Friday, July 27, 2012

Mizuno Wave Precisions Review

I ran exclusively in Asics Kayanos for years.  Almost a decade.  Last year I branched out and tried Brooks Trance shoes when I got into their wear test program.  I was converted.  I even branched out further and bought two pairs from their Pure Project line.

Thanks to Jen at Runner Maybe I got an invite to the Mezamashii project.  I had a hard time picking out a pair of shoes.  I have only tried one other pair of Mizuno shoes (I bought them last fall on clearance, more branching out)  and was not happy with them.   In fact I just put them on to see if I had changed my mind at all.  I didn't.  I still hate them.  They feel all wrong.

The person I talked to at the Mezamashii project was super awesome and patient about talking about the shoes I wear now, what I like about them and what Mizuno shoes are comparable.  I think I kept the poor guy on the phone about 20 minutes asking him all kinds of questions and discussing pros and cons of different shoes.

I finally settled on the Mizuno Wave Precisions. I went with the 12s because the 13s were very PINK
I am not a pink kind of person.  I can like a little pink, but those shoes were a little much.  The 12s however were all right, in fact I really like them.  Not too much pink and some awesome bright yellow/lime green on them too.

Here they are all clean and pretty right out of the box.

I felt like I couldn't make a judgement on them right away since I have been having some pain in my left foot since the Missoula Marathon on the 8th so I waited a bit to do this post.  I have run about 25 miles in them total.

PROS
  • Bright and colorful.  I am tired of shoes that are boring.  I want colorful shoes to run in.
  • Very comfortable.  Sometimes when I buy new shoes I feel like it takes awhile to get the lacing right and have to keep loosening and tightening the laces till I get it right.  I didn't have to do it once.  Awesome
  • 8 ounces makes them lightweight and great for speedwork.  This was a major reason why I picked them. I can also use them for races, and I think I will this fall if I continue to like them.
  • I feel like I am able to midfoot stike in them easily despite the 12mm heel drop.
  • They feel quick to me.  I ran a 6:34 mile at the end of an 8 mile run on Wednesday in them.


Not so clean anymore :)



CONS
  • Feel a little small to me.  The 8.5s are not bad, but I think I could have sized up and been even happier.   I saw this on Runningwarehouse.com
Sizing: Fits small; purchase 1/2 size larger than standard running shoe size.  (I wish the guy at Mizuno would have told me that. )
  • Lots of white on them gets very dirty looking fast.  (My own fault for ordering this color)
  • I wish they had less of a heel drop.  They are 12mm, which is pretty standard, but the Pure Flows I run in are 4mm and I really like that about them.
The longest run I have done in them so far is 8 miles and I would do farther.  At least up to a half marathon if not more.
I recieved these shoes free but the opinions are my own. Would a buy another pair.  Yes I think I would. 

15 comments:

  1. most mizunos have a tighter fit. glad you like them! i always have high hopes for mizuno, but like you they just feel wrong on my feet. every time. i turned my latest mizuno addition, the mushas, into a cool pair of walking kicks and they still weren't quite right.

    don't necessarily think that it makes this a bad brand, still love their products. my feet just prefer others. sad.

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  2. Yes, definitely size up a half size on all Mizunos. I love the Precisions for shorter, quicker distances. I am a Mizuno die-hard. Glad you are enjoying them so far.

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  3. Nice review. I think I may try them next shoe....but I just love brooks so much! - they do look pretty sweet and I'm glad you liked running in them :)

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  4. Interesting to read your side of the Mizuno review. I feel like we had similar opinions! Nice, light shoes good for speed work. What's the longest run you did in them? Curious to see how far I can take the Elixirs.

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  5. I have never tried Mizunos. I think I used to wear them as softball cleats in High School! I usually run in Asics, but have tried (and have mixed feelings about) a couple different kinds of Brooks.

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  6. I've tried two pairs now (Inspire and Wave Rider) and both of them do something seriously weird to my foot on one side and achilles on the other. I think I've given them enough of a chance and it's time to go back to Brooks.

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  7. I feel the same way about the size up. I have worn mine on my treadmill so its not much of an issue, but I feel when and if I wear them outside I might have issues. I still really love mine though - they feel so light on my feet.

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  8. Thanks for the review! I'm a Brooks girl but all of these Mizuno reviews from Mezamashii Project members has made me think about maybe trying them again. I can't stand large amounts of pink, either, and I hate that it seems like so many manufacturers of women's shoes (or even other running gear for women) think that all women must love pink.

    Hope you continue to enjoy your new Mizunos!

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  9. I also won a pair through an invite giveaway, and have been trying the Wave Riders... so far so good, although like you, I'm not running my normal mileage right now as I wait for a shin ache to recover. But I was also pleasantly surprised that I was striking (what felt like) mid-foot, despite the 12mm drop. I've never tried Mizunos before, but I can see why some people swear by them!

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  10. They always look so pretty right out of the box:) Makes me not want to run outside with them, but I get over it quickly:)

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  11. Sounds like some good customer service, love that. Glad they are working out for you. I'm with you about colorful shoes, I would think they would just make me happy to put them on.

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  12. I like the colors on this but I see why running dirt paths would not be smart lol At least they are comfy right out of the box! I can't wait to try mine out on a test run today :)

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  13. Great review. I'm a very loyal Brooks gal, but enjoy reading about potential other shoes. Like you (before this review), my only pair of Mizunos I hated.

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  14. What size do you normally wear in your running shoes? I ask because I have two pairs of Mizuno Wave Rider 14's and one is an 8.5 and the other is a 9. The 9 has a little too much extra space to wear it on long runs but the 8.5 is a perfect fit. The newest Mizunos I have are the Enigmas and the 8.5 feels too short but I haven't taken them out on a long run yet.

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