ADIDAS HAS BEEN on a running hot streak, and with a follow-up to the well-regarded Adizero Adios Pro 4 super shoe dropping just as this year’s marathon season heats up, signs pointed to continued success. Especially promising: The Adios Pro 5 would feature some of the same design elements as the world record-setting Adizero Adios Pro Evo 3 , bringing aspects of the fastest sneaker on the planet to the masses.

Then the Pro 5 released—and things got more complicated. Some early buyers started sharing pictures and videos online of their thrashed new Adios Pro 5s with extreme wear and even chunks missing from the midsole, claiming the damage happened after only a few runs . Other reviewers (including Runner’s World ) reported minimal problems and praised the shoes as one of the best racing models on the road.…