Mizuno Men's Wave Rider 25 Running Shoes

Product Information

Personal: A- (A lifesaver for me and a continued favorite. The softer sole takes the edge off so I can't use them for workouts anymore. However the high drop did great for a mild Achilles injury. The Energy is awesome and I can't wait to try that in a shoe designed for racing)

Overall: B+ (Still a great workhorse with a really fun foam, but a couple of issues at the transitions) Nathan: This shoe continues to be a faithful, highly stable, workhorse trainer that can handle daily runs, recovery runs, and some uptempo work. It is going to be a great option for the Wave Rider faithful, and is the first Mizuno Wave Rider that steps more fully into the realm of newer trainers due to the softer and bouncy feel to it. For those with limited great toe extension or recurrent anterior compartment (shin) issues, this shoe may still work for you, but you may need a rotation or to try it out to make sure there isn't too much demand on those areas for you. Richard says: Straight out of the box they look special, the white and silver colourway is striking just like the shoe. The more you look at the shoe the more you notice the quality and the feel of a shoe that is there for the long haul.The first time I put the Wave Rider 25 on, I was impressed with how plush and luxurious the upper felt. The interior felt smooth and the fit was perfect. The Wave Rider 25 felt softer in the forefoot but transitions didn’t feel as smooth as in the Ghost 14 which has a single-density midsole. However, there is no reflective element on the side, as you can see compared next to a highly reflective shoe, the Hoka Mach 4. Conclusion Richard says: There’s n othing I am unsure about with the Wave Rider 25 as I have been wearing the Wave Riders for a while now. But this is your steady shoe, if you want to something a bit pacier for the speed sessions or steady runs have a look at the NEO range from Mizuno. It’s confirmed once again on this model. However, according to the testers, the ride is not bland either and definitely has a dynamic feel. They note a pleasant slight bounce, courtesy of the new Mizuno Enerzy foam and Wave Plate. Can you call it a bouncy ride? Maybe not, but we’re not far either.

The new Wave Rider 25 has also been completely revamped with a more breathable upper and a full-length Enerzy midsole.Wave Rider 25 has been developed for two years while runners all over the world tested it continuously. Mizuno are quite determined and certain that Wave Rider 25 will become the absolute most popular edition in 25 years. David: The Rider 25 has a unique update to the line up. The full length Mizuno Enerzy foam provides a softer ride than the Rider has provided in the past. The shoe however still feels very much like a Wave Rider, but has a softer platform and a little more bounce. The forefoot feels more cushioned and flexible as well. The shoe does feel like a high drop shoe, which it is. The transitions throughout are still pretty smooth throughout however. The midsole itself is surprisingly responsive for how it feels at step in. The shoe still leans in the daily trainer category, but I was able to take this on some pretty hard strides and the shoe responded well. I wouldn't lean on it for a speed day effort, but it can handle some uptempo if you need it to. The shoe is certainly a neutral trainer and does lose a tad stability from the softer platform and slightly narrow last, but there is enough stability elements on the shoe for it to still have plenty of components to make it fluid and stable for neutral runners. First, as we transition through the running gait cycle, we come to the point where we transition from mid stance to terminal stance. Terminal stance is a point in the gait cycle where we start to drive up off the heel and over the toes. As we move into terminal stance, much of what we think about is achieving triple extension (simultaneous hip extension, knee extension, and ankle plantaflexion) to help move us forward. However, another very important aspect of this transition is achieving extension of the 1st MTP joint and what that extension does to help with load bearing. Stability: A- (Pretty much as stable as a neutral trainer gets, but some instability in the heel due to clunkiness and flexibly forefoot) I did notice two things about this shoe worth noting. The heel was a bit more obtrusive during heel strike compared to previous versions and I noticed increased demand on my shin muscles (tibialis anterior and extensor digitorum) on longer runs, particularly when fatigued. Second, with the softer Enerzy foam also came increased flexibility in the forefoot. This led to some increased stress through my first big toe joint (1st MTP joint) due to the deformation of the foam in that area combined with increased range of motion demand due to the flexible foam. Neither of these things were deal breakers as I still could take this shoe any distance and through a variety of paces comfortably, but they were noticeable compared to previous editions of the shoe. In terms of speed, I found this version to have much of the same versatility of previous versions (could do some Fartlek work, tempo runs, long runs, recovery runs), but with a little less top speed due to the more flexible forefoot and softer foam up front.