Mizuno Wave Horizon 5 Review
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By Tara Summerville Editor’s Conclusion
If there was a town called Stability, the Mizuno Wave Horizon 5 would be the mayor. It is packed with advanced stability features that really lock your feet in place and give you a good deal of support. If you are a heavier runner, recovering from an injury, over/underpronate, or suffer from joint pain after your runs, this shoe is well worth the investment.
It comes in at a pretty steep price point, but the heightened durability of this shoe as well as the insane stability features offered make it worth every penny. I’m a little on the frugal side when it comes to running shoes, but the performance of this shoe from Mizuno is with the investment in the long run. Plus, it boasts a sleek and modern style that is sure to generate a few envious glances while at the gym or out on the trails.
Below, I wanted to break down all of the features that make this one of the best stability trainers that make running pain a thing of the past!
It comes in at a pretty steep price point, but the heightened durability of this shoe as well as the insane stability features offered make it worth every penny. I’m a little on the frugal side when it comes to running shoes, but the performance of this shoe from Mizuno is with the investment in the long run. Plus, it boasts a sleek and modern style that is sure to generate a few envious glances while at the gym or out on the trails.
Below, I wanted to break down all of the features that make this one of the best stability trainers that make running pain a thing of the past!
Mizuno Wave Horizon 5 Review Review Facts
Editor's Pros & Cons
Pros
Wave plate technology naturally corrects your gait
U4ic and U4icX cushioned midsole
Offers a very bouncy and energetic ride
Great for long distances
The geometry of the outsole helps with pronation
Cons
Not ideal for speed
Heavy
Expensive
Toe box tapers very quickly
Key Features
Key Features
MIDSOLE
In the previous cycle of new Mizuno trainers, they debuted their new Enerzy midsole technology. What runners love most about this midsole is that it offers up a little bit of everything. It has a nice plush step-in feel that comforts your feet right out of the gate and has a modest spring to it for excellent energy return and impact absorption. It also boasts a 10 mm drop, while gives you added support for heel strikers, and takes the pressure off of your knees and lower back.
What makes this shoe really shine is the WavePlate technology built into the midsole. Other brands have their own style of grappling with overpronation, and the WavPlate still remains one of the front runners. It naturally corrects your gait and helps with overpronation issues by gently guiding your foot into a nice and easy gait, much like a rocking chair.
Overall, the midsole of this design offers runners the highest level of cushioning and support within the entire Mizuno lineup!
OUTSOLE
The outsole of this design is made for three things: durability, traction, and support. One of the things that makes this outsole unique is that it is soft and squishy in the midfoot, and harder and rigid on the outer walls of your foot. When running at a nice and even gait, the XPOP outsole provides a good deal of bounce. As you start to shift your weight to the inside or outside of your foot, you are met with hard resistance, which naturally guides your foot into an even gait.
What I also love about the outsole of this design is that it is made to last. Mizuno shoes offer heightened durability that is good for anywhere from 350-500 miles. If you plan on doing a little brisk walking, expect up to 750 miles before you feel the need to replace your trainers. Even after 50 miles, runners found little signs of wear and tear on the rubber.
UPPER
You can expect a good deal of added cushioning in the upper of this design. It is composed of a blend of breathable mesh materials in key areas to help move hot air up and away from the feet, and thicker stability features for support. It also has a padded collar and tongue for extra cushioning and prevents rubbing and chafing on your heels.
It is important to note that the overall bulk of this upper takes a few miles to break them in. Upon your first run, you may notice a few hot spots as well as an uncomfortable fit in the fabric. Runners report that this awkward fit typically only lasts a few miles before the stretchy materials start to loosen and really conform to the shape of your foot for excellent lockdown and a secure and comfortable fit.
PERFORMANCE
There’s a long list of runners that can benefit from this shoe! As I mentioned earlier, this shoe is the mayor of Stability town, which means it’s insanely secure. It’s built to really lock your feet in place and help absorb the impact when running on hard surfaces. I suggest this trainer for newbies, runners carrying a little extra weight, or those that suffer from chronic pain.
If you find that your joints are screaming at the end of a long (or short!) run, it may be due in part to your shoes. The Mizuno Wave Horizon 5 is built to help mitigate the impact when running on a hard surface, as well as comfort your joints. Pain often arises when your gait is uneven, and this shoe has two lines of defense in the midsole and outsole to help keep your gait nice and even.
STYLE
While there aren’t a lot of color choices to select from, I still love the styling of this shoe. Stability trainers often earn a reputation of being a little clunky, and the updated Wave Horizon looks fast and sleek. The downside is that the color palette is a little limited, and it doesn’t have many of the bright and punchy colors that are offered in some of the other designs in the Mizuno lineup. Even though the colors are limited, the overall silhouette of this shoe is bound to generate a few envious glances!
FIT
The fit of this design runs fairly true to size. If you have worn Mizuno’s before, the sizing is fairly consistent. One thing that I did notice, however, is that some runners found that the toe box tapers a bit too quickly, making it a tad on the shallow side. If you are worried about the toe box running a bit too narrow, it’s never a bad idea to try buying a half size larger than your normal fit!
If you have never tried Mizuno’s shoes before, I suggest heading to your local shoe store to try a size on before you buy. Just because you are a size 10 in Nikes doesn’t mean you will be the same size in Mizuno. If you are shopping online, be sure to take accurate measurements of your foot and compare it to Mizuno’s sizing chart!
PRICE
The mayor of Stability town doesn’t come cheap, unfortunately. The price tag of the Mizuno Wave Horizon 5 is on the higher end of the price spectrum when it comes to stability trainers. However, when you consider the overall durability of this shoe that is able to conquer 500-750 miles, the price tag doesn’t seem so high. In fact, you may have to buy two separate pairs of running shoes before you would need to replace the Wave Horizon 5, making it a pretty great value overall.
It’s important to note that this shoe has undergone small quality-of-life improvements over the years. If you want to save a little bit of money, opting for an older model is also an option. You will receive the same level of stability with a few features that may be only slightly uncomfortable or less than ideal.
In the previous cycle of new Mizuno trainers, they debuted their new Enerzy midsole technology. What runners love most about this midsole is that it offers up a little bit of everything. It has a nice plush step-in feel that comforts your feet right out of the gate and has a modest spring to it for excellent energy return and impact absorption. It also boasts a 10 mm drop, while gives you added support for heel strikers, and takes the pressure off of your knees and lower back.
What makes this shoe really shine is the WavePlate technology built into the midsole. Other brands have their own style of grappling with overpronation, and the WavPlate still remains one of the front runners. It naturally corrects your gait and helps with overpronation issues by gently guiding your foot into a nice and easy gait, much like a rocking chair.
Overall, the midsole of this design offers runners the highest level of cushioning and support within the entire Mizuno lineup!
OUTSOLE
The outsole of this design is made for three things: durability, traction, and support. One of the things that makes this outsole unique is that it is soft and squishy in the midfoot, and harder and rigid on the outer walls of your foot. When running at a nice and even gait, the XPOP outsole provides a good deal of bounce. As you start to shift your weight to the inside or outside of your foot, you are met with hard resistance, which naturally guides your foot into an even gait.
What I also love about the outsole of this design is that it is made to last. Mizuno shoes offer heightened durability that is good for anywhere from 350-500 miles. If you plan on doing a little brisk walking, expect up to 750 miles before you feel the need to replace your trainers. Even after 50 miles, runners found little signs of wear and tear on the rubber.
UPPER
You can expect a good deal of added cushioning in the upper of this design. It is composed of a blend of breathable mesh materials in key areas to help move hot air up and away from the feet, and thicker stability features for support. It also has a padded collar and tongue for extra cushioning and prevents rubbing and chafing on your heels.
It is important to note that the overall bulk of this upper takes a few miles to break them in. Upon your first run, you may notice a few hot spots as well as an uncomfortable fit in the fabric. Runners report that this awkward fit typically only lasts a few miles before the stretchy materials start to loosen and really conform to the shape of your foot for excellent lockdown and a secure and comfortable fit.
PERFORMANCE
There’s a long list of runners that can benefit from this shoe! As I mentioned earlier, this shoe is the mayor of Stability town, which means it’s insanely secure. It’s built to really lock your feet in place and help absorb the impact when running on hard surfaces. I suggest this trainer for newbies, runners carrying a little extra weight, or those that suffer from chronic pain.
If you find that your joints are screaming at the end of a long (or short!) run, it may be due in part to your shoes. The Mizuno Wave Horizon 5 is built to help mitigate the impact when running on a hard surface, as well as comfort your joints. Pain often arises when your gait is uneven, and this shoe has two lines of defense in the midsole and outsole to help keep your gait nice and even.
STYLE
While there aren’t a lot of color choices to select from, I still love the styling of this shoe. Stability trainers often earn a reputation of being a little clunky, and the updated Wave Horizon looks fast and sleek. The downside is that the color palette is a little limited, and it doesn’t have many of the bright and punchy colors that are offered in some of the other designs in the Mizuno lineup. Even though the colors are limited, the overall silhouette of this shoe is bound to generate a few envious glances!
FIT
The fit of this design runs fairly true to size. If you have worn Mizuno’s before, the sizing is fairly consistent. One thing that I did notice, however, is that some runners found that the toe box tapers a bit too quickly, making it a tad on the shallow side. If you are worried about the toe box running a bit too narrow, it’s never a bad idea to try buying a half size larger than your normal fit!
If you have never tried Mizuno’s shoes before, I suggest heading to your local shoe store to try a size on before you buy. Just because you are a size 10 in Nikes doesn’t mean you will be the same size in Mizuno. If you are shopping online, be sure to take accurate measurements of your foot and compare it to Mizuno’s sizing chart!
PRICE
The mayor of Stability town doesn’t come cheap, unfortunately. The price tag of the Mizuno Wave Horizon 5 is on the higher end of the price spectrum when it comes to stability trainers. However, when you consider the overall durability of this shoe that is able to conquer 500-750 miles, the price tag doesn’t seem so high. In fact, you may have to buy two separate pairs of running shoes before you would need to replace the Wave Horizon 5, making it a pretty great value overall.
It’s important to note that this shoe has undergone small quality-of-life improvements over the years. If you want to save a little bit of money, opting for an older model is also an option. You will receive the same level of stability with a few features that may be only slightly uncomfortable or less than ideal.
Comparisons to Previous Versions
Comparisons to Previous Versions
At first glance, there aren’t a lot of changes made between the Wave Horizon 5 and previous iterations. It’s made from similar supportive features that help stabilize your foot and help with overpronation. However, there are a few features that make this newest version stand out from the crowd.
The biggest change made to this design lies in the upper. The previous version has slightly more padding and structure along the top, which limits your full range of motion and heats things up quickly. The newest version is slightly more breathable and cuts down on the overall break-in period. The Wave Horizon 4 also fits a little bit more snugly, which can make long runs a little uncomfortable.
If you wanted to give this shoe a try but can’t quite swing the higher price point, I would suggest giving the Wave Horizon 4 a look. While it doesn’t have some of the advanced features as the 5, it still provides many of the same quality stability features at a slightly more reasonable price point.
The biggest change made to this design lies in the upper. The previous version has slightly more padding and structure along the top, which limits your full range of motion and heats things up quickly. The newest version is slightly more breathable and cuts down on the overall break-in period. The Wave Horizon 4 also fits a little bit more snugly, which can make long runs a little uncomfortable.
If you wanted to give this shoe a try but can’t quite swing the higher price point, I would suggest giving the Wave Horizon 4 a look. While it doesn’t have some of the advanced features as the 5, it still provides many of the same quality stability features at a slightly more reasonable price point.
Verdict
Verdict
If you are in the market for a pair of stability shoes to end all stability shoes, this design is a great choice. I knocked a few points off of its total score due to the fairly steep price point as well as the tapered toe box that doesn’t allow your toes to spread out naturally inside of the shoe.
While it does have its downsides, the good far outweighs the bad. I love that this shoe does an excellent job of cutting out pain from overpronation, which allows me to run farther without any pain at all in my knees or lower back. It’s just an incredibly comfortable shoe that offers excellent energy feedback and has heightened durability that lasts for hundreds and hundreds of good quality miles.
While it does have its downsides, the good far outweighs the bad. I love that this shoe does an excellent job of cutting out pain from overpronation, which allows me to run farther without any pain at all in my knees or lower back. It’s just an incredibly comfortable shoe that offers excellent energy feedback and has heightened durability that lasts for hundreds and hundreds of good quality miles.
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