Mizuno

Wave Rider 20

Wave Rider 20
Daily trainer · Neutral · Road
Exceptional (98%)

Shoe details

Weight
9.6 oz
Release
2016 Q3
MSRP
$120
Drop Height
12mm

Ratings & Reviews

Exceptional (98%)

Rated better overall than 98% of all shoes.
?

This score rates better than 98% of other shoes we judged.

Our ratings use detailed reviews from knowledgeable runners, ratings for shoes in the same product line, and reliable product information from trusted retailers.

Rating breakdown

Percentile vs. all shoes. Shaded bars reflect our uncertainty.
?

Rankings are based on real review data, but there is always some uncertainty.

The shaded bar shows a plausible range for this shoe’s rank based on the review data we have and normal variation in runner feedback. More reviews usually narrow the range.

Overall

Exceptional (98%)

Value

Exceptional (99%)

Comfort

Excellent (96%)

Durability

Excellent (90%)

Cushioning

Good (75%)

Appearance

Average (49%)

All Running Shoes

Better than 98% of 2,492 running shoes ranked.

Exceptional (98%)

Daily Trainers

Better than 98% of 1,818 daily trainers ranked.

Exceptional (98%)

Wave Rider Family

Better than 87% of 10 wave rider family ranked.

Very good (87%)

Mizuno

Better than 97% of 101 Mizuno shoes ranked.

Exceptional (97%)

Pros & Cons

Pros

  • Reviewers rate this shoe better than the Wave Rider 18.
  • Popular shoe among LetsRun.com readers.
  • Rated among the top 5% of shoes overall.
  • Rated among the top 5% of shoes on comfort.
  • Rated among the top 10% of shoes on cushioning.

Compared to other shoes

See how this shoe compares to others like it.

Current shoe
Reference shoe
Newest
Lowest price / Best overall / Best comfort
Shoe properties
Type
Daily trainer
Daily trainer
Daily trainer
Pronation
Neutral (Moderate)
Neutral
Neutral
Weight
9.6 oz M
Stack
Drop
12mm
9mm
Release
2016 Q3
2025 Q3 Newest
2025 Q2
MSRP
$120
Best price
$149.95
$129.95 Lowest price
Ratings
Overall
Exceptional (98%)
Exceptional (99%)
Exceptional (100%) Best overall
Comfort
Excellent (96%)
Exceptional (99%)
Exceptional (100%) Best comfort
Cushioning
Good (75%)
Exceptional (97%)
Exceptional (99%) Best cushioning
Durability
Very good (90%)
Exceptional (98%)
Exceptional (99%) Best durability
Appearance
Average (49%)
Excellent (96%)
Exceptional (99%) Best appearance
Value
Exceptional (99%)
Exceptional (98%)
Exceptional (100%) Best value
Specific shoe

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Better alternatives

Higher-rated shoes similar to this one

More from Mizuno

Reader Reviews

16 reader reviews

Review a shoe

Showing 1–5 of 16 reviews

Reader review

wc colonel · Sep 28, 2025

5/5

Overall

Comfort
5/5
Cushioning
5/5
Durability
5/5
Appearance
4/5
Value
5/5

Reader review

Anonymous runner · Sep 28, 2025

5/5

Overall

Comfort
5/5
Cushioning
5/5
Durability
5/5
Appearance
3/5
Value
5/5

Wave Rider 20

Anonymous runner · Sep 28, 2025

5/5

Overall

I had been wanting to buy a pair of the Wave Riders since 2016, but only just this year finally bought a pair. Since the 20s were on sale (2 gens old) I ended up picking them up for a sale price. They wowed me from the first run. Whether it's a long run, easy trot, or uptempo work, they are suitable for it all. In my most recent long run (17 miles in just over an hour and fifty minutes on mostly pavement) they felt as cushioned as they had in the first mile. They've never felt too soft or too stiff. Somehow these shoes manage to constantly feel sturdy, but comfortable every mile I'm on the roads, trails, or grass. Currently I've got about a hundred miles on them.
Comfort
5/5
Cushioning
4/5
Durability
5/5
Appearance
5/5
Value
5/5

Waverider 20

Anonymous runner · Sep 28, 2025

4/5

Overall

Overall this show has done me very well and been my go to shoe for roughly 3 years. However I’ve found it consitently wears down or rips its netting right by my forefoot even when I wear the wide shoes.
Comfort
4/5
Cushioning
4/5
Durability
3/5
Appearance
4/5
Value
5/5

Reliable

Anonymous runner · Sep 28, 2025

5/5

Overall

I've been wearing the Wave Riders for the last 8 years through multiple versions. I've never had problems with new versions and it has been a reliable shoe for training.
Comfort
5/5
Cushioning
5/5
Durability
5/5
Appearance
5/5
Value
5/5