Adidas Adizero Adios Pro 5 Review: A Faster, Lighter Marathon Racer

Introduction

Two years after the Adizero Adios Pro 4, Adidas has rebuilt its flagship marathon racer from the ground up. The Adizero Adios Pro 5 keeps the name and the familiar silhouette but changes nearly everything that matters: a new two-layer Lightstrike Pro midsole, an energy rim replacing the traditional carbon plate, and a weight cut that you genuinely feel on the run.

It is priced at $275, slightly up from the previous model, and while there is no confirmed release date yet, the shoe is being unveiled around the Berlin Marathon. After training in it, doing marathon-pace work, and logging long, hot runs, the verdict here lands firmly at an A overall: a stellar race day shoe for the money.

Upper: Lightlock 2.0 with Better Laces

The upper uses Lightlock 2.0, a lightweight, unidirectionally stretchy fabric. It stretches toe-to-heel but not side to side, which holds the foot locked in place while still allowing a little give. It does not look breathable, but it is, and it handled hot and humid marathon training days well.

Adidas finally addressed lacing with sawtooth laces, a small but welcome upgrade over the Pro 4. There is also extra padding in the heel for lockdown, and a hidden message inside, “This too shall pass,” that adds a touch of personality. The tongue is stitched in rather than gusseted, but it caused no issues during testing.

Fit has improved where it counts. The forefoot looks and feels slightly wider, and the toe box is more pointed but roomier, which should ease the irritation some runners experienced in the Pro 4 at the same size. One runner found a touch of extra room in the heel and solved it with a runner’s loop lacing, which also helps because the laces run very close to the edge; no biting or discomfort resulted. The one small loss is the little pull tab at the heel from the Pro 4, which made sliding the shoe on easier. It is missed, but not a deal breaker.

Midsole: New Lightstrike Pro Formula and the Energy Rim

This is where the Pro 5 earns its update. It still looks similar, but it is a completely new engine. The midsole is still Lightstrike Pro, now in a new formulation with a PEBA top layer and an AT PU bottom layer, a detail not listed on the official spec sheet. The PEBA layer is light and feels well cushioned under the forefoot.

The headline change is structural: the energy rods are gone, replaced by an energy rim, a carbon-infused rim running around the outer perimeter of the midsole. There is no carbon plate under the foot, just pure foam with that stiffening rim around it, yet the shoe remains genuinely rigid and explosive at toe-off.

Specs come in at 39 mm in the heel and 35 mm in the forefoot for a 4 mm drop. Adidas claims a 9% increase in energy return over the Adios Pro 4’s Lightstrike Pro. The feel is softer than before but still fast and aggressive, with the rocker sensation arriving slightly earlier in the forefoot. Some of the irritation runners felt from the rods, like pressure near the big toe, is completely gone, which is unusual comfort for a marathon racer.

The weight is the most convincing stat of all: 6.7 oz / 194 g, versus 7.5 oz / 216 g for the Pro 4. That is a 12.5% reduction, and it shows in an agile, lively stride. Interestingly, the Pro 5 feels less like a shoe pushing you forward and more like it amplifies the energy you put in, making for a more natural underfoot sensation.

Ride and Performance

No break-in period was needed, which is remarkable for a shoe with this much new technology. In training, the ride is comfortable enough for easy running, but at race pace it is hard to hold back: repeated marathon-pace workouts consistently came out faster than the intended pace because the foam and geometry keep encouraging a quicker turnover.

This is a shoe that rewards the effort you put in rather than doing the work for you, in contrast to the more assistive feel of the Pro 4. That suits runners who like an aggressive toe-off, and the bounce still feels exceptional. The confidence factor is the real story: it is light, smooth through the stride, and built to get you through 26.2 miles comfortably without wrecking your legs the next day.

Outsole and Durability

The outsole uses light traction lugs with Continental rubber on the forefoot, similar to the previous setup but described as re-engineered, slightly less chunky. Around 40 miles in, a small cosmetic scuff appeared on one side of the foam, but it has no functional impact. Grip was faultless throughout testing.

Design and Value

Design earns an A. The sculptural, instantly recognizable Adidas look carries over, with bold stripes and clean lines, and the mirrored Adizero text reflected in the gold energy rim at the heel is a clever detail. The red colorway may not suit everyone, but a classic black-and-white version with red accents would be a strong look.

Value also earns an A. At $275, up a little from the last iteration, the price is undeniably high. But with over an ounce dropped, an entirely new midsole engine, and the energy rim, the increase feels justified for a shoe you would put on with full confidence on race day after a full training block.

Buying Advice

Buy the Adios Pro 5 if you want a genuine marathon racer that balances comfort with aggression. If you found the energy rods irritating in the Pro 4, or if the previous fit was too snug in the forefoot, this version directly addresses both. Consider a runner’s loop if you have a loose heel, and note that the heel pull tab is gone. It does not need break-in, so while nothing-new-on-race-day is the usual rule, this shoe is the kind of exception people might consider.

Conclusion

The Adizero Adios Pro 5 is a meaningful, well-executed update: 194 g, a new PEBA and AT PU Lightstrike Pro formulation, the energy rim replacing the plate, and a ride that is softer yet still aggressive. With design, value, and performance all earning an A, it is an easy green light for anyone lining up for a marathon who wants a shoe that feels light, bouncy, and dependable over 26.2 miles.