When I heard that Adidas had shaved off nearly an ounce off the F50 adiZero Prime I immediately thought they would have had to throw out all the comfort elements from the original Adizero. To my surprise they are honestly one of the most comfortable shoes that I have ever worn. I wore these straight out the box 6 hours straight and suffered from no discomfort whatsoever. This is due to the majorly improved fit of the shoe. The synthetic is very thin and pretty pliable and wraps around your foot seamlessly when you pull the laces tight. The lacing system also goes a little deeper than the original Adizeros which greatly improves the fit. The tongue is also much improved as it is a little bit stiffer than the original which prevents any chance of lace bite, making for a more comfortable fit. They also improved the sliding insole problem that I had with the originals as they stay in place perfectly. The lining in the heel of the shoe is also improved as it is now a smooth finish rather than the rough jabulani ball dimpling that the first Adizeros had. I had no pain at all after ten hours of use and can honestly say that this is the most comfortable “speed boot” that I have ever worn. The deep lacing system also allows for people with wider feet to wear these with no issues. I wore my usual size 9US in these shoes and they fit perfectly, definitely a shoe that fits true to size.
Weight
There is really nothing to complain about in the weight department. Adidas took a shoe that is already very light and made it lighter. 5.2oz is extremely impressive as these literally feel weightless when on your feet. They will make you feel quicker. The weight difference is definitely noticeable coming from the original Adizeros but not overly drastic. To say the least, these are the lightest shoes ever.
Traction
The stud configuration, as well as the sole plate, remain the same from the previous version of the Adizeros. They do a good job of grip while running forward, but because of how tall they are, I found myself not slipping, but having a hard time changing direction at high speeds. But as long as the fields you are playing on are not rock hard, you should find these shoes to grip quite well. The stud configuration also does a good job of keeping mud from sticking to the bottom of your shoes.
Touch
These shoes are synthetic, but it is not the same as the synthetic used on the original Adizeros. It is a lot softer and seems to be very slightly padded. It is a very good synthetic, slightly thinner than that used on Nike’s Vapors, but in my opinion feels a lot better. The upper also features some sticky elements in around the strike zone but the shoe odes not suffer from being too tacky when dribbling as Adidas have put a matte finish on the ring that goes around the seam from where the upper attaches to the sole. Overall these shoes provide a barefoot feeling better than any shoe that I have ever tried, including Vapors.
Shooting
Shooting with these is also very good. The newly added tacky elements do somewhat help with putting some added swerve on the ball, but the effects are minimal. Because of the light weight, you can generate more power in the swing of your leg, allowing for quick release shots in tight areas. You do get the feeling that your swing is a little faster, which may take some getting used to. The lightness also seems to give you the ability to move your ankle a little bit quicker, allowing you to adjust your foot more quickly to make that deceiving in-close shot to slide it past the keeper. I do have to say that the lack of weight does seem to have some effect on the overall distance upon making a long ball, but as long as you’re not taking goal kicks this should be a problem. The chassis of the shoe also provides a good amount of stiffness when striking the ball.
Durability
The build quality on these shoes looks to be top notch. They are really sturdy for being so light and seem to have the same durability as the original Adizeros. The only thing to keep in mind is the studs could fall off, although I have yet to see any Primes with this issue, I have seen pictures of Adizero II’s with missing studs. But overall, I would say that these are definitely a pair of shoes that you can expect to last you the entire season.
Protection
These definitely do not provide a large amount of protection at all, But that is not something that is expected from a lightweight boot.
The Verdict
I was super impressed with these shoes as they have become my new favorites. They provide an experience that is completely different from the original Adizeros which I really liked in the first place. These are more comfortable, fit better and are lighter. So are these worth dishing out the extra $100 for the Primes? The answer is yes, these really are a premium soccer shoe, presented to you with the nicest shoe box I have ever seen, that include a boot bag, extra insoles, extra laces and a cleaning cloth. These are hands down better than the original Adizeros and perhaps the best speed boot ever made.
| Comfort/Fit | 8 out of 10 |
| Weight | 10 out of 10 |
| Traction | 8 out of 10 |
| Touch | 8 out of 10 |
| Shooting | 9 out of 10 |
| Protection | 6 out of 10 |
| Durability | 7 out of 10 |
| FINAL SCORE | 56 out of 70 or 80% |
