adidas Prime X EVO: The “Illegal” Super Shoe By Design

This is adidas flexing at full volume. A true concept runner built off the brand’s fastest tech, tuned for runners who priorities pace, efficiency, and chasing those PB’s. Born from the “Chasing 100” project, this silhouette was specifically designed to help South African ultrarunner Sibusiso Kubheka become the first person to run 100km in under six hours. It’s a “concept car” for your feet.

Model Context: The “Illegal” Evolution

With a 50mm Lightstrike Pro Evo stack, the Prime X EVO leans into maximum cushioning and bounce, but without the bulky feel people expect from high-stack trainers. It’s built to feel quick, not clunky. That’s the point. adidas is chasing speed and smoothness in one package, and the silhouette shows it straight away.

It’s also worth calling out that this stack height sits outside World Athletics rules, which cap racing shoes at 40mm. So while it looks like a race shoe, it’s technically a “concept” model. Built for the lab, the challenge, and the experience. Not for official race results – but that wont stop us hitting PB’s on Strava!

Upper Design Keeps It Clean: Technical Minimalism

The mesh upper is ultra-light and breathable, with barely any excess structure. It’s made to disappear on foot. That second-skin feel is part of the appeal, especially for runners who hate bulky uppers and stiff overlays.

The colourway stays classic too. White and black with hits of Lucid Red feels like proper Adizero DNA. It’s the type of palette that looks very familiar to adidas.

Instead of relying on the same old setup, adidas introduces a new internal energy rim, acting like a built-in frame inside the foam. The idea is simple. Keep the energy return high. Keep the ride stable. Stop the bounce from turning into wobble.

Over-Built Engineering

Lightstrike Pro Evo is adidas’ lightest, springiest cushioning formula, and it’s built to give back energy without feeling sloppy. It’s the kind of cushioning that makes the stride feel assisted. Not in a gimmicky way. In this design its built so the shoe wants you to keep rolling forward. It favours runners who enjoy that quick, smooth turnover. Tempo sessions.

But Is It Worth $500 (£365)?

Pros

• Huge 50mm Lightstrike Pro Evo stack for cushioning and bounce.
• Feels light for the size, with an upper that stays minimal and breathable.
• Energy return is the main event, built for faster efforts and very long runs.
• Internal Energy Rim adds stability, helping it feel less wild than it looks.
• Continental rubber traction makes it more usable on UK roads.

Cons

• Not race legal under World Athletics rules due to the 50mm stack.
• High price point puts it in PB mode only territory for a lot of amateur runners.
• Extreme design won’t suit everyone, especially runners who prefer low-stack trainers.
• Not a casual everyday shoe unless you want to appear much taller!

Set to release on February 1st, the ADIZERO Prime X EVO KH7677 arrives with a hefty price tag of $500 (£365), firmly placing it in concept-level territory. It’s not built for race legality or everyday mileage. It’s built for runners, collectors, and performance obsessives who want to experience the best there is in running tech right now.