The Mizuno Wave Prophecy 5 is the newest iteration of the top of the line trainers made by the company for neutral runners.
This shoe is advertised as a full cushion shoe that will help you log the high mileage for long-distance running.
This shoe is designed to use the sole unit as a propulsion towards your next stride, and that is noticeable when you dial up the speed.
Although it is designed for these uses, I can’t help but feeling that the shoe fails to deliver all it has promised, and was far more firm than I had expected from this level of “cushioned” shoe.
Mizuno Wave Prophecy 5 General Info
The Mizuno Wave Prophecy is a top of the line, high-mileage trainer for the Mizuno neutral lines. This is the flagship for the full cushioned shoes for the company.
It represents the amalgam of Mizuno’s technologies, from their Infinity Wave cushioning to the AIRmesh upper that allows for maximum breathability.
Upon first unboxing the shoes, they were visually impressive. The colors — although not bright — were striking and the shoe itself looks aggressive and stylish.
When I first put the shoe on, it was very comfortable to stand in and offered a very stable platform. However, there were two things that jumped out negatively from the unboxing.
These shoes were incredibly heavy, both in my hands and on my feet. And also, the cushioning was much harder and more jarring than I had anticipated — to the point of being uncomfortable.
Mizuno Wave Prophecy 5 Sole Unit
The sole unit of this trainer is filled with advanced technology. The signature part being the patented Infinity Waved, which runs from heel to toe. This technology is designed to transfer the energy from your impact to your toe-off.
This is something that after getting used to, is really quite nice. However, to get the full feeling of the energy transition, you have to be a heel striker.
I felt more energy transference at the end of longer runs — when my form broke down — than I did with my usual midfoot strike.
The SmoothRide midsole helps with the transition towards your toe-off, creating a smooth transition from heel to toe. This works in unison with the Wave technology of the shoe.
The overall platform of the shoe is incredibly stable and can take on almost any terrain you may throw at it. The only place I had difficulty with it was in a dirt single-track when it was wet, but who can fault the shoe for that?
However, in the case of the shoes I was sent, I noticed a lack of cushioning. It was very disappointing considering I was expecting a high cushion ride.
Overall, the cushioning was closer to that which I had experienced with lightweight racers. I would say my experience with the Brooks Ghosts and Ravennas or the ASICS Cumulus all were much more cushioned than the experience I had with these.
Mizuno Wave Prophecy 5 Upper Info
The upper is where this shoe truly shines. The AIRmesh upper is a wonderful addition to this offering. This tech allows ample air into the shoe to keep you from overheating.
However, it still kept enough out so that you don’t freeze on the long, cold runs. The inside of the upper has a wonderful sockliner that helps keep your feet comfortable.
The rest of the upper is very traditional. Including some very rigid overlays that help keep your foot in place.
However, the strange part is that Mizuno did not choose to use a seamless upper. The sockliner takes care of any irritation you might have caused by the seams.
The overall fit of the upper is great. It is narrow where it needs to be and wide in the toebox. The feel of the upper is supportive, yet also freeing. This was the brightest highlight of the shoe.
Mizuno Wave Prophecy 5 Conclusions
Purchasing the Wave Prophecy is quite the investment, and frankly put I don’t know that it is an investment I would willingly make. The upper of the shoe was a dream, feeling better than almost any other upper I have ran in.
However, the sole unit was a complete letdown. As I stated before, I was truly surprised by how hard the impact was for me while running in these shoes. I especially noticed this when my legs were already tired.
After a couple of weeks of higher mileage than my legs were used to, this feeling was just highlighted more as I ran in them.
At $220, I can’t say that this is a shoe I would recommend to a buyer. I have ran in other “top of the line” runners, and would purchase the likes of a Brooks Glycerin or an ASICS Nimbus before going for these.
We thank the nice people at Mizuno for sending us a pair of Wave Prophecy 5 to test. This did not influence the outcome of the review, written after running more than 50 miles in them.
Mizuno Prophecy 5 Price Comparison
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