adidas Supernova Prima 3 review

After our tests, we can recommend the adidas Supernova Prima 3 for:

• Runners looking for a reliable daily trainer with an energetic midsole and excellent comfort for everyday mileage.
• Heel strikers who prefer a high-drop shoe with generous cushioning and smooth impact protection.
• Those who want a well-cushioned ride without the bulky feel of today's extra-wide midsoles, preserving agility through corners and turns.
• Fans of previous Supernova models with Dreamstrike+ who want to try adidas' latest cushioning technology.

Despite packing a premium midsole foam, the Supernova Prima 3 also comes with a high weight too. That makes it less appealing for faster-paced runs, and we believe runners focused on speed or wanting more versatility will be better served by shoes like the ASICS Novablast 6 or the adidas Adizero EVO SL.

We also think that the high stack height of the heel may feel excessive for lighter runners. If that sounds like you, the Supernova Rise 3 is worth considering, offering less stack and a more affordable price.

If anyone had concerns about shock absorption, the Supernova Prima 3 put them to rest in our lab. Recording 133 SA in the heel and 119 SA in the forefoot, it delivers solid impact attenuation and offers dependable muscle and joint protection for everyday training.

The new Dreamstrike Pro (A-TPU) foam in the Supernova Prima 3 is an excellent and somewhat unexpected upgrade. It clearly delivers on adidas' promise of improving over the PEBA-based Dreamstrike+ compound found in the Supernova Prima 2, which was already a very good foam.

And truth is that few training shoes can match the energy return numbers we measured from the Supernova Prima 3: 69.8% in the heel and 70.9% in the forefoot.

Considering its excellent shock absorption results, we weren't surprised to measure a high heel stack.

At 39.4 mm, the Supernova Prima 3 gains 2.7 mm over its predecessor, bringing it closer than ever to the 40 mm mark. That's a height that increasingly feels like the new 35 mm in today's running shoe market, doesn't it?

The forefoot also packs a generous amount of Dreamstrike Pro foam, measuring 28.2 mm.

However, it doesn't feel nearly as towering as the heel and delivers a more grounded ride with even some ground feel depending on the pace.

A towering heel combined with an average forefoot naturally leads to a high heel-to-toe drop. This tried-and-true formula has long been part of adidas' design philosophy for daily trainers, and the Supernova Prima 3 is no exception. In our lab, we measured an 11.2 mm drop.

That's higher than the brand's stated 8 mm, making this shoe an excellent choice for heel strikers or runners who prefer the lower Achilles load and familiar feel of a high-offset design.

Switching to Dreamstrike Pro also brings a small change in midsole softness.

We measured 36.8 AC with our Asker C durometer, a balanced result that may not satisfy runners looking for an ultra-plush or rock-firm ride, but one that should hit the sweet spot for the vast majority of runners.

Like its predecessors, the Supernova Prima 3 features a firmer compound underneath the main foam that measured a whopping 62.3 AC in our lab. However, this layer is very thin and exists primarily to enhance stability. It isn't thick enough to make the ride feel firm, and it doesn't extend the full length of the shoe, appearing only in key areas where extra support is needed.

It's also worth noting that adidas has renamed this system. What was previously known as Support Rods is now called Drive Your Ride.

Given its towering stack height, we weren't surprised to find that adidas retained a rockered geometry in the Supernova Prima 3. However, the brand has significantly toned down the heel rocker compared to its predecessor, while the forefoot now delivers a smoother and more natural transition.

The Prima 2 arguably pushed the rocker concept a bit too far, whereas this version feels easier to run in and far more approachable for beginners.

At 74.3 mm, the toebox isn't wide enough to qualify as foot-shaped like models from Topo or Altra. However, it still measures comfortably above average, making the Supernova Prima 3 one of the roomiest options among mainstream running shoe brands.

The toebox offers slightly less vertical space, measuring 25.5 mm in height.

Even so, we found it comfortable during testing, and the lower profile may help deliver a more secure fit for runners who felt the previous width measurements were a bit too generous.

Like other models in the Supernova lineup, the Prima 3 uses adidas' LIGHTTRAXION outsole instead of Continental rubber, which comes as no surprise.

However, we noticed a meaningful design change that helps explain the new Drive Your Ride branding. Unlike its predecessor, the forefoot now features a continuous rubber layer with no cutouts exposing the firm foam underneath.

Based on our experience testing hundreds of shoes, simply tweaking the outsole is rarely enough to maintain the same flexibility after increasing stack height.

As expected, the Supernova Prima 3 is slightly stiffer than its predecessor, requiring 15.4N in our flex test. Even so, that result remains close to the average and feels entirely appropriate for a daily trainer like this one.

The biggest downside of this update is the higher weight. The plusher upper, additional stack height, and increased outsole coverage all contribute to a heavier build, bringing the shoe to 10.2 oz (289g). That's a notable 9% increase over its predecessor.

One of the aspects we appreciate most about the Supernova Prima 3 is adidas' approach to stability.

Instead of taking the easy route by making the platform excessively wide, the brand preserved an average-sized base to maintain agility while adding a firmer foam layer beneath the midsole to better control lateral movement. And we really like it, although we only endorse it for neutral runners.

Thanks to its moderately sized platform, the shoe maintains a pleasantly flexible ride. In fact, it scored a below-average 13.8 Nm in our torsional rigidity test, making it a comfortable option not only for easy runs but also for everyday walking.

We also found an exceptionally stiff heel counter, another design choice that helps compensate for the shoe's moderately sized platform.

It earned the maximum 5/5 score in our manual assessment, although runners with sensitive Achilles tendons or Haglund's deformity may prefer a shoe with a more forgiving heel construction.

As we mentioned earlier, the midsole keeps moderate dimensions, setting the Supernova Prima 3 apart from many of today's oversized competitors. In fact, we measured just 115.0 mm in the forefoot.

The difference becomes even more noticeable in the heel, where we measured a narrow 88.3 mm platform. If you're a RunRepeat regular, this may come as a surprise given the recent trend toward increasingly wide midsoles across the industry.

Therefore, adidas has clearly taken a different path here. Instead of maximizing width for stability, the brand aims to deliver a well-cushioned shoe that still feels agile and easy to maneuver, appealing to runners who don't want an oversized shoe.

We found the toebox to be more durable than what we typically see in daily trainers. Earning a 4/5 in our Dremel test is no small feat, and the Supernova Prima 3 pulled it off with confidence.

The heel padding held up well in our second Dremel test, earning a solid 4/5 for durability. That's exactly the kind of result we like to see, giving us no reason to expect premature wear in this area.

The LIGHTTRAXION outsole delivered a respectable performance in our Dremel test with 1.3 mm of wear.

While there's still room for improvement in abrasion resistance, this outcome and the generous rubber coverage leads us to expect no meaningful long-term issues for most runners.

The outsole measures 2.4 mm thick, a sensible choice that balances weight and performance. However, runners who prioritize maximum durability may prefer a thicker rubber layer. On the other hand, this slimmer design enhances ground feel and contributes to a smoother, more enjoyable ride.

We measured the insole at 4.8 mm thick, a result that's right in line with what we typically see in daily trainers.

The insole can be removed without any difficulty, just as we did during testing. Its shape also reflects the shoe's roomy interior, reinforcing the generous fit we experienced firsthand. However, the limited toebox height may become an issue for runners planning to use third-party orthotics.

Dreamstrike Pro once again proved why A-TPU foams are so highly regarded. It delivers excellent energy return while also offering outstanding resistance to cold temperatures, changing by just 4% after spending 20 minutes in our freezer.

We noticed that adidas chose to skip reflective elements on the Supernova Prima 3, and we believe that's one decision the brand should reconsider.

The tongue is another improvement. It now uses a knit-based construction that adapts better to the foot and delivers a noticeably more comfortable fit.

We measured 8.0 mm of padding, although, as shown in the photo below, the cushioning is strategically concentrated instead of covering the entire tongue. We believe this was a smart decision because the Supernova Prima 3 already carries a fairly high weight.

The tongue features a semi-gusseted design that was exactly what this shoe needed to achieve an excellent lockdown. Another box checked.

The Supernova Prima 3 skips a traditional heel tab, but it features a distinctive asymmetrical stitching design.

For runners who prioritize energy return and comfort, few daily trainers can match what the Supernova Prima 3 delivers. In fact, it's one of the most affordable ways to experience an aliphatic TPU foam, a premium material that remains largely exclusive to much more expensive shoes.