Adizero Adios Pro 4

Stiff and forward-leaning. Reviewers say it wakes up once you push the pace and feels a bit awkward at easy pace, since the shape is built to tip you onto your forefoot. Under that speed, the plate and the steep toe spring roll you through toe-off with very little effort. Most testers reckoned it works from 5k to the half, and at marathon pace for quicker runners. One review suggested slower marathoners might find it less willing. Compared with the Pro 3 it swaps some of the old easy-going versatility for a more aggressive, racier feel.

It's softer than the Pro 3 but still a race shoe. Reviewers call it bouncy without being mushy, with enough protection under you to finish a marathon with some legs left. On paper you get 39mm under the heel and 33mm under the forefoot, which is a lot of foam for 188g. The trade-off is creasing: one review saw more of it after a marathon than on earlier Adios Pros, although the shoe still ran fine.

Reviewers split on stability. One of them calls it one of the more stable race shoes out there and fine for heel strikers, just better up on the forefoot. Other testers found the midfoot wobbly, with a big cutout and soft foam under a tall stack, and said some runners would miss the steadier Pro 3. One review found the forefoot steadier than the midfoot. If you need support, or you land hard on your heels late in a race, test it on a long run before you commit.