adidas Adizero Prime X 2.0 (the illegal one)
As these are pro-race-illegal shoes, that makes them perfect for local triathlons, parkruns, marathon PBs and just about any other race where there is no chance of you winning an Olympic gold medal i.e. just about all races 🙂 though see the notes below that Ironman might frown on these too.
More: adidas main site
Of course, if you’re really good then you’ll already know not to wear them for Paris 2024, so the admittedly clever marketing is just for the benefit of mere mortals like me and you.
Why are they illegal? The stack height is 10mm too high and there are two carbon-related plates inside them (which is one more than you’re allowed, apparently)
Q: Would the5krunner wear these?
A: Yes I used them at my last parkrun. I do have the first gen product in my cupboard as well. My current, regular-use training shoes are a similar pair of shoes – adidas Adizero adios Pro 2 and I’m now racing my triathlons/duathlons in Nike AirFlys.
adidas Adizero Prime X 2.0 high-level Specs
Sometimes reviews can dwell too much on specs. Ultimately it’s the weight, price and drop that are the most important technical factors for most people. After that, it’s down to how they feel and perform but then that does vary from person to person quite considerably.
- Regular fit
- Lace closure
- STRUNG upper
- Textile lining
- Lightstrike Pro cushioning
- Weight: 295 g (size UK 8.5)
- Midsole drop: 6.5 mm (heel: 50 mm/forefoot: 43.5 mm)
- Continental Rubber outsole
- Upper contains a minimum of 50% recycled content
- Product colour: Wonder Silver / Core Black / Bright Red
- Product code: ID6911
Perhaps these do come in heavier than some other shoes? Certainly, adidas’s latest super shoe (Pro Evo 1) comes in quite a bit lighter at 130g but at twice the price.
adidas Marketing
I like the adidas marketing on these shoes. The company is specifically pointing out that they are illegal. On one level that’s just being honest! The real and implied message is that these shoes have a characteristic that is too good to be fair in serious races but that mere mortals can seize the benefit if they buy the shoes. I buy that argument though!
I also like the look of the shoes. They have a bit of a mixed yarny/fabricy/eco-type look that if you described it verbally to me I wouldn’t go for at all. However, the aesthetic reality for me is that I love them. In a sense, I can’t wait for them to wear out and then they will be repurposed as my everyday trainer with the added benefit for my partner that I’ll be a couple of inches taller (which apparently is a good thing).
Take Out – Buy or not?
The weight does trouble me a tad but my first parkrun in them was faster than expected.
More: adidas main site
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I love your blog but such titles should also be illegal.
blimey, i just pressed “post”.
I toyed with the title “Very VERY illegal” but thought I might offend someone 😉
I just bought the v1 of these on sale, and they’re the first Adidas shoes I’ve tried.
Two tempo runs so far and I love them. You have to be very careful as they can be unstable with such a stack height – I’ve narrowly avoided a turned ankle twice on pavements with just the odd root! They are quick, the cushioning is great and my legs have recovered pretty quickly after wearing them.
My main issue with the vaporfly is that they feel very firm when running slower – they feel like they’re fighting back at you. At speed, they zip along, but you need to be up to speed for the tech to ‘work’. The Prime X don’t feel like they have the same issue.
I’m no elite, but after a year of trails I need to get back on the roads to train for London… and these feel great for anything from easy runs to tempo sessions.
It will be interesting to see what the reviews are like of the v2… bigger and more isnt always good. Two carbon plates ?! Just seems like a marketing gimic…
I also wonder if any of the rules on these shoes will filter down to ‘normal’ races, or things could get out hand! That would be very hard though – a but like headphones – its in the rules but rarely policed.
yeah, i’m erring to what you say on this one.
also I’m not entirely sure that the carbon plates do much for me. as i said before elsewhere, i think its the foam.
Its hard to know – and I dont expect they will do a version without the carbon for comparison!
Is it just me that hates these kinds of shoes? I’ve seen there is a trend for it, but man, it looks weird.
yes 😉
Haha, fair enough ???? But yes, it does look like technical doping, as another comment put it. It looks “wrong”, can’t explain it.
caffeine is doping but it is within the rules Even though it is performance-enhancing
some of the tech for these new shoes is within the rules. so it’s fine. change the rules If not
the rules were changed a couple of years ago affecting stack height and other things, These particular shoes FAIL those rules and are thus illegal for proper racers…but that excludes you and me.
A few cents from me 🙂
One of Denmarks best triathletes Michelle Vesterby did a huge number of tests together with Danish TV (A Sport channel) – She ran a number of KMs with an average page around 3:42 pr. km in her regular running shoes.
Then, she switched to a carbon plated shoe and did the same run on the same track. With an average page of 3:30 at exactly same average heart rate.
I myself runs way slower (I am very slow) but I do run +25 marathons a year. I tried the Vapor Flys and felt they where holding me back, and I was also a bit slower than normal – but that could be due to many other reasons like weather, energy intake and those i ran next to.
I think what IAAF did to solve the problem was to make the “Shoe Compliance List” and creating the rules for adding shoes to the list by making the general availability rule.
So bring on the shoes ) but please make them cheaper 😀 😀 😀
On a marathon that is 2:36 vs 2:28 – 8 minutes faster just by changing your shoes!
She was VERY surpriced and called it technical doping.
yes i’m pretty sure i’m faster in the Nikes (I’m historically NOT a Nike fan)
NOTE: On Christmas Eve for the last two years Nike has more than halved the price of current model super shoes….i have a good supply to keep me going in case they don’t do the same this year. tht’s how you can get a pair for GBP100-GBP120
I have the Prime X strung, and they are nice to run in, but I do find it hard to keep a high cadence in them as they seem to encourage me to over stride. I am pretty sure this version has 2 carbon features, one with the five toe spread and the other a 3 way spread for stability
The X 2’s seem to have a split plates and a toe plate, with a specific foam insert to make a spring like structure below the toe. See here: https://post.smzdm.com/p/anx9wzpv/pic_4/
Once my X have worn down, I think these will be added to my collection.
Love your write ups, still those are not for me. The pain I endured going from 12-8-4-0 heel drops. Nah nadda. 4-0 is my sweet spot no more Achilles problems!!, but shins were sore during the transition.
Noted, I’ll still with this username, unless I miraculously become happy
airfly sorted my calf/achiles problems entirely..recommended them to a friend with similar probs and he was off running for 2 months.
#sigh!