Adidas Adios Pro 5 from Korea: Can US Runners Buy It Cheaper?
The Adidas Adizero Adios Pro 5 is now one of the most interesting race shoes to price-check internationally.
In Korea, the official Adidas price is 339,000 won. For US runners, that immediately raises the obvious question: if the shoe is expensive or hard to find locally, can you buy it from Korea and still come out ahead?
The short version: maybe, but only after shipping, forwarding fees, exchange rate, and return risk. Korea can look cheaper at the product-price level, but race shoes are not the category where you want a bad-size import.
Quick answer
- Korea price to compare: 339,000 won from Adidas Korea.
- US comparison point: Adidas race shoes often sit around the $250 range, but US stock and sale timing change quickly.
- Amazon move: check Amazon first, because returns are simpler if it is available.
- Korea-buying risk: forwarding fees, slow returns, size mistakes, and app-only stock.
- Wide-foot warning: Adios Pro 5 is a racing shoe, not a wide-width shoe.
Check current US availability
If Amazon has the Pro 5 in your size, it may be the lower-risk option even if Korea's list price looks attractive. If Amazon only shows Pro 4 or unrelated shoes, compare the Korea route carefully.
Korea price vs US price
The simple comparison starts with currency:
| Region | Price signal | What it means |
|---|---|---|
| Korea | 339,000 won official list price | Attractive if exchange rate is favorable |
| US | Check Adidas, Amazon, and specialty running stores | Availability may lag, and discounts may change quickly |
| Import route | Korea price + forwarding + shipping | Cheap only if fees stay low |
Do not compare 339,000 won directly against a US shoe price and stop there. A real delivered cost needs:
- product price
- exchange rate
- card foreign-transaction fee
- domestic Korea shipping, if any
- forwarding service fee
- international shipping
- duties/taxes, if applicable
- return cost if the size is wrong
That last line matters most. A discounted race shoe is not a bargain if it cannot be returned.
How a US runner could buy from Korea
There are usually three routes:
- Amazon or US retailer: safest if stock exists.
- Adidas Korea direct: only useful if the site/app accepts your payment and shipping setup.
- Korea forwarding service: possible, but more fragile because returns become harder.
The forwarding route usually works like this:
- Order the shoe to a Korean forwarding warehouse.
- The warehouse receives the package.
- You pay international shipping.
- The warehouse sends it to your US address.
This can work for apparel and casual shoes. For a race shoe with a precise fit, it is riskier.
Size conversion: use CM first
If you buy from Korea, do not start with US size. Start with the centimeter length.
| US men’s | Common CM starting point | Common EU starting point |
|---|---|---|
| US 8 | 26.0 cm | EU 41-ish |
| US 8.5 | 26.5 cm | EU 42-ish |
| US 9 | 27.0 cm | EU 42.5 / 43-ish |
| US 9.5 | 27.5 cm | EU 43.5 / 44-ish |
| US 10 | 28.0 cm | EU 44 / 44.5-ish |
This table is only a starting point. The product page’s own size chart wins.
If you already know your Adidas race-shoe size, use that history. If you do not, buying internationally is a gamble.
Wide-foot fit warning
This is still WideFit Running, so the fit note matters.
The Adios Pro 5 is a race-day super shoe. Race shoes usually prioritize lockdown, weight, and efficiency over relaxed width. That does not mean every wide-foot runner must avoid it, but it does mean you should not treat it like a Brooks Ghost Wide or New Balance 4E.
Be careful if:
- you need 2E or 4E in daily trainers
- Nike or Adidas standard-width shoes usually pinch your forefoot
- your midfoot needs extra volume
- you cannot return the shoe easily
- you are buying only because Korea’s list price looks cheaper
If your foot is only slightly wide and you already fit Adidas racing shoes, the Pro 5 may still be worth checking. If your foot is truly wide, the Korea-buying route adds too much fit risk.
When the Korea route makes sense
Buying from Korea makes the most sense if:
- the US does not have your size yet
- Korea has a colorway you want
- the exchange rate is favorable
- you already know your Adidas race-shoe size
- forwarding cost is predictable
- you accept that returns may be difficult
It makes less sense if this would be your first Adidas racing shoe.
Bottom line
The Adidas Adizero Adios Pro 5 at 339,000 won is worth watching because Korea may be a useful price signal for US runners.
But the buying decision is not just price. For a race shoe, size confidence and return policy matter almost as much as the deal. Check Amazon and US retailers first. If Korea is clearly cheaper after all fees, and you already know your Adidas size, then the import route can make sense.
For wide feet, be conservative. A narrow or locked-down race shoe bought internationally is one of the easiest ways to turn a good price into an expensive mistake.
Need help with sizing imports? Read how to buy Chinese running shoes by CM size and how to measure your foot width.