Adidas adiZero Adios
	Full Name: Adidas adiZero Adios
	Category: Racer
	Weight: 7.4 oz. (210 gr.)
	Suggested Price: $110.00
	Recommended For: Marathon runners

• Adidas adiZero Adios General Info:

The adidas adiZero adios is the shoe of choice for the world’s fastest marathoner, Haile Gebrselassie. He wore it during his 2:03:59 world record marathon in Berlin. While it is designed specifically for racing the marathon, the same attributes that make it good for a 26.2 mile racer also make it good for frequent non-racing use.

• Adidas adiZero Adios Sole Unit:

The adiZero line of shoes is designed to facilitate quick footstrikes through light weight and smoothly transitioning shoes. The adios’ cushioning is midway between a pure racer and a daily trainer. The heel and forefoot sit only a millimeter closer to the ground than traditional trainers, but the incredibly light 7.4 oz per shoe give it the feel of a racer. Spots of adiPRENE midsole provide a slightly firm cushioning at impact while the firm CMEVA midsole prevents the foot from losing time in transition before starting the next step. adiWEAR in the heel protects the sole from wearing down too quickly in places of frequent impact. The forefoot combines high traction rubber and small plastic cleats to give it good grip whether on pavement, dirt, track, or grass. The forefoot and heel midsole is supported by the TORSION SYSTEM, two small lines of plastic below the midfoot, that allows the front and back of the shoe to move independently for stability during the different moments of foot transition.

• Adidas adiZero Adios Upper:

The mesh upper is firmly stitched into place with a few plastic overlays (the adidas stripes) and a hard heel cup to keep the foot in place. The shoe is designed to facilitate neutral foot movement such that the arch is not directly supported. The medial (inner) overlay stripes can be felt by the arch, but do not push the foot in any particular direction. The lateral (outer) overlays hold the foot in place comfortably. The hard heel cup in the rear of the shoe seals the foot in place, which runners may or may not like. The laces and tongue of the shoe wrap over the top of the foot without pressing hard on the skin. (The laces even begin at a slight angle to move along with the angle of bending between the five toes, but the laces continue traditionally after that.) All of the materials are lightweight, but sturdy.

• Adidas adiZero Adios Opinion:

The 7.4 oz weight of the adios makes it fast for anyone. The shoe doesn’t weigh enough to slow leg turnover. It fits into a performance category that means it can be used for racing or daily training. How well a runner likes it depends on feel at initial impact, movement during transition, and comfort at toe-off. Being a neutral shoe, it has only a few features to judge it by. Foremost is the midsole, which is somewhat firm. It provides a good feel for the ground, but offers cushion on pavement and a solid landing on grass. Since the shoe also has a blend of rubber and plastic in the forefoot sole, it definitely can be used on all common surface types.

The adios is uncommonly light for still having close to traditional elevation off the ground. This blend is well suited for runners wanting a faster racing shoe with a feel similar to the most common training shoes. On the flip side, the adios can also offer additional impact protection for runners who were recently running in more minimal shoes and want to try something more protective without increasing the shoe’s weight.

The adios’ performance may exceed its fit. The firm heel cup and semi-firm midsole cushion are felt while wearing the shoe. The seams and stitching are not hidden in any significant way inside the shoe, so socks are a wise precaution. Your feet will want to ignore any discomforts, though, because its light weight keeps a runner moving.

The shoe was built for racing marathons and it does this well. The light weight and close-to-full sized midsole make it a good shoe for running a brisk 26.2 miles. As with any racing shoe, practicing in it a few times before a race is wise. Fortunately, the adios is versatile enough to make a good option for almost any scheduled training run building towards the marathon. The adios does not need to be used sparingly; runners can easily rack up high mileage during frequent use.

Let us know what you think of this shoe in the comments!

Review by Joe Dowgiallo

• Adidas adiZero Adios Price Comparison: