Soild comfortable training shoe.
Been a Mizuno user for a while. Main shoes are the Inspire series, but I am one who probably doesn't truly need a stability shoe. I like to rotate different shoes for each run, but the fit of Mizuno keeps me in the brand. Right now I rotate two Inspire 11 and two Rider 18 with the second Rider 18 recently added. The new pair replaced an Inspire 10 recently retired. I also have Sayonara 2, but use them infrequently. The Rider 18s are fantastic. Fit is as expected, for me. The Rider 18 provides plenty of support. Enough that the Inspire 11 is maybe a bit overkill for someone like me that can use a neutral shoe. They notch in between the inspire 11 and the Sayonara 2 for stability in my experience. More cushion on the heal than either and nicely light. An excellent training shoe and race day shoe. I did a 200 mile relay and my last half marathon in the Inspire, but only for the familiarity since I use them more. I will say that I am growing to like the Riders more since I added the second pair recently and will use them on an upcoming 10K. I expect they will be fantastic. I think I favor them more than the Inspire because of the extra cushion. Fit wise, to me they are the exact same shoe. Build quality and longevity? They are running shoes. Light and purposeful. I retire them at 250 miles, BEFORE I start seeing injuries from worn shoes. Most Mizunos still look new by that time and are used for working around the house and yard. I have a TON of working around the house shoes that look fantastic, if not a bit loud!
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Savage Flies
September 29, 2015
A great shoe for fans of the Wave Rider 16's
First off, I loved the Wave Rider 16. I've gone through three pairs in the last 18 months. I like to keep about three pairs of shoes in rotation as I run at least six days a week (sometimes twice a day). I'm not a super high-mileage runner; usually about 40-45 miles a week, occasionally peaking at about 60 miles.After my second pair of WR16s, I gave the 17s a try. These were a bit lighter, but also tighter in the toe box and stiffer at the bend. Not a bad shoe, but I think I gave up on them at about 200 miles and went back to the 16s. Now as the 16s are almost impossible to get, and my last two pairs have just gone over 500 miles, I gave these 18s a try. And wow! I've only run a few days in these but I already love them. My general thoughts:-A much better shoe than the WR17.-Very similar to the WR16, but a bit lighter.-Similar toe box.-Same drop as the 16 (maybe 8-10 mm?).-Slightly more ventilation in the upper.-And lastly, these shoes look good. Not too gaudy, but some very nice color schemes.I'll update this after a couple hundred miles and see if I still love them, but my recommendation right now is that if the Wave Rider 16s worked for you, these will too.Update: May 2016I hit the 500 mile mark in these shoes in March and bought another pair (different color). I'm currently rotating two pairs of these WR-18s and a pair of Wave Sayonaras. This first pair of WR-18s have held up extremely well. I believe I'll be able to get 600+ out of them. And I still love the shoe.
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Efe Yamac Yarbasi
August 27, 2024
Great, middle-of-the-way daily trainer
Review on 60 miles: I have been using Mizuno Waveriders since 17. I haven't used all of them but this has a similar feeling to the previous ones, except for the Knit model.It isn't super plush, yet not so firm. The outsole looks very durable. I *hope* this pair will last at least 350-400 miles. The upper is comfy, and the toe box is wide enough. Definitely wider than my Hoka Mach 6's or Saucony Kinvara's. Of course, it isn't as wide as Torin 6's.
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Anonymous XYZ
September 16, 2017
Light weight, sturdy, efficient and comfortable (and in orange too).
This is my first pair of Mizuno shoes. I came to these from a pair of Brooks Glycines which I didn't like much. Before the Brooks I've had numerous pairs of Asics but the latest gel-nimbus didn't review well even on Asics' website. So I'd heard about Mizuno before but had never tried them. After a bit of hunting around I settled on a pair of Wave Rider 20s. I've owned and used these for more than a month now and so it's time to write a review.These are Mizuno Wave Rider 20 running shoes in size 8.5. I would normally wear size 8 shoes but since these will be my daily exercise shoes they will be fitted with my full-fat podiatrist supplied orthotics I decided to go a half-size up. With the orthotics fitted these shoes fit like a glove. For once this is a pair of shoes that recognises that feet get wider at the toe and so don't squeeze your toes. They are very light and are showing no real signs of wear after a month of walking 2 - 3 miles a day. So they are wll made, lightweight and fit well too.How are they in use? When I tried these shoes with the standard inserts I didn't really like them. There appeared to be a ridge in the sole across the base of the foot that was quite hard and stiff. This made even walking painful as the ridge had no give and overwhelmed the cushioning. With my orthotics fitted the ridge in the sole is much less obvious and the shoes became comfortable. I mostly walk in these shoes (2 - 3 miles a day). When I do run I found the cushioning to be very efective and the shoes are very efficient and comfortable at speed. The shoes definitely change your gait so that weight is properly distributed. Looking at the wear pattern I can see that my normal pattern of wear on the outside of the foot/shoe has been changed so that wear is even and that my instep is now working properly. I've never seen this effect so strongly before and that in-sole ridge is definitely having a positive effect for me.And on a trivial note I really like the color range - hi-vi orange just can't be beat so kudos to Mizuno for letting men have brightly colored shoes too.
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