Adidas Adizero Adios Pro 4 vs Saucony Endorphin Elite 3:
Which to Choose

Start with how close these are: both score 6/6 for pace, 6/6 for responsiveness, 5/6 for cushioning, and 2/6 for stability, both are neutral, and both center on the marathon as their sweet spot at roughly 3:00–3:20 min/km. Stack heights are within a millimeter of each other — about 39mm heel/33mm forefoot on the Adios Pro 4 versus about 40mm/34mm on the Elite 3 — and weights are effectively level at around 200–204g, so neither is meaningfully lighter, taller, or more cushioned than the other. Both also share the same caveat: on a tall, narrow racing platform they feel tippy at easy jog speeds and only settle once you commit to turning your legs over. The real differences are in the propulsion and the intended range. The Adios Pro 4 drives forward on carbon-infused EnergyRods embedded in dual-layer Lightstrike Pro, a setup that feels aggressive and snappy and is happy to sharpen up for shorter, faster efforts — its listed range runs from the 10K through the half and marathon. The Elite 3 instead uses a slotted, forked full-length carbon plate inside soft, bouncy IncrediRUN foam; the fork adds a touch of torsional control, and the ride leans slightly more toward rolling, cushioned rebound tuned for the half and full marathon rather than 10K-pace turnover. The Adios Pro 4 also carries a Continental rubber outsole for grip, where both shoes share the usual super-shoe compromise of thin uppers and limited high-mileage durability that favor race day over daily training.