Adidas Prime X Strung vs Prime X 2 Strung: Which Bouncy Super Shoe Should You Buy?

Introduction

Adidas’s Prime X line is the brand’s不受 regulation-capped, big-stack super shoe territory: enormous Lightstrike Pro midsoles, carbon plates, and a Strung upper that layers yarn in a way you will not find on any other shoe. The original Prime X Strung is still widely available, and the Prime X 2 Strung has now arrived with a significantly revised midsole setup. Both are expensive, so it is worth understanding exactly what changed before picking one, especially if you can find the original at a discount.

Both shoes are priced at $300. In the UK, the original costs £230 and the Prime X 2 costs £250. These are firmly premium shoes, and the differences between them are big enough that the “right” answer depends heavily on how you run.

Prime X Strung vs Prime X 2 Strung: Key Differences

The numbers tell part of the story. The original Prime X Strung is the lighter shoe at 266g (9.4oz) in UK size 9, with an 8.5mm drop, a 49.5mm heel stack, and a 41mm forefoot. The Prime X 2 Strung comes in at 313g (11oz) in the same size, with a 6.5mm drop and an even bigger stack: 50mm at the heel and 43.5mm at the forefoot.

The midsole construction is where the real difference lives. Both use Adidas’s bouncy Lightstrike Pro foam, the same family used in the Adios Pro 3, but the Prime X 2 uses three layers of it sandwiching two full-length carbon plates plus one under the forefoot. The original uses two layers of Lightstrike Pro with carbon-infused energy rods and TPU plastic energy blades under the forefoot. The Prime X 2 also has a wider, more substantial midsole with no cutouts on the bottom of the shoe, which is really where the weight gain comes from.

Fit and Upper: Bootie vs Gusseted Tongue

Both shoes use the Strung layered yarn upper, but with meaningful tweaks. The original has a gusseted tongue; the Prime X 2 goes for a stretchy, sock-like bootie fit. The Prime X 2 also runs slightly wider in overall fit.

Fit experiences varied across testers. Several found the original Prime X Strung true to size, with a snug but not restrictive feel and a roomy-enough toe box. Others found it ran short and recommended going up half a size, and one recurring complaint on the original was heel rub from the pointy, non-padded heel section, which for some caused bleeding during testing.

The Prime X 2 Strung improves on the heel for most testers: despite a similar-looking heel design, heel rub was largely reported as fixed. The trade-off is the bootie fit. Testers with high insteps and wide feet found the Prime X 2 genuinely difficult to get on, and even once on, some reported minor heel slippage that lacing did not fully resolve. The consensus: go true to size in both, and expect the original to feel slightly roomier up front while the Prime X 2 hugs more snugly through the bootie.

Ride and Performance

Both are ridiculously bouncy, fun shoes, but they ride very differently. The original Prime X Strung has a faster turnover and a more aggressive rocker. It feels like it is tipping you forward, partly thanks to the higher drop, and it is notably lighter. That aggressive ride comes with a cost: it is quite unstable, wobbly even, which makes it a shoe you want to take to flat, predictable routes or the track rather than dodging potholes on uneven pavement.

A side-by-side track session highlighted the gap. Switching mid-session from the Prime X 2 to the original, the difference was immediately noticeable: the original felt faster, lighter, and much easier to turn over fast on 400m reps. The Prime X 2 offers more raw bounce and an exaggerated sense of flight time at controlled fast paces, but when fatigue sets in or pace really rises, it is harder to spin your feet over in such a big shoe.

The Prime X 2 Strung is the more stable shoe thanks to the wider midsole and removed cutouts, with a lower drop and a smoother, more controlled transition. It is a genuine daily super trainer that can cruise at any pace up to around marathon pace, and it absorbs daily training miles without you having to think about where you are running. Beyond that pace, it loses some of the nip of the original. Neither shoe is truly stable, but the Prime X 2 is clearly the more manageable of the two over long distances and uneven surfaces.

Which One Should You Buy?

If your priority is racing and fast sessions, the original Prime X Strung remains the pick. It is the more aggressive, more nimble shoe, and its speed credentials are well proven, including fast marathon times run in it. Its weaknesses are the instability at long distances and, for some runners, heel irritation. If you can find it discounted, it represents strong value for a shoe this capable.

If you want a bouncy super trainer you can take out every day, the Prime X 2 Strung makes more sense. It suits tempo runs, longer training runs, and easy cruising, and it held up well in Berlin marathon training with long 18-mile tempo efforts at consistent pace. Despite the extra 47g, the plate-and-foam combination means it does not feel heavy on the foot.

The honest caveat: adding three layers of foam and two plates arguably makes the Prime X 2 feel slightly sinker and less punchy rather than faster. If you love the original’s magic, the new shoe may feel like a small step back in energy, even if it is a step up in stability and comfort.

Conclusion

These two generations turn out to be very different shoes. The Prime X Strung is the racer: lighter, tippier, more fun, and the better choice for fast sessions and race day, ideally on a deal. The Prime X 2 Strung is the super trainer: heavier, more stable, more comfortable over long miles, and the easier shoe to live with daily. If you chase marathon times and worry about the final miles, the Prime X 2 offers more cushioning protection; if you want maximum speed and aggression, the original still wins.