Adidas Supernova Prima 2 Review: A Reliable Daily Trainer That Stays in Its Comfort Zone

Introduction

The original Supernova Prima earned a reputation as one of the most “normal” running shoes of its year, and that was meant as a compliment. Everything about it was average in a good way: an unremarkable drop, an unremarkable foam feel, and a smooth, dependable ride. The Prima 2 arrives as a minor update to that formula, and the short version of this review is that it remains a solid, comfortable daily trainer while not doing much to stand out in a crowded lineup.

If you want a cushioned everyday shoe that simply gets the job done, this is still an easy shoe to like. If you were hoping Adidas would turn the Prima into a true comfort flagship, you will have to wait for the next version.

What the Adidas Supernova Prima 2 Is Trying to Be

The Prima is Adidas’s max cushion daily trainer within the Supernova line, a family built around the idea that comfort keeps new runners in the sport. The first version was smooth, stable, and durable, with a roughly 8 mm drop and a weight around 300 g. That put it in the same spirit category as shoes like the Brooks Ghost Max 2 and Hoka Bondi, just slightly more streamlined and lighter.

The interesting tension is that Adidas already has plenty of hype shoes, from race-day options to fast trainers, but arguably lacks a true soft, super-stacked comfort cruiser to rival shoes like the ASICS Gel Nimbus or New Balance More v5. The Prima is the closest thing the brand has to that, and the second version does not fully close that gap.

Specs and Construction

On the scale, the Prima 2 came in at 305 g, essentially unchanged from the previous version’s 307.8 g. The stack measures around 37 to 38 mm in the heel, which is noticeably lower than dedicated max-stack comfort shoes that tend to sit above 40 mm.

The midsole uses Dream Strike Plus, a PBA-based blend positioned as softer and bouncier than standard training foam. Beneath it sits a layer of standard EVA, which provides stability at heel strike but also deadens some of the foam’s bounce. The outsole keeps exposed EVA on the bottom, with no added rubber in the heel area, a durability question mark that carries over from the first version.

What Actually Changed

This is a mid-cycle refresh, not a redesign. The headline changes are an updated upper and a slightly tweaked foam compound. The most meaningful fix is the tongue: the original had a stiff, non-stretchy piece of textile glued to the side that made the shoe genuinely difficult to put on. The Prima 2 adds a stretchy insert, and getting the foot in is now dramatically easier.

The upper material itself has been revised to a Primeknit weave with a slightly different texture, and there is marginally more padding around the heel collar. The updated foam feels only marginally softer than before, perhaps a one or two percent difference. An “updated heel foam design” is claimed, but it is hard to spot any visible change in the heel.

Fit and Feel

The fit runs true to size and is comfortable, with no hot spots or rubbing anywhere in the upper. The stretchy tongue panel fixes the original’s biggest fit annoyance. The one remaining nitpick is the tongue padding itself, which is thinner than a comfort-first shoe deserves, especially when the cheaper Supernova Rise offers a plusher tongue.

The heel collar is still somewhat chunky and can catch slightly, but overall the step-in experience is pleasant and the ride is smooth from heel to toe.

Ride Impressions

At genuinely easy paces, the Prima 2 is a little firmer than its comfort-first positioning suggests. The large EVA layer at the heel absorbs impact well and keeps the shoe stable, but it flattens the liveliness of the Dream Strike Plus foam above it. Slow recovery jogs are pleasant enough without feeling especially plush.

Pick up the pace, though, and the shoe improves noticeably. Around faster training paces the forefoot comes alive, with a genuinely nice toe-off and more bounce than the first version. That tuned-for-versatility character makes it one of the more versatile options among $160-class cushion cruisers, but it is not the soft, coddling ride you might expect from the hero of a comfort franchise.

Things to Consider Before Buying

The Prima 2 is a good shoe in a vacuum. The problems are contextual. Adidas already sells the Supernova Rise at a lower price with a nearly identical stack and feel, the Ultra Boost covers much the same everyday use case, and the Adizero line has softer, more comfort-oriented options at lower price points. The Prima lacks a clear identity within that crowded lineup.

Durability should be a strength. Adidas training shoes tend to hold up well, and the stacked foam construction should resist fatigue over long runs, though the exposed EVA outsole is an odd omission. As a value proposition, $160 is reasonable for a do-everything trainer that should last, especially as many competitors now sit at $165 or higher.

Who Should Actually Buy It

This is an excellent candidate if you want a single shoe to do everything: easy miles, long runs, occasional pickups, and casual wear. It is also worth a look if you typically run in stability shoes and want something neutral that still feels very stable at heel strike, particularly for runners who strike with the heel and enjoy the occasional faster effort.

If you are an enthusiast with a multi-shoe rotation, you will likely find more exciting options elsewhere, and there is a strong case for grabbing the original Supernova Prima at a discount if you can still find it.

Buying Advice

The Prima 2 earns a solid B+. Nothing is wrong with it, and the upper improvements are real. But it is a poor excuse for an update: the ride is essentially identical to its predecessor, and Adidas has not given it the max-cushion comfort identity that would make it a true contender against the best comfort cruisers on the market.

Buy it if you value smooth reliability and versatility in a cushioned daily trainer. Skip it if you want a plush, sink-in comfort experience or if you already own a shoe that does this job. The hope is that version three finally gives the Prima the ambition its position in the lineup demands.

Conclusion

The Adidas Supernova Prima 2 is a comfortable, stable, genuinely usable daily trainer that carries over the smooth, dependable character of the original with a much-improved tongue and upper. It is a shoe you will not regret owning, just not one that will pull you forward. For a one-shoe rotation or a stable neutral option, it works well. For everyone else, the competition offers more personality at similar or lower prices.