Adios Pro 5 drops 26g to $275, two reviewers flag the heel

Three reviewers have now put full verdicts on the adidas Adizero Adios Pro 5, and they agree on the shape of it. The shoe is better than the Adios Pro 4 to run in, and it costs more.

The weight is the headline. Doctors of Running measured 175 g in a US men's 9, about 26 g lighter than the Pro 4's 201 g. kofuzi weighed 174 g. The Run Testers got 176 g and called that a 12.5% cut from the Pro 4's 202 g. The price has moved too. kofuzi and The Run Testers both list it at $275, which The Run Testers say is $25 up on the Pro 4 in the US and £50 up in the UK.

What changed

The visible energy rods are gone, replaced by a carbon infused energy rim that wraps the midsole. kofuzi describes it as a piece that goes around the circumference of the shoe. The Lightstrike Pro foam is softer and lighter. Stack is 39 mm at the heel, with kofuzi and The Run Testers both reporting a 4 mm drop. adidas claims 9% more energy return, per The Run Testers.

Doctors of Running raced a half marathon in it in 1 hour 25 minutes and calls it an excellent super shoe for the half and the marathon, but says it bottoms out a little at top paces and has lost some snappiness against the Pro 4. kofuzi ran a 20 mile marathon effort run and threshold repeats and calls the Pro 5 a clear improvement. The Run Testers put about 60 km in the Pro 5 and say it lands softer and smoother than the blocky Pro 4 without losing energy.

The heel

Kieran of The Run Testers ran a solo 26.2 miles in it around London. He says the heel collar was already digging in at three miles and he finished with bloody socks and skin off both heels, the same issue he had with the Pro Evo 3. He also says the shoe fits small and he would go half a size up. Doctors of Running got blistering too, on the arch, and blames a slick sock liner as much as the shoe. kofuzi's review does not mention any heel problem.

So the verdict is split by wallet rather than by ride. The Run Testers say if you love the Pro 4, there are budgetary arguments to go buy more of those first, and kofuzi points out the Pro 4 is currently on sale at $240.