Mizuno Wave Shadow

Name: Mizuno Wave Shadow
Brand: Mizuno
Rating: 4.4 (8 reviews)

Daily trainer · Neutral · Road · 8.8 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 rests on 8 runner reviews and 2 other rated shoes in the Wave Shadow product line. Another 4 reviews would set the confidence on this shoe's own reviews.

Below average

66/100

Overall

Below average 66

Value

Very good 93

Appearance

Good 84

Durability

Decent 75

Comfort

Below average 66

Cushioning

Below average 61

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

54/100

Low 54

What runners say

“The ride is really firm and after coming from the softness of the Peg it was quite a shock.”

2/5 Full review 40 mpw came from the Nike Air Zoom Pegasus 34

“Light enough for fast distance race efforts, but stable enough for faster long runs.”

5/5 Full review 8 mpw training for a half marathon came from the Mizuno Wave Rider 21

“They rub my Achilles tendon in a weird way, and I have tendonitis flare ups if I train in these everyday.”

3/5 Full review 65 mpw training for a half marathon came from the HOKA Hupana

“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.”

2/5 Full review 40 mpw came from the Nike Air Zoom Pegasus 34

“There's no break-in required. The first time I put them on it was like 'welcome home!'”

5/5 Full review 40 mpw training for a marathon came from the Mizuno Wave Sayonara

“Slim toes; enough room in the lateral midfoot for my slightly protruding fifth metatarsal turberosity; enough arch support for my arches.”

5/5 Full review 20 mpw training for a half marathon came from the Altra Instinct 3.5

“The stretchy material forms around my feet perfectly.”

5/5 Full review 40 mpw training for a marathon came from the Mizuno Wave Sayonara

“Fit true to size. Mid-narrow fit.”

2/5 Full review 40 mpw came from the Nike Air Zoom Pegasus 34

“A soft enough sole so that my many times sprained ankle has no issues with the lateral arch.”

5/5 Full review 20 mpw training for a half marathon came from the Altra Instinct 3.5

“The sole is prone to pick up stones, which is annoying.”

5/5 Full review 8 mpw training for a half marathon came from the Mizuno Wave Rider 21

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 Sep 14.

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.

Wave Shadow rates 66. This shoe has low certainty. See how we rate shoes.

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.

Rating

40 60 80 100

66 2017 63 2018 69 2019

Release year

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

Wave Shadow 3

2019 · 2 reviews

69 Below average

22 Confidence
Wave Shadow 2

2018 · 2 reviews

63 Below average

24 Confidence
Wave Shadow This shoe

2017 · 8 reviews

66 Below average

54 Confidence

Reader Ratings

8 ratings

5/5 6

4/5 0

3/5 1

2/5 1

1/5 0

See written reviews Write a review

Specs & fit

Sizing and ride details at a glance.

Weight: 8.8 oz
Release: 2017 Q3
MSRP: $110
Drop Height: 8mm

Runner reviews

Write a review

Fast, well-fitting, nice-looking trainer

5/5

Overall

Appreciate the good, comfortable fit. No advanced materials in the upper, really, but nothing to complain about. Laces are nice and stretchy but secure. Fit is standard - maybe a 1/2 size large. A firm, fast, straightforward shoe. As a forefoot striker I don't think I benefit much from the wave plate but it adds some stability if my gait falters. Color schemes are nice too. Outsole is fairly classic daily trainer--can work okay on mild trails but nothing more. Seems to wear well so far.

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

They are Oook

2/5

Overall

Bought these on sale after I started to bottom out on the Peg 34. Fit true to size. Mid - narrow fit. The ride is really firm and after coming from the softness of the Peg it was quite a shock. They are light but not that light and almost have a racing flat feel to them which I'm not that fond of. They have about 250k in them now and feel about the same as they did after 50k. 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. Upper is really nice and supportive. Breathes well. The outsole is durable if not hard. The little slits collect little pebbles which is annoying. Over all an ok tempo/workout shoe if you like a really firm ride. I sorta can't wait until they are dead and I can get something more forgiving.

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

Wave Shadow is a great addition to ones shoe quiver. Light enough for fast distance race efforts, but stable enough for faster long runs. The Safety Yellow color is a fantastic statement. As some have noticed, the sole is prone to pick up stones, which is annoying. The thread is a little underwhelming when traction is an issue (wet roads, soft trails.) The fit is great, because the shoe is so close in shape and design to the Wave Shadow (my daily trainer.) The fit is slightly different, such that I wear a thinner sock.

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

I love running in these shoes, I feel way faster than I do than in any other shoe I own. Unfortunately, I can only run in these 1-2 times per week. They rub my Achilles tendon in a weird way, and I have tendonitis flare ups if I train in these everyday. I bought these for $50 so they are insane value.

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

Light enough to race in, the Shadow is also perfect for training. Other than a quick relacing, there's no break-in required. The first time I put them on it was like 'welcome home!' and I went out for 11 miles. The stretchy material forms around my feet perfectly. I've been running exclusively in Mizuno's for the past ten years. The Shadow is one of their classics.

Anonymous runner · Jun 7, 2018

40 mpw training for a marathon came from the Mizuno Wave Sayonara