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Mizuno Wave Horizon 6 review

6 expert score
9.5 user's score
As editorial policy, we do not accept free samples. We purchased this pair at Running Warehouse with our own money.
Review written on 24th March by Jon Ober Serial Marathoner and Stability Running Shoe Expert
68 other reviews

Mizuno Wave Horizon 6 Verdict

The Mizuno Wave Horizon 6 is a tank of a shoe. I had more fun casually walking around in these versus running in them. While it gives some of the most support out there, you can find something else that is cheaper and lighter that executes this much better.

The pros

  • Comfortable knit upper.
  • Sturdy and durable.
  • Ample stability for people who have severe over pronation.

The cons

  • Too heavy.
  • Takes way too long to break in.
  • Pricey.

Where to buy

Best offers today in United States, all prices in USD

Rating breakdown

Comfort
10
Build quality
8.0
Upper
10
Sole unit
5.0
Landing
5.0
Transition
6.0
Toe-off
6.0
Traction
9.0
Durability
10
Value / Price
7.0

Facts / Specs

Brand
Model
Wave Horizon 6
Type
Weight
11.6 oz (329 g)
MSRP
$170.00

Heel
38 mm.
Toe
30 mm.
Heel drop
8 mm.
Carbon plate
No plate

Size/Fit

Sizing
True to size
Heel fit
Normal
Midfoot fit
Normal
Toebox fit
Normal

Cushioning & ride

Type of cushioning
Responsive/balanced
Amount of cushioning
Highly cushioned
Stability
Very stable
Flexibility
Rigid

Usage

Racing
Speedwork
Daily training  
Long distance racing
Ultra distance racing

Who should buy the Mizuno Wave Horizon 6 ?

This is for people who need the most amount of cushioning and stability. This is also a good shoe for walking.

Who should not buy the Mizuno Wave Horizon 6 ?

This is not a race day shoe and it is almost too heavy to be a daily trainer.

Mizuno Wave Horizon 6 Introduction

Picture of Mizuno Wave Horizon 6

Mizuno returns with the 6th edition of their max cushion stability trainer the Horizon 6. The biggest and most noticeable update in this edition is the new knit upper.

This is meant to compete with shoes such as Asics Kayano, Saucony Hurricane, and the Brooks adrenaline. It’s price tag is as heavy as the shoe feels coming in at $170.

Mizuno Wave Horizon 6 First Impressions

Picture of Mizuno Wave Horizon 6

Cosmetically the shoe looked great. I liked the grey with yellow accents on the knit upper and it was pretty comfortable right from the start just walking around. The shoe felt HEAVY in my hands. It was not very flexible and it was just a lot of shoe.

My first run in them was an easy 5 miler. They rode a little faster than I thought they would, but I still felt like I was dragging the entire time.

Mizuno Wave Horizon 6 Upper

Picture of Mizuno Wave Horizon 6

The upper was the best part of this shoe. It is a knit upper that breathed great in the heat and was warm in the cold. It fit true to size so I see no need to size up or out.

The heel is quite built up and locks you in nicely. There are no issues with hot spots or rubbing there or with the laces. The toe box gives plenty of room and is not snug at all.

Mizuno Wave Horizon 6 Sole Unit

Picture of Mizuno Wave Horizon 6


The outsole tread was very sturdy and built up. The tread pattern gave great traction in all weather types and I never had any issues losing control. There was very minimal wear at the end of my testing and I could see this shoe lasting quite a while.

In the middle of the shoe Enerzy, Mizuno’s responsive compound that boasts high energy return (hence the name). There is a section of the outsole cut out to try and reduce weight but also show it off as it is bright red.

The Enerzy foam is paired with U4ic, a much firmer foam compound which helped provide the stability aspects. There was just way too much of it for me. It was overbearing to the point where it started to cancel out the benefits of the Enerzy foam.

I could tell on every step that it helping aid my foot to land straight and not cause them to roll inward. I eventually got used to this, but it was pretty annoying and uncomfortable for the first half of my testing. The 8mm drop had my landing and lifting off mostly on my midfoot.

Mizuno Wave Horizon 6 Conclusions

Picture of Mizuno Wave Horizon 6

I had a hard time finding a place for these shoes in my rotation. I would probably wear them on days where I wanted to go as easy as possible or if I needed to run to the store.

It took a really long time to break these in but once they broke in, my opinion did sway a little bit but not by much. There are just other stability shoes (or even max cushioning neutral shoes like the Nike Invincible) that can do so much more and don’t feel like you are wearing bricks on your feet.

Unless you have major issues with overpronation, you can steer away from this. If you are looking for a stability shoe from Mizuno, save your money and go for something like the Wave Inspire.

How does the Wave Horizon 6 compare?

Asics Gel Kayano 29
Mizuno Wave Horizon 6
Hoka One One Gaviota 4
Expert score
9
6
9
User score
Retail price
US$159.95
US$169.95
US$169.95
Shoe type
Weight
10.5 oz
11.6 oz
11.10 oz
Heel Drop
12 mm
8 mm
5 mm
Recommended for
Daily training, long distance racing
Daily training
Daily training
Cushioning type
balanced
responsive/balanced
balanced/plush
Cushioning amount
Medium cushioning
Highly cushioned
Highly cushioned
Flexibility
medium
rigid
medium
Stability
very stable
very stable
very stable
Sizing
true to size
true to size
true to size

Why you can trust us

As editorial policy, we do not accept free samples from companies.
We purchased this pair of Mizuno at Running Warehouse  with our own money.

This page contains affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate we earn from qualifying purchases. Read more about our policy.
Lowest price:

$108

Mizuno Wave Horizon 6 price comparison

Best offers today in United States, all prices in USD

Reviewed by Jon

This review was written by Jon Ober on 24th March.
Jon Ober lives and runs in Baltimore, MD. When training for his first marathon, he lost over 100 pounds and has not stopped since. He now has multiple marathons and thousands of miles under his belt and on his feet.

User feedback (2)

  • avatar-comment-1025337
    Jeff
    1 year ago
    9 score

    It would have been nice to have a different RSG writer review this shoe. Other review sites have had considerably different reactions. From personal experience, the Horizon 6 is much more than a mere grocery-getter, and can be used to put in many easy miles and occasional faster paced efforts with smooth transitions and above average durability. The support features are less intrusive than say, an Arahi or Guide, and the Horizon runs lighter than its actual weight. For me, it’s been worth the money.

    • avatar-comment-1025734
      Griff
      1 year ago
      10 score

      I agree. This seems weirdly negative for little reason. This shoe is amazing for long easy runs. Super smooth and non intrusive.

Lowest price:
$108

Where to buy

Best offers today in United States, all prices in USD

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