Adidas Adizero Adios Pro 4 - designed to break records
As part of the 50th Berlin Marathon, adidas is using the attention of the masses to present, among others, one new innovation in particular: possibly the fastest shoe of all time.
Words by Lukas Motschmann
Photos by Florian Kurrasch
Wow, what a weekend that was again! Almost traditionally, the last weekend in September is a festival of superlatives: this year, too, there was a record number of over 58,000 participants.
However, this year's fastest runners did not come close to the fabulous women's world record or the German men's record. Both had one thing in common: the times were run in the then newly released Evo 1 from adidas. But not only the victories in Berlin, but also the "women's only" world record and gold in London, Boston and most recently the Olympic record in Paris for men were achieved in the same model.
How can we top this in the future?
The new adidas adizero Adios Pro 4 combines, as the name suggests, the best elements from the Evo 1 and the Pro 3.
The most important improvements compared to the two predecessors are:
1. A new upper that fits the foot even more precisely.
2. The carbon struts have been redesigned and positioned more effectively.
3. The rolling motion was analyzed in countless runners and it was found that even more grip is needed in the “toe-off” in order to be able to push off even better.
But that's not all - the Evo SL, which has been designed with continuous foam but no stiffening, is set to serve as the perfect companion for training in the future. This makes it the perfect complement to the Pro 4, especially for fast tempo sessions, but also for easy runs.
In a very elaborate production in the Fotografiska in the heart of Berlin that was appropriate for the new top products, we were able to take an exclusive look at the two models for the first time. Both the product developers and Tigist Assefa, the world record holder in the marathon, were on site and available to answer any questions. This also shows how closely adidas works with top athletes during production. Before the finished product, over 100 prototypes were tested in all regions of the world, including by Amanal Petros during his almost obligatory stay in Kenya.
However, if you are already a fan, you will have to be patient. The market launch will take place from January 2025, at the same time as a new clothing collection, including a new competition singlet and tights.
The adizero Evo SL will be available from March 2025 for 150€, with a limited edition available from October 15, 2024.
