Alphafly 4 vs Adios Pro 4: Nike's Bounce or Adidas's Roll?

Walk the start corral of any big marathon and you'll see plenty of both. Both are proven, both are fast, and both cost far less than the limited-edition flagships. They just get you to the finish in very different ways.

The Alphafly 4 is built around bounce. Two Air Zoom pods sit under the forefoot, a wide carbon Flyplate runs the full length, and ZoomX LT foam keeps it light. It has a 39 mm heel and an 8 mm drop, and weighs about 208 g in a men's US 10.

The Adios Pro 4 swaps the plate for carbon-infused EnergyRods, which flex more like the bones of your foot, inside Lightstrike Pro foam. A pronounced rocker rolls you forward quickly. It's 39 mm at the heel with a 6 mm drop, and about 215 g.

How they run. The Alphafly rewards a midfoot or forefoot strike and a long stride. When you land on the pods, it springs back hard, and it feels best at steady marathon pace. The Adios Pro feels firmer and closer to the ground, and it's better at handling changes in pace. Reviewers also find it more secure when you land on your heel.

Stability. The Alphafly 4 fixed much of the 3's wobble with a wider base, but the Adios Pro 4 still feels the more planted of the two, especially when your form fades late in a race.

Price. The Adios Pro 4 is about $250, roughly $30 less than the Alphafly 4's $280.

Our verdict: forefoot and midfoot strikers chasing a marathon PB should take the Alphafly 4. It has more bounce over 42 km. Heel strikers, half-marathoners and runners who like to feel the road should take the Adios Pro 4, and save $30 doing it.