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The Mizuno Wave Rider is a very popular cushioned daily trainer and the 30th edition of the shoe has made some big changes to ensure it remains relevant in the modern market. It’s a comfortable, max-stack option that isn’t too heavy, and holds its own against the best cushioned running shoes available.
While it doesn’t wow at faster paces, the Mizuno Wave Rider 30 delivers a dependable, comfortable ride for easy daily training runs, and it’s pretty stable for a high stack shoe as well. We still favour a couple of cushioned options overall, like the Nike Vomero Plus and Hoka Clifton Pro, but the Wave Rider 30 is a strong update to the long-running line.
Find out how the Mizuno Wave Rider 30 compares to the best running shoes.
Design & Key Stats
- Price: £140/$150
- Weight:Â 266g/9.4oz (men’s UK 8.5)
- Drop:Â 8mm
- Stack height: 42.5mm heel, 34.5mm forefoot
- Upper:Â Mesh upper with padding around collar
- Midsole:Â Dual-density Energy Nxt foam (nitrogen-infused top layer, EVA base layer), Wave Plate
- Outsole:Â Thick rubber on forefoot and heel
Mizuno Wave Rider 30 Review
How’s The Fit?
Kieran and Nick tested the Mizuno Wave Rider 30 for our review and found that it was a pretty roomy shoe, and going half a size down might be the best option unless you really enjoy a lot of space in the toe-box. If you’re often in between sizes, we’d recommend going for the smaller one. Otherwise the fit was comfortable and the upper was reasonably breathable in the toe-box.
The Run Test: Likes
The Mizuno Wave Rider 30 is a very comfortable shoe, both underfoot and around the padded upper. It’s a high-stack shoe and protects the body well from the impact of running, but doesn’t feel absolutely huge or too heavy on the foot, unlike some max-stack options.
It’s has a mild rocker that helps to ease you through your footstrike in a smooth manner, especially at easy and steady paces. It’s not the most responsive foam, but does feel soft upon landing without being so squishy as to be unstable or to hamper your running flow.
For a max-stack shoe, the Wave Rider 30 is also pretty stable, and its focus on comfort and protection makes it one of the best running shoes for beginners in particular, who will find it a good daily option for all kinds of runs. More experienced runners will enjoy the Wave Rider 30 most as an easy and long run option.
Finally, the Wave Rider 30 is pretty good value in the current marketplace, where high-stack daily trainers often cost more like £170/$170. It’s also likely to appear in sales regularly based on our experience of Mizuno shoes, and looks to be a durable shoe based on our testing.
The Run Test: Dislikes
While it’s quite light for a high-stack shoe, the Mizuno still doesn’t perform all that well at faster speeds. This is a shoe built for easy days, and not the most versatile as a result. Some other max-stack daily trainers like the Asics Novablast 6 do perform better at faster paces while matching the Wave Rider 30’s comfort for easy runs.
The foam in the midsole is also not the most exciting material. It’s good, but there are some big cushioned shoes out there with bouncier foams in them, like the Nike Vomero Plus or R.A.D UFO, which bring a bit more fun to your daily runs.
Verdict And Alternatives
The Mizuno Wave Rider 30 is a successful update to a very popular shoe and should appeal to both long-running Wave Rider fans and new converts to the line. Compared to similar daily trainers that have been around for a long time, like the Brooks Ghost 18 and Nike Pegasus 42, the Wave Rider 30 feels more modern and fun, as well as being lighter and more cushioned.
There are still some outstanding cushioned shoes we rate a little more highly, most notably the bouncy Nike Vomero Plus and incredibly smooth and comfortable Hoka Clifton Pro. The Asics Novablast 6 is also a good alternative that offers more versatility as a daily trainer, while the lightweight Puma Deviate Pure Nitro is a strong option for those who prefer a slightly lower-stack shoe.
The Wave Rider 30 won’t let you down though, and will certainly perform well in the cushioned spot in a running shoe rotation, alongside faster shoes to pick up your workouts and races.