Mizuno Wave Rider 18

Name: Mizuno Wave Rider 18
Brand: Mizuno
Rating: 4.5 (36 reviews)

Daily trainer · Neutral · Road · 9.2 oz · 12mm drop · 27/15mm stack

Discontinued — we no longer see this shoe in stock. The Mizuno Wave Rider 19 replaced it

How it ranks

The Mizuno Wave Rider 18 ranks above most daily trainers in our data. Cushioning and value are its strongest sub-ratings. Comfort scores well below its other sub-ratings. The rating rests on 36 runner reviews and 15 other rated shoes in the Wave Rider product line.

Good

85/100

Overall

Good 85

Cushioning

Good 84

Appearance

Decent 79

Value

Decent 79

Durability

Decent 77

Comfort

Decent 74

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 will score low when we have few ratings or when runners disagree.

See the product line's history

Confidence

95/100

Very high 95

What runners say

“New sole irritates a nerve; toes go numb after 6-8 miles.”

4/5 Full review 25 mpw training for a half marathon came from the Mizuno Wave Rider 17

“Only shoe that doesn't cause Achilles tendon issues.”

4/5 Full review 65 mpw

“The wave plate running through the sole prevents extra impact on injured legs.”

5/5 Full review 65 mpw came from the Nike Air Zoom Pegasus 31

“Heel and midfoot formed to foot; toe box generous for movement and swelling.”

4/5 Full review 25 mpw came from the ASICS GT-2000 3

“Perfect for easy runs and base mileage without being too bulky.”

5/5 Full review 80 mpw training for a half marathon

“No visible wear issues at 400 miles.”

5/5 Full review 50 mpw came from the Saucony Ride 6

“All pairs develop a hole over the big toe.”

4/5 Full review 40 mpw

“2+ years of use across warmups, drills, tempos, and recovery runs.”

4/5 Full review 10 mpw training for sprints

“Cut-out under heel picks up rocks on rocky trails and in heavy mud.”

5/5 Full review 50 mpw came from the Saucony Ride 6

“Firm due to wave plate, but smooth ride.”

4/5 Full review 25 mpw came from the ASICS GT-2000 3

Prefer this shoe over another

48% 21/44

Where to buy

No offers available

Affiliate links included. They never affect our ratings.

Prices updated daily. Last checked Sep 14.

Pros

Reviewers use it for easy miles, long runs and tempo work.
Three reviewers get 400 miles or more from a pair.
The Wave Rider 17 before it scores 56 on forty-nine reviews and the 16 scores 67 on forty-two, against this version's 84.

Cons

Two reviewers say the cutout under the sole picks up rocks and mud, and they keep it off trails.
Three reviewers find the wave plate firm and want more give.
One of thirty-six reviewers so far wore holes over the big toe in four separate pairs.

Wave Rider 18 rates 85. This shoe has very high certainty. See how we rate shoes.

Better Shoes Rating of prior versions of the Mizuno Wave Rider

Each dot is one version of the Wave Rider, placed by its rating and release year. The gold dot is this shoe.

Rating

40 60 80 100

60 2011 66 56 85 2014 62 92 74 2017 97 90 2019 68 71 2021 75 81 2023 97 81 2025 74

Release year

We use the reviews of past versions to inform this shoe’s rating. See why.

Wave Rider 30

2026 · 0 reviews

74 Decent

49 Confidence
Wave Rider 29

2025 · 2 reviews

81 Good

75 Confidence
Wave Rider 28

2024 · 6 reviews

97 Excellent

89 Confidence
Wave Rider 27

2023 · 17 reviews

81 Good

85 Confidence
Wave Rider 26

2022 · 21 reviews

75 Decent

88 Confidence
Wave Rider 25

2021 · 2 reviews

71 Decent

72 Confidence
Wave Rider 24

2020 · 4 reviews

68 Below average

48 Confidence
Wave Rider 23

2019 · 7 reviews

90 Good

86 Confidence
Wave Rider 22

2018 · 18 reviews

97 Exceptional

95 Confidence
Wave Rider 21

2017 · 25 reviews

74 Decent

91 Confidence
Wave Rider 20

2016 · 16 reviews

92 Very good

91 Confidence
Wave Rider 19

2015 · 12 reviews

62 Below average

88 Confidence
Wave Rider 18 This shoe

2014 · 36 reviews

85 Good

95 Confidence
Wave Rider 17

2013 · 49 reviews

56 Bottom-tier

97 Confidence
Wave Rider 16

2012 · 42 reviews

66 Below average

93 Confidence
Wave Rider 15

2011 · 4 reviews

60 Bottom-tier

85 Confidence

Reader Ratings

36 ratings

5/5 18

4/5 18

3/5 0

2/5 0

1/5 0

See written reviews Write a review

Specs & fit

Sizing and ride details at a glance.

Weight: 9.2 oz
Release: 2014
MSRP: $120
Stack Height: 27mm heel - 15mm toe
Drop Height: 12mm

Runner reviews

Write a review

Awesome bang for your buck!

5/5

Overall

I've been doing the bulk of my easy mileage in wave riders for the past 6 years or so. I average 50-100 miles per week and always use neutral shoes. They are perfect for the long easy runs and base mileage to prevent injuries without being too bulky or too much cushion. They also last a lot longer than cheaper shoes so I think they are a great value.

Anonymous runner · Feb 6, 2018

80 mpw training for a half marathon

Comfort: 5/5
Cushioning: 5/5
Durability: 5/5
Appearance: 5/5
Value: 5/5

Reader review

4/5

Overall

Anonymous runner · Dec 9, 2015

50 mpw came from the adidas Supernova Sequence Boost 6

Comfort: 4/5
Durability: 4/5
Appearance: 5/5
Value: 4/5

Reader review

4/5

Overall

Used to have them, changed brands, have gone back to it. it is not the most beautiful or technical but it is fairly light and reliable.

Anonymous runner · Dec 8, 2015

45 mpw training for a half marathon came from the Saucony Triumph ISO

Comfort: 4/5
Durability: 3/5
Appearance: 3/5
Value: 4/5

Reader review

5/5

Overall

Great shoe, better than the 17, Not as springy as the 16. Lightweight, good support for a neutral runner.

Anonymous runner · Dec 6, 2015

30 mpw training for a marathon came from the Mizuno Wave Rider 16

Comfort: 5/5
Durability: 4/5
Appearance: 5/5
Value: 4/5

Reader review

5/5

Overall

It's a great all purpose shoe. A bit lighter than what I had run in previously (so I feel OK using it in workouts) but solid enough as an everyday trainer. I retire my shoes around 400 miles, and have had no visible wear issues in that interval. I'm on my 4th pair now. Only downside is that there is a cut out area under the heel that can pick up rocks, so I don't use these shoes on rocky trails or in heavy mud.

drbruced · Dec 2, 2015

50 mpw came from the Saucony Ride 6