An excellent old-school racing flat brought up to date with full-length Lightstrike Pro — best for 5K/10K speed work, not a do-it-all shoe. Good value at GBP 120. — Ben Parkes
An excellent old-school racing flat brought up to date with full-length Lightstrike Pro — best for 5K/10K speed work, not a do-it-all shoe. Good value at GBP 120.
Best for: Lightweight 5K/10K racing and speed sessions for runners who want ground feel and a traditional racing-flat experience without a plate.
EDDBUD has been running and wearing the Adios 9 since late 2024 and rates it as a superb-value, lightweight, lower-stack do-it-all option held back only by Adidas's strange decision not to release it properly in the US.
Best for: Lighter, more experienced runners wanting a nimble lower-stack do-it-all daily plus speed shoe at a budget price (often GBP 80-90 in the UK); strong training partner for the Takumi Sen 11 or Adios Pro 4.
Best for: Lighter-built runners, track sessions and short intervals as a rotation shoe
A beautifully made but very niche racing flat — refined upper and full-length Lightstrike Pro make it a fast 5K/10K shoe, but the unconvincing outsole grip, narrow geometry, and lack of stack push most runners toward the Takumi Sen 11 or Adios Pro 4. Initial score 10.6/12.
Best for: Lighter-frame runners doing 5K/10K racing, track sessions, and ultra-fast tempo work who want a near-spike feel without rods or plates.
A cheaper, flatter 'knockdown' of the Takumi Sen with no energy rods — a neutral race-flat option Kofuzi rates highly enough to have bought one for his daughter to race in.
Best for: 5K road races and shorter, and track workouts for runners who want a fast, low-to-the-ground race flat without spikes or energy rods
Reviewers note: Very minimal overlays, slingback around the heel pulls foot into the shoe, slightly more heel padding than Takumi Sen 11
Per EDDBUD.
The Adidas Adizero Adios 9 weighs about 176g (men's 9), has a 28.0mm heel stack and a 7.0mm heel-toe drop.
Reviewers compare the Adidas Adizero Adios 9 to Adidas Adizero Takumi Sen 11, Adidas Adizero Adios Pro 4, Nike Streakfly, Adidas Adizero Evo SL.
Per EDDBUD, Ben Parkes, Kofuzi.
Next Pair aggregates 6 expert reviews of the Adidas Adizero Adios 9, including EDDBUD, Ben Parkes, Kofuzi.
Per EDDBUD, Ben Parkes, Kofuzi.
Compared to other road speed training in the same lane.
