach. While we're just getting started, our methodology already has dozens of tests to help you make the right purchasing decision for your needs. Not only do we use high-end equipment to gather objective data, but we also order multiple sizes of the same shoes for team members to be able to log in miles. This real-world testing is done at various paces and conditions, and with different types of workouts, to cover all the bases. This allows us to verify our results and ensure they align with what you might feel with a specific pair.
Test Results
The adidas Adizero Adios Pro 4 is notably lighter than its predecessor, the adidas Adizero Adios Pro 3, offering improved efficiency for racing. However, it remains noticeably heavier than the extremely lightweight adidas Adizero Adios Pro Evo 2.
The internal shape of this shoe is similar to the previous model in terms of length and platform width, but the redesigned upper creates a significantly more tapered fit. In our testing, we confirmed the widespread feedback among users and other reviewers that this narrow fit can lead to discomfort, including pressure points or numbness around the forefoot area, especially near the big toe. We suggest considering this when picking your size.
This model features a tongue that's gusseted directly to the upper rather than to the midsole. This helps keep the tongue securely in place while still reducing overall weight. This design choice has minimal impact on the shoe's overall lateral stability, which remains limited.
The heel energy return in this shoe is excellent. It efficiently rebounds energy during landings, allowing for smoother transitions, which is particularly valuable for runners who strike more toward the heel. During testing, the shoe bounced so much upon compression that it caused slight forward movement under the testing piston. Despite this, repeated tests confirmed that this motion didn't influence the overall results.
The forefoot energy return is also excellent, providing energetic feedback and responsiveness upon toe-off. This ensures the shoe remains lively, making it suitable for longer efforts and sustained high-speed racing.
The adidas Adizero Adios Pro 4's heel cushioning is outstanding. The Lightstrike Pro midsole provides great shock absorption across varying impact intensities, meaning runners can comfortably handle longer distances without excessive fatigue or discomfort.
The forefoot cushioning is impressive, delivering reliable comfort and excellent protection. The midsole effectively compresses under each strike, which helps maintain freshness and comfort, especially during faster-paced or longer runs. That said, runners who load the forefoot hard won't find it as plush: it feels very compliant at first, but past a certain force threshold, it becomes less protective.
The adidas Adizero Adios Pro 4's heel is soft, especially at lower forces. This contributes considerably to comfort during extended runs, although runners preferring a firmer, more stable platform might find it excessively soft.
The forefoot feels moderately firm, offering a well-balanced sensation between comfort and responsiveness. This updated version of Lightstrike Pro is softer than the previous iteration, meaning it refines its suitability for longer distances where maximum comfort is key and ground feedback becomes secondary. Some other super shoes, like the Nike Vaporfly 3, feature a firmer forefoot, which delivers a snappier toe-off and encourages a higher turnover rate.