Fast, well-fitting, nice-looking trainer
5/5
Overall
mottman964 · Jul 20, 2019
35 mpw training for ultramarathons came from the Nike Air Zoom Pegasus 34
- Comfort
- 5/5
- Cushioning
- 4/5
- Durability
- 5/5
- Appearance
- 5/5
- Value
- 5/5
Mizuno Wave Shadow
Daily trainer · Neutral · Road · 8.1 oz · 8mm drop
Discontinued — we no longer see this shoe in stock. The Mizuno Wave Shadow 2 replaced it
How it ranks
The Mizuno Wave Shadow trails most daily trainers in our data. Value and looks are its strongest sub-ratings. Cushioning scores well below its other sub-ratings. The rating is based on 8 runner reviews and 2 other rated shoes in the Wave Shadow product line.
Below average
Confidence
How settled the rating is against every other rated shoe. A shoe can rate high on confidence with relatively few reviews of its own when its product line has a long record and external ratings from retailer sites agree. Confidence is low when we have few ratings or when runners disagree.
Confidence
78 Moderate
Based on
The bars show roughly how much each source contributes to this shoe’s rating. Their influence depends on how many reviews we’ve collected, how many earlier versions are in the product line, and the external ratings available.
- Brand rating
- Our ratings
- External ratings
What runners say
“The ride is really firm and after coming from the softness of the Peg it was quite a shock.”
“Light enough for fast distance race efforts, but stable enough for faster long runs.”
“They rub my Achilles tendon in a weird way, and I have tendonitis flare ups if I train in these everyday.”
“Like a lot of Mizunos the heel is quite rigid and if you're not landing mid foot they feel clunky so you can't be lazy in these.”
“There's no break-in required. The first time I put them on it was like 'welcome home!'”
“Slim toes; enough room in the lateral midfoot for my slightly protruding fifth metatarsal turberosity; enough arch support for my arches.”
“The stretchy material forms around my feet perfectly.”
“Fit true to size. Mid-narrow fit.”
“A soft enough sole so that my many times sprained ankle has no issues with the lateral arch.”
“The sole is prone to pick up stones, which is annoying.”
“Light enough to race in, the Shadow is also perfect for training.”
“The thread is a little underwhelming when traction is an issue (wet roads, soft trails.)”
“It's very light, but feels like its sole is sturdy.”
“The little slits collect little pebbles which is annoying.”
“There is a bit of a rocker effect when rolling onto the toe and pushing off.”
“Fit is standard—maybe a 1/2 size large.”
“I feel way faster than I do than in any other shoe I own.”
“Over all an ok tempo/workout shoe if you like a really firm ride.”
“For someone who tends to run on the front of his foot, I find it gives me the right feel for my gait.”
“A firm, fast, straightforward shoe.”
Prefer this shoe over another
50% 3/6
Where to buy
No offers available
Affiliate links included. They never affect our ratings.
Prices updated daily. Last checked Oct 22.
Pros
- Reviewers call it light and fast, good for tempo runs and racing, and appearance draws 4.8 out of 5.
- Reviewers find the fit comfortable and secure with no break-in needed, one going straight out for 11 miles.
- Value draws 4.6 out of 5, with one reviewer calling fifty dollars insane value.
Cons
- The ride is firm, and several reviewers wanted more cushioning, one calling it a shock after the Pegasus.
- Reviewers describe the wave-plate heel as stiff, and one gets Achilles tendonitis flare-ups if he runs in them daily.
- Reviewers say the outsole grooves trap stones and grip poorly on wet roads and soft trails.
Rating & Confidence vs. other shoes for sale
Each dot is one rated shoe for sale, placed by its rating and by how much evidence sits behind it. Shoes toward the top right are both well rated and well established.
Better Shoes Rating
Better Shoes Rating of prior versions of the Mizuno Wave Shadow
Each dot is one version of the Wave Shadow, placed by its rating and release year. The gold dot is this shoe.
Release year
-
2019 · 2 reviews
73 Decent
55 Confidence
-
2018 · 2 reviews
68 Below average
48 Confidence
-
Wave Shadow This shoe
2017 · 8 reviews
67 Below average
78 Confidence
Specs & fit
Sizing and ride details at a glance.
- Weight
- 8.1 oz
- Men's / women's
- Men's 8.8 oz · Women's 7.4 oz
- Release
- 2017 Q3
- MSRP
- $110
- Drop
- 8mm
Runner reviews
They are Oook
2/5
Overall
Dubyah · Feb 6, 2019
40 mpw came from the Nike Air Zoom Pegasus 34
- Comfort
- 3/5
- Cushioning
- 2/5
- Durability
- 4/5
- Appearance
- 4/5
- Value
- 3/5
Wave Shadow is an excellent tempo run training shoe
5/5
Overall
Anonymous runner · Oct 3, 2018
8 mpw training for a half marathon came from the Mizuno Wave Rider 21
- Comfort
- 4/5
- Cushioning
- 4/5
- Durability
- 4/5
- Appearance
- 5/5
- Value
- 5/5
Super Fast but some Tendonitis Issues
3/5
Overall
jumpjumpjumpjumpjump · Sep 20, 2018
65 mpw training for a half marathon came from the HOKA Hupana
- Comfort
- 3/5
- Cushioning
- 5/5
- Durability
- 4/5
- Appearance
- 5/5
- Value
- 5/5
Fast trainer - right out of the box
5/5
Overall
Anonymous runner · Jun 7, 2018
40 mpw training for a marathon came from the Mizuno Wave Sayonara
- Comfort
- 5/5
- Cushioning
- 4/5
- Durability
- 5/5
- Appearance
- 5/5
- Value
- 5/5
Alternatives
Other shoes worth considering.
More from Mizuno
Compared to other shoes
See how this shoe compares to others like it.
Mizuno Wave Shadow In Context
More on the Mizuno Wave Shadow
- Mizuno Wave Shadow 3
- Mizuno Wave Shadow 2 next version
Reviewers Also Ran In
- Nike Air Zoom Pegasus 34 2 runners
- Mizuno Wave Sayonara 1 runner
- Altra Instinct 3.5 1 runner