Adidas Adizero Adios 9 review

After hitting the roads and pushing it to the limits in the lab, we think that the Adios 9 is the perfect shoe for:

• Runners who miss old-school racing flats with low stacks and zero plates.
• Those wanting a tempo-ready shoe that feels fast and natural.
• Lightweight midfoot strikers seeking a shoe for fast-paced efforts with massive energy return.
• Fans of the Adizero Adios 8—because version 9 is a huge upgrade.

We think the Adios 9 isn’t the best choice for runners needing generous cushioning. It's low-stack build feels ultra-connected to the ground but may fall short for those wanting the ultimate leg-saving experience. From our perspective, the Adizero EVO SL is a better fit for those individuals, as it adds extra stability and a thicker Lightstrike Pro midsole for a similar price.

Additionally, we do not recommend the Adios 9 to runners who expect a supershoe-like experience. We discovered it lacks the rigid, carbon-plated snap that defines that category. For a more race-ready feel in a low-stack format, we suggest the Nike Streakfly 2 or the New Balance FuelCell SuperComp Pacer v2.

This midsole isn’t made for infinite cushioning, quite the opposite. It goes against today’s maximalist trend of ultra-thick midsoles. But with just 118 SA in the heel, the Adios 9 might be exactly what you’ve been looking for if you enjoy a snappy ride that feels fast and fun underfoot.

However, the forefoot only scored 68 SA, placing this shoe among the least cushioned models we've tested in the lab. Keep that in mind—you’ll definitely feel the ground with every step, for better or worse.

With 76% energy return in the heel, the Adios 9 stands out as one of the most exciting updates we’ve seen in recent years across the running shoe scene.

Its predecessor managed just 63.5%, limited by the inclusion of Lightstrike 2.0 foam. But version 9 ditches that compromise: its full-length Lightstrike Pro midsole pushes energy return into supershoe territory. That’s seriously impressive.

Those chasing a connected ride will find a hidden gem in the Adios 9—its 25.0 mm stack delivers an agile-underfoot feel that’s perfect for runners who want control and close-to-the-ground feedback.

On the flip side, if you're used to maximalist shoes like the Hoka Clifton 10 or the ASICS Novablast 5, this low-profile setup may feel too raw. It’s clearly built for short or medium runs at fast paces, though we discovered it can cruise slow too thanks to its ultra-flexible design.

The forefoot dips under the 20 mm mark—an uncommon trait in today’s maximalist world. But that’s where the Adios 9 shines, delivering a race-flat-inspired ride that feels snappy, nimble, and seriously fun.

Of course, your muscles will do extra work with the Adios 9 compared to any supershoe like the Nike Vaporfly 4. We found it best suited for lightweight runners who want a stripped-down, speed-loaded experience. On the other hand, bigger runners may want to skip it—the thin slab of foam will definitely bottom out under heavier strides.

This “track-spikes-for-the-road” type of shoe usually sticks with a low heel-to-toe drop, yet the Adios 9 bucks that trend with a moderate one. We measured 6.2 mm—slightly below the stated 7 mm.

From our perspective, this drop makes the Adios 9 a midfoot-striker’s dream. Still, we discovered it remains very usable for everyone else, though heel strikers may feel a bit unstable on this one for reasons we’ll delve into in a minute.

The Adios 9 has many strengths, but the main one lies in its midsole—finally we get 100% Lightstrike Pro with crazy-high energy return. Previously it used some EVA foam in the heel that made the ride less fast and exciting, but now you get the same high-performance compound used in state-of-the-art Adidas’ supershoes—just at a more wallet-friendly price.

We were also surprised by how soft the Adios 9 felt underfoot, which felt like a bold move given the minimal stack. Later, we confirmed this plush sensation in the lab with our Shore A durometer, which read 16.0 HA.

Do we think it’s a bad call? Not at all. Most runners—especially lightweight men and many women—will likely enjoy this soft and responsive feel. It just makes the shoe slightly less suitable for heavier individuals, but that’s already implied with this low-stack design.

We wouldn’t call the Adios 9 a supershoe as it skips the carbon plate, but for fans of old-school flats, it’s a dream. It brings that stripped-down, low-stack ride with just enough help from Adidas’ energetic Lightstrike Pro midsole. There’s a moderate rocker, but at the end of the day, it's just your legs doing the work.

And we liked that heel strikers aren’t left out. The moderately rockered heel, combined with Adidas’ signature inward-angled geometry, creates a natural-feeling entry point that guides the stride without being overbearing or intrusive.

Slicing shoes in half has its perks—one being that we can uncover the unfiltered truth. In this case, there’s no plate inside the Adios 9, but a thin plastic insert like the one in the Adizero EVO SL or the Nike Streakfly that adds a touch of snap while keeping the ride ultra-flexible and natural.

Before taking any measurements, we tested the Adios 9 on our feet. It clearly felt a bit snug—something we fully expect from a performance-driven shoe anyway.

Thanks to our 1:1 gel mould of the shoe's interiors, we then measured the widest part of the Adios 9 at 94.3 mm, which falls slightly below the average.

We discovered that the snug sensation mostly comes from the tapered toebox, which measured just 70.6 mm.

Its race-day shape limits toe splay—another reason the Adios 9 feels built for short distances.

We measured 27.5 mm of toebox height, which gives the toes plenty of breathing space.

It’s great for avoiding pressure-related issues, though it might feel too roomy for fans of a spike-like, locked-down fit.

One of the standout features of the Adizero Adios 9 is that it shares the outsole with its premium cousin, the Adios Pro 4—yet comes at a much lower price. As a result, it delivers top-tier grip in both dry and wet conditions thanks to the blend of LIGHTTRAXXION and Continental rubbers, confirmed by its 0.55 score in our SATRA TM144 test.

Anyone expecting a supershoe-like, stiff feel here will find exactly the opposite. We measured 5.2N in our lab—one of the lowest results we’ve ever recorded.

This level of flexibility turns the Adios 9 into a foot-strengthening, proprioception-boosting tool for runners and makes it one of the best 5K/10K racing shoes for those who don’t get along well with carbon plates, either due to their harsh feel or because of issues like Morton’s neuroma.

The Adios 8 tipped our scale in the lab at 7.40 oz or 210g—a nice result already. But the Adios 9 took things further, dropping to just 6.20 oz or 176g. That’s a stunning improvement.

So, how did Adidas pull this off? While the Adios 8 relied on a heavier dual-foam setup, version 9 uses only Lightstrike Pro, and that's how Adidas shaved grammes while improving bounce.

The Adios 9 features the same LIGHTLOCK upper as the Adios Pro 4, offering a significant upgrade over previous versions. However, as we observed with its supershoe counterpart, it faces challenges with ventilation. This is another reason we suggest limiting its use to short distances.

Our smoke test revealed that most air becomes trapped inside the shoe, leading us to assign it a 2/5 rating for breathability. While not ideal, issues may only arise on particularly hot days, especially if paired with thick socks.

On the plus side, the insole features oversized ventilation holes that boost airflow slightly—and it's always cool to discover a high-end touch in a reasonably-priced shoe.

Upon examining the upper under a microscope, we immediately understood the reason for its low score.

The LIGHTLOCK technology creates a unidirectional fabric that stretches in only one direction to enhance stability. However, this design lacks ventilation holes, making the upper resemble a Gore-Tex material.

We found the upper to be exceptionally lightweight, prioritising weight reduction over comfort, with minimal foam padding in the tongue and heel.

After reviewing hundreds of shoes, we discovered that stability and fun rarely go hand in hand—and the Adios 9 proves it. This high-energy, featherweight shoe feels thrilling underfoot, but it demands solid form, especially if you're landing on its ultra-narrow heel.

The small plastic insert in the midfoot adds only minimal stiffness, so when we tested the shoe, torsional rigidity came out quite low at just 2/5. That's why this shoe feels great at slower paces too.

The heel counter screams racing vibes at 1/5, it has zero reinforcements or structured elements. As we mentioned before, if you land on the heel, stabilisation is all on you. 

On the bright side, the upper vanishes completely on foot and never gets in the way, delivering a natural-feeling ride.

The Adios 9 is a compact-sized running shoe—both in height and width. We noticed it right after unboxing it in the lab, and it was clear it wouldn’t hit the average on our measurements.

However, the forefoot reached 110.8 mm, which we believe is ideal for a speed-focused design like this. It’s certainly narrow, but it lands in that sweet spot—streamlined yet not foot-squeezing.

The heel, at just 72.5 mm, is extreme. This is where the shoe most resembles a track spike—creating a barely-there feel that’s thrillingly agile but also wildly unstable for anyone loading the rearfoot.

The LIGHTLOCK upper is featherlight, but that comes at a cost: durability. We found it practically disintegrated under our Dremel test, scoring a disappointing 1 out of 5 in this tough evaluation.

On a positive note, the heel padding held up well thanks to its stripped build, earning a solid 4/5. Runners who often wear through this area can finally breathe easy.

One thing Adidas often does with lower-priced shoes is downgrade the outsole compound—like using Adiwear on the Pureboost 5 instead of Continental rubber on the Ultraboost 5. Fortunately, that’s not the case with the Adios 9, which makes this another bang-for-the-buck feature we love.

Here, we get almost the same outsole found on the Adios Pro 4—a combo of full-length LIGHTTRAXXION with a Continental patch in the forefoot to boost grip during toe-off.

This LIGHTTRAXXION material isn’t your average rubber. Made from translucent polyurethane, it aims to balance durability, grip, and a lightweight feel. Big promises—but with a softness of 51.0 HC, the traction definitely delivers.

And durability holds strong in both the LIGHTTRAXXION material and the Continental patch. We measured just 0.6 mm of wear in the former and 0.54 mm in the latter—impressive for such lightweight-yet-grippy compounds.

These amazing results confirm that the Adios 9 can handle road miles and track intervals without durability concerns regarding the outsole.

Given how durable it is, the outsole comes in at a really thin 1.0 mm. That definitely aligns with the featherlight build of this shoe.

Still, we think there won't be signs of early wear likely for most runners—especially since the target audience is mostly lightweight, neutral runners who tend to be gentle on outsole rubber.

Everything about this shoe is built for speed, and the insole follows suit. We measured just 2.6 mm with our callipers, which is a razor-thin result that prioritises shaving every gramme possible.

The Adios 9 midsole became 19% firmer after 20 minutes in the freezer—not awesome, but still a decent outcome.

We were surprised to find that the Adios 9 comes with a removable insole, considering how stripped-down the rest of the shoe is. Still, replacing it isn’t simple—its thin build leaves almost no room for a thicker insert.

No reflective elements at all on the Adios 9. Honestly, Adidas could’ve added the classic three-stripe shine like in other models, but for this price, we’re fine skipping it.

The tongue is really thin at 2.6 mm, though that measurement shows Adidas added a light touch of padding. In our view, it strikes a good balance for a tempo trainer—thicker tongues usually belong in slower, comfort-focused shoes.

The eyelet chain comes straight from the Adios Pro 4, and we found it works great. You can dial in the fit as tightly as you want without risking the tear-prone issues seen in the Adios Pro 3.

Still, we're waiting to see notched laces in an Adidas Adizero model—they’ve only shown up in the trail-focused Terrex Agravic Speed Ultra.

One detail that makes the Adios 9 feel more like a tempo trainer than a pure racing shoe is the tongue. While racers often skip gussets, we found a semi-gusseted design here, and it's a welcome surprise at this price point.

Getting a real superfoam in a feather-light build, with the same race-ready upper and ultra-grippy outsole as the Adios Pro 4, for nearly half the price, is wild. We expected a price hike for this version—but it never showed up.

The heel sports the same iconic pull tab seen on recent Adidas models—the one that first showed up on the Adizero Adios Pro 3!