Updated: November 11th, 2011
Mizuno Wave Prophecy Running Shoes Review
Mizuno Wave Prophecy

Mizuno Wave Prophecy

Full Name: Mizuno Wave Prophecy
Category: Neutral, Cushioning
Weight: 14.4 oz. (400 gr.)
Suggested Price: 200 $
Recommended For: Neutral to mild overpronators seeking a durable ultra-premium shoe
  • Mizuno Wave Prophecy General Info:

The Wave Prophecy is Mizuno’s first entry into the ultimate feature running shoe category. The Prophecy includes every available technology, and luxury, that Mizuno has to offer. As such, it is primed to compete with shoes like the Saucony Paramount and Asics Kinsei.

  • Mizuno Wave Prophecy Sole Unit:

The most immediately noticeable feature of the Wave Prophecy is it’s lack of midsole foam. In traditional shoes, the midsole foam is usually the first part of the shoe that wears out. Mizuno has now constructed a shoe that uses less foam than any other shoe on the market. In place of the foam is Mizuno’s new Infinity Wave plate. Mizuno engineers it’s wave plates to disperse shock and provide stability during the gait cycle. The Wave Prophecy’s Infinity plate is comprised of two separate plastic plates that are joined at 10 locations by plastic struts from heel to toe. The heel portion of the Wave Prophecy uses the same wave design as the Mizuno Wave Creation 12 but the midfoot and forefoot employ a completely new wave plate design. The top wave in the Wave Prophecy includes Mizuno’s InterCool ventilation system which evacuates hot air from inside the shoe via a series of ports engineered into the plate design. Mizuno’s AP+ midsole foam is in place at the toe of the shoe. Also included is Mizuno’s Gender Engineering which creates male and female specific heel geometries to accommodate differing foot strikes.

Mizuno Wave Prophecy Medial View

Mizuno Wave Prophecy Medial View

  • Mizuno Wave Prophecy Upper:

The Wave Prophecy upper is built using Mizuno’s Dynamotion Fit design principles that integrate movement of the upper with the natural motion of the human foot. This is accomplished by using materials that move equally well in all directions. Flex eyelets allow the laces to simultaneously keep the shoe locked in and allow the eyelet row to move with the foot. The laces used in the Wave Prophecy are also an all new design. They feature a ribbed texture that aims to reduce the chances of the laces coming untied during a run. The overlays in the shoe are well placed and utilized only where necessary to keep the foot locked into the heel counter and centered over the wave plate. Mizuno also used the attached tongue found in the Wave Creation and Wave Nirvana. Rounding out the upper is an Ortholite memory foam sockliner.

  • Mizuno Wave Prophecy Opinion:

Let me say this first; I don’t run in neutral shoes. Ever. My feet won’t allow it without a plantar fasciitis flare-up or some other undesirable consequence. So it was with some trepidation that I laced up my test pair of Wave Prophecy’s. I immediately noticed how stable this was for a neutral shoe. The heel and arch fit nicely with my foot profile and the upper was like a second skin. However, I did feel as though the shoe stood taller off the ground than I am used to. As I ran I was amazed by how quickly this shoe got me through each step despite it’s 14 ounce weight. In fact, the shoe never once felt heavy through the seven miles that I ran in it.

The Wave Prophecy is also a head turner due to it’s over-the-top styling cues. Flaming reds, shimmery silvers and high-tech gunmetal grays make up the color palette in the men’s version. A shoe that retails at $200 had better make a visual mark! I‘m definitely all for Mizuno becoming more aggressive with their aesthetics. Nice job there, guys. In fact, I got several compliments and questions about the shoes after my test run. This shoe certainly has an expensive look and feel throughout.

The Wave Prophecy is truly a revolutionary shoe for Mizuno and is an excellent shoe for a certain runner, in my opinion. In all likelihood, high-mileage neutral runners will feel most at home in the Wave Prophecy and I would definitely use it as my go to shoe if my footstrike was more towards the neutral category. However, It’s not a shoe that will cross a lot of boundaries outside of neutral to mild overpronators. I fall into the moderate overpronator category and my main training shoe is the Mizuno Wave Nirvana. If Mizuno ever comes out with an “ultra Nirvana” I’ll be the first in line but for now, I’m sticking with what works for me.

Perhaps most exciting to me is the hope that the innovations present in the Wave Prophecy will trickle down to the rest of Mizuno’s line up. The shoe has a luxurious fit and feel, the ride is deceptively quick and surprisingly stable but,again, is probably best suited for runners who like the Wave Creation and want to experience the pinnacle of Mizuno technology.
Review by Theo Clyatt

Let us know what you think of this shoe in the comments!

  • Mizuno Wave Prophecy Price Comparison:

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