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Adidas Supernova Prima review

8 expert score
8 user's score
As editorial policy, we do not accept free samples. We purchased this pair at adidas with our own money.
Review written on 06th August by Brandon Law Marathon Runner and Shoe Expert
180 other reviews

Adidas Supernova Prima Verdict

The Adidas Supernova Prima is an excellent max-cushioned trainer which excels in versatility. It’s suitable for distances up to a marathon and it has soft, structured Support Rods on its outsole for stability and efficiency. Its thick Dreamstrike+ midsole returns a good amount of energy and shock dampening while its soft outsole adds a level of dynamism rarely felt in max-cushioned trainers.

The pros

  • Good versatility for a max-cushioned trainer
  • Very stable for such a thick midsole
  • Super smooth ride transitions
  • Deeply cushioned ride
  • Gentle forefoot rocker

The cons

  • Firmer than you’d expect from a max-cushioned trainer
  • Upper could be more breathable

Where to buy

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Rating breakdown

Comfort
8.0
Build quality
8.0
Upper
7.0
Sole unit
8.0
Landing
8.0
Transition
8.0
Toe-off
8.0
Traction
6.0
Durability
7.0
Value / Price
8.0

Facts / Specs

Brand
Model
Supernova Prima
Weight
10.2 oz (289 g)
MSRP
160.00

Heel
38 mm.
Toe
30 mm.
Heel drop
8 mm.
Carbon plate
No plate

Size/Fit

Sizing
True to size
Heel fit
Normal
Midfoot fit
Normal
Toebox fit
Normal

Cushioning & ride

Type of cushioning
Balanced
Amount of cushioning
Highly cushioned
Stability
Very stable
Flexibility
Medium

Usage

Racing
Speedwork
Daily training  
Long distance racing
Ultra distance racing

Who should buy the Adidas Supernova Prima ?

If you enjoy the Supernova Rise but you find it too firm or not cushioned enough, the Prima is a great option.
If you’re looking for a highly cushioned trainer that can handle a wide range of paces, the Supernova Prima is also a good option.

Who should not buy the Adidas Supernova Prima ?

If you’re looking for a really squishy max-cushioned trainer, the Supernova Prima will not satisfy you.
If you enjoy trainers with a very flexible forefoot, you should give the Supernova Prima a miss.

Adidas Supernova Prima Introduction

Picture of Adidas Supernova Prima

For a very, very long time, Adidas has not had a decent max-cushioned trainer. The Ultraboost is a heavy, firm and clunky Adidas maximalist trainer. It doesn’t feel energetic and it’s not fun to run in. Its downfall is its Boost midsole which used to be good (8 years ago) but feels antiquated today.

When I reviewed the Ultraboost Light last year, it was one of the lowest scoring shoes of the entire year. It was the firmest Ultraboost I had tested and it felt like bricks on my feet. I couldn’t wait to get my 80 kilometres in it and finish the review.

Adidas has some great midsole foams in their arsenal. Lightstrike Pro is arguably the most explosive on the market in terms of energy return while Dreamstrike+ is a new-age foam which strikes a great balance of durability and comfort.

The Supernova Prima is the new maximalist trainer within the Supernova range. Other trainers in the range include the Supernova Rise, the Supernova Solution and the Stride. All of them feature Adidas’ new Dreamstrike+, PEBA-based midsole foam.

Adidas states that the Supernova Prima is their most comfortable running shoe to date and advertises that it has 13% more Dreamstrike+ super foam than the Supernova Rise. It’s built for maximum comfort.

I was pleasantly surprised by the Supernova Rise when I reviewed it last year. I found it to be really versatile and I said that it was the best Adidas trainer to come out in years. It can compete with the other top, mid-range, neutral daily trainers in its category.

The Supernova Prima weighs 10.2 oz (290 g) with stack heights of 38 mm and 30 mm. To put that into perspective, the Ultraboost Light weighs 10.5 oz (299 g) with much lower stack heights of 30mm and 20 mm. The Prima costs $160, a competitive price for a max-cushioned trainer.

Adidas Supernova Prima First Impressions

Picture of Adidas Supernova Prima

My first run in the Prima was a very slow, 9 kilometre recovery run. I was impressed with how versatile it felt. Even though it was a recovery run, I felt like it could shift up gears quite easily.

I enjoyed how smooth the ride felt and how padded the landings felt, a similar feeling to the Hoka Mach 4 & 5. This is due to the soft outsole and the absence of thick, hard rubber on it.

The shoe that it unsurprisingly reminded me of was the Supernova Rise. The Prima just felt softer, more cushy with less ground feel.

Adidas Supernova Prima Upper

Picture of Adidas Supernova Prima


The Supernova Prima has a very similar upper to the Rise with the main difference being the tongue. The Rise has a thicker, more padded tongue while the Prima has a flat tongue with no padding to reduce weight.

It’s a very comfortable upper with great foot lockdown and I’ve never had to stop mid-run to adjust the lacing. An internal heel counter provides good support while the heel tab makes it feel more luxurious. The large 3 stripes on both the medial and lateral sides are reflective for low-light visibility.

The one area which could be improved is breathability. The engineered mesh is not very porous so it’s not ideal for tropical climates. It’s a true to size fit which is best suited to narrow, high-volume feet.

Adidas Supernova Prima Sole Unit

Picture of Adidas Supernova Prima

It’s not a prerequisite for a max-cushioned trainer to be versatile but a high degree of versatility is a bonus. The Supernova Prima is surprisingly versatile considering its weight and its stack height. It feels great when I’m doing super slow runs above 6 minutes per kilometre as well as faster paces below 5 minutes per kilometre. This wide range is due to its lively ride character.

Dreamstrike+ isn’t the softest midsole foam on the market but the PEBA in it really dials up the energy return. As a max-cushioned trainer, I find the Supernova Prima more energetic than competitors like the Triumph 22, Nimbus 26, and Glycerin 21. The Triumph 22 also has PEBA in it but it delivers a plusher, more relaxed ride than the Prima.

My favourite thing about the Prima is how dynamic the ride feels. It feels like a shoe that can do everything. The midsole isn’t mushy so you don’t feel like you are losing energy during transitions which is the case with some max-cushioned trainers.

Picture of Adidas Supernova Prima

There are 2 large cutouts in the strobel lining of the Prima, underneath the insole: 1 in the heel and 1 in the forefoot where the ball of your foot lands. This is a design cue which we’ve seen in a number of Adidas trainers. The purpose of these cutouts is to give your feet direct access to the foam to make the ride softer.

The bottom-loaded Support Rods are slightly firmer than the ones in the Supernova Rise. This makes the forefoot stiffer which in turn makes the forefoot rocker more prominent. The rocker helps with efficiency, especially during long runs. The Support Rods also aid in stability.

The Prima is incredibly stable for such a tall shoe. This is due to its base being wide and the density of its midsole which doesn’t cause it to collapse inwards or outwards during the loading process.

Picture of Adidas Supernova Prima

The Support Rods also form part of the outsole. This delivers soft, padded landings with more ground feel than trainers with thick, hard rubber outsoles. Durability is a little bit lower on these areas of the outsole.

Traction is fine on dry surfaces but when it rains, the outsole feels slippery because it’s flat and smooth.

Adidas Supernova Prima Conclusions

Picture of Adidas Supernova Prima


Following in the footsteps of the Supernova Rise, the Prima is another excellent trainer from Adidas and one that I always look forward to running in. Adidas finally has a decent max-cushioned trainer which is a much better alternative to the Ultraboost.

I would still really like to see an Adidas max-cushioned trainer with a pure Lightstrike Pro midsole. The upcoming Adidas Adistar BYD is a maximalist trainer with a top layer of Lightstrike Pro. It will be interesting to see how energetic its ride is.

In the Supernova family, I prefer the Prima to the Rise because I enjoy that extra cushioning and softness which provides more comfort. The Prima only weighs 0.4 oz (11 g) more than the Rise but it has 2 mm extra foam in the heel and 4 mm extra in the forefoot.

The Saucony Triumph used to be a great all-rounder but with the new Triumph 22 being only good for easy runs, the Supernova Prima is now the King of Versatility in the max-cushioned trainer category.

The forefoot rocker and the firmer ride of the Prima make it much easier to pick up the pace than the Triumph.

How does the Supernova Prima compare?

Adidas Supernova Rise
Adidas Supernova Prima
Saucony Triumph 22
Expert score
8
8
8
User score
Best price
Retail price
US$140
US$160
US$159.95
Weight
9.8 oz
10.2 oz
10.5 oz
Heel Drop
10 mm
8 mm
10 mm
Recommended for
Daily training
Daily training
Daily training
Cushioning type
balanced/plush
balanced
balanced/plush
Cushioning amount
Medium cushioning
Highly cushioned
Highly cushioned
Flexibility
medium
medium
flexible
Stability
very stable
very stable
very stable
Sizing
buy half size bigger
true to size
true to size

Why you can trust us

As editorial policy, we do not accept free samples from companies.
We purchased this pair of Adidas at adidas  with our own money.

This page contains affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate we earn from qualifying purchases. Read more about our policy.
Lowest price:

$160

Adidas Supernova Prima price comparison

Best offers today in Hong Kong, all prices in AUD
Sorry - Product not found. Please try RunningWarehouse.Com to check in their assortment.
This page contains affiliate links Read more

Reviewed by Brandon

This review was written by Brandon Law on 06th August.
Brandon is a South African who lives and trains in Malaysia. He is a marathon runner who eats, sleeps and dreams running shoes. While most people wear shoes to run, he runs to wear shoes.

User feedback (1)

  • avatar-comment-1040940
    Mikerunsslow
    2 months ago
    8 score

    I recently got these and really love the comfort. The cushioning feels just right for my midfoot strike, and while they’re not the lightest, they still feel pretty responsive. Only reasons I’m knocking off a couple points is that they took a bit longer to break in than I hoped and the weight.

Lowest price:
$160

Where to buy

Best offers today in Hong Kong, all prices in AUD
Sorry - Product not found. Please try RunningWarehouse.Com to check in their assortment.
This page contains affiliate links Read more

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