Adizero Adios Pro Evo 3 vs Wave Rebellion Pro 3

The Adizero Adios Pro Evo 3 is a running shoe with one job: get you to a marathon finish line faster than anything else you own. At 99g it is barely there on your foot, and that sub-100g weight is the whole point. adidas has stripped away everything that does not make you quicker, then leaned on a firm ENERGYRIM perimeter to hold the shape and snap the shoe through toe-off. The result is a pure marathon shoe that feels less like footwear and more like a piece of race kit. It sits at the very top of the market on price, and it is not built to soak up your training miles. We rate it as a specialist race-day tool for runners chasing a personal best who already know their legs can handle a light, aggressive ride. If that is you, few road racing shoes feel this fast. If it is not, the Vaporfly 4 or adidas own Adios Pro 4 give you most of the speed with far more shoe underfoot.

The Wave Rebellion Pro 3 is Mizuno at its most uncompromising: a £250 carbon racing shoe built for one thing, chasing a fast marathon or half. The party trick is the radically cut-away heel, which drops away behind your foot and throws you forward onto a steep forefoot rocker. Land on your midfoot or forefoot and it rolls you through toe-off with real momentum. At 225g with a 4mm drop it is light and low-slung for a super shoe, and the carbon plate keeps everything firm and directional underfoot. This is not a do-everything racer. It rewards efficient runners who hold pace and land forward, and it can feel awkward for anyone who sits back on their heels. If you want a friendlier ride with more forgiveness, the Vaporfly 4 is the easier shoe to run. But for committed racers who like an aggressive, propulsive road shoe, few things feel this eager to move.