The Adidas Adizero Adios Pro 5 and the Nike Alphafly 3 are the two benchmark carbon shoes for the marathon, the ones you see on the feet of the athletes breaking records. If you’re chasing a fast time on race day, these two are hard to ignore.
Weight goes to the Adidas: it’s lighter by about 25 g / 0.9 oz (but it’s also two years newer). Both have the same heel height, and the Nike’s drop is higher: the Adios Pro 5 has a lower drop, which means more foam up front.
Two very different designs here. Nike combines a single block of ZoomX foam, a widened FlyPlate and two Air Zoom units under the forefoot. Adidas places its new U-shaped EnergyRim carbon structure between two layers of Lightstrike Pro foam: it replaces the EnergyRods 2.0 and leaves more foam in the flex zone.
On the run, the Alphafly 3 delivers plush, responsive cushioning, with a very strong forward rocker right from impact and considerable energy savings over the distance. The Adios Pro 5 is plusher at impact than the previous version while staying very well balanced, with an even more explosive ride and a rocker that starts earlier. Both remain demanding for a beginner.
Stability has improved on both sides: the Nike’s single-block midsole and wider platform have clearly improved stability, a sore point on previous versions, without making it the most stable shoe out there. The new structure on the Adidas guides the foot better despite a narrower base.
Nike’s minimalist AtomKnit upper hugs the foot perfectly. The Lightlock 2.0 upper on the Adidas locks down very well but is tighter up front (if in doubt, go up half a size).
The weakness is shared: lifespan. The Alphafly’s ZoomX foam loses its properties fairly quickly, and some runners call out the Adios Pro 5’s outsole. So save both for race day and key workouts.
Adios Pro 5 vs Alphafly 3: Which Should You Choose?
Our pick is the Adidas Adizero Adios Pro 5, a capable racer from 5K to the marathon and, based on our review, maybe the most well-rounded carbon shoe to date. Budget points the same way: it’s a bit cheaper, about $20 less at full retail.
The older Nike Alphafly 3 mostly makes sense if you’re a Nike fan and already run in other models from the brand. We’ll see what the v4 has in store!
