Mizuno Wave Nirvana 5 Running Shoes Review
 Mizuno Wave Nirvana 5 |
| Full Name: Mizuno Wave Nirvana 5 |
| Category: Stability |
| Weight: 13 oz. (365 gr.) |
| Suggested Price: 140 $ |
| Recommended For: Over Pronators |
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Mizuno Wave Nirvana 5 General Info:
The Wave Nirvana 5 is Mizuno’s top of the line stability running shoe. Stiffer than the Wave Inspire 5, Mizuno put special attention into gender differentiation, developing a different midsole for the mens and the womens version.
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Mizuno Wave Nirvana 5 Sole Unit:
The Nirvana 5 is a very supportive stability shoe. The stability is achieved through the use of Mizuno’s trademark Wave technology, where a plastic wave is inserted in the midsole, acting at the same time as a cushioning and a support device. By inserting this plate (which is lately constructed in vegetable oil for sustainability) in the midsole, the springy nature of the plastic material and the wave shape makes it possible for the shoe to absorb the shock, return energy to the foot and provide support where needed.
Mizuno Wave Nirvana 5 Medial View Detail
The plate in the Nirvana 5 runs across almost the whole lenght of the shoe, in order to cushion and guide the stride in all the phases from heel down to toe-off.
Mizuno found a new way to engineer their Wave plates, being now able to produce one single piece in varying densities. Specifically, in the Nirvana 5, the lateral (external) side of the wave plate is softer than the medial (internal) side – so to provide extra support for pronators.
Another strong element of this design is the gender engineering: the mens and womens version have two different sole units, where the women shoe has improved pronation control (as women tend to pronate more, please refer to our article how to choose the best womens running shoes), wider flex grooves in the forefoot and a different heel geometry. The mens shoe presents more cushioning in the forefoot.
A great advantage of the Wave plate is the possibility to achieve weight savings and to open the midsole to provide a much better breathability.
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Mizuno Wave Nirvana 5 Upper:
Mizuno has recently adopted new lasts, the shape around which the shoe is built and that determines its fit. The new last has a slightly wider toe-box, which will make runners with a wider foot happy, but might not be liked by previous Mizuno customers who got used to the snug fit. An Ortholite sockliner (high quality) is in the shoe for added comfort and the possibility of inserting orthotics.
The upper presents a very open mesh, with quite large synthetic overlays to wrap the foot and keep it in position. The overlays have a special configuration around the ankle so that when you flex your foot during the stride the shoe does not deform too much.
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Mizuno Wave Nirvana 5 Opinion:
The Nirvana 5 is a competitor of the Asics Gel Kayano 15 – Asics admiral stability shoe. It is a good shoe, one of the most stable. Runners who severely overpronate and runners should give the Nirvana 5 a try, especially if you like the feeling of the Mizuno Wave Inspire but need more support.
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Mizuno Wave Nirvana 5 Price Comparison:
Let us know what you think of this shoe in the comments!
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