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The Mizuno Neo Vista 3 is a max cushion daily trainer built around a soft, bouncy midsole and a full-length wave plate, designed to deliver a cushioned and responsive ride across everyday paces. It’s the third generation of the Neo Vista line, sitting between the original Neo Vista and the Neo Vista 2 in terms of ride. We found it a more enjoyable and slightly more versatile shoe than the previous version.
It’s not quite the versatile super-trainer some of us were hoping for, but the Neo Vista 3 settles into a clear role as a comfortable, fun cruiser for easy and steady daily mileage.
Find out how the Mizuno Neo Vista 3 compares to our best running shoes here.
Design & Key Stats
- Price: £150/$200
- Weight:Â 269g / 9.5oz (men’s UK 8)
- Drop:Â 8mm
- Upper:Â One-piece engineered knit with a redesigned heel construction
- Midsole:Â Dual-density Energy Next foam (nitrogen-infused top layer over a more durable Energy Next EVA base) with a full-length wave plate and Smooth Speed Assist geometry
- Outsole:Â Durable carbon rubber
Mizuno Neo Vista 3 Review
How’s The Fit?
We had generally positive but slightly varied experiences with sizing. One of us went half a size down from their normal UK size and found it the best fit they’d had from a Neo Vista shoe yet, loving how the booty-style upper held the foot securely. Two of us ran true to size in a UK 8 and were just as happy, with a spacious toe box that gave plenty of flex and wiggle room alongside a secure midfoot hold thanks to the integrated tongue.
The high heel tab looked like it might cause rubbing, but we found it comfortable once running, helped by soft internal padding around the heel collar. One of us isn’t usually a fan of booty-style uppers and still found the fit fine, though not quite as locked-in as we’d like.
The main gripe across the team was the lace and tongue setup, which took a bit of fiddling to lock down securely, along with eyelets set close to the ankle that a couple of us noticed on some runs.
The Run Test: Likes
We loved the fit and feel of the booty-style upper, and it’s one of the most comfortable integrated designs we’ve worn, with a secure but unrestricted hold throughout the foot. For a big-stack shoe, we also found it relatively light and agile, never feeling cumbersome even on longer runs.
The ride is bouncy and fun, particularly at cruising and steady paces, and we enjoyed the rocker design for carrying us smoothly through easy miles. It comes alive more around marathon pace too, where the plate and foam lock up and return energy quicker than the previous generation. Stability was also a strong point for a max-stack shoe, and even the heel strikers among us felt well protected without the shoe fighting against them as they tired.
Durability impressed us as well, with over 50km logged in testing and no visible signs of wear. Overall, we saw the Neo Vista 3 as a clear improvement on the Neo Vista 2, sitting between that shoe and the original Neo Vista in terms of enjoyment and versatility.
The Run Test: Dislikes
The soft midsole divided us a bit. At slower, easier paces some of us found the ride sluggish and overly soft, with too much sink and not enough snap in the response, along with more wobble and instability than we’d like. We had to run the shoe with more intent, particularly around marathon pace, to bring out its best qualities, which limited its versatility for those of us who wanted a shoe that performed well across the full range of paces.
The exposed gap in the middle of the outsole was also a minor annoyance for us, since it can pick up small stones or debris, especially if you stray off-road. A couple of us wanted more stiffness and control from the plate to get a snappier, more propulsive toe-off, and felt the shoe leans more towards an easy-day trainer than a true versatile super-trainer.
Verdict And Alternatives
The Mizuno Neo Vista 3 is a comfortable, bouncy daily trainer that we rate for easy and steady mileage, and it could make a good long run or marathon-pace companion if you value fun and cushioning over outright versatility. The fit, upper and durability were highlights for all of us, even if the soft midsole means it’s not the shoe we’d reach for when we want to pick up the pace.
If you want more versatility at a similar price point, we’d point you towards the Asics Novablast 6 and Hoka Clifton 10, both of which offer a more resilient, energetic ride, while the Puma Deviate Pure Nitro and Saucony Endorphin Azura are strong picks if you want a shoe that handles easy runs and marathon pace comparatively well.
Some of us prefer a step up in cushioning and versatility, in which case the Asics Superblast 3 and the On Cloudmonster 3 Hyper cost more but give you a softer, more versatile ride than the Neo Vista 3.