Adizero Adios Pro 4 vs Streakfly 2

Reviewers mostly liked how the Adios Pro 4 runs, and their complaints were about their toes. On speed they're close to unanimous: softer and bouncier than the Pro 3, a lot lighter, and properly quick once you're at 10k to marathon effort. The Run Testers found it lighter and cheaper than the Alphafly 3, if a little less springy. On fit, the toe box tapers, it runs a little short, and several testers had sore toes by the end of a marathon. So this is a carbon racing shoe for neutral runners with normal to narrow feet who race with some intent, from 5k up to the full distance. It's less happy at jogging pace or under a heavy heel strike. The newer Adios Pro 5 has a lower RRP and more padding at the heel, so check the price table before paying full whack for the older shoe.

The Streakfly 2 is Nike's short-distance specialist: a featherweight carbon racing shoe built to fly over 5K and 10K, not to baby your legs through a marathon. At 165g it is one of the lightest plated road racers you can buy, and that shows the moment you lift the pace. This is the rare super-shoe that stays nimble and low to the ground, so it turns and accelerates like a racing flat while still giving you the carbon snap you expect from a modern running shoe. Compared with the Vaporfly 4, which is built for the full and half, the Streakfly trades stack and long-haul cushioning for speed, agility and a more connected feel for the road. We rate it highly for parkrun PBs, track 5Ks and sharp interval sessions. At 170 pounds RRP it is a focused tool, and we would buy it knowing exactly what it is for.