Mizuno Men's Wave Inspire 18 Running Shoe

Product Information

It has a 12mm drop for both men and women. This is a little on the higher side but I enjoyed wearing these on runs the day after I did a speed workout or when my calves just felt sore. Amphipod Hydraform Handheld Water Bottle: Perfect for long runs when you need hydration in the summer

The Wave Horizon combines a stable, cushioned ride with exceptional durability. The current model, the Wave Horizon 6, represents a significant revamp to the design. The midsole features an all-new combo of resilient Enerzy and super-soft Enerzy Core foams for improved cushioning. The Neo Wind is designed for speed training. In our testing, we found it feels best when pushed to tempo pace. The midsole features Enerzy Lite foam and a wave plate, both of which are made from castor beans. The result? The midsole serves up a firm sensation that’s ideal for speed, though it might feel too unforgiving for slower runs. Fit: A- ( Snug heel with wider forefoot. Stiff but secure heel counter that will work well for some and not for others) To help guide a pronating foot, Asics scallops the Lite’s lateral (outer) edge while bolstering the foam’s medial side. The design helps the sole compress on landing, and then provides extra resistance as you roll to midstance. Wear-testers say the Lite 2 felt “light as feather” while still providing support and cushioning on their runs. One hangup was that the wider platform resulted in a looser fit around the midfoot, causing some testers to slide or scrunch their feet for a stabler hold on the footbed midrun. The Mizuno Wave Inspire 18 is your everyday overpronator’s reliable daily trainer. This year’s most significant update is in the reconstruction of this engineered mesh upper. Other than that, the Enerzy midsole and Wave Plate act as a cushioning suspension to log easy to moderate miles.A pair of lighter racing variants, Enerzy Lite and Enerzy Lite Plus foams, give the Wave Rebellion Pro a snappy, propulsive ride while saving weight. Enerzy Lite is formulated for maximum energy return–Mizuno claims it delivers 35 percent more energy return than U4ic–while the even lighter Enerzy Lite Plus minimizes weight and maximizes softness. For cushioning, Mizuno uses a range of proprietary ethylene vinyl acetate (EVA) foams called “Enerzy.” The company stays tight-lipped about its exact chemistry and composition, but Mizuno calls the cushion responsive and lightweight, and claims that it offers 15-percent more energy return than the company’s last generation of EVA foam, U4ic. The G3 compound used in the outsole saves weight over traditional rubber, and has been enhanced with a more durable G3-DR compound to keep it durable. As a result, it’s built to withstand plenty of mileage.

The Mizuno Wave Inspire 17 was the first edition of the Inspire to use ENERZY foam in the midsole, and the Inspire 18 continues that tradition. The result is a softer, bouncier feeling than previous models.The Wave Sky is Mizuno’s super-plush shoe. While previous versions achieved a soft ride using a long list of foams, the Wave Sky 6 streamlines the cushion to save weight and showcase the brand’s latest midsole design, which sandwiches its Enerzy and Enerzy Core foams around a wave plate. All three components complement each other: The firm Enerzy foam provides support. The plush, but resilient Enerzy Core compresses to provide that plush feel. The wave plate, as always, stabilizes your foot and dissipates impact forces. Together, the foams and plate promote smooth transitions and create a notably soft, somewhat responsive ride. If you love the Mizuno Wave Inspire for ladies and men in this range, you may also want to explore the rest of our Mizuno collection. This range includes some of the brands most popular running shoes, such as Mizuno Wave 25, Mizuno Wave Rebellion, Mizuno Wave Sky 5, and Mizuno Wave Rider.

Stability: A [Moderate Stability] ( Excellent stable and guided ride from wave plate, sidewalls and forward guidance) The outsole will be the same as last year, meaning better than most but falls short of Puma and Brooks. Up top, a stretchy woven upper gives the Wave Sky 6 an accommodating fit, and generous placements of carbon rubber on the outsole ensure you’ll have plenty of grip and high-mileage durability. It gives runners a plusher on-foot experience while still providing the stable platform the brand’s shoes are known for. The Wave Sky 6 is a great choice for longer runs or recovery days when your feet could use a little extra love.Today, Mizuno has a reputation for creating durable and supportive shoes that work well for day-to-day training. That said, they’ve also made some exciting racing shoes, such as the Wave Rebellion Pro, which brought the brand into the “ super shoe” era. Like previous versions, the foams are cut into an asymmetrical wave shape, which causes the midsole to resist bending laterally. When you land, that stiffness helps counter overpronation in your stride. At the same time, the wave shape allows the shoe to flex from heel to toe, so it moves with your foot and promotes smooth transitions from landing to toe-off. Those who benefit from high drop and support may include those with posterior tib strains given that the post tib both plantarflexes and inverts the foot. So taking it into dorsiflexion and eversion (pronation) may stress it. A similar situation arises for those with peroneus longus strains as that muscle plantarflexes and everts the foot. Those who need to unload a posterior tibialis may do better in a shoe like the Wave Inspire 18 with its medial support. Those who need to unload a peroneus longus may do better in a shoe with medial and lateral guide rails like the Adrenaline given the more central and guided nature.

Stability: A- ( Several features that create a moderate to moderate to high level of stability including Mizuno's wave plate) Heel drop of 12 mm. A shoe drop is the difference in height from the heel to the toes in a shoe. A higher heel drop shoe places the ankle in a more plantarflexed (pointed) position. This may potentially place less stress through the achilles and calf musculature as those tissues will be in a shortened position and are less prone to be overstretched. A zero-drop shoe has no difference between the heel and toe height. Lower dropped shoes typically require more calf demand due to possible changes in landing pattern and running mechanics, something I was looking to avoid. The Wave Rider has long been Mizuno’s neutral do-it-all shoe, and the new Wave Rider 27 has received an overhaul to improve energy return and comfort. Mizuno has made quite a few changes to the upper on this shoe. Lacing them up for the first time I noticed right away how long the shoe laces are. Again, doesn’t change the way they run but I’m definitely going to switch them out.ALDREN: In the best way possible, the Wave Inspire 18 is a very thoughtless shoe. While I continue to test a handful of models coming out later this year, I know that if I throw on my Wave Inspire, no issues will spur up. DPT/Footwear Science: A- (Medial stability, but several new age methods of stability including the wider last and sidewalls. Wave plate design adds some degree of variability in stability) DPT/Footwear Science: A- ( Waveplate well integrated into the shoe providing stability for those runners who overpronate)