Adidas Adizero Adios Pro 5

The Adidas Adios Pro 5 is a marathon racer designed for comfort and speed. At $275, it competes with models like the New Balance SC Elite v6 ($275) and the Topo Specter Elite ($250). While the Adios Pro 5 looks a lot like its predecessor in terms of design, Adidas made some key changes in this version that make it feel more like a cross between the Evo SL and the $500 Evo Pro 3. This version features a new formulation of Lightstrike Pro foam, a carbon-infused EnergyRim, like in the Evo Pro 3, that replaces the carbon fiber rods from the Adios Pro 4, and a slightly less aggressive geometry. The Lightlock 2.0 upper is lighter and feels more secure than the upper in the Adios Pro 4 and that combined with the lighter midsole foam, results in about a 12% weight reduction, with a Men’s sample size 9 weighing in at a very competitive 170 grams. The step-in feel is nice with more padding around the heel collar, but it does require a bit of adjusting and finagling to get a good heel lock down. The laces have been upgraded to the sawtooth laces, which we appreciate. Out on the run we found the ride to be smooth, cushioned, and really pleasant, even at our warm up and cool down paces. You can tell that Adidas intended for this shoe to be a real crowd pleaser. While it is not as fast or aggressive as shoes like the Fast-R 3, it provides enough speed assistance to make it easy to turn over your legs. The new foam hits squarely in the Goldilocks zone, providing good responsiveness without being too bouncy or soft, and the geometry is very forgiving and feels good at all paces and efforts. If you are looking for a lightweight, extremely comfortable racer with no harshness or plate feel, the Adios Pro 5 is a fantastic option.