I have worn the Wave Riders for two years and have been happy as a clam. However, version 10 seems to be different, the heel cup padding has worn away after only a month of running and now my favorite shoes cause me blisters. (Can’t these companies stop screwing aroung with “new and Improved” designs??)
What other brands/models have Mizuno owners tried that they liked that were similar to the WR’s?
I heard bad things about the new wave riders too. If you shop around you can probably get old versions until the next version comes out. I also wear wave creations but they are heavier.
The only other brand I’ve ever really liked the feel and fit of is Nike. Asics, Saucony, Brooks etc never felt the same. I switched from Nike to Mizuno after havning a pair of Pegasus collapse after about 100 miles a few years ago.
I have run in the wave riders for 3-4 years, but I also have had troubles with the new models. I switched over and am now running in Asics, so far so good, my feet no longer feel like hamburger after a long run.
I rotate the Waverider with Brooks Radius and Asics Gel Nimbus.
Should be able to find Miz Rider 9’s for some time. The 8’s are essentially the same shoe, too.
Point of reference. I rotate Riders, Nike Pegs, and NB 1023’s.
The signature firm “ride” of the Mizuno’s is most similar to the 1023’s but I think those are out of production, too. If you like the Mizuno feel, consider trying the Miz Precisions. Billed as a lightweight trainer, it might be worth a shot.
I loved the WR 8 and 9 (2 pairs each) and read the same things you did about the 10. The local running shoe guys in Houston seem to concur – the 10’s not bad – just not meant to do what the 8 and 9 did so well. They put me in the Fila Flow Providence III. My first reaction was, “Fila makes a running shoe?” Skeptical, I bought a pair. Now I have 2. They are a tad higher arched than the WR9, but otherwise seem to be a great shoe.
These are all interesting comments. I just found 3 pair of 9’s on amazon and put in an order. There are lots of $59 listings around the web but only for the size 14, etc.
I had tried a pair of Asics, which felt incredible on my feet, unfortunately, the same thing happened–the heel cup padding wore away in 2 weeks, leaving a dime sized hole in the fabric. I thought I had found “the shoe”, but it wasn’t to be.
I had the same issues and have now gone to the Karhu M2 and absolutely love them…
About Fila’s running shoes. I’ve never tried (I’m a mizuno runner) them but my friend who worked at a shoes store told me to givem a shot a long time ago. Apparently the guy who invented the mizuno wave shoes started working for Fila so apparently they are real good shoes.
I had a similar issue with the 10’s - although they seem to work slightly better for me than for you. My local DSW has the 9’s in stock (for $60 or so), so I bought 3 pairs the other week. If there’s a DSW near you, check it out. Also, Road Runner Sports (www.roadrunnersports.com) generally carries old versions for a while after a new version is introduced. When I first tried on the 10’s, I also tried just about every other brand in the store and didn’t think any were as comfortable as my 9’s.
I used Brooks Axioms for a while. The shoes are pretty neck and neck as far as comfort, with the Mizzunos having a slight edge. Only reason I went with the Mizunos this time is cause they were on sale for 35% off.
Same with me brother. Love the M2’s.
You can find the wave rider 9 at DSW shoes for 69 bucks if these stores are in your city (we have them here in Dallas). I was shocked when I saw them there and grabbed two pairs.
The WR 8 was the best I’ve worn. I had to adjust a bit to the 9. After reading this post, I will pick up a couple more pairs of WR9’s for the rest of the year.
Finish Line.com
I just ordered 3 pair. I hope they are in stock!
These are abosolutly the best shoe for me!
Now where can I get a pair of 04 pegasus.
Good Luck!
I too LOVE the Miz wave riders - however, last year, prior to IM Moo - I realized that I needed new shoes and because I had recently won a new pair of Fila shoes (will have to get back to you on the actual model - they’re currently at the gym) I would just try them out on an ez 8 mile run… well - anyway - I had GREAT success with my new fila shoes and surprisingly wore them with great satisfaction during the soggy mess that was IM MOO 2006. (that I won from Muddy Buddy 2006 coincidentally - so free was a great price). Anyway, I was VERY pleasantly surprised that the FILA shoes held up so well and were perfectly stable for me!
Well, I had ordered 3 pair of Waverider 9’s online a week and a half ago and the retailer JUST NOW send me an email saying they are out of stock WTF!
I’m going to try a pair of Nike Vomero’s tonight that my wife is picking up for me. Will provide a quick review later.
I wore Mizuno WR’s from 2004 through the beginning of 2006. Then I switched to the Nike Vomero which I wore through all of 2006. I started where the Saucony Grid Triumph for training in early 2007 and currently race in the Nike Zoom Elite and Saucony Sinister.
I wore Mizuno WR’s from 2004 through the beginning of 2006. Then I switched to the Nike Vomero which I wore through all of 2006. I started where the Saucony Grid Triumph for training in early 2007 and currently race in the Nike Zoom Elite and Saucony Sinister.
I was a long-time Skylon user, before moving to WR’s. I’m assuming that the Vomero has slightly more cushioning in the heel vs the WR’s. How did the Vomero’s work for you?
Worked great. A lot of cushioning, in fact so much so that transitioning from the WR to the Vomero took a little bit of getting used to. The firmer ride in the WR made the Vomero’s feel squishy, but once I got used to them I liked them a lot, especially for higher mileage. The Saucony Triumph is very much like the Vomero. A side note, I haven’t tried the new version of the Vomero’s so i can’t comment on them. My experience was with last years model.
That’s smilar to what I have heard from others. Some people have stated that the cushioing in the Volero had caused achilles issues, but I don’t think I will have that issue. Thanks for the info.