Flyknit vs Primeknit: Differences, Pros, Cons 2024

As a sportsperson or one who loves good trainers, the comfort of your feet cannot be fully emphasized. Good kicks give an athlete confidence to perform at his very best.

Different parts of sneakers combine to give a kick that special quality needed. Whether it carries EVA sole, rubber sole or PU sole, or it’s built with knit or solid leather upper.

Meanwhile, the use of various parts to make up an upper has long become obsolete with the introduction of woven yarn technology.

PrimeKnit – FlyKnit, first time hearing these terms? Well, for sportsmen they’re not strange terms. For the sake of clarity, the technology behind these wears is explained in detail.

FlyKnit is to Nike’s as PrimeKnit is to Adidas. You may be wondering, what then is a primeknit and a flyknit?

Table of Contents

What is Flyknit?

FlyKnit is synonymous with breathable, lightweight, and support. You won’t know how comfort feels like until you have stepped into Nike’s flyknit.

Nike’s flyknit technology uses high-end strengthened fibers to create a lightweight upper part of the footwear, with targeted areas that offer support and flexibility.

The idea behind this technology is in response to the feedback of athletes. Thus, they engineered a fabric that fits like a sock but retains its support and durability.

Advantages of flyknit shoes

The advantages of the flyknit over other footwear designs are;

Ultra-lightweight feeling.
Breathable design.
Has optimum flexibility with great support. The strengthened fabric is placed at strategic locations in the upper to enhance the function for the user, which is noticeable in their Runners’ and Basketball designs.
The production process doesn’t churn out much waste compared to other footwear that uses various parts and patterns, leading to multiple cuts and joins. These various parts result in a large pool of unwanted waste of material.
Airing is enough for maintenance. It does not require a deep wash to get rid of foul odor.
Getting rid of dirt may require just a wipe with a damp cloth.

Disadvantages of flyknit

Having a product that meets all the needs of the consumer is a fallacy. The following are the shortcomings of the fly knit;

A breathable, sock-like structure is not waterproof, and thus flyknit shoes are not worn on wet days.
Reviews from recent consumers show that in over usage, the sole wears out, which is noticeable with the compressed soles of the runner’s design.
The price ranges from $250 to $400, leaving the average consumer unable to purchase this product.

What is PrimeKnit?

Just as the flyknit, the primeknit’s upper is woven in a single piece, unlike classical wear, bringing a sock-like feel to your feet while keeping them ventilated and cool.

The official series of Adidas’ PrimeKnit launched in 2012, coinciding with the 2012 Olympics with 2,012 pairs made available between the 27th of July to the 12th of August of the same year.

The benefits of the primeknit are similar to that of the flyknit. To have a design that supports comfort to a high degree, flexibility and stability incorporated into it, good ventilation that makes the feet of athletes cool, and ease of maintenance.

The drawbacks noticed in this design are:

Due to the soft texture of the material, there is little or no protection for the consumer’s feet, leaving an athlete or an individual at the mercy of unforeseen circumstances.
The slim nature of the primeknit may not be suitable for golfers with wide feet.
This technology cannot be adopted for outdoor activities like hiking or mountaineering where abrasion and wetting are present; you’ll need better hiking gear from Timberland and its like. Although with their constant innovation and advancement, I’m sure they will be working tirelessly to solve the issue.
Finally, the price ranges from $30 – $200.

Differences between FlyKnit and PrimeKnit

Apart from the brand names, the other differences existing between Flyknit and Primeknit are:

The primeknits have bigger spaces between knits, whereas flyknits have smaller spaces between Knits.
Primeknits have their upper woven with a single material, while flyknits involve placing stronger fibers at specific spots for more support.

Similarities between FlyKnit and PrimeKnit

The two big brands in the sportswear industry, Nike and Adidas have been at loggerheads with one another, bringing about innovative designs in both their products.

From the explanation given above on the fabric knitted technology adopted by both brands, one can see that they have pushed each other to bring about the best. So, there exist much more similarities in their designs as compared to their differences.

Both have a sock-like feeling.
The two designs are lightweight.
Their market is on the high end.
Both have adopted the knitted fabric technology, bringing about reduced industrial waste output.

FlyKnit vs PrimeKnit: Which one is better?

As humans, we often find ourselves at crossroads, unable to decide which product to go for and how best it suits our needs.

Both brands have made available their knitted series for all sorts of activities one can engage in. One can purchase either, following personal conviction, taste, and most important, price range.