The Adizero Pro is built using a combination of Adidas’ older technology and their brand new technology. It has a full length carbon fibre plate as well as their tried-and-tested Boost and Lightstrike foams. The Adizero Pro costs $180.
The Adios Pro 3 is built using brand new Adidas technology. It has a small carbon fibre plate in its heel and carbon-infused Energyrods in its midsole. It also has Adidas’ Lightstrike Pro super foam. The Adios Pro 3 costs $250.
Which one of these two Adidas racers is for you?
The midsole of the Adizero Pro consists of Boost in the heel and Lighstrike in the forefoot. Both foams are TPU but the Boost is softer and more cushioned while the Lightstrike is firmer and lighter: Boost provides the cushioning while Lightstrike provides the responsive toe-off.
The midsole of the Adios Pro 3 consists of only Lightstrike Pro foam. Lightstrike Pro is softer and has more bounce than the Boost and Lighstrike in the Adizero Pro.
The softer and more cushioned Adios Pro 3 is more suited to longer runs and marathon racing than the Adizero Pro. It won’t beat up your feet on longer distances because of its deep cushioning.
The firmer Adizero Pro is better for half-marathon distances and shorter because it is more agile due to its thinner midsole.
The Carbitex plate in the Adizero Pro is full-length and is designed to be flexible at slower paces and stiffer at faster paces. The plate has some flex to it and flexes in the middle of the midsole. The plate’s main purpose is to stop the midsole from bending too much and to add some structure to the midsole.
The Adios Pro 3 doesn’t have a plate in it but the stars of the show are the Energyrods. They are carbon-infused TPU rods which prevent the Adios Pro 2 from flexing. The Adios Pro 3’s midsole needs to be stiff so that the rocker can work effectively which is where the propulsion comes from.
Stability is better in the Adizero Pro due to the fact that the midsole is thinner so your foot sits closer to the ground. Its midsole is also firmer than the Adios Pro 3’s so there is less lean bias.
The Adios Pro 3 has a high toe spring which it uses to roll you and propel you forward. The Adizero Pro has a relatively flat ride with no rocker so the propulsion comes from the snappiness of the plate.
Ride transitions are smoother in the Adios Pro 3 because it has a single density midsole. The Adizero Pro has two different foams in its midsole which leads to a disjointed ride.
The outsole of the Adizero Pro has thick Continental and Adiwear rubber which makes it super durable. It also has small nubs which bite into the ground for extra grip.
The outsole of the Adios Pro 3 is not as durable or grippy as the Adizero Pro’s. The rubber is thin and doesn’t have any lugs on it so it will wear out faster than the outsole of the Adizero Pro.
The uppers of both racers are very similar. The Adizero Pro’s upper is made of Celarmesh while the Adios Pro 3’s upper is Celarmesh 2 which are both extremely breathable. The upper of the Adizero Pro is true to size and the Adios Pro 3 also runs true to size. Both uppers are accommodating for racing uppers.
The tongue of the Adizero Pro is gusseted so there is no lateral slide but it does slide downwards. Heel lockdown is superb and there are additional lacing holes for custom lacing on the Adizero Pro but not on the Adios Pro 3.
If you’re a runner looking for a racing shoe for 5km, 10km or half marathon races, the Adizero Pro is the better choice. It has a firmer midsole and is a more agile shoe. It also has an outsole with better grip and is more durable.
If you’re a runner looking for a full marathon racing shoe, the Adios Pro 3 is the better choice. It has a softer, more cushioned ride and a rocker which makes transitions easier. It costs $70 more than the Adizero Pro and it weighs slightly less.
