Adidas unveils the Adizero Adios Pro 4 – here’s what you need to know
The wait is over. More than 18 months since its predecessor launched, the latest evolution of the Adidas Adizero Adios Pro range has been unveiled: the Adizero Adios Pro 4. With fresh, speed-focused design features, Adidas isn't holding back on its intentions here: this is a shoe designed to break records – whether that’s a world or a personal best.
The Adios Pro range first launched in 2020 and since then it's consistently dominated the podiums, featuring on the feet of more World Marathon Major winning athletes than any other brand.
The latest version has been developed at Adidas’ Innovation Lab in Herzogenaurach, Germany, following extensive testing among consumers and top athletes. We caught up with Charlotte Heidmann, global category director running footwear, Adizero, to find out more.
New forefoot rocker point geometry
Perhaps unsurprisingly, Adidas have taken inspiration from their lightest-ever (and most expensive) racing shoe, the Adios Pro Evo 1, for the design of the Pro 4. The forefoot rocker – the point at which the sole curves upward underneath the toes or forefoot – is placed at 60% of the length of the shoe. This is to trigger forward momentum and improve running economy. Previously, on the Pro 3, the rocker was placed at 67%.
‘When you step in, you’ll feel it’s more aggressive,’ says Heidmann.
The carbon EnergyRods, embedded within the midsole, are still in the Pro 4, too, although their geometry has been changed slightly from the Pro 3 to accommodate the new rocker point.
So, what makes the Adios Pro 4 different from the revolutionary Pro Evo 1? Well, for a start, the former is a lot more accommodating for different types of runners, explains Heidmann. This is down to the formulation of the Lightstrike Pro midsole, which is slightly different between the shoes. On the Pro Evo 1, it's a lot softer, which can lead to instabilities if you're not up on your toes.
‘You could heel strike and wear the Pro 4,’ says Heidmann, 'Whereas the Pro Evo 1 would be very tricky to run in if you weren’t a forefoot striker.'
There’s also the comfort aspect – the Pro 4 has a removable sock liner, while the Pro Evo 1 is a lot more paired back, in order to shave off as much weight as possible.
In a nutshell? The Pro Evo 1 really is a shoe reserved for the elites – the cream of the marathon crop, if you will. The Pro 4 is more of the everyman's racer.
LightLock upper
Another key update to the Pro 4 is the upper – a contention point for some on the Pro 3 when it came to comfort. The engineered mesh has been replaced with a soft and light woven material, known as ‘LightLock’. This is paired with internal locking bands all around the side walls to the heel, for a supportive and snug fit when running at speed. A new lacing system – removing the lace loops that caused some runners to develop hotspots on the Pro 3 – has been introduced, as well as an engineered tongue that’s attached to the side walls.
LightTraxion outsole
Finally, after studying strike patterns of some of Adidas' leading athletes to understand where grip was needed most, the Adios Pro 4 has a new Lighttraxion outsole that maps material to key areas.
All in all, the shoe comes in at 2oog in a men's UK8.5 and 172g in a women's – that's around 20g lighter than the Pro 3, but with the same 39mm/33mm stack height and 6mm heel-to-toe drop.
Last but not least, the overall design of the shoe is more distinctive. ‘From now on, all racing models [in the Adizero range] will have bolder stripes for clear identity,’ Heidmann says. This should separate the likes of the Pro 4 and Pro Evo 1 from the Boston 12 and Takumi Sen 10.
Hoping to get your hands on a pair of the Pro 4s this end of Christmas? Well, you're going to have to wait a little longer. The shoes will be widely available from January 2025, for £250. All eyes on that spring PB, eh?
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