Mizuno Wave Rider 28 Introduction

When a shoe model is able to make it into model number 20 or more, you know the company has developed something worth using. In this case, Mizuno has their flagship daily trainer, the Wave Rider 28.

This shoe is one of the examples of a company not messing too much with a formula that works for the people using it. Yes, the materials are updated, and there are tweaks, but the 28 is not too dissimilar to the last Wave Rider I ran in (the 20s).

This is a medium cushion shoe that is designed to log miles and take a beating.

To that point, I have logged over 60 miles in these shoes and they look nearly brand new.

Designed as a daily trainer, and listed at $140, the Wave Rider 28 will compete against shoes like the Brooks Ghost 16, Nike Pegasus 41, Reebok FloatZig 1, ASICS Gel Cumulus 26, ASICS Novablast 4, Saucony Ride 17, New Balance 880 v14, and more.

Of these different models, the Wave Rider 28s are very comparable to the Cumulus and Ghost 16s, but firmer. Although firmer, they are also the offering from those that I think may take the most miles before needing replacement.

Mizuno Wave Rider 28 First Impressions

You can tell that these shoes are extremely well made and that they will take a pounding. Color-wise, the shoes are not exciting, and that was not surprising. Mizuno makes great shoes, but they are not known for flashy colors.

When I put these shoes on for the first time they were exactly what I was expecting; firm but comfortable. For wearing all day, the Wave Riders are supremely comfortable and could work well as a shoe to transition from work to a run.

During the first run, a 4-mile easy tempo, they were great. The cushion was enough to keep me going and not wear me out. However, the cushion was firmer than I personally enjoy but it was still soft enough for the run to be comfortable.

Mizuno Wave Rider 28 Upper

The upper uses a 90% recycled materials Jacquard Air Mesh design that uses a gusseted tongue to allow for a luxurious, and breathable, run. This upper is seamless across the foot, using the jacquard fabric to add structure and volume to the shoe.

This upper is flexible in all directions while staying very true to size, my 13s fitting perfectly. This upper feels fairly tight on the heel, then tight-to-regular in the mid- and forefoot.

This upper uses great structure in the lacing system along with thick laces to help lock your foot into the upper. This structure pairs with the design of the collar where there is more material and padding while pulling away from the achilles tendon. Although simple, this is noticeable during my runs as my feet felt locked in but able to move.

Mizuno Wave Rider 28 Sole Unit

The Wave Rider 28 uses Mizuno’s ENERZY NXT foam in the midsole. This is publicised as the softest, and most responsive, Mizuno cushion to date. There is plenty of foam under the heel (31mm) to take a lot of miles, but the drop (12mm) is much higher than most of the shoes on the market at the moment as there is only 19mm under the forefoot.

This design forces the runner forward onto their toes to create a more natural gait. For heel-strikers the high heel-stack gives plenty of cushion and then transitions aggressively to the toe. This couples with the rocker design on the toebox to help transition you through your gait and toe-off.

To help this along Mizuno places their signature Wave plate in the heel to help transition energy from the landing into your toe-off. This plate is made using PEBAX RNEW, a plant-based TPU to offer stability and energy return.

The outsole is an X10 carbon rubber, which offers supreme durability for long wear. This outsole also gives good grip on almost all surfaces. The only issue I had was right after a very hard rain and standing water still present in some areas.

Mizuno Wave Rider 28 Conclusions

Overall I was wondering what I would think about the Mizuno Wave Rider 28. In the past the Wave Rider has been my favorite model of Mizuno trainer.

However, recently I ran in the Wave Sky, and was impressed by how soft and responsive they could make a shoe. I was hoping that the Wave Rider would use the same plush feeling at a lower stack height to be able to encourage pushing the tempo.

This shoe, however, didn’t have any of that plush feeling. Don’t get me wrong, they are very comfortable. However, as a larger runner, the firm cushion present in the Mizuno’s traditional trainers can get very jarring during longer runs.

This shoe really excels in the 5k-10k range. During those runs I felt a good snap and push. However, my feet felt battered when I pushed it past 15k.

I realize that this shoe is designed for a heel-strike runner, which I am not, but if I’m training for a longer race I want to be comfortable past 15k.

The other issue I had was that they felt heavy on my feet during longer runs. When I weighed them at home, they came in at 11.4 oz for my size 13s, which was quite a bit heavier than the shoes I reviewed before these.

When compared to other daily trainers that are in the $130-140 range, I would put the Wave Rider 28 behind the likes of the New Balance 880, Brooks Ghost 16, and the Reebok FloatZig.

It’s not a bad shoe, it’s really quite good. However I just feel there are some better options on the market for a runner like me.