Comparable - in fact, preferable to the Hoka Stinson ATR’s I’ve been using for more than ten years.
As part of my health/fitness program, I do resistance training and also do cardio in a variety of forms including jumping rope, hitting the heavy bag, and jogging, among other things. I’m no superman, but I’m pretty fit and I try hard to keep it that way. When it comes to jogging, right now I’m doing about 10-15 miles a week, and I mix that in with a good dose of jumping rope (usually 3500 to 5500 jumps per session) and working on the heavy bag. At this point in my life, I need to keep things mixed up to keep cardio enjoyable, as opposed to the past when I would rely far too exclusively on jogging only to come to dread it out of monotony and boredom.For years now I have been a Hoka guy – I’m a big fan of their shoes, and I like the maximally cushioned variants when I can get my hands (or feet, lol) on them. I’m not fast (and compared to elite runners I am certainly a turtle), and I don’t have a runner’s build, so let’s just say I’m not exactly graceful, but I can hold my own decent enough, and importantly, my knees and joints are all holding up just fine (knock on wood for me please, lol). What matters to me is being able to continue to train for years to come, thus I don’t want to damage anything as a result of pounding too much pavement, hence my preference for cushy, forgiving, maximally cushioned training shoes, and my preference for Hokas. For those that are interested, I’m currently using Stinson ATRs, of which I currently have three pairs, and I’ve been running with Stinson ATRs virtually since their original inception.While I have liked my Hokas, when I saw these Mizunos as an option for me to test out, I thought it would be a good opportunity to try something different. There are so many running shoe variations available that it is mind boggling to me, but my needs are simple – give me a good, stable, well-cushioned platform for running on pavement and improved dirt/gravel surfaces. With that in mind, up until now, the best option for me has been the Stinson ATRs.And then…I tried out these Mizunos…The first thing I noticed is that these Mizunos make me feel lighter on my feet. I don’t know if they weigh less than my Stinsons, but I immediately noticed that I just plain feel lighter, and I feel like I am running lighter when wearing the Mizunos. Frankly, it is a refreshing change from the Hokas, and I’m unsure what to attribute it to. It’s possible that I just needed a change from wearing Stinsons for so long - I don’t know - but suffice it to say that right out of the box on my first run, I immediately felt lighter, and refreshed. That feeling continues as I continue to use these shoes, and it has helped improve my running spirit/motivation to get out there.As to cushioning, I would say that these Mizunos are maximally cushioned, on par and equal to that of my Stinsons. These shoes are very easy on the feet, and whole body for that matter, in a manner that is virtually identical to my Hokas. I find the “ride” to be smooth, and forgiving, particularly for my running style, training pace, and non-runner body type. I’m not breaking any speed records, nor am I looking to, I just want the workout, and I want it without cumulative injuries. So, when it comes to cushioned ride-quality, I am very happy with these Mizunos.I’m not up to speed on all the terminologies with running/jogging, but something that I wanted to point out is that I do run on both pavement and generally improved surfaces like dirt roads/gravel, and some smoother trails. Traction seems fine on the latter in ideal conditions, and that seems reasonable to me. On pavement, obviously traction is fine. I will say that the shoes feel “stable,” or maybe it would be better stated that they provide a stable platform. My feet land smoothly, and depart smoothly, again, in a fashion similar to that of my Hokas. Purely from a stability standpoint, the Hokas and these Mizunos feel very comparable. The main difference in this regard is that my Hokas feel bulky, and I do not get that feeling with the Mizunos.From a fit perspective, I find the Mizunos to be excellent. They form well to my feet, and they feel “airy” and well-ventilated. The upper materials are soft and forgiving, and when snuggly tightened up they are superbly comfortable – no hot spots or pressure points. When it comes to fit and comfort, I would have to give the edge to the Mizunos. I do typically wear a size 9 shoe, including with the many Hokas I have owned over the years, so I ordered these Mizunos in a size 9 as well, and the sizing is spot on.It hit me when I was out jogging yesterday, that one way I would describe the Mizunos is to say that the soles, cushioning, and stability feel similar to Hoka Stinsons, while the uppers feel like a Hoka Clifton (I had a few pairs not too long ago). The merger or blending of these attributes makes these Mizunos a real pleasure for me to jog with. As it stands, I have not found anything that I dislike about their performance. Even the simple graphics of black and white are my preference as opposed to flashy colors and designs. My only gripe - and this seems to be the case with so many high-end running shoes these days - would be the current price of $170. That price point, or thereabouts, unfortunately seems to be the norm across so many brands and it just seems a bit inflated to me. Setting aside the price, I am very happy with the performance of these shoes as well as the motivation boost they’ve instilled in me, and to put it plainly, I prefer these over my Stinsons.
✔ Verified Purchase
M
Matthew Schenker
May 29, 2025
Super Impressed
I'm a serious walker. Every night, I go for a really fast walk with my dog. I take a vigorous walk to work every morning. And if I can walk somewhere, even when it's a fair distance, I do it instead of driving. I've been testing various shoes to support my walking. I like a few, but these running shoes from Mizuno are definitely the best I've tried so far.The shoes are super-lightweight. They seriously hardly feel like anything when you hold them. They feel light on the feet as well. I really enjoy the sensation of walking in these. It's not just that they are light, but the bottoms also have a terrific "spring" that kind of makes you feel like you're floating as you move. They also give you a nice feeling of being propelled as you step.The sizing for me is accurate. The first time I put them on, they fit perfectly. They lace up tightly and easily, with the tongues placed in just the right spot to make that easy (several shoes I've tried lately have weird tongue placements, so it's not a given that the tongues are correct).The material feels tough, even though it's super-light. The whole shoe seems like it will last. I've already tested these by walking over gravel and rough spots, and they show no signs of wear at all. Of course, I need to spend more time with them to make sure, and I'll report back if anything changes.The one possible negative about these shoes is their appearance. The bottoms are super-thick, and the fact that the bottoms are bright white in contrast with the black tops really emphasizes this. I saw myself in the mirror, and I had to admit they are really "tall." But if you are like me and only plan to wear these for very active walking or running, it doesn't really matter. Still, I felt it was important to point this out. They are rather funny looking.I don't like to run or jog -- only walk really fast. Although these are listed as "running shoes," they are terrific for fast-walking. I strongly recommend them.
✔ Verified Purchase