An Introduction to Mizuno Running Shoes

Everything you need to know about Mizuno running shoes

Another of the original band of running shoe manufacturers, Mizuno was formed in 1906 in Osaka, Japan. It started out as a baseball retailer and then as a manufacturer of baseball gear, before moving into golf. Running became a bigger part of its portfolio in 1961 when a US office was opened in LA.

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The history of Mizuno running shoes

Developed in 1980 the Mizuno logo represents the ethos of a company steeped in history. Known as the RunBird this free-flowing, graphic emblem stands for three concepts:

• 'Boundless expanse and dynamism of sports.'

• It means their shoes have 'a sense of speed and feel of strength', as well as 'tenderness and flexibility.'

• The RunBird line 'improves the feel of fitness, possesses shape retention capabilities, increases durability and gives emanation of energy to the shoes.'

In the beginning Mizuno was not about running, it was all about baseball. Following a trip to the US and inspired by the baseball culture that he embraced, Rihachi Mizuno founded Mizuno Brothers Ltd in 1906 with his brother Rizo. It all began in Rizo, Osaka with an initial goal of growing interest in baseball within Japan. Initially just selling baseball gear the company soon broadened manufacture and then broadened its range to other sports. Over time these sports continued to grow to include tennis, skiing, boxing, golf and many more. Golf became especially successful for the brand and it's now a well established part of the sport, supplying state of the art equipment to many top players. In 1910 the company changed its name to Mizuno Co. Ltd and after years of focusing manufacture within their home country, a factory was opened in Los Angeles in 1961.

The running boom swept the world in the 70s and it was then, as with many of today's successful shoe brands, that Mizuno came of age. It was during this time, as sales boomed, that funds were invested into research and development. While it wasn't a breakout period for a signature shoe, it was becoming established and the groundwork was laid for future development. After years of research it was the creation of wave technology that firmly established Mizuno as a leading running brand. Its development team took on the challenge of delivering both cushioning and support in equal measure. Prior to this there was an assumption that you couldn't have both in a shoe, it was one or the other. Having a technology that allowed for both meant plenty of comfort for runners and stability at the same time. The wave structure allowed for firmness at the direction of impact which is where it's needed to prevent over pronation and cushioning for energy return and bounce, a unique combination that until this point had not been delivered by manufacturers. The Wave Rider released in 1998 was a groundbreaking shoe and today is still a bestseller. Wave technology is still at the core of Mizuno's running shoes, although it's components have moved on significantly, even in the last two years.

The Mizuno Wave Rider 27

Who owns them?

It's all owned by the Mizuno Corporation, a Japan-based sportswear company. Each country based operation is a wholly owned subsidiary of this corporation. It recently announced that its fiscal 2022 revenue grew by 22.8% over 2021, hitting a record of 212.0 billion Japanese yen (1.50 billion USD)

What are they known for?

Ask any runner about Mizuno and chances are the first thing they'll say is 'wave'. The wave, launched in 1977 in the Wave Rider shoe is the brand's defining feature. It's a wave plate located in the midsole of the shoe and between the cushioning and it's this that gives any of the shoes their energy return and their comfortable ride. The wave plate stretches out, the foot hits the floor and propels the runner forward as it returns to its regular waved shape. Originally made of thermoplastic polyurethane (TPU) or polyether block amide (PEBA), some of the newer models have a newer version made of nylon and glass fiber, and one, the Wave Rebellion Pro has a nylon and carbon fiber wave plate that snaps back more strongly after landing and creates even more energy return for runners.

The EVA foam that Mizuno uses for its cushioning is called Enerzy, which gives 15% more energy return than the company’s last generation of EVA foam, U4ic. Enerzy foam is used in shoes throughout the brand’s running range, with Enerzy Lite and Enerzy Lite Plus foams, used in their racing shoes. The even softer Enerzy Core foam is in shoes like the Wave Horizon and Wave Sky. which gives an even plusher feel.

Pros and Cons

There are pros and cons with every shoe. Here are those associated with Mizuno:

Pros

• The range covers all options, for runners of types and now with elite racing options.

• Have heavily invested in research for many years and continue to do so. The Wave Rebellion is the latest example.

• They have a reputation for being reliable, durable and supportive and

Cons

• Low profile within the running world

• Only a small number of their shoes are available outside of Japan

• Prior to The Rebellion they had a reputation for a lack of innovation and new runners were not attracted to the shoes.

The Mizuno Wave Rebellion Pro

Most popular models

Mizuno Wave Sky 6

The Wave Sky is the plushest shoe in the range. Enerzy foam provides support, Enerzy Core compresses to provide that plush feel, with the wave plate sitting between the two.

Mizuno Wave Horizon 6

This is a stability shoe for overpronators. This latest version is a major upgrade, with both Enerzy and super-soft Enerzy Core foams for improved cushioning.

Mizuno Wave Rider 27

The shoe that really put the brand on the map, it's the main neutral shoe in the range. Its latest upgrade gives it better energy return and it has a better fit thanks to a soft air mesh material used in the upper.

Mizuno Wave Inspire 19

Another popular stability shoe, it has a combination of Enerzy foam and a wave plate in the midsole. It has even better cushioning and more stability than previous versions.

Mizuno Wave Rebellion Pro

This is the Mizuno super racer, with Enerzy Lite and Enerzy Lite Plus foams and a carbon-infused nylon plate, the only shoe in the range that has this. It's a massive 18.5mm stack with plenty of bounce!

The Mizuno Mujin 9 trail shoe

Mizuno Mujin 9

This sturdy trail shoe has Enerzy and Wave foam giving excellent cushioning, energy return, and stability. Support panels on the sides of the midfoot also keep the foot securely in place even on tough trails.

On the up?

Mizuno launched its first foray into the sneaker world in September 2023. Called Sportstyle it's a play on words as the range combines sport and lifestyle. The initial three shoes are called the Nomad Pack, the shoes are the Wave Mujin TL, the Wave Prophecy LS, and the Wave Rider Beta, a brand-new silhouette that sits on Mizuno’s Wave Rider 27 sole unit.

The Mizuno Wave Prophecy LS

It remains to be seen if Mizuno can break into the highly competitive sneaker market and use it to increase the profile of the brand further. What is clear is that thanks to its highly successful golf franchise, its rugby range, hockey, winter sports, volleyball and much more it will continue to be a hugely respected brand across multiple channels.

Thanks to the Wave Rebellion Pro Mizuno is definitely part of a select racing shoe group. Along with Nike, Adidas and Saucony they are pushing the boundaries of elite shoe design and build. This has illustrated the level of investment that's being made by the brand that will have a major impact on other shoes in the range. The use of carbon infused nylon plates in running shoes is a significant step forward and this can be used in lower priced shoes, it will be good news for all of us.