Mizuno’s Wave Plate is a running shoe technology that absorbs shock and keeps your foot stable, protecting you from injury. The Parallel and Infinity Wave plates are found in neutral shoes, while Fan Wave plates provide stability for overpronators in the Horizon and Sky running shoes.
Whether you’re training at the gym or racing your local 5K, there’s a mizuno running shoe for you. Check out our guide to find the perfect shoes for you!
Wave Rider
A perennial favorite, the 23rd iteration of the Mizuno Wave Rider is one of the best daily training shoes available today. The shoe offers light stability with a soft, high stacked ride. This makes it ideal for a runner who enjoys neutral training shoes that are still able to turn it up on the marathon workouts.
A great running shoe for beginners or anyone who needs a stable trainer that can go long distances. The newest version is lighter and has a new upper that makes the shoe feel like it has more stability but still fits the same shape.
The ride of this Mizuno shoe is what keeps it on the top spot in a lot of our rankings. The TPU Wave plate is paired with an ENERZY NXT foam that gives a balanced and supportive ride (short of full-on stability). It is great for heel strikers who want to run fast in a trainer without getting a collapsed or foot slapped feeling.
Despite the shoe being called a “neutral” trainer, it’s one of the most stable trainers I’ve ever had the pleasure of running in. This is largely due to the fact that it utilizes a traditional wave plate in the heel and midfoot, which adds some rigidity to the shoe. In addition, the newest versions of the Wave Rider use what Mizuno calls a Foam Wave, which features multiple densities of foam to create a smooth and cushioned transition. In addition to this, the newest version of the Wave Rider uses Pebax Rnew, which is an eco-friendly plastic material that adds support to the heel and midfoot. This combination of stability and a soft, responsive ride makes this one of the most versatile trainers on the market today.
Wave Horizon
The Wave Horizon is an everyday running shoe that offers maximum stability and a high level of cushioning. It’s a great choice for training over any distance. The shoe’s midsole uses what Mizuno calls Foam Wave, which features multiple densities of foam to provide a soft landing in the heel and a smooth transition to the forefoot. The upper is made from comfortable and eco-friendly recycled materials. The shoe also has a gusseted tongue and a padded collar. CHAD:
The upper in the Horizon 6 is an adaptable stretch weave with a ribbed pattern that provides structure to the shoe without adding weight. This is a very thoughtful design feature that works well with the shape of the upper. The shoe has a moderate to high level of stability, which is delivered through a medial post and several other guidance features.
In addition to the support the shoe also offers a very lively and enjoyable ride that can handle everything from recovery runs to tempo efforts and even marathon races. It’s a really solid all-rounder that can be used by a wide range of runners, although it may not be the best shoe for newer or very casual runners who want something more lightweight and flexible.
The Horizon is a fantastic option for those looking for a stable shoe with lots of cushioning, but I would suggest the Nike Air Zoom Pegasus 32 if you’re interested in a more responsive and lightweight feel. If you’re not looking for a super-stable shoe then I would recommend the Wave Rebellion Flash 3, which is the ideal training and workout shoe, or the Wave Neo Ultra for those that prefer a sustainable max-cushion trainer.
Wave Inspire
The Wave Inspire has been a quiet staple of the Mizuno line, a tried and true daily training shoe that has maintained its place in the lineup even while some other shoes have seen some major shake-ups and progression within the brand. This year the Inspire 21 sees some weight loss, a new upper and a hefty dose of one of Mizuno’s newest foams in the heel.
It also remains a high drop shoe, with the Wave plate providing stiffer, more centered stability from the heel to the midfoot. In general, the Inspire feels firmer underfoot than most other Mizuno shoes we have tested, but it is not clunky or hard to run in. It is a good choice for those with moderate stability needs who want a solid daily training shoe for workouts and long runs.
One of our main focuses this time around was to push Mizuno to really try and boost the energy return of the Inspire, especially in the heel, since version 20 was a little underwhelming in that regard. They listened and this time around they have delivered, hitting 53.3% on our torsional rigidity tester.
The new upper is a major improvement over previous versions as well. The fabric is soft and durable, with a nice level of stretch in the forefoot. The fit is true to size for us and it feels great, secure in the heel and with a nice amount of room in the forefoot. The Inspire is a great choice for those who like a high drop, mild to moderate stability shoe that can handle both short and long training runs and marathons. It would be a great companion shoe to the Brooks Hyperion GTS for workouts and races, with the Inspire logging most of your mileage and the Horizon as your marathon trainer and race day shoe.
Hyperwarp Pure
Mizuno has pushed into the carbon-plated super racing shoe market with their Hyperwarp Pure and Elite series. Replacing the Wave Rebellion Flash, Pro and Low models, the Hyperwarp line is designed to be a true hybrid between ultra-minimal race shoes and daily trainers. With a lower profile, omitting even the sockliner and featuring their premium Enerzy foam, the Hyperwarp is able to provide speed without feeling wild or overly aggressive. The slick and lightweight G3 outsole also helps to keep the shoe honed and chiseled into the essence of speed.
The Hyperwarp Pure runs surprisingly stable for such a lightweight shoe. The wide base platform underfoot creates a more centered feel on initial contact and the large lateral sole flare is well integrated into the heel and forefoot. Even though this flare creates a noticeable guidance into pronation, it’s minimal enough to work for the majority of runners who have no need for extra lateral stability.
This unique combination of a neutral racing shoe with a large amount of lateral support makes the shoe a great option for most runners who want a light and fast trainer. The softer landings in the heels, the stable transition through midfoot, and the excellent outsole traction make the Hyperwarp Pure an ideal shoe for everything from recovery running to high-quality training sessions.
The Elite is an updated version of the popular Wave Sky 9. While it retains the layered Foam Wave design that gives the shoe its soft landings and smooth transition, the Elite adds a layer of Enerzy Lite+ to the bottom of the shoes for even more responsiveness and durability. While this will likely limit the Elite to marathon distance races for most, it should be a great racer for those with the biomechanics and strength to push hard at longer distances.
Hyperwarp Elite
Replacing the Rebellion Flash line, this trio of carbon racing shoes from Mizuno is more approachable than previous offerings. While the Elite and Pure are true racers, the Pro teeters closer to a trainer-racer hybrid and offers stability and cushioning for tempo runs, long intervals, and marathon training.
The Elite has a massive lateral sole flare, which adds support and stability to the midfoot. The shape of the shoe feels more like a stability shoe than a neutral one, and it will work well for the small number of runners who need tons of lateral support in a lightweight racer. The Elite has no major sidewalls, and the lateral shape and sole flare provide a push into pronation.
With 38mm of stack and a weight of 5.8 ounces, the Elite is competitive with other marathon racing shoes at all distances. It uses dual-layered Enerzy XP foam: the top layer is featherlight PEBA for a responsive feel, while the bottom is supercritical TPEE for added integrity under the carbon plate, perfectly balancing cushioning with energy transfer.
This is a very versatile shoe, and it will suit all levels of runner from beginner to marathoner. It is also a great example of how shoe geometry can significantly influence the ride and stability of a running shoe. Mizuno’s Wave Plate is a classic that has helped the brand build an outstanding reputation in stability, and its use in these three shoes shows how it can be used to create shoes for both everyday and high-performance running. The Pro, Elite, and Pure are all examples of this, proving that Mizuno continues to be at the forefront of design innovation.