Three Upcoming Road Running Shoes to Watch: Adidas Adios Pro 4, Nike Streak Fly 2 and Mizuno Neo Vista

Introduction

Late-year running shoe releases always bring a wave of speculation, and the current crop is unusually interesting. Three models in particular stand out: a major redesign of Adidas’ flagship marathon racer, a plated Nike speed shoe that looks closer to a road spike than ever, and a tall-stacked Mizuno trainer that blurs the line between racer and daily trainer.

None of these are simple refreshes. Each one shifts its formula in a noticeable way, whether that is new foam layering, a full-length plate, or a stack height that pushes into supershoe territory. Here is what is known so far, and who each shoe might suit.

Adidas Adios Pro 4: A Drastic Redesign

The Adios Pro 4 looks set to release later in the year, and it is quite a drastic update to the marathon model. The midsole appears clearly segmented, which hints that Adidas may use two different foams rather than an all Lightstrike Pro construction. The most plausible read is a softer foam sitting on top of the energy rods, with Lightstrike Pro underneath for durability and structure.

There is also speculation that foam from newer Adidas models could appear in the energy core section directly below the foot, adding a more responsive, squishier feel out of the box. Lightstrike Pro traditionally takes some miles to soften up and come into its own, so a bid for more immediate excitement would make sense.

Other details are equally telling. The rocker looks very aggressive, the heel does not appear as beveled as some recent models, and the upper features a grid system with a more traditional lacing setup, dropping the tiny lace loops of previous versions that people either loved or hated. Weight reduction seems to be a goal, with Adidas apparently aiming closer to the meg-light options around 200 grams for a UK 11, such as the Vaporfly 3 or the Metaspeed Sky Paris.

The outsole is a different setup too, with more ridges, only a small sliver of Continental rubber up front, and a familiar flat section at the back of the heel. It ties in with Adidas’ recent policy of more drastic updates at the top level.

Nike Streak Fly 2: More Stack, More Plate

The Streak Fly 2 addresses the main complaint about the original: it was very compressive, arguably overly so for some runners, with only a small shank in the midsole around the arch for rigidity. The sequel appears to feature a full-length plate, or at least a three-quarter plate, and a midsole profile closer to a lower-stack Vaporfly 3, with some design nods to the Alphafly 3 toward the rear of the midsole.

Stack is clearly up over the previous version, and there is reportedly considerably more rubber underfoot. That should mean better durability and longevity, plus more propulsion and pop from the plate, which would justify the shoe being a touch heavier than the original, one of Nike’s lightest current shoes.

From the side, the shoe sits back in the heel in a way that almost looks like a negative drop, with seemingly more foam in the forefoot. The lace loops and super-thin laces of the original are retained, along with a very thin mesh upper. Long outsole cutouts run nearly the full length of the shoe to relieve weight, and the overall look resembles a Dragonfly track spike adapted for the road, which will interest plenty of runners. With rivals producing some of the lightest supershoes ever, Nike is clearly trying to pull closer to the leaders.

Mizuno Neo Vista: Big Stack, Racer-Trainer Hybrid

The Neo Vista is one unusual shoe, almost a boot design, with a significant stack: 44.4 mm at the heel and 36.5 mm up front for the sample size, an 8 mm drop. It has been described as sitting between a racer and a trainer, potentially a competitor to the Asics Superblast, with a weight-relieved outsole and a channel cut right through the middle of the shoe visible even at the heel.

The foam is Mizuno Enerzy Next, which promises both cushion and rebound. The upper is more knit-like than mesh, and the fluorescent yellow colorway is about as high-vis as running shoes get. The shoe is quoted at 9.4 oz or 266 g for the sample size, slightly heavier than the Superblast’s 239 g sample.

A $180 price is quoted on the US Mizuno site, with a pre-order starting May 17 and a launch in Japan expected around June. Mizuno’s own description matches the racer-trainer positioning, aimed at people who opt for supershoes for regular training. Mizuno continues to produce shoes against the grain, and this new foam compound could even find its way into the Wave Rebellion series at some point to bring that massive stack down in weight.

Buying Advice: Which One Fits Your Running

If you want a marathon racer with a more lively out-of-the-box feel and a more conventional upper, the Adios Pro 4 redesign is the one to watch. If you liked the Streak Fly’s lightness but wanted more structure, durability and pop, the Streak Fly 2’s added plate and rubber directly address those complaints. And if your taste runs to high-stack trainer-racer hybrids for everyday mileage, the Neo Vista’s stack, Enerzy Next foam and knit upper make it the most intriguing of the three.

Timing matters too: the Neo Vista appears to have the clearest release window, with a May pre-order and a June Japan launch, while the other two remain subject to later-year timing. It is worth waiting for confirmed weights and pricing for the Adios Pro 4 and Streak Fly 2 before committing, since both are still previews rather than final retail versions.

Conclusion

The running shoe market looks very inspiring right now, and these three models each push a different direction: Adidas toward a bolder marathon racer, Nike toward a road version of a track spike, and Mizuno toward a cushioned racer-trainer hybrid. None of them is a safe update, and that is exactly why they are worth watching. If any of them matches the way you actually run, they are strong candidates for your next pair.