adidas Adizero Adios Pro 5 Arrives With Sub-2 Marathon Tech
adidas has officially released the Adizero Adios Pro 5, translating the performance technology behind Sebastian Sawe's historic sub-two-hour marathon into a durable race shoe built for high mileage. The shoe debuts today, September 22, for $275 across adidas.com, the adidas app, and select retail partners.
By Jordan Ellis
Breaking Down the Adizero Adios Pro 5
The Adizero franchise has been riding an extraordinary performance streak. This April, Sebastian Sawe completed the London Marathon in 1:59:30—the first sub-two-hour marathon in history—in the Adizero Adios Pro Evo 3. That same weekend, Tigst Assefa set the women's world record at 2:15:41. By August, the line had logged 11 world records and 30-plus major road race victories across its roster. The Evo 3, however, was a specialist instrument: ultralight, premium-priced, and engineered for a single race effort rather than sustained training miles. The Pro 5 represents adidas's answer to a practical question: how do you democratize that technology without sacrificing the engineering that made it work.
Design Details: The ENERGYRIM Shift
The most visible departure is architectural. The Pro line has historically relied on ENERGYRODS—five thin carbon tubes threaded through the midsole—for stiffness and energy return. The Pro 5 abandons that system entirely in favor of ENERGYRIM, a carbon-infused rim that wraps the midsole perimeter and sits visible from the side, complete with a reflective heel zone. The strategic difference matters: by placing carbon around the foam rather than through it, adidas fit 35mm of updated LIGHTSTRIKE PRO directly underfoot, the latest-generation formula tuned specifically for toe-off stability—a documented weakness in the Pro 4.
The combined effect claims a 9% jump in energy return versus its predecessor. For a shoe already testing at the upper threshold of the performance class, that's a material gain. Weight drops from 200g to 177g—a 12% reduction, or roughly 23 grams—despite a two-millimeter bump in forefoot stack (now 35mm). The drop geometry also flattened to 4mm from 6mm, which aligns with the added front-end cushioning.
The outsole received equal attention. LIGHTTRAXION rubber, now paired with Continental technology and redesigned specifically for marathon-distance durability, addresses grip without accelerating wear. The upper—branded LIGHTLOCK 2.0—is entirely reworked with engineered ventilation zones and internal support bands. Breathability was the Pro 4's documented pain point; this version targets that head-on.
The Testing Foundation
adidas claims the Pro 5 underwent the most extensive validation in Adizero history, involving 25-plus athletes across Kenya, Ethiopia, and the United States, plus long-term wear testing and independent biomechanical validation. Sawe was embedded in the development process, ensuring the leap from sub-two-hour specialist to production racer carried forward the principles that made the impossible possible.
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Release Info
The Adizero Adios Pro 5 launches globally today at $275—a $20 increase over the Pro 4. It's available now at adidas.com, the adidas app, and select retailers worldwide. For those tracking the broader adidas ecosystem, current deal activity spans 58 adidas shoes across five retailers, with average discounts around 42% off—though the Pro 5, as a fresh release at premium positioning, is not expected to see early markdowns.
FAQs
When does the adidas Adizero Adios Pro 5 release? The Adizero Adios Pro 5 is available now as of September 22, 2024, globally through adidas.com, the adidas app, and select retailers.
How much does the Adizero Adios Pro 5 cost? Retail price is $275 USD, a $20 increase from the Pro 4's $255 MSRP.
Where can I buy the adidas Adizero Adios Pro 5? The shoe is available at adidas.com, the adidas mobile app, and authorized adidas retail partners worldwide.
Release Info
Status: Available Now
Retail Price: $275 USD
Retailers: adidas.com, adidas app, select retailers globally
