These two carbon racing shoes both carry a thick, maximalist midsole, with a weight difference of about 20 g / 0.7 oz in favor of the Adios Pro 4, lighter than the Endorphin Pro.
The main difference lies in the carbon architecture: the Endorphin Pro 5 goes with a full-length carbon plate, now slotted to gain flexibility, while the Adios Pro 4 uses carbon rods, the Energy Rods (five under the forefoot), embedded in its Lightstrike Pro foam.
The result is more explosive cushioning on the Adios Pro, but more versatile and more forgiving on the Endorphin Pro 5. The Adios Pro looks like the better fit for pure speed, while the Saucony also handles more moderate paces well.
On top of that, the Adios Pro 4 is plusher than the Endorphin Pro 5, whose cushioning stays firmer. If you prefer a soft feel underfoot, especially over long distances, the Adios Pro is the better choice.
On stability, the Endorphin Pro seems to hold a slight edge, even if Adidas deserves credit for widening its shoe’s base to help on that front.
Finally, the latest versions of both shoes offer good foot lockdown even if, as always, some runners report small issues here and there. That is notably the case for the Adios Pro, which can run a bit short: better to plan on going up half a size.
Endorphin Pro vs Adios Pro: Which Should You Choose?
Based on our team’s testing, these two shoes are evenly matched on most criteria. The Endorphin Pro 5 has gotten softer compared to previous versions and remains perfectly suited to long distances like the marathon.
So it mostly comes down to personal preference in terms of performance level and versatility. The Adios Pro remains versatile, but the Endorphin Pro does better on that front.
Conversely, the Adios Pro performs better and will be the better fit for a race PR, while the Endorphin Pro will be the better choice for your fast workouts.
