Adidas Adizero Adios Pro 2 Review: A Value-Focused Marathon Super Shoe

Introduction

The Adidas Adizero Adios Pro 2 sits near the top of the super shoe market, and it does so at a price that undercuts most of the competition. At £180 in the UK (or 220 euros), it comes in well below shoes like the Nike Vaporfly 2, which now costs around £225, and other premium carbon racers that have pushed past the £200 mark. The core question this review answers is simple: does the Pro 2 deliver enough performance to justify a place on your race day shelf despite the savings?

Who This Shoe Is For

This is a marathon race shoe first and foremost. If you are chasing a personal best over the marathon distance, running with good form, and concentrating on a single controlled effort, the Adios Pro 2 gives back a lot. Testers found it rewarding on tired legs too: one runner completed a marathon late in a seven-marathons-in-seven-days stretch and reported feeling noticeably less fatigued than in other shoes used earlier in the week.

{{image:1}}

It is not, however, an everyday trainer. The consensus is clear that this shoe lacks the overall stability for daily mileage, and most runners would only slot it into a handful of longer, faster efforts during a marathon build.

Main Strengths

The construction is where the Pro 2 earns its keep. Adidas lists the stack at 39.5mm at the heel and 31mm at the forefoot, an 8.5mm drop, right up against the 40mm World Athletics limit. The midsole is a layered affair: a small carbon plate under the heel for stability, a layer of Lightstrike Pro foam, then carbon-infused energy rods along the forefoot designed to mimic the metatarsals, topped with a second, more sculpted layer of foam. A large cut-out in the bottom of the midsole removes foam you may not need and sheds weight.

{{image:2}}

Adidas lists the weight at 225g in a UK 8.5 (7.86 ounces); a UK 10 pair was measured at around 245-246g (8.6 ounces). The Celamesh 2.0 upper is light and airy with strong lockdown, though it is quite narrow.

On the road, the shoe shines at steady through marathon pace. Compared with the original Adios Pro, the Pro 2 feels less dull and more punchy, with a smoother, more natural transition and a wider heel base that gives heel strikers a bit more squish and response. Multiple testers described it as a genuine competitor to the Vaporfly 2, with more sink and push-off than the Nike, though the Vaporfly offers more ground contact feel. Grip was not a significant problem on the road, helped by Continental rubber at the toe-off zone.

Things to Consider Before Buying

The midfoot cut-out is the defining trade-off. At slower, easy paces, testers felt a tendency for the foot to roll outward on the lateral side, and a couple of near-ankle rolls occurred when jogging and not paying attention. The shoe becomes noticeably more stable once you reach steady and race paces, which reinforces its identity as a race-day tool rather than a general-purpose shoe.

{{image:3}}

Fit is another point to weigh up. The fit is compact and narrow, and some runners had to work to get the foot positioned comfortably; the flat, narrow tongue makes the shoe tricky to get on. Sizing is true to size for most, and the toe box offers adequate length and width, with more room up front for some feet. The outsole uses thin, tacky rubber that is light but is strictly a road proposition: keep this shoe well away from trails.

Buying Advice

If you want a cheaper marathon race shoe for chasing PBs, the Adios Pro 2 is a very strong option, and arguably the best value in the carbon racing category alongside the Puma Deviate Nitro Elite. Compared directly with the Vaporfly 2, it is a close-run thing: the Nike offers a more reliable, stable platform and more ground contact, while the Adidas brings more foam height, a more compact feel, and a £45 saving.

{{image:4}}

For pure racing value over the marathon, the Pro 2 produces the goods. If your racing skews shorter, toward 5K, 10K, or half marathon, the Puma may offer more punch, and shoes like the Vaporfly remain slightly faster picks overall for some runners, but at a considerably higher price.

Conclusion

The Adidas Adizero Adios Pro 2 is a purpose-built marathon racer that trades a little stability and easy-pace confidence for real super shoe performance at a friendlier price. If you run with attention to form and want a shoe that protects tired legs deep into a marathon, it absolutely deserves a spot on the race day shortlist.