Adidas unveiled its new fast race shoes a few minutes ago: the Adizero Adios PRO. Thanks in part to development with the world’s fastest athletes (including Joyciline Jepkosgei and Rhonex Kipruto), the German brand calls them its fastest running shoes ever.
The history of adidas fast shoes began in the 1950s, passed through the birth in 2008 of the adizero family-which led Haile Gebrselassie to be the first athlete to finish a marathon in under 2 hours and 4 minutes-and evolved over the years, always maintaining its innovative process that allows the world’s strongest athletes to reach their full potential.
The basic concept of the Adizero Adios PRO is based on seven words:“helping runners run faster.” And it matters little whether it is to win a race or to improve one’s personal record, the basic philosophy is always the same.
The development process was very thorough, providing athletes with different versions of the prototypes to understand which ones went more toward pure performance. Analyzing data provided by the athletes, after a series of camps in San Diego and Kenya, a new version was produced that found all the athletes to agree: the shoe was absolutely fast. But it was not enough because perfection lies in the details. And so there was only one way: “test, test, test.”
The next step, with the support of adidas athletes, was to analyze every physiological, biomechanical detail in the laboratory.
I want my majambo
The Adizero Adios PROs are not just born out of laboratory data. In fact, adidas designers, during the development of the shoe, started hearing from Kenyan athletes, “I want my majambo.” But what does majambo mean? It is a Swahili word meaning “something wonderful, something never seen before.”
The new shoes were no longer just about numbers and performance but were beginning to have a soul, an energy born of the athletes’ enthusiasm. And the very athletes wanted those Adizero Adios PROs.
They had arrived at the final model.
What does it look like
The shoe consists of a carbon plate combined with 4 energy rods: 5 small carbon-infused rods that simulate the mechanics of the foot and amplify its abilities to go faster. But not only that, because a key feature of the shoe is to provide very precise control over the stride: they are not just for going fast but for going as fast as you want.
Paired with energy rods to work to provide heel stability and smooth rolling.
Lightstrike Pro is the compound used for the two midsole layers within which the structural supports are inserted. This material provides great energy return, coupled with very high lightness.
To top it off, the upper is made of the lightweight CelerMesh to complement and amplify the racing qualities of this shoe.
The end result is the Adizero Adios PRO with 8.5 mm of drop and a weight of 246 grams.
The color “Dream Mile”
Also representing the soul of the Adizero Adios PROs is a color designed specifically to represent the dual character of each athlete. On one side is pink, which corresponds to the more passionate, powerful and competitive side of the soul, and on the other side we find blue, which appeals more to our meditative and resilient side.
United together, these two aspects of the athlete’s character create a unique color: the dream mile.
The adidas Adizero Adios PRO will go on sale on September 14.