Adidas Supernova Prima review

We believe the Supernova Prima from Adidas is an excellent choice for:

• Adidas devotees who’ve been waiting for a well-cushioned, dynamic daily trainer from the German brand.
• Runners seeking a durable workhorse for aerobic runs across any distance, with enough cushioning and all-day comfort.
• Heel strikers who want a shoe that naturally centers each stride but prefer to avoid those clunky stability shoes.

The Supernova Prima raises some concerns, particularly in durability. In our lab tests, we found the build quality lacking compared to other tank-like cushioned trainers—models like the ASICS GT 2000 13 and Brooks Ghost Max show significantly better outsole resilience.

Additionally, we think those with narrow feet may find the Prima overly spacious, leading to discomfort during runs. Since narrow sizes aren't offered, we suggest opting for a less roomy daily trainer like the Hoka Skyflow or Nike Pegasus Plus for a more secure fit.

Those who found the Supernova Rise’s 32.5 mm stack a bit low will appreciate the Prima, which brings the heel up to a generous 36.1 mm. This extra foam is ideal for longer distances and supports heavier runners, offering just the right amount of cushioned comfort.

At the same time, it stays comfortably below the maximalist feel of the Adizero Prime X 2 Strung, keeping a balanced yet reasonable profile for a daily workhorse.

The forefoot receives similar design attention, resulting in a solid 27.2 mm stack. This setup is ideal for forefoot and midfoot strikers focused on long-distance training, providing more muscle protection and reducing ground feel for added comfort.

In our lab, we tested Adidas’s claim that the Supernova Prima has an 8 mm heel-to-toe drop. Following World Athletics guidelines and using precise digital calipers, we found it to be 8.9 mm—nearly spot on!

We believe the Prima’s balanced drop smoothly adapts to various footstrikes. However, if you’re a forefoot striker seeking a lower drop shoe, the On Cloudsurfer Next might be a better fit, and it's a bit cheaper too!

Adidas has finally returned to the daily trainer podium after a 4–5 year hiatus launching underwhelming shoes, but now is equipped to compete with the best. The star of this comeback is their new Dreamstrike+ foam, which delivers a reliable mix of bounce, durability, and comfort.

Dreamstrike+ is a bio-based PEBA variant with a dense formulation that may not deliver world-class energy return, but it outshines EVA and TPU foams like Boost or Lightstrike 2.0. And that's enough.

We found it pleasantly balanced in softness—neither overly plush nor overly firm—and our durometer confirmed it with a 20.0 HA reading.

A secondary layer of firmer 33.0-HA EVA foam serves as a stabilizer, extending into the forefoot to form the Support Rods—an innovative feature we'll discuss in more detail later in the stability section.

One standout feature of PEBA-based foams is their remarkable stability across hot and cold temperatures—a stark contrast to the behavior we observed in EVA foams, which tend to vary significantly.

Dreamstrike+ demonstrated an impressive 10% change in softness after 20 minutes in our freezer, delivering one of the most amazing performances we’ve tested in a daily trainer.

After removing and carefully measuring its thickness, we found the insole to be 4.2 mm—an average measurement.

In our experience, Adidas often delivers a classic running experience in its trainers, but with the added stack height in the Supernova Prima, a touch of sole curvature was essential to maintain a lively, smooth ride.

We found they achieved this balance with a smooth toe spring paired with a generous heel bevel that extends away from the midsole, enhancing the shoe's dynamic flow—especially beneficial for heel strikers.

With a welcoming width of 102.3 mm in the upper’s widest area, the Prima is a roomy daily trainer—perfect for those with wide feet. In fact, it’s one of the most spacious standard-width (D) shoes we’ve tested recently in the lab.

The forefoot volume impresses as well, offering generous room for toes and a plush, well-fitted upper that never felt restrictive.

Unlike other shoes that taper tightly in the big toe area, the Prima stays spacious at 80.8 mm, making it ideal for long runs when feet tend to swell and need extra room.

However, in our experience, this generous fit may not suit runners with narrow feet. If that’s you, we suggest trying the Hoka Mach 6, which provides a tighter fit.

The Supernova line from Adidas is crafted as a neutral running shoe series, yet we found they’ve incorporated so many stability reinforcements that it can easily support runners with mild pronation, making it more appealing to a wider range of individuals.

In our experience, one reason this shoe feels close to a stability shoe is its high torsional rigidity—we rated it a solid 4/5, just below the max score. This added stiffness keeps forces centered, enhancing stability, but at the same time, it's a small downgrade when running at easy paces.

In our view, Adidas clearly aims to give heel strikers a secure feel in this shoe. With an ultra-stiff 5-out-of-5 heel counter, it controls forces effectively, guiding the heel in a straight line—though it slightly downgrades comfort.

To counterbalance the stiffness, Adidas added ample padding to improve comfort, yet we wouldn’t recommend it for runners with sensitive heels, Haglund’s deformity, or those who prefer a flexible heel counter. That said, runners with mild pronation issues will likely find it amazing.

We believe the previous tests showed stability-like results because Adidas maintained standard dimensions to manage weight and prevent a bulky feel. For example, the forefoot measured 114.6 mm, comparable to most daily trainers.

The heel width is quite similar to models like the Nike Pegasus 41, arguably the most "standard" daily trainer. However, Adidas introduces a key design difference in the midfoot. As seen in our photo, the midfoot area doesn’t taper but stays noticeably wide, enhancing stability and appealing to runners with mild stability needs.

One standout innovation in the new Supernova lineup is the addition of Support Rods, prominently visible in light blue along the forefoot. These rods extend throughout the midsole, providing a balanced, more centered ride.

This feature exemplifies how performance-driven technology can enhance training shoes. We found that these Support Rods are clearly inspired by Adidas' carbon-infused Energy Rods, which boost speed and stability in models like the Adizero Boston 12 and Adizero Adios Pro 3.

In our view, heel bevels are a hallmark of Adidas’ design, and the German brand pushes these bevels to the extreme in the Supernova Prima, trying to control lateral motion and centering the foot from the very first contact.

This focus may work wonders for some heel strikers, offering a centered, stable feel. However, others might find this nearly rigid approach too intrusive for a neutral shoe.

In our test runs, we discovered that despite its slightly rockered shape, the Supernova Prima maintains a smooth, flexible feel during our runs.

The Support Rods didn’t hinder flexibility at all—requiring just 23.0N to bend it to 90 degrees in our lab, making this shoe an excellent choice for walking too!

In terms of weight, we usually call the 10-oz threshold as the line where trespassing it makes a daily trainer going into the heavier side, and the Supernova Prima saved this situation at the limit, weighing 9.9 oz or 281g in our scale.

And Adidas really tried to shave grams everywhere. The tongue is engineered to strip a bit of padding, the upper is lightweight, and as we proved before, the outsole features less rubber than the norm in shoes of its kind.

We believe that a daily running shoe needs to perform reliably in any weather, and for this, a score of 3 to 4 in our test is ideal. The Prima delivered with a solid 4.

Adidas designed large ventilation holes in the toebox, extending into the lateral and medial sides, which provided excellent airflow on the hottest days of the year.

Using our digital microscope, we found that the Supernova Prima’s engineered mesh upper combines a thick outer layer with a softer, white fabric, adding plush comfort without hindering airflow.

The upper may not be stretchy, but it’s impressively cushioned, especially around the heel area.

Adidas put strong emphasis on Achilles protection, and for good reason—this shoe features a firm heel counter to boost stability, which could irritate the tendon without sufficient padding.

Our initial Dremel test, as always, targeted the toebox. We were optimistic, knowing engineered mesh uppers usually withstand stress well—certainly more so than knit versions.

The toebox earned a solid 3/5 score, the same that we found in the knit-based Ultraboost 5. While not groundbreaking, this result left us satisfied.

We mentioned the plush, pillow-soft heel padding earlier—well, it brings a durability issue along with it.

In our view, Adidas invested heavily in creating a luxuriously cushioned heel. But when we tested its resilience with our Dremel, it turned out to be a true letdown (1/5) in terms of durability.

One of the most noticeable disappointments in this shoe is that, despite being the top-priced model in the Supernova lineup, it skips the Continental rubber. Instead, it uses a new material named LightTraxxion.

This translucent rubber has a moderate hardness and performs well in terms of grip, but in our experience, it falls far short of the exceptional traction we consistently found in shoes with Continental rubber.

In terms of durability, we knew not to expect Continental-level resilience, but we hoped for something stronger than what we found.

After putting the shoe through our final Dremel test, we measured a less-than-stellar 2.1 mm wear depth. This score places the shoe far from being the durability powerhouse that other Adidas trainers have been.

We grew even more concerned when we measured only 2.2 mm of Lighttraxxion rubber—well below the average for daily trainers. For this reason, we believe this shoe isn’t ideal for runners who quickly wear down outsoles, though it should offer sufficient lifespan for everyone else.

The Prima stands as Adidas' premium trainer within the Supernova lineup, and we believe it’s competitively priced for everything it offers. In our view, it strikes a good balance between quality and value when compared to similar models on the market.

This shoe is a solid daily trainer that includes almost everything we look for in this category. However, it lacks reflective elements—a feature we value for the added safety it brings without much cost. Honestly, how much could Adidas have saved here? 10 cents?

We appreciated the updated tongue, which significantly improves on the one found in the Adidas Supernova 3, as it felt bulky and overly thick. The Prima’s tongue, redesigned with a balanced 7.7 mm of padding, offers comfort exactly where it counts most.

We also enjoyed Adidas’ streamlined approach to the lacing system, following the KISS (Keep It Simple, Stup*d) method that we love. Flat laces, punched eyelets, and the often-overlooked extra hole provide ample flexibility for various lacing techniques.

In our experience, one of the biggest disappointments is finding a premium daily trainer with a non-gusseted tongue. Fortunately, this Adidas model left us pleased—we discovered a semi-gusseted tongue that kept perfectly in place!

After testing several hundreds of shoes, we found that Adidas is among the brands that really try to avoid finger-loop heel tabs, so we weren’t surprised to find none on the Supernova Prima.

The insole is removable, as it’s not glued to the last. However, swapping it out means losing those lateral flaps for added stability and comfort. It’s not a huge drawback, but we think it’s worth noting.