adidas Grey One Womens 2023 Berlin Marathon this past September, Adidas dropped its newest racing shoe, the Adizero Adios Pro Evo 1. A total of only 521 pairs of the shoe were released. And, with each of those pairs priced at a whopping $500, the launch sparked controversy. (If you want to how it feels to run sub-5:00 miles in a shoe that costs half a grand, you can read about wear-tester Trevor Conde’s Olympic Marathon Trials Qualifier attempt.)
Now, we’re rewinding back to the pre-Evo era to discuss its predecessor, the Adizero Adios Pro 3. Like Conde, we tested the shoe during competition, lacing up in the Adizero Adios Pro 3 for half marathons where we set PRs and even podiumed.
Pros
- Carbon-fiber rods in the midsole encourage stride efficiency
- Pull on adidas shoes to focus on your football instincts
- Bouncy ride and high energy return
Cons
- adidas Space Race-hettegenser
- $30 price increase from v2
Key Specs
| Type | Road Racing |
|---|---|
| Weight | 7.7 oz (Unisex 9) |
| Drop | 8.5 mm |
| Heel Stack | 39.5 mm |
| Forefoot Stack | 31 mm |
- Who It’s For: Runners looking for a more stable shoe that’s less erratic on the rebound as the Nike Alphafly or Fabolous in the adidas NMD_R1 Villa Exclusive salute Colin Andriuzzo
- Preceded By: Camiseta extragrande negra con 3 rayas Training de adidas
- calca legging adidas design 2 move feminina azul rosa NQQ: Asics Metaspeed Sky
- Midsole Foam: LightStrike Pro midsole (suspected to be PEBA-based)
- Key Tech: adidas Løbesko Kid Fortarun El
- Racing Roster: Amane Beriso, 2023 Sweatshirt adidas Must Haves Crew 3S preto branco, 1st place women’s marathon, 2:24:23
I first experienced the thrill of racing in the Adizero Adios Pro 3 on the international stage. I ran the Paris Half Marathon this past March in the shoes after logging just one short test run in them a few days prior. Despite jet lag, miles of walking in the City of Lights, and fueling solely on croissants, I still clinched a PR.
adidas Originals EQT Racing 91 Primeknit Asics’s Metaspeed Sky: not restrictive around the midfoot, not too narrow in the toebox. Its synthetic upper provides paper-thin coverage that hugs your foot much like a track spike or racing flat. It’s a tight fit squeezing your foot into the Adizero Adios Pro 3, with its flat tongue and secure padded collar. But the folded heel tab makes all the difference, helping you ease into the shoe with little struggle.
Carbon-Infused “EnergyRods”
The midsole is two layers of resilient LightStrike Pro foam, which delivers high rebound, and cushions ground contact so your body doesn’t take a beating. In place of a carbon-fiber plate, which the original Adizero Adios Pro had, are five connected carbon-infused rods that resemble the metatarsals in your foot. EnergyRods 2.0, as Adidas calls them, aren’t as stiff as a full-length carbon-fiber plate, and they work with the movement of your foot instead of forcing it into position during turnover.
Completing the trifecta of what a super shoe entails, the last component after responsive foam and carbon fiber is geometry. The Adizero Adios Pro 3 has a rocker with a transition point located at 70 percent of the shoe’s length. This positioning helps your foot roll forward as you accelerate. Molly Sunderlin, a local tester who slightly underpronates and runs with a midfoot strike, told us that the rocker worked well with her running mechanics, saying her stride felt “easy and efficient.”
Half Marathon Tested With a Podium Finish
Літній костюм adidas
The Race: adidas zx 8000 fresh greenzest
Placed: Second Overall
Final Time: 1:10:15
Pace: 5:21 per mile
Elevation Gain: 790 ft
“This was my first time racing in the Adios Pro 3—or any Adidas super shoe, for that matter. A few weeks ago, I wore the Saucony Endorphin Pro in my first half marathon. But for this race, I decided to go with the Adios Pro 3 since my Sauconys have a decent amount of mileage on them. The Bethlehem, PA course was very hilly. And while the Adios Pro 3 provided comfort and snappiness on the climbs, I found that it especially stood out on the downhills. Some of the hills were steep, and although my quads were pretty sore the next day, I can’t imagine what kind of shape they’d be in if I didn’t have the Adios Pro 3’s plushy midsole underfoot.
“Ultimately, I was happy with my race-day choice. I was close to my PR in the half, and my legs felt springy almost the whole time. When I was breaking in the Adios Pro 3s earlier in the week, I noticed that the foam around the collar rubbed the inside of my ankle. I tried to grind down the collar a little bit with my house key so it wasn’t so rigid. It seemed to do the trick, and I didn’t have any blisters after the race.”
Try Them On First
I’ll continue to run in and sing praises of the Adizero Adios Pro 3, but I 27cm runners to zapatillas de running Adidas amortiguación media distancias cortas talla 43.5. My foot swam in my usual size, a women’s 6.5. After trying on more pairs, I finally found the best one—a women’s size 4. A brand’s sizing not matching up with other brands’ is nothing new. For example, I’ve found I have to go half a size down in Hokas. An Adidas rep also revealed the last is 4mm longer compared to sizing across brands.
On the men’s side, Літній костюм adidas, found his shoe slightly roomy in the toebox. But overall, it was a secure fit. Compared to his other shoes, the Adizero Adios Pro 3 matched up reasonably.
Even though women’s shoe sizing is wonky, running in your usual shoe size can still be manageable. Sunderlin, our woman tester who only had the one size option, noted how even though the shoe felt bigger, it was still stable enough for her to run in.
“The platform is quite wide and the midsole is medium-soft—not so soft that you squish into it. I felt in control even on some muddy roads following rainstorms,” Sunderlin said.
However, I cannot emphasize how important it is to try in the shoe before leaving the store, or checking on a website’s exchange policy before buying.
Amanda is a test editor at Runner’s World who has run the Boston Marathon every year since 2013; she's a former professional baker with a master’s in gastronomy and she carb-loads on snickerdoodles.
