adidas Adios Pro 4 introduction:
As someone who didn’t rate the Adios Pro 3 very highly (second or third tier in the “race day shoe classification”) I was obviously very curious to find out what adidas pulled off with this very anticipated update. Fans have been awaiting the next iteration for more than 2 years. Out of the box, this shoe looks superb. A stunning and classy white colorway with subtle red and lime accents. Essentially, an Evo 1 that doesn’t scream €500 but still looks very sharp. Let’s get into this review.
adidas Adios Pro 4 upper:
One of my biggest gripes with the adidas Adios Pro 3 was the very poor upper. The material was abrasive and unpleasant against the foot. Furthermore, the lacing pressure was almost unbearable and the heel was a blister nest. Although, in all fairness, I only got minor irritations with it, probably because I avoided racing and more generally running for too long in it. I was basically expecting a lot from the upper of the adidas Adios Pro 4 to reconcile me with this shoe franchise.
Thankfully, adidas delivered.
The adidas Adios Pro 4 features a dramatic upper update with not only a better fit but also all the above points fully addressed. On top, the material is now a one-piece stretchy, woven upper called Lightlock. Made with 94% recycled polyester, this material hugs your foot and makes you forget about the suffering in the Adios Pro 3. Moreover, they also padded the tongue – almost excessively – as if they wanted to say “we heard you”. This addition of padding in the central is to avoid any lacing pressure. And it works. Finally, the heel is now welcoming and offers a good lockdown. As far as fit goes, the shoe runs true to size and all in all, even if the midsole remained the same, this upper update is pure music to my ears.
adidas Adios Pro 4 midsole:
Brands should not be allowed to call different things with the same name. It’s like having two kids and giving them the same first name.
Why would someone do that?
Lightstrike Pro is adidas’ kid in this instance. Wait. Kids in plural. Because they call Lightstrike Pro two (or more) midsole compounds that do not feel the same at all. I feel like this is not just a foam cooking difference, but really a chemical compound change. Rumors on the internet said the adidas Adios Pro 4 comes with A-TPU (aliphatic TPU, just like in the NITRO foam of the PUMA Fast R-2), but I cannot confirm.
This midsole feels much softer and squishier compared to the foam of the adidas Adios Pro 3. The heel in particular feels like a bouncy marshmallow. Energy rods are still the stiffening element of choice in this shoe. Another major midsole change is the position of the rocker point. Akin to the Evo 1, it moved backwards and is now located at 60% of the length of the shoe.
adidas Adios Pro 4 Ride:
How does this new midsole translate in terms of ride?
I started both sessions in this shoe with easy paces. The shoe doesn’t handle them very well. Unfortunately, the squishy midsole collapses quite a bit and I was scared that this would be replicated at faster paces. As soon as I moved faster than my marathon pace, the shoe started to stabilise.
Further back, the foam at the heel sinks a lot, and that offers a very cushioned landing experience on the one hand but also a very counterintuitive dynamic drop. The 6mm drop starts to become apparent once the footstrike reaches the midfoot area. From there onwards, a very long and natural rocker offers a lot of forward movement and an almost-instant transition to the next step.
The adidas Adios Pro 4 likes speed and cadence runners. The shoe felt decent at marathon pace but really came alive around my 10k pace. Strava says I earned some medals and crowns in my local area and I trust Strava to tell me when I’m running really fast. I feel like cadence runners will be better off in this shoe because stride runners, like me, lose some energy due to the softness of the foam. The rocker point also favors a “floating” approach to the Adios Pro 4.
adidas Adios Pro 4 outsole:
For weight-saving and cost-saving reasons (both are my assumption), adidas stripped the Continental outsole. All that remains is a tiny piece under the big toe to ensure maximal traction at toe off. The rest of the outsole rubber is Lighttraxion, a compound already seen on the Supernova Prima. I didn’t run on wet surfaces and therefore can’t comment on the grip in the wet. Overall, I didn’t have any issues with that new outsole compound. Durability is also hard to predict and I might update this article with pictures next Sunday (September 29) after running a full marathon in this Adios Pro 4.
adidas Adios Pro 4 conclusion:
Is the Adios Pro 4 a much better shoe than the Adios Pro 3? It has a much better upper for sure. This alone is worth a new version of the Adios Pro, and it would have been enough to address fans’ concerns. The rest is a matter of taste and needs. Too soft and too squishy is not my thing most of the time. That said, it seems that the Adios Pro 4 can run fast, which isn’t the case for me in all soft and squishy shoes.
The big test for this shoe is the Berlin marathon this upcoming Sunday. I am both anxious and excited to find out how it will perform at a pace that didn’t seem to suit it so well in my training. And well at €250 / $250 it is competitive against Nike, On and HOKA shoes. So, if it works for you, not only will you find good value for money but also a good (very good?) upgrade to your favorite racer.