Mizuno Wave Rider 26

Name: Mizuno Wave Rider 26
Brand: Mizuno
Rating: 4.1 (9 reviews)

Daily trainer · Neutral · Road · 10.1 oz · 12mm drop · 36/24mm stack

Discontinued — we no longer see this shoe in stock. The Mizuno Wave Rider 27 replaced it

How it ranks

The Mizuno Wave Rider 26 sits about average for daily trainers in our data. Durability and cushioning are its strongest sub-ratings. Looks scores well below its other sub-ratings. The rating rests on 21 runner reviews and 15 other rated shoes in the Wave Rider product line.

Decent

75/100

Overall

Decent 75

Durability

Very good 92

Comfort

Decent 76

Cushioning

Decent 77

Value

Decent 71

Appearance

Below average 69

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

88/100

High 88

What runners say

“The heel wraparound became some kind of hard plastic, and the shoes seem to stiffen with version 24 and up.”

1/5 Full review 30 mpw training for 5K and 10K

“Perfectly suitable for orthotics, minimal concessions to faddish evolution and consistent feel year on year.”

5/5 Full review 40 mpw training for a marathon came from the ASICS GT-1000 12

“The drop is too high. Knee pain is common because of it.”

4/5 Full review 30 mpw training for 5K and 10K came from the Saucony Cohesion 12

“They're the most reliable and consistent shoe I've ever worn.”

5/5 Full review 40 mpw training for a marathon came from the ASICS GT-1000 12

“I like the lightweight feel of the Wave Rider series and think the cushioning is adequate for daily training.”

5/5 Full review 25 mpw training for 5K and 10K

“Having a shoe that knows who it is means so much.”

5/5 Full review training for 5K and 10K came from the ASICS GEL-Nimbus 22

“Might have a bit too much padding for my liking.”

4/5 Full review 30 mpw training for 5K and 10K came from the Saucony Cohesion 12

Prefer this shoe over another

38% 6/16

Where to buy

No offers available

Affiliate links included. They never affect our ratings.

Prices updated daily. Last checked Sep 14.

Pros

Durability is among its best-rated dimensions, and long-time wearers call it reliable.
Long-time users value the fit and the ride staying consistent year to year.
One reviewer says the 26 runs cooler than the 25, on road and hardpack trail.

Cons

At 12mm the drop is high, and one reviewer calls it too high for them.
One reviewer says the heel wraparound became hard plastic and the shoe stiffened from the 24 on.

Wave Rider 26 rates 75. This shoe has 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 2013 85 62 2015 92 74 2017 97 90 2019 68 71 75 2022 81 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 This shoe

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

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

21 ratings

5/5 12

4/5 7

3/5 0

2/5 1

1/5 1

See written reviews Write a review

Specs & fit

Sizing and ride details at a glance.

Weight: 10.1 oz
Release: 2022 Q3
Stack Height: 36mm heel - 24mm toe
Drop Height: 12mm

Runner reviews

Write a review

Thank you for letting the Wave Rider just… be

5/5

Overall

Over the rollercoaster years of my post-collegiate running life, I’ve tried to reinvent myself multiple times. (I can look back now and, thankfully, discern a path that eventually rose to find me. And I can laugh at myself more, too.) But through it all, I’m relieved that Mizuno has allowed their Wave Rider to iterate from year to year without trying as hard as I did to become someone i just wasn’t (and didn’t have to be).
From year to year, this shoe’s fit and ride has remained a great fit for runners with an even foot strike and a moderate arch. As we get older, and running injuries creep in more readily, having a shoe that knows who it is means so much.

Kevin Day · Jun 9, 2023

training for 5K and 10K came from the ASICS GEL-Nimbus 22

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

Reader review

4/5

Overall

Anonymous runner · Jun 8, 2023

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

Always good, straight out of the box

5/5

Overall

I first bought Wave Riders in 1997.... and then missed them for a few years.... but fell in love again around 2012 and have always owned a pair since; they're the most reliable and consistent shoe I've ever worn, perfectly suitable for my orthotics, minimal concessions to faddish evolution and consistent feel year on year.

Tom Hickey · Jun 6, 2023

40 mpw training for a marathon came from the ASICS GT-1000 12

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

Mizuno should have stopped at waverider 23

1/5

Overall

the heel wraparound became some kind of hard plastic, and the shoes seem to stiffen with version 24 and up. A good solid shoe has been turned to junk.

jk0 · May 31, 2023

30 mpw training for 5K and 10K