Brooks Hyperion Elite 4 PB vs Adidas Adios Pro 4 – The New Kings of Carbon?

Stack Height, Drop, Weight and Price

The Adidas Adios Pro 4 is one of the lower stacked carbon racers with 39mm in the heel and 33mm in the forefoot for a 6mm drop. The Brooks Hyperion Elite 4 PB stack height comes in slightly higher in the heel but lower in the forefoot 40mm / 32mm for an 8mm drop.

On weight, the Adios Pro 4 comes in at 202g or 7.1oz in my men’s UK 8.5 (US 9) test shoe. That’s lighter than the Pro 3 but largely the same as the Brooks Hyperion Elite 4 PB which lands at 200g or 7.1oz in my UK men’s 8.5 (US 9.5) test shoe.

You’ll pay $250 for both shoes in the US.

Design

At first glance the Brooks Hyperion Elite 4 PB looks like the Brooks Hyperion Elite 4. That’s because pretty much everything is identical to the Elite 4. There’s just one really important update. Brooks swapped the DNA Flash foam for its new DNA Gold 100% PEBA. This high energy foam works with a carbon fiber SpeedVault Race+ – a carbon plate with bending stiffness optimized for each shoe size.

The Adidas Adios Pro 4 midsole also features a new formula foam. The new Lightstrike Pro is tuned to provide a little extra softness compared to the Adidas Adios Pro 3.

The forefoot rocker has also been moved back to boost efficiency. It’s now positioned at 60% of the length of the shoe, the same as the Adidas Pro Evo 1. The Adios Pro 4 also uses the same carbon Energy Rods 2.0 as the Adios Pro 3.

Up top the Brooks Hyperion Elite 4 PB has highly perforated, minimal airy knit uppers, a flat knitted tongue with a little lace pinch padding, minimal heel collars with quite a small horseshoe of internal padding for heel hold and comfort.

Both shoes have thin wrapping tongues with a little lace-pinch-busting padding. The Adios Pro 4 are now stitched in to prevent unwanted movement. The Adidas Adios Pro 4 also has a simplified lacing structure that hopes to make it easier to get a good fit, reduce some pressure points and boost comfort. You get regular laces while Brooks uses lock laces.

Flip them over and the Brooks Hyperion Elite 4 PB has a good covering of outsole rubber. It’s quite thick for a carbon race shoe. There’s a little less in the heels and quite a big cut out trench in the midfoot section. Though it’s not quite big enough to be a stone catcher.

The Adidas Adios Pro 4 uses Lighttraxion outsole rubber for the main part with a strategic pad of Continental grip on the key landing point. There’s a bit more rubber covering the key impact zones in the heel, too.

Fit

In testing, I ran in my regular Adidas and Brooks running shoe size which is a UK 8.5. It’s worth noting that that’s US 9 in Adidas but a US 9.5 in Brooks.

The fit in the Brooks Hyperion Elite 4 PB is much more comfortable and disappearing. I ran true to size and the balance of lockdown, heel hold and airiness is spot on. I had no slipping or hotspots, just a secure race fit and I’d recommend going true to size in this shoe.

On the whole I found the Adidas Adios Pro 4 fit much improved over the Adios Pro 3 but it still has some problems.

It’s much easier to get the Adios Pro 4 on, positioned and locked down than the fiddly Adios Pro 3. The improved stitched in tongues really help and the modified lace eyelets successfully remove any pinching or rubbing around the toe knuckles.

Generally I found the heel hold was reliable and the midfoot lockdown was secure. However, I had some bigger issues with the length of the toe box. It narrows and perhaps comes up a quarter of a size too short. I only noticed this deep into my marathon test, where my big toenails caught the end of the shoe and I ended up with some of the worst bruised toe nails I’ve had from any shoe for a while.

On shorter runs this wasn’t a problem. Going half a size up might solve it. However, I think going a half size up might create problems elsewhere. I really just want ¼ size more room.

Check Out My 8 Best Carbon Race Shoes Here

I’m not the only runner who has reported this problem. So I’d pay close attention to length when choosing your Adidas Adios Pro 4 sizing.

Performance

In testing, I’ve logged north of 50 miles in both shoes. I’m yet to race in either shoe but I have done a solo marathon test in the Adidas Adios Pro 4 and a 20-mile marathon pace run in the Brooks Hyperion Elite 4 PB.

The Hyperion Elite 4 PB is a big improvement on the Hyperion Elite 4. That energetic DNA Gold foam gives you that immediate “let’s run fast” super shoe vibe. The midsole-plate combo urges you to move faster but with a precise, stable, consistent platform that’s more reliable – and more natural – than the softer Adidas Adios Pro 4, particularly when you’re moving slower or landing slower and further back on the shoe.

The Adidas Adios Pro 4 has a bit more bounce. The midsole sinks deeper and returns with a bit more oomph than the Hyperion Elite 4 PB. The Hyperion return is more immediate. Some runners might not like the softer Adios Pro 4 midsole but the uppers are a huge improvement. Though you need to get the sizing right.

Even with a softened midsole, the Adios Pro 4 still packs all the punch you look for in a carbon race shoe, the grippy outsole holds the road with excellent reliability. It also feels durable for a carbon racer.

In testing it responded better to locked-in form and top speed efforts. For all out racing and speed, it’s right up there with the best race-day shoes. But it was less smooth in the transitions compared to the Brooks Hyperion Elite 4 PB when I landed further back in the shoe. And despite the wider forefoot platform, it feels less stable.

Those sensations dissipate when you’re running mid to forefoot, something that the Adios Pro 4 rocker really encourages. But if you’re landing further back, the full length scooped plate in the Brooks creates a smoother, more natural ride.

My Verdict

These are both excellent race-day shoes that you can lace up to chase PRs over almost any distance. They’re light and punchy, with a balance of propulsion and protection, that’s good for chasing fast times on race day, definitely up to the marathon.

The Brooks offers a fast, smooth, energetic ride that feels a little more natural. But successfully puts Brooks right back in the conversation when it comes to competitive race-day shoes. It’s a far closer rival to the ASICS Metaspeed Sky Paris than the Hyperion Elite 4.

The Adidas Adios Pro 4 is also a lively, fun, propulsive shoe that really delivers on the promise for a carbon racer. If you can get the fit right, it’s got PR potential.

Picking which shoe is the best for you comes down to a few important distinctions. The first is fit. I said this in our Adidas Adios Pro 4 vs ASICS Metaspeed Sky Paris review and it’s true here. The toe nail woes of the Adidas Adios Pro 4 are problematic but not everyone suffers them. If you do, it’s not great. So watch out on fit.

Check Out My 8 Best Carbon Race Shoes Here

Then there’s the ride. The Brooks Hyperion Elite 4 platform feels simpler, more natural. It’s more forgiving at slower paces if your form gets ragged. The Adios Pro 4 isn’t quite as reliable underfoot when you’re not moving with locked-in form. But that difference evens out when you’re running well.

If I were choosing one shoe to race a marathon, it’d be the Brooks Hyperion Elite 4 PB. Simply because it’s got equivalent energy but I trust it to be more protective and reliable if things don’t go quite according to plan.