Adidas Adizero Adios Pro 3 Review: A More Versatile Super Shoe

Introduction

The Adidas Adizero Adios Pro 3 is the latest iteration in Adidas’ top-tier racing line, and it arrives with some clear refinements over the Adios Pro 2. There is more midsole under the forefoot and midfoot, a wider platform, a slightly lower weight, and a considerably higher price. The question worth asking is whether all of that adds up to a better shoe for the way you actually run.

After a series of initial runs covering 5K pace reps, 10K efforts, and half marathon pace work, the answer leans strongly toward yes, with a few caveats about laces and price.

Upper and Fit

The Pro 3 uses a very flexible mesh upper with aesthetic leanings toward the Adizero Adios 7 and the Takumi Sen 8, both of which worked well as uppers. There are nods to the Prime X too, with strap-like lace loops at the first eyelets, though unlike the Prime X you get full tongue coverage over the forefoot. The tongue itself is flexible and felt-like, and the overall package feels like a mashup of the best bits of the Adizero range.

Heel padding is a standout. It grips the heel well with no slipping, and the strap-like overlays in the heel provide a genuinely good lock once you get the lacing right. This is one of the more comfortable Adizero models on offer, and the fit is similar to the Prime X. There is a little more width than the Adios 7 or Sen 8, so if those shoes felt too narrow for your slightly more voluminous foot, the Pro 3 could be the forgiving option you have been waiting for.

The laces themselves are thin and fiddly, with flimsy-feeling ends similar to the Sen 8. They work well enough, but expect two or three runs to dial in the tension, and there is only just enough lace to make a run bow possible. Breathability is excellent, with no rubbing or movement, and the upper stayed consistent out of the box rather than flexing and giving after a few miles. The one oddity is a perplexing fold-over heel tab that seems unnecessary, though a lace loop in the tongue stops it sliding around. Our early impression: 2.8 out of 3 for the upper.

Midsole and Ride

This is where the Pro 3 earns its keep. Adidas has increased the midsole in the forefoot and midfoot area, while overall stack height remains around 45 millimeters in the heel and 38 in the forefoot. The shoe has also grown by roughly half a centimeter in width at the widest part of the midfoot and heel, which adds a meaningful amount of surface area.

In a UK size 11, our sample weighed about 257 grams (9.1 ounces), slightly lighter than the Adios Pro 2 at around 262 grams in the same size, despite carrying noticeably more midsole.

The wider platform makes the shoe far more versatile. Where the Pro 2 could feel narrow and unstable underfoot, the Pro 3 feels connected on bends and cornering while still delivering a propulsive, well-cushioned ride from the Lightstrike Pro foam. The rocker curve in the forefoot looks more aggressive than it feels, partly an optical illusion created by the side cutouts, and the mid-to-forefoot curve does not feel dramatically different from the Pro 2.

It felt great at half marathon pace, at 5K and 10K paced reps over 400-meter intervals, and even at recovery paces, where it still feels smooth rather than odd. The shoe sits like a middle ground between the original Adios Pro and the Pro 2: a little more stable like the original, yet still propulsive like its predecessor. Removing the plate directly under the heel also produces a more cushioned heel ride while keeping that springy Lightstrike Pro feel in the midfoot. If you liked the Takumi Sen 8, the midsole here feels like a supersized version of it with far more surface area to land on. A full 3 out of 3.

Outsole and Grip

Picture a Takumi Sen 8 with a bit more rubber and you have the Pro 3 outsole. There is plenty of tacky, sticky Continental rubber, and the application amplifies the shoe’s grip and cornering abilities. It has performed perfectly in both wet and dry conditions on road and pathways.

It is not an off-road shoe, so skip wet grass unless you want to end up on the ground, but for road racing this outsole will almost certainly deliver. Traction is equal to or better than the Metaspeed Sky Plus, with more rubber coverage than the Endorphin Pro 3, and Continental rubber has historically proven far more durable than the softer foam-like rubber used on some competing race shoes, which tends to pick up nails and thorns easily. Another 3 out of 3.

Value and Buying Advice

The one real fly in the ointment is the price. The Pro 3 carries a considerable hike over the Adios Pro 2, which is hard to swallow when the older shoe has been reduced to around 125 pounds. That said, the shoe has proven very capable across nearly every pace, and the added stability makes it a much more versatile option, particularly useful for runners moving into longer runs and marathon training.

Pricing sits comparably with other super shoes such as the Metaspeed Sky Plus and the Vaporfly Next% 2, and a little above the Saucony Endorphin Pro 3. If Lightstrike Pro worked for you in the Takumi Sen 8, this shoe should be an absolute winner: all the hallmarks of that shoe with more midsole, more forefoot width, and a more forgiving long-range ride. It even works for runners with more voluminous feet. Early value score: 2.7 out of 3, bringing the total to 11.5 out of 12 after initial runs.

Conclusion

The Adidas Adizero Adios Pro 3 is an exciting, comfortable super shoe that works at nearly every pace and brings welcome stability and grip improvements over its predecessor. The fiddly laces and the steep price increase are the main reasons to pause, but if you want a race-day shoe that can double as a daily enjoy-it-when-you-want-it option, this is one of the strongest choices in the current super shoe crop.