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Mizuno Wave Rider 18 Review

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Mizuno Wave Rider 18 Review
Credit: Mizuno
Price:  $120 List
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Manufacturer:   Mizuno
By Jimmy Elam ⋅ Review Editor  ⋅  Aug 17, 2015
76
OVERALL
SCORE
  • Weight - 15% 8.0
  • Responsiveness - 15% 9.0
  • Durability - 20% 7.0
  • Landing comfort - 25% 7.0
  • Upper comfort - 15% 8.0
  • Breathability - 10% 7.0

Our Verdict

The Wave Rider 18 is Discontinued as of 2016
REASONS TO BUY
Ridiculously smooth
Springy ride
REASONS TO AVOID
Too stiff for high mileage comfort
There's a good reason the Mizuno Wave Rider 18 has a cult following. Compared to the rest of the running shoes in our test group, it's easy to say this shoe is the most fun, even when compared to our Editors' Choice winner, the Brooks Ghost 8. Whenever we want to feel that extra pep in our step we lace up this shoe and it has yet to disappoint us. Not only does it feel fast, we also rate it as having amazing upper comfort, coming in right behind the Asics Gel Kayano 21.

Our Analysis and Test Results

We hope you're ready to have the ride of your life. Once on your feet, the Mizuno Wave Rider 18 will leave you breathless and unable to slow yourself down. It is propulsive, comfortable, and overall a fun shoe to log your miles. Start your engine and join us for this wild ride.

Performance Comparison


mizuno wave rider 18 - a moderately flexible forefoot and rigid midfoot to heel is what...
A moderately flexible forefoot and rigid midfoot to heel is what gives the Mizuno Wave Rider 18 such high responsiveness.
Credit: Arrington McCoy

Responsiveness


You might have already heard, or even experienced the propulsive and seemingly energy saving ride of the Mizuno Wave Rider 18 for yourself. Similar to the Mizuno Wave Prophecy 3, the Rider is very unique among the rest of the shoes we tested in that their responsiveness is in its own league. So, what's the magic sauce Mizuno uses to make this shoe insanely responsive and so much better than the rest? Mizuno utilizes their Wave Plate Technology in this road shoe, which is the world's first mechanical midsole that spurred from the idea of how nature's waves disperse energy (sound waves, tidal waves). Having a very flexible forefoot and stiff midfoot to heel allows it to feel just as fast as the Saucony Kinvara 6 even though they are about 1.5 ounces heavier. We notice the springy pop that the Wave Rider has always been known for.

mizuno wave rider 18 - mizuno's wave plate technology on the wave rider 18 is our favorite...
Mizuno's Wave Plate technology on the Wave Rider 18 is our favorite feature of this shoe, providing an insane amount of responsiveness.
Credit: Arrington McCoy

Landing Comfort


The Mizuno Wave Rider 18 doesn't provide the level of landing comfort we look for to score among the highest in this metric. We don't get the full ground contact or balanced cushioning like we do in the Brooks Ghost 8. The rigid, stiff ride isn't as comfortable as many of the other road shoes in the group, though this plays a significant role in how Mizuno creates the propulsive feeling in this shoe. When logging miles on longer runs we notice the comfort decrease after eight to ten miles.

Upper Comfort


We rate the upper comfort of the Wave Rider 18 as the second highest behind the Asics Gel Kayano 21. It has a narrow and secure fit throughout the heel and midfoot that really locks our feet in perfectly. Mizuno claims that this shoe feels like “part of your foot,” and we completely agree. We aren't generally fans of a rigid heel counter, though Mizuno pulls it off in this shoe. The way it's designed to lock your heel in place actually gives it an energy saving feel and the added security that's so important in a road shoe with the goal to be fast. We prefer this much more than the loose heel area of the Altra Torin 2.0 and Skechers GoRun Ultra 2. The Ortholite SockLiner through the heel area as well as under the tongue is high quality and super plush.

mizuno wave rider 18 - a super soft, plush sock-liner on the mizuno wave rider 18 is a nice...
A super soft, plush sock-liner on the Mizuno Wave Rider 18 is a nice surprise not found in many other road shoes. Mizuno definitely pays attention to the small details.
Credit: Arrington McCoy

Breathability


Other than the moderately sized logos across the mesh, there's not much else happening on the upper of the Wave Rider 18 to prevent it from having solid breathability. Many other uppers of shoes we tested, particularly the Asics Gel-Kayano 21, come loaded with flair that we notice affecting the breathability. Mizuno uses AirMesh that has a very thin, soft mesh inner and a more rough, dispersed outer layer that naturally helps provide quality breathability on the Wave Rider 18.

Weight


It's surprising to us that even with a rigid heel counter and plastic wave plate through the midsole of the heel, the Mizuno Wave Rider 18 is still among one of the lightest shoes in our group. At 9.2 ounces it falls a mere 1.4 ounces behind the lightest shoe in our group, our Top Pick award winner the Saucony Kinvara 6.

Durability


The Wave Rider 18 earns an average score in our durability metric. Compared to higher rated shoes like the Brooks Ghost 8, it lacks the seam welded or stitched reinforcements on the upper, which makes the upper durability questionable. For the outsole, there are five independent rubber pads. The larger segment on the outside of the heel, being a high wear area, uses Mizuno's X10 Carbon rubber which is super durable and extra thick. The rest of the outsole is composed of thin blown rubber which is softer and more comfortable, though feels like it can easily become removed from the midsole foam.

mizuno wave rider 18 - during toe-off phase in your gait cycle is when the propulsive feel...
During toe-off phase in your gait cycle is when the propulsive feel is most noticed on the Mizuno Wave Rider 18.
Credit: Arrington McCoy

Best Applications


Take this road shoe out for your faster paced runs when you want that pep in your step.

Value


When considering the wonderfully fun ride, glove-like fit, and quality sockliner, we feel the Mizuno Wave Rider is quite reasonably priced at $119.

Conclusion


Though this shoe doesn't come away with any of our awards, don't let that deter you from taking it for a test run. We appreciate highly responsive ride and sock-like fit of the upper. We also feel it is the snazziest running shoe around.

Jimmy Elam