I Tested the New Adidas Adizero Adios Pro 5. Here’s What I Thought.

5 min readADIDAS HAS BEEN on a running hot streak, and with a follow-up to the well-regarded Adizero Adios Pro 4 super shoe dropping just as this year’s marathon season heats up, signs pointed to continued success. Especially promising: The Adios Pro 5 would feature some of the same design elements as the world record-setting Adizero Adios Pro Evo 3, bringing aspects of the fastest sneaker on the planet to the masses.Then the Pro 5 released—and things got more complicated. Some early buyers started sharing pictures and videos online of their thrashed new Adios Pro 5s with extreme wear and even chunks missing from the midsole, claiming the damage happened after only a few runs. Other reviewers (including Runner’s World) reported minimal problems and praised the shoes as one of the best racing models on the road. There seemed to be a standoff within the wear test community.At this point, I had run in my own pair (which I received to test before the durability concerns were publicly shared), but hadn’t finished up my review process. So I laced up and put the model to the test as I trained for the New York City Marathon. I wanted to see for myself how the Pro 5 held up to mileage.ProsLight and fastNew 'Energyrim' carbon elementGreat lookConsDurability concerns aren't as dire as you've heard, but still existHeel pads can cause blistersPricier than its predecessorThe Shoe SpecsTHE ADIOS PRO 5 swaps the underfoot “EnergyRods” Adidas had used in its previous shoe models to a new “Energyrim” stiffening feature—a carbon-infused element sandwiched between layers of Lightstrike Pro foam that rings the foot, also used in the Pro Evo 3. The Energyrim is visible between the layers and exposed on the heel, where its buffed to a mirror and reflects the “ADIZERO” moniker to runners trailing the wearer on the racecourse.There’s 39mm of Lightstrike Pro foam (with a 4mm drop), which is a new formulation the brand says will yield nine percent more energy return than the version in the Pro 4. The Pro 5 also shaved some weight off the previous gen, now tipping the scales at 177 grams (about 6.2 ounces). The new Lightlock 2.0 upper is part of that; the material is lightweight but still substantial to provide a secure lockdown, along with sawtooth laces.There’s a Continental rubber spot under the big toe for traction, and grip from the Lighttraxion outsole, which covers most of the bottom of the shoe—aside from the medial forefoot (outer front) of the shoe, which is exposed foam. That spot is where most of the complaints about durability seem to stem from.Road FeelTHE GOOD NEWS first: the Pro 5 is a fast, responsive racer that feels similar to its predecessor. The foam felt closer to firm than cushy for me, but it hasn’t felt too hard on my legs. I like the new carbon rim vs. the standard underfoot plate design of Adidas’ previous iterations and models from other brands; the propulsion was still there, but I felt more stable.The lacing took time to find a knot that worked for me, but once I did I felt super locked in. I ran 13- and 16.5-mile sessions as part of the testing, and the shoes felt light, peppy, and (mostly) comfortable going the distance.Not everything was ideal. The exposed carbon rim looks cool, but on my first run wearing the Pro 5, I was a bit sloppy with my form and clipped the inside of my calf with my other foot a few times, which really hurt. The pads in the heel lock the foot in, but every time I wore the shoe I wound up with a blister. The first time was bad, but then I made sure to wear reinforced socks every other time I laced up. My heel still showed some irritation after my runs, but it wasn’t so bad that it affected my form or made me want to stop running.Final Score - 4.3/5ADIDAS SET THE bar high for this model, and in most ways, it clears. The Adios Pro 5 is lighter and more responsive than the Pro 4, which has been one of the more popular (and accessible) super shoes on the market since launching in 2024. The Pro 5 also continues the same 3 stripes aesthetic as the Pro 4 and Evo SL—so this is also a good-looking shoe. Lots of runners gunning for a race PR will love the Pro 5 for their goal event and their fastest training days.Brett WilliamsMy Pro 5 after 35 miles on the roads.The durability issues raised by early reviewers were, in my experience, not a problem. I logged just over 35 miles in the shoes over several runs, all on city streets. The outer forefoot did show some wear—but nothing I wouldn’t expect, and it didn’t degrade to the point that it affected performance. This could be in part because my stride is different than those who had bad experiences and shared them online. To be fair though, at about 205 pounds, I’m heavier than a lot of long-distance runners putting mileage into super shoes. They still took the beating and came out the other side relatively unscathed. You should be able to get multiple marathons or other race efforts out of this model.But even though my pair didn’t have the same structural issues that other wearers found online, that doesn’t mean those concerns were totally unfounded. I reached out to Adidas for comment on the situation. "We’ve made some small changes to the latest Pro 5 model to address an issue with cosmetic color wear that has been affecting a small number of runners,” a rep shared. “Runners can expect the same high performance and experience, but with an extended outsole for extra durability to keep the shoe looking its best. In terms of what the change was, the rep specified that there have been “some minor modifications to the LIGHTTRAXION outsole to provide more coverage and therefore reduce any risk of cosmetic color abrasion."What does that mean for you? Don’t be afraid that the Pro 5 is going to fall apart, but still keep an eye on your soles and take care of your shoes. Also remember: these are race-day tools designed to run as fast and efficiently as possible. You’ll want them for your PR attempts, not every single long run workout. If you’re planning to get the Pro 5, you should have other shoes for the other types of sessions you’ll need as part of a balanced run practice.ProsLight and fastNew "Energyrim" carbon elementGreat lookConsDurability concerns aren't as dire as you heard, but still existHeel pads can cause blistersPricier than its predecessorBrett Williams, NASM-CPT, PES, a senior editor at Men's Health, is a certified trainer and former pro football player and tech reporter. You can find his work elsewhere at Mashable, Thrillist, and other outlets.