Adidas Supernova Prima Introduction
For a really, very very long time, Adidas has not had a good max-cushioned coach. The Ultraboost is a heavy, agency and clunky Adidas maximalist coach. It doesn’t really feel energetic and it’s not enjoyable to run in. Its downfall is its Increase midsole which was once good (8 years in the past) however feels antiquated at present.
Once I reviewed the Ultraboost Gentle final yr, it was one of many lowest scoring sneakers of the whole yr. It was the firmest Ultraboost I had examined and it felt like bricks on my toes. I couldn’t wait to get my 80 kilometres in it and end the evaluation.
Adidas has some nice midsole foams of their arsenal. Lightstrike Professional is arguably probably the most explosive in the marketplace by way of power return whereas Dreamstrike+ is a new-age foam which strikes an incredible stability of sturdiness and luxury.
The Supernova Prima is the brand new maximalist coach throughout the Supernova vary. Different trainers within the vary embrace the Supernova Rise, the Supernova Resolution and the Stride. All of them characteristic Adidas’ new Dreamstrike+, PEBA-based midsole foam.
Adidas states that the Supernova Prima is their most snug working shoe so far and advertises that it has 13% extra Dreamstrike+ tremendous foam than the Supernova Rise. It’s constructed for max consolation.
I used to be pleasantly shocked by the Supernova Rise after I reviewed it final yr. I discovered it to be actually versatile and I stated that it was the most effective Adidas coach to return out in years. It may well compete with the opposite high, mid-range, impartial day by day trainers in its class.
The Supernova Prima weighs 10.2 oz (290 g) with stack heights of 38 mm and 30 mm. To place that into perspective, the Ultraboost Gentle weighs 10.5 oz (299 g) with a lot decrease stack heights of 30mm and 20 mm. The Prima prices $160, a aggressive value for a max-cushioned coach.
Adidas Supernova Prima First Impressions
My first run within the Prima was a really gradual, 9 kilometre restoration run. I used to be impressed with how versatile it felt. Regardless that it was a restoration run, I felt prefer it might shift up gears fairly simply.
I loved how easy the trip felt and the way padded the landings felt, an analogous feeling to the Hoka Mach 4 & 5. That is as a result of gentle outsole and the absence of thick, onerous rubber on it.
The shoe that it unsurprisingly jogged my memory of was the Supernova Rise. The Prima simply felt softer, extra comfortable with much less floor really feel.
Adidas Supernova Prima Higher
The Supernova Prima has a really comparable higher to the Rise with the primary distinction being the tongue. The Rise has a thicker, extra padded tongue whereas the Prima has a flat tongue with no padding to scale back weight.
It’s a really snug higher with nice foot lockdown and I’ve by no means needed to cease mid-run to regulate the lacing. An inside heel counter gives good help whereas the heel tab makes it really feel extra luxurious. The massive 3 stripes on each the medial and lateral sides are reflective for low-light visibility.
The one space which might be improved is breathability. The engineered mesh isn’t very porous so it’s not superb for tropical climates. It’s a real to measurement match which is finest suited to slim, high-volume toes.
Adidas Supernova Prima Sole Unit
It’s not a prerequisite for a max-cushioned coach to be versatile however a excessive diploma of versatility is a bonus. The Supernova Prima is surprisingly versatile contemplating its weight and its stack top. It feels nice after I’m doing tremendous gradual runs above 6 minutes per kilometre in addition to sooner paces beneath 5 minutes per kilometre. This wide selection is because of its vigorous trip character.
Dreamstrike+ isn’t the softest midsole foam in the marketplace however the PEBA in it actually dials up the power return. As a max-cushioned coach, I discover the Supernova Prima extra energetic than opponents just like the Triumph 22, Nimbus 26, and Glycerin 21. The Triumph 22 additionally has PEBA in it but it surely delivers a plusher, extra relaxed trip than the Prima.
My favorite factor in regards to the Prima is how dynamic the trip feels. It seems like a shoe that may do every little thing. The midsole isn’t mushy so that you don’t really feel like you’re shedding power throughout transitions which is the case with some max-cushioned trainers.
There are 2 massive cutouts within the strobel lining of the Prima, beneath the insole: 1 within the heel and 1 within the forefoot the place the ball of your foot lands. This can be a design cue which we’ve seen in various Adidas trainers. The aim of those cutouts is to present your toes direct entry to the froth to make the trip softer.
The underside-loaded Assist Rods are barely firmer than those within the Supernova Rise. This makes the forefoot stiffer which in flip makes the forefoot rocker extra distinguished. The rocker helps with effectivity, particularly throughout lengthy runs. The Assist Rods additionally support in stability.
The Prima is extremely steady for such a tall shoe. This is because of its base being huge and the density of its midsole which doesn’t trigger it to break down inwards or outwards through the loading course of.
The Assist Rods additionally kind a part of the outsole. This delivers gentle, padded landings with extra floor really feel than trainers with thick, onerous rubber outsoles. Sturdiness is just a little bit decrease on these areas of the outsole.
Traction is okay on dry surfaces however when it rains, the outsole feels slippery as a result of it’s flat and easy.
Adidas Supernova Prima Conclusions
Following within the footsteps of the Supernova Rise, the Prima is one other wonderful coach from Adidas and one which I at all times stay up for working in. Adidas lastly has a good max-cushioned coach which is a a lot better different to the Ultraboost.
I might nonetheless actually wish to see an Adidas max-cushioned coach with a pure Lightstrike Professional midsole. The upcoming Adidas Adistar BYD is a maximalist coach with a high layer of Lightstrike Professional. It will likely be attention-grabbing to see how energetic its trip is.
Within the Supernova household, I want the Prima to the Rise as a result of I get pleasure from that additional cushioning and softness which gives extra consolation. The Prima solely weighs 0.4 oz (11 g) greater than the Rise but it surely has 2 mm additional foam within the heel and 4 mm additional within the forefoot.
The Saucony Triumph was once an incredible all-rounder however with the brand new Triumph 22 being solely good for simple runs, the Supernova Prima is now the King of Versatility within the max-cushioned coach class.
The forefoot rocker and the firmer trip of the Prima make it a lot simpler to select up the tempo than the Triumph.
