Adidas Adizero Adios Pro 4 vs the Competition: Four Super Shoes Compared

Introduction

The Adidas Adizero Adios Pro 4 has generated a lot of discussion, and most of the questions centre on two things: how it fits, and how it compares with the other super shoes you can actually buy right now. To settle both, we put it head to head with three of its closest rivals: the Asics Metaspeed Sky Paris, the Nike Alphafly 3, and the Puma Deviate Nitro Elite 3.

Key Specs at a Glance

All four shoes sit in a remarkably tight band. In a UK 11 / US 12, weights range from just over 200g up to about 246g, with similar heel and forefoot stack heights across the board. The differences show up in heel and forefoot width at the widest point, and in price. The Puma is easily the cheapest of the four at around £195, while the Nike Alphafly 3 sits at the top at roughly £285. The Alphafly 3 is also the heaviest by a good 15g, which matters in a category where every gram counts.

Sizing and Fit

The Adios Pro 4 runs true to size, and it worked comfortably with both thin and thicker socks. The trick is in how you put the shoe on: pushing the foot fully back into the heel and then locking down keeps the foot from sliding forward into the toebox, leaving consistent space up front. With a slightly narrower than average foot, this worked well, though it is easy to see why some runners go up a half size.

If you can, try them in store, and remember feet swell over the course of the day, so a later fitting may feel more restrictive.

Adidas Adizero Adios Pro 4 vs Asics Metaspeed Sky Paris

The Asics feels firmer underfoot than the Adidas, though the new Lightstrike Pro formula in the Adios Pro 4 delivers similar levels of bounce on landing. The Metaspeed Sky Paris was a genuine PB machine over 2024 at 10K and half marathon, but the wider platform on the Adidas stands out immediately. It feels friendlier, especially for forefoot strikers landing on that wide pad. Stack heights are nearly identical between the two, but the drops differ: the Asics uses energy rods in the midsole with a flatter plate that creates a trampoline-like feel, while the Adidas leans more on its rocker geometry and lets you engage the heel a little more, which should appeal to a wider range of runners.

Durability is where they part ways. The Metaspeed Sky Paris outsole took a beating, needing some care, and by around 100 miles it no longer felt as good as it did out of the box. The Adios Pro 4’s new Lightstrike Pro formulation is unproven long term, but the shoe handled a fully saturated first run without losing performance, and wet conditions do not seem to degrade it the way the Asics flight foam turbo plus could. It is not indestructible, though, with the occasional sharp thorn finding its way into the foam.

Viewed side by side, the Asics suits 5K to 10K and half marathon efforts where you can hold good form, given the narrower heel at the back end. The Adios Pro 4 looks like the half and full marathon banger, with more surface area to rely on when form fades. Both are exceptional, and the Adidas just edges it on versatility, with even longer training runs in reach.

Adidas Adizero Adios Pro 4 vs Nike Alphafly 3

Stacks, drops, and forefoot widths are all similar here, though the Adidas is much narrower in the heel. The big divide is price: at around £285, the Alphafly 3 is astronomically more expensive, which makes it hard to recommend to anyone who is not deeply invested in racing. That said, it is a forgiving, exhilarating, genuinely fun shoe, and some runners use it for everything from long runs to speed sessions and simply replace it when it wears out. Whether it is that much better than the Adios Pro 4 for the extra money is doubtful.

Traction is strong on both. The Alphafly 3 is marginally more aggressive on muddy patches, while neither loves very smooth surfaces, and both are among the better options on ordinary road and pavement. A hard 5K effort felt fine in the Alphafly 3, but it is clearly tailored to longer distances: 10K, half marathon, and long runs with speed intervals. The Adios Pro 4, meanwhile, already has plenty of miles at target marathon pace, and those sub-7:30-per-mile efforts feel very sustainable in it. It is firmly in the running for a spring marathon, and the choice between the two is a genuinely close call.

Adidas Adizero Adios Pro 4 vs Puma Deviate Nitro Elite 3

Heel widths are almost identical between these two, but the Adios Pro 4 offers noticeably more forefoot width, which runners should appreciate at marathon distance. Weight is essentially a tie, with the Puma marginally lighter by around 0.1 of an ounce. One tweak worth noting: the original laces were a little too flexible and were swapped out.

The Nitro Elite material looks like the more durable option of the two, with the outer layer firm enough to repel thorns and small rocks, and nothing embedded after 100 miles. The bigger issue is availability: the Deviate Nitro Elite 3 has been hard to find, sells out almost immediately on each drop, and few sizes remain in stock. Availability of the Adios Pro 4 is unlikely to be a problem given how well received it has been.

The Puma is cheaper, and at half marathon pace it is arguably the slightly better feel. But for long marathon-building runs, the Adios Pro 4 has more squash and compression, with energy return that feels almost assistive, plus more platform width for stability when form drifts late in the race. Grip on the Puma is superb and outsole durability stellar, yet overall the Adios Pro 4 edges it.

Overall Buying Advice

Across all four shoes, the margins have never been smaller. Weights are low, perceived propulsion is close, and every brand has fine-tuned its model. If you want the most versatile pick that doubles as a training and race-day shoe, the Adios Pro 4 is the strongest all-round choice. The Metaspeed Sky Paris is a fast 5K to half marathon option for runners with solid form, the Alphafly 3 rewards those with a serious racing budget, and the Puma offers outstanding grip and durability at the friendliest price if you can catch a drop before it sells out.

Whichever way you lean, trying shoes on in store remains the smartest first step, since fit trumps spec sheets every time.

Conclusion

The Adizero Adios Pro 4 emerges as the most versatile of the four, with a wider, more forgiving platform, impressive wet-weather resilience, and genuine marathon credentials. It may not beat every rival in every single category, but across price, fit, and race-day performance, it is the shoe most likely to earn a spot in your rotation.