Adidas adizero Adios 7 Introduction

Adizero Adios used to be adidas’ racing line, and for good reason: light, trim, firm, fast.

In 2020 Adidas released its first carbon fiber racer the Adizero Pro, a similarly low-profile shoe with resilient Boost under the heel and base, bordered by the firmer Lightstrike mid-forefoot, which bounced off of a full-length carbon fiber plate.

This release was quickly followed by the Adizero Adios Pro. This second racer comes with a thicker midsole made of the brand’s newest and bounciest foam, Lightstrike Pro, with a carbon plate under the heel along with carbon-infused energy rods in the midfoot into the forefoot; these pieces are connected in the “3,” the latest version, for a smoother ride.

Now with these high-tech racers on the scene, Adizero Adios stands in as a fast workhorse to pound with training intervals in order to leave the premium shoes fresh for race day.

The Adizero Adios ran on a thin layer of Boost in models 2-4, moved to Boost and Lightstrike in the 5, and increased to medium-thickness Lightstrike and Lightstrike Pro in the 6 and now 7 along with plasic TORSIONRODS for force transfer.

These three speedy Adizero models sport names and uppers similar enough to confuse the most die-hard adidas fans! They fully embody the Adizero motto “Light makes fast.” The Adizero Adios 7 is 7.8 oz. men’s size 9 and 6.8 oz. women’s size 8.

The 7 has a list price of $130 USD, up $10 from the previous model. For comparison, it is roughly half the price of the flagship Adizero Adios Pro 3, with its thicker “‘tech’ed-out” sole.

The closest shoe to Adios is the Adizero Pro with its similar stack height and upper. Running in both, with one on each foot, the Adios is slightly more smooth, but this is due to the feeling of a soft pad below the ball of the foot in the Pro. Since the sock liner is not removable in the Pro, looking inside the shoe we find that it about 2 mm. thicker than the sockliner for Adios; this area of my foot appreciates the extra padding even though the midsole is softer in Adios.

I also prefer the Pro’s upper, both the lockdown due to placement of the “extra” lace holes as well as the padding on the tongue to prevent hot spots. Besides these slight distinctions they are very much alike as I don’t notice the extra length on Adios as much in speedwork.

One downside is that the Adios 7 fits about 6 mm. longer than the other Adizeros I’ve run in: Tempo 9, Adizero Pro, and Adizero SL.

Comparable shoes include its sister shoe the Adizero Takumi Sen 8, which has a 6 mm. drop (versus 8 in the Adios) and 6 mm. more midsole in the heel; New Balance FuelCell SuperComp Pacer; ASICS Noosa Tri 14 (my next review!); the firmer shoe Brooks Hyperion Max; and ASICS Magic Speed, which “wins” in toe-off due to its half carbon plate.

Adidas adizero Adios 7 First Impressions

This trainer/racer looked classy and fast with its suede overlays and see-through mesh as I first laid eyes on it. Walking around I noted the increased length from what I was expecting. Running in it for the first time, for some 800 meter intervals, the length was noticeable but not limiting; it didn’t get in the way. The smooth, supported ride was really fun!

As I put more miles on the shoe, including some mid-distance steady-state runs, the length became annoying. This is a wonderful shoe except for that aspect. I will only wear it for speed work.

The shoe seems narrow as it is designed for a snug, performance fit on a medium foot. In very thin socks or barefoot I have some space in the heel, which contributes to difficulty in heel lock.

Adidas adizero Adios 7 Upper

Adizero Adios 7 is about a half ounce lighter than the 6, and this is due to a revamped upper. The new upper is also more flexible to better accommodate a wide foot, though generally speaking it provides a snug fit for a medium-width foot.

The new tongue is thinner and lacks even the thin pressure pads on the previous version—which were also one of my favorite features on the Adizero Pro. Instead there are air holes cut out of the suede overlay. The underside of the tongue is soft but may not protect the top of the foot, especially if you want to try these barefoot.
On the plus side, unlike the beefier Adizero SL, Adios 7 anchors the tongue to the midsole on each side with a wide, stretchy band.

Laces run through a gusset on the tongue. Similar to the Adizero Pro there are multiple lace-hole options to find a balance of comfort and a secure lock around your foot.

The heel collar is wider and less sturdy than in the 6, but it is bordered by very soft, comfortable pads which move up into a small pull tab to help putting the shoe on. This is needed as the heel easily crumples down unless the laces are loosened quite a bit. Stitching around the top may irritate, especially on the Achilles.

Aloop of thin but tough support material encases the heel to act as a minimal heel counter. Pulling the heel tight, it is a lackluster but adequate substitute.

I had trouble getting my heel locked in at first, but this was mostly solved by adding a loop between the top lacing holes and running the last tie between them, known as heel lock lacing. This locks my heel in but puts more pressure on my ankle from laces.

What stays the same is a tough, thin, see-through mesh with a suede overlay covering the toes. Diagonal support strips run below the mesh on both sides of the toe box. Seams can cause irritation.

Reinforcement strips over the mesh continue forward from the lace openings, with additional support to the arch.

This upper uses at least 50% recycled materials.

Adidas adizero Adios 7 Sole Unit

Adios 7 runs on a base of Lightstrike with a significant pad of cream-colored Lightstrike Pro spanning the full width from midfoot to the toes, same as found in the 6.

Lightsrike is a medium-density EVA foam with a density between the brands Bounce and Lightstrike Pro formulations. The heel at 27 mm. drops 8 mm. down to 19 mm. in the forefoot.

The softer Lightstrike Pro reminds me a lot of Nike’s squishy-soft React foam and FLIGHTFOAM Blast from ASICS.

Robust rubber grip-lines run in narrow diagonal strips down the full length of the outsole offering high grip in most conditions.

As with other Adizero models, the rubber outsole curves up the medial tip to provide a buffer for incidental scrapes in toe-off.

Lightstrike and Lightstrike Pro show through the base of the shoe about equally, split by a plastic torsion system that provides stiffness and spring to the ride.

One final note about the outsole is that a vertical line splits the rubber for most of its length, limiting the horizontal force transferred during pronation.

Adidas adizero Adios 7 Conclusions

This shoe has a lot to offer and a high build quality with thin but durable mesh, a soft yet responsive midsole, and a hard-working outsole. It is designed to fit a medium foot with thin (or no) socks.

Downsides include extra length, touchy heel lock, and lace irritation through a thin tongue.

Adios is best for shorter runs with speedwork to keep your preferred racing shoes fresh.