REVIEW: Adidas Adizero Adios Pro

The Adidas Adizero Adios Pro is a welcome addition to the world of carbon-plated shoes. This Adidas racing flat is made of similar components to its competitors but feels very different on the foot, especially when it comes to fit. This category of shoe tends to run narrow and small, but the Adidas shoe fills an important void, which is a fast shoe for a wider-footed runner. The shoe is also notably plush. Like its competitors, the Adios Pro has proven effective (it’s the shoe Peres Jepchirchir wore to set a new women-only world record in the half-marathon on October 17), but it achieves its fast results in a different way. Here’s a closer look. 

Men’s size 9: 220 g
Drop: 8.5 mm
Stack height: 39 mm
MSRP: $280 CAD
Available: Now

RELATED: Adidas launches new adizero adios Pro colourway ahead of half-marathon world record attempt

Upper

The upper is a notable draw to the Adizero Adios Pro for the runner with a wider foot, as it runs bigger than most other carbon-plated shoes. This footbed will cater to a broader audience of runners, as many racing shoes tend to run narrow and can cause problems for those with a wider foot. The traditional lacing system and highly breathable Celermesh upper material also work well. No complaints here. 

RELATED: Jepchirchir runs 1:05:34, smashes women-only world record in Prague

Midsole

LightstrikePRO is the company’s lightest and most responsive midsole cushioning material yet. Coupled with a carbon-fibre heel plate for ankle stabilization, this shoe has some very innovative features. While the heel has half of a traditional carbon plate, the forefoot contains energy rods for stabilization instead of a full-sized plate, which are made of carbon fibre. This sounds like a mild distinction, but you can really feel it when you put the shoe on. While these rods arguably make for more natural movement, I also found them to be a little wobbly around corners or on uneven ground. 

Another note on midsole feel – this shoe really forces you onto your toes. From the moment you put it on, you can tell that this is a shoe you run fast in, as I felt my heels sinking into the ground and my toes pointed toward the sky. This shoe wants you on your midfoot for an ideal ride. 

This is easily the plushest carbon-plated shoe I’ve worn to date, which is neither a negative or a positive, it just really depends on what you’re looking for. If you like a softer ride, you’ll love this shoe. If you want something a little firmer underfoot, look elsewhere. 

Outsole

I found the outsole very effective, despite its minimal look and feel. On light gravel and pavement, it operated well. I didn’t find my hamstrings were doing any excess work to keep my body moving forward (which can happen if grip is an issue) and saw that even with the roads a little slick, this tread still got the job done. 

Final thoughts

This is a really distinct carbon-plated shoe, making it fantastic for certain runners and a misfit for others. If you’ve got a narrow foot, poor ankles or a tendency to heel strike, look elsewhere. But, if you’re a runner who has a wider foot and loves a plush ride, this is a great fit for you. Overall, once you’re up to speed, this shoe feels amazing and runs really smoothly.

But don’t just take my word for it, this particular model is closing in on Nike in world records set in 2020 on the road – so the proof really is in the results.

RELATED: Jepchirchir sets new women’s-only world record, wins World Championships