Mizuno Wave Rider 25 - Shoe Review

First impressions 

Richard says: Straight out of the box they look special, the white and silver colourway is striking just like the shoe. The more you look at the shoe the more you notice the quality and the feel of a shoe that is there for the long haul. 

Mo says: It appears that Mizuno have gone above and beyond in providing us with this modern looking everyday trainer. First time on my feet, the Wave Rider 25 is true to size and is one of the few shoes that feel absolutely right; I just knew they would work for me even before taking them out. 

Our thoughts

Richard says: Mizuno have redesigned the upper and midsole construction to the Wave Rider 25 it's been designed to give a propulsive feeling. They have put the full-length Mizuno ENERZY top midsole and a Mizuno ENERZY reinforcement into the heel, resulting in amazing cushioning and energy return. Combined with a new Mizuno wave shape, it delivers more stability and really provides a secure feeling on the run. 

Mo says: The Mizuno collection gets an upgrade with the new ENERZY foam. The Mizuno Wave Rider 25 especially benefits from this evolution with a more modern and lighter design for longer distances. These shoes felt a lot more responsive and they are perfect mileage shoes for all types of training, I would advise these for any neutral runner, who likes 12mm heel drop and extra cushioning. I managed to test out for a couple of weeks of 65 miles.  

These Mizuno felt significantly softer than the previous models, I normally suffer with tight calf and Achilles but these didn’t give me any problems.  

The midsole package is on the softer side with very noticeable rebound. The plate does a great job of stabilizing the rear while the front is more flexible than Wave Rider 24. 

Mo says: The upper is thinner and more breathable while providing a snug foot lockdown without floating. Even better, the materials used are more environmentally friendly than in the past. The upper is so soft and comfortable, the shoe immediately hugs my foot as soon as I put it on and the padded tongue is a nice balance of support and flexibility too. 

Richard says: The Mizuno Wave Rider 25 is always my go to shoe for the run that needs to tick by at a decent pace not without too much thought and limited change to the pace. It’s perfect for the long run or the easy run. 

Mo says: After testing these shoes out on several occasions I think it’s an excellent all round mileage / steady running shoe, superb for runners who want use this for marathon training  

Any sticking points...  

Richard says: There’s nothing I am unsure about with the Wave Rider 25 as I have been wearing the Wave Riders for a while now. But this is your steady shoe, if you want to something a bit pacier for the speed sessions or steady runs have a look at the NEO range from Mizuno. 

Mo says: Absolutely no concerns around the fit for me personally. However, it is a pretty slim looking shoe considering how much cushion the upper provides, some runners might prefer a slightly wider toe box.

This shoe has been tested by Mo and Richard. They have run in the shoes for a minimum of 4 weeks or about 50 miles before submitting their reviews. The scores they have given the shoes are based on their experiences, their running styles and their training types. These shoes were gifted by Mizuno for the purpose of this review, however no input was made by Mizuno. The views are entirely that of our testers.