Primo at $120/vial and climbing, adjusting your stack because of the raw ban?

[Marc NL]

Primo at that price I just cannot justify. Switched my planned blast to test and mast-E but then mast-E went out of stock too. Ended up doing test and var which was fine but it was not what I planned. The raw ban is genuinely reshaping what people are running.

[Jock]

EQ at a fraction of the price and it does a decent job as a substitute for some of what primo offers. Not identical but for most guys the difference in results does not justify paying 4x more. I have been running EQ and test for the last two blasts and cannot complain.

[NYCgains]

$120 a vial is where primo always ends up when supply tightens. I stocked 20 vials in December when prices were still reasonable. If you did not buy ahead this is just the reality for the next 6-12 months. EQ is the smart swap for anyone who can tolerate the hematocrit management.

[Beantown Rick]

MTS confirmed stock for now which I appreciate. Bought what I needed last month. If you are planning a blast with primo in the next few months I would order sooner rather than waiting. The labs that have it now may not in 8 weeks.

[BERLINER]

In Germany we are also seeing this very much. Primo was always expensive but now some sources have no stock at any price. I think EQ becomes the standard substitute for most users this year. The quality difference matters less when primo is simply not available.

[MunichMarc]

This is my first blast so I have never actually used primo. I was planning to include it based on what I read but at these prices I think test only makes more sense for a beginner anyway. Is there any reason a first cycle user would specifically need primo or is it more of an advanced addition?

[Dutchman]

No reason at all for a first cycle. Test only is the correct approach. Primo is an addition for experienced users who want to improve body composition quality on blast without adding significant androgenic sides. At your stage the testosterone alone will produce more results than you expect. Add complexity later.

[Jock]

Mast-E situation is worse than primo over here. Cannot get it at any sensible price from anyone I trust. EQ is the logical swap for off-season mass but the hematocrit management adds work I do not want. Primo at current prices is painful but for prep it is still what it is. No real substitute for the end result on stage.

[Dutchman]

The raw restriction is hitting boldenone supply as well, not just tren precursors. Prices will not normalise quickly. EQ and primobolan are not interchangeable for prep purposes - different half life, very different anabolic to androgenic ratio, completely different on-stage result. For off-season volume EQ at 400mg works well. For pre-contest muscle hardening and the clean dry look primo delivers there is genuinely no drop-in replacement at any price.

[Beantown Rick]

Stocking up now is the right call if you have a prep cycle planned in the next 6 months. Waiting for prices to drop based on the current supply situation is optimistic. The ban is not easing. I ordered 3 cycles worth of primo in January and I am genuinely glad I did.

[Jock]

Primo was never cheap but this is getting ridiculous. Haven't paid less than 110 a vial in 18 months. EQ at 400mg as a substitute is fine if you can manage the hematocrit. Some people can't. Not every lab's EQ is consistent either.

[TEXMEX]

EQ at 800mg to 1g weekly is basically primo money anyway once you factor in the extra compounds needed for hematocrit management. Switched to a lower primo dose and accepted the reduction in quality. 75mg per week alongside test still gives you the joint benefit and some cosmetic improvement even if it's not a full primo blast. The raw situation isn't improving any time soon based on what I'm hearing.

[BERLINER]

Mast-E shortage here in Germany is severe. Have not seen a reliable supply in six months. Primo at current prices I can justify for a competition prep but not for an off-season cycle. EQ at 400-500mg weekly with aggressive hydration and quarterly bloodwork is my current solution. I would not pay for primo as a mass builder at these prices when the caloric surplus covers most of what primo would add cosmetically.

[Geoff K]

Primo price hike has proper hurt this year. I am an average bloke not running a competitive prep, just want a clean compound for a solid summer cycle. At current prices it is out of reach honestly. Ended up going test e plus masteron instead which is not the same but more affordable. If the prices do not come down by winter I will probably just stick with what works at a price I can manage.

[FLbodybuilder]

Anyone else getting hit with primo prices lately? What used to cost me around $80 a vial is coming up at $120-130 now from the same sources I've been using for years, and some guys I know can't find it at all. Stock just dry.

Mast-E is in the same boat from what I've heard, basically not being produced right now.

Pretty sure this is the China raw ban hitting hard, not just the usual supply fluctuations. Affects every lab not just the smaller ones. Wondering if it's worth stocking up now at these prices or just swap to EQ for the next couple of cycles while it sorts itself out. Anyone else adjusting their stack because of this?

[FrankfurtFit]

primo was already getting up there before all this kicked off, $120/vial is just ridiculous now. switched to EQ at 700mg mid last cycle and honestly the muscle quality was comparable - takes longer to kick but the gains felt clean, no water. mast is the one thats genuinely gone, not just expensive. saw a few different suppliers saying they cant get it at all. if you can still find primo at a sensible price id stock up, no idea when the raw situation sorts itself out.

[BIGDADDY]

Stock is secured for now. I won't make promises past that because the situation is still moving, but primo we're covered on. Mast-E is the one I'm most concerned about - that's genuinely hard to source right now. EQ is fine and honestly it's a solid swap if you're flexible on your stack.

Get it while it's available is the honest advice.

[GODZILLA]

We have confirmed to members through support that current stock is secured, but it would not be honest to say the situation is not being watched closely. The price increases are real and not unique to us. If primo is a core part of your stack, stocking up now at current pricing is probably the sensible move rather than waiting to see how this develops.

[Davo]

EQ is the obvious swap if primo goes completely dry. Not the same compound but for lean muscle retention through a blast it gets the job done without the price tag. I've been running EQ at 600 for the past couple of months and honestly if primo stays at these prices I might just stick with it long term. The China situation isn't resolving anytime soon - some raws still aren't moving and mast-e is basically gone already. I'd rather adapt the stack now than wait around hoping prices drop.

[Mick AU]

The wait-and-see approach makes sense if you're a couple months out from your next run, but if you're planning a primo cycle for Q3 or Q4 this year I'd lock in what I need now. The ban has been running since November and nobody's calling it as solved anytime soon. Anyone who stocked up last year was the smart one in the room.

[FLbodybuilder]

Switched over to EQ for my last blast when primo hit silly prices. Not identical obviously but running 600mg/wk with 500 test I kept lean, strength went up and sides were manageable. You do need to dial your AI in from the start though - E2 behaves differently on EQ than a straight test run. Worth checking hematocrit at 8 weeks too if you haven't donated recently. Not a perfect swap but close enough when primo is sitting at those prices.

[BIGDADDY]

Stock is secured for now but I won't pretend the situation is resolved. Everyone in the industry is working from existing inventory at this point. If you find primo at a price that still makes sense, stock up. I can't give you a timeline on when this eases.

[FrankfurtFit]

EQ is where I landed after primo became a joke price-wise. Not the same compound obviously but the lean dry gains without the water, decent strength increase, and it stacks well with test without adding complexity. Main downside is the hematocrit - I donate every 8 weeks and that keeps it in check. If you can manage bloods it's a solid budget swap for a long blast where you wanted primo for the same lean mass effect.

[Davo]

Switched most of my offseason volume from primo to EQ at 500mg after my last vial ran out. Not the same compound obviously but EQ at that price point is actually worth running when primo at �120+ a vial is getting hard to justify for anything other than prep. The hunger gets annoying but the vascularity and the slow steady strength gains are real. Hematocrit crept up on me at week 8 so I donate every 8 weeks now, factor that in if you go that route. Still got a few primo vials on the shelf for peak week. Hard to let go of it completely but cant justify it as a bulk staple anymore.

[Mick AU]

switched to EQ after primo went past �110 a vial. yeah the look is different but at that price gap it's hard to justify keeping primo in an off-season stack. at 600mg the hunger spike is the main thing to deal with, diet has to be locked in or it gets away from you. committing to 20 weeks minimum or you're wasting your time with EQ - that's the part most guys don't account for. when the china situation settles I'll revisit primo for prep but right now EQ just makes more sense financially.

[GODZILLA]

The supply situation is real and not likely to shift quickly. EQ is genuinely worth looking at as a practical alternative given where primo pricing has gone - different compound but the lean quality gains and vascular effect are there at a fraction of the cost right now.

[FLbodybuilder]

Anyone else stocking up while it's still available? I grabbed extra in January when prices were starting to move and looking smart for it now. Not seeing this getting cheaper in the next 6 months minimum given the supply situation. EQ is the standard swap people bring up but at the end of the day it's not really doing the same job. Sure the look is similar but the hematocrit management on EQ is a whole extra problem to deal with. Different trade-offs.

[BIGDADDY]

Yeah the raw situation is real. Primo and mast-E have been the hardest hit. We have stock secured for now but it's not a situation I'd call stable long term - if you're planning a run that relies on either of those, sooner is better than later.

[FrankfurtFit]

EQ is the obvious swap if you want that dry, vascular look without the primo price. Not identical but close enough for most off-season goals, and hematocrit management aside it's straightforward to run. 600mg/week for 20 weeks is what I'd go back to if primo dried up completely. The extra work on blood donation is annoying but manageable if you plan the donations into the cycle schedule from week one.

[emperorcaliano]

I would say both have similarities in terms of results, but each pro
Both provide lean gains, no water.
Primo tends to give a more “hard look” while EQ will provide a more “round muscles” look.

[FLbodybuilder]

Yeah primo's getting brutal on price. Was paying around $85-90 a vial not that long ago, now it's pushing $120 and some places just don't have it at all. Switching to EQ makes sense if you want similar dry quality gains but they do behave differently. EQ gives you that rounder, more vascular look vs the harder, tighter look you get from primo. Main thing to watch with EQ is keeping it under 50% of your test dose or you'll tank your E2 - it has anti-estrogenic properties people underestimate. Also budget for at least 16-18 weeks minimum, the compound doesn't really start delivering until week 8-10 so short cycles are a waste of money.